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Hornby Princess Coronation Class (Duchess)


Dick Turpin
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Any purchase I make will depend on the quality of the green paint, and I don't want the appalling TTS either...  I was around real steam railways too long for any attempt to re-create it in a model really impress, though I did try with the first 2008 sound Duchess and A4.  That said I can see people enjoying the sound tech.

 

Another example of Hornby mixing high end scale modelling and (to my mind) adding childish sound effects .. TTS really IS childish.  Good sound decoders are not. 

 

But then I like analogue and can easily recall the sounds of a steam express approaching on a frosty morning, air temperature and sound effects which by definition cannot be added to a passing miniature replica. Distortion caused by air temperatures, the approaching and receding volume changes and so on..

Agree entirely. The green versions on display last year didnt have the 'wow - that looks so right' impact that maroon 46256 has then, in descending level of 'wow' 46229 (because the gloss varnish hasn't made it better) and finally 6231 (which looks 'muddy' compared to 46256 imho. So with the high price, useless TTS and 'suspect'  green I think I will be passing on 46235

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Agree entirely. The green versions on display last year didnt have the 'wow - that looks so right' impact that maroon 46256 has then, in descending level of 'wow' 46229 (because the gloss varnish hasn't made it better) and finally 6231 (which looks 'muddy' compared to 46256 imho. So with the high price, useless TTS and 'suspect'  green I think I will be passing on 46235

 

I've thought for a while that Hornby's BR green is unconvincing and washed out. Bachmann do seem to have nailed it quite well in my opinion. 

 

Paul. 

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Agree entirely. The green versions on display last year didnt have the 'wow - that looks so right' impact that maroon 46256 has then, in descending level of 'wow' 46229 (because the gloss varnish hasn't made it better) and finally 6231 (which looks 'muddy' compared to 46256 imho. So with the high price, useless TTS and 'suspect'  green I think I will be passing on 46235

But at least from the Hornby Magazine video, the green is back to the correct shade (i.e. Sanda Kan made BR green and orangey/reddish lining, rather than the washed out green of the recent kings and orange lining used on some of the Britannias, Castles, Rebuilt light pacifics made since 2013.

The green does not have the gloss of SWS which is a shame, as unlike the 'gloss' Locomotion Hamilton, SWS was a nice ex-works satin that scaled well, but that said, at least '6235' will match other recent locos it seems.

Edited by G-BOAF
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The example of 46235 in this months Hornby mag has a misplaced handrail knob (second one forwards of the cab) and lacks the city crest over the nameplate. The handrail knob may just be the result of rough handling but the lack of the crest on the nameplate is quite an omission if true of the entire production batch.

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I have been photographing some Bachmann BR green locos from the SK era and don't recall Hornby ever quite getting their BR green quite so rich and dark, but that said, in real life the light and the effects of dirt were extremely variable.

 

Here are a couple of edited pics which probably ought not be allowed in a Duchess thread, but they show a bit of the difference...  and I'm not complaining, I just hope the pristine green Duchess has a bit of depth in the colour.

 

post-7929-0-00520200-1520633939_thumb.jpg

 

post-7929-0-16429100-1520634028_thumb.jpg

 

pics edited will remove if required.

 

p.s. was just looking at my 2009-ish Clan 72005 and it does have rich BR green.... I think a lot comes down to lighting in the room.

 

by comparison a couple of BR green Duchess pics, Montrose being factory-weathered...

 

post-7929-0-44634200-1520634407_thumb.jpg

 

post-7929-0-10033300-1520634456_thumb.jpg

Edited by robmcg
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The example of 46235 in this months Hornby mag has a misplaced handrail knob (second one forwards of the cab) and lacks the city crest over the nameplate. The handrail knob may just be the result of rough handling but the lack of the crest on the nameplate is quite an omission if true of the entire production batch.

 

The city crest over the nameplate must surely be an omission, was it not on the pre-production pictures? 

 

A couple more Duchess BR green pics to get in the mood for the upcoming 46235... edited, will remove if required.

 

46228 Duchess of Rutland, you can buy these quite cheaply I think, or you could a wee while ago, well under UKP100

 

post-7929-0-58690100-1520636639_thumb.jpg

 

post-7929-0-26573600-1520636966_thumb.jpg

 

Who ever would have preferred a crimson version of Stanier's genius eh?

 

Cheers 

Edited by robmcg
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Wow, if I had a loco that derailed every 15 minutes for no clear reason I'd certainly investigate it, if not send it back. Given that during running in, I normally leave the models semi-unattended for around 75% of the time (once ascertained that everything is running true). A loco should not regularly derail. Seems like something is out of tollerence at one particular point of the wheel revolution, which every certain number of cycles interfaces with a particular spot on your track. At very least I'd be checking back to backs and tyre/wheel fittings, and maybe asking Hornby for a replacement bogie.

It looks like I am not the only person to have had problems with a 'Duchess of Atholl' derailing. On page 108 of Britain's Model Trains 2018 the review says "Sadly, our sample had a problematic coupling and persistently derailed." As I like to operate model trains rather than count rivets I would prefer to have a locomotive that stayed on the track. If the derailments are caused by a design fault I cannot see any point in sending it back to Hornby to rectify the fault.

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The city crest over the nameplate must surely be an omission, was it not on the pre-production pictures? 

 

A couple more Duchess BR green pics to get in the mood for the upcoming 46235... edited, will remove if required.

 

46228 Duchess of Rutland, you can buy these quite cheaply I think, or you could a wee while ago, well under UKP100

 

attachicon.gif46228_Duhess_of_Rutland_portrait20a_2abcd_r1200.jpg

 

attachicon.gifDuchess_46228_Country_6a_r1200.jpg

 

Who ever would have preferred a crimson version of Stanier's genius eh?

 

Cheers

The Duchess looks wonderful in BR green but when all the other express locomotives were green, crimson makes a refreshing change and matches the coaches.

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The example of 46235 in this months Hornby mag has a misplaced handrail knob (second one forwards of the cab) and lacks the city crest over the nameplate. The handrail knob may just be the result of rough handling but the lack of the crest on the nameplate is quite an omission if true of the entire production batch.

 

Just a thought on the Birmingham City crest or lack of it.

Hornby might have done the same with this model as the did with the previous model of the Duchess of Sutherland.

The crown on the latter model was part of the detailing kit, it may be the same with this version.

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Looking at a freeze frame from the HM Pecket Video (MODS PLEASE REMOVE IF THIS SCREENSHOT IS NOT OK, POSTED FOR INFO ONLY), it looks like the nameplate part is fitted upside down - there is a crest shaped piece below the nameplate (or is that a piece of the boiler at an odd angle?)!

I haven't had a chance to look at the HM pictures in the magazine, but if the nameplate is upside down, this is a one off. Very hard to tell, but it looks like there is no plate printed on the backing, so I wonder if an etch is supplied. I guess we shall see what the batch is like. Still, a bit of a blunder for a review sample to not have been inspected prior to dispatch to the reviewers.

Are there any reviews in other magazines?

 

post-4226-0-12826600-1520717790_thumb.jpg

 

Hope Hornby don't have a remanufacturing job on their hands.... #QC

Edited by G-BOAF
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It looks like I am not the only person to have had problems with a 'Duchess of Atholl' derailing. On page 108 of Britain's Model Trains 2018 the review says "Sadly, our sample had a problematic coupling and persistently derailed." As I like to operate model trains rather than count rivets I would prefer to have a locomotive that stayed on the track. If the derailments are caused by a design fault I cannot see any point in sending it back to Hornby to rectify the fault.

If you are still having derailing problems with your 'Duchess of Atholl', I would seriously recommend you take a look at Silver Sidelines' posting # 1308 and my subsequent posting # 1608 which hopefully will give you a fix for what appears to be an inherent problem with the current Princess Coronation class chassis. 

The running performance of my 'Sir William Stanier' has been transformed by this simple procedure.

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Hornby's original website photo and Hattons website show 46235 with correct nameplates and crest.

as is well known, Hornby's website side profile images are computer generated, although the additional images of 46235 are of the livery sample, which was correct in terms of nameplate. The question here is whether the model has been manufactured as specified by Hornby.... lets hope so.

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  • 2 weeks later...

In case nobody's noticed, today's Engine Shed blog is dedicated to the streamliners .........

The panels and speedo detail, along with the overall shape Hornby have captured DOES look very good. Is it just me or do the bogie wheels appear to have been reduced to allow them to pivot below the streamlining?

 

 BUT, you can detail a bathtub, but it is still a bathtub. Stanier was right! I'm still aiming for a fleet of 3 conventional preserved examples.

 

And on that note, my City of Birmingham is now paid for, and thank you to the retailer for honouring the original (very competitive) price offered... cheaper than any available for ordering now.

Makes the hit of the useless (for me) TTS decoder easier to swallow!

Hopefully here in time for some running over the Bank Holiday weekend. Here's hoping the chassis problems have been sorted on this batch...

Edited by G-BOAF
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The panels and speedo detail, along with the overall shape Hornby have captured DOES look very good. Is it just me or do the bogie wheels appear to have been reduced to allow them to pivot below the streamlining?

 

 BUT, you can detail a bathtub, but it is still a bathtub. Stanier was right! I'm still aiming for a fleet of 3 conventional preserved examples.

 

And on that note, my City of Birmingham is now paid for, and thank you to the retailer for honouring the original (very competitive) price offered... cheaper than any available for ordering now.

Makes the hit of the useless (for me) TTS decoder easier to swallow!

Hopefully here in time for some running over the Bank Holiday weekend. Here's hoping the chassis problems have been sorted on this batch...

Definitely smaller wheels for the streamliner. They did the same with the previous model. Ironically the smaller wheels don’t look that bad - better than the ‘full size’ wheels on the non streamlined version which are too big. I wonder if Gibson scale wheels will fit and clear the casing? Might do.

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7P Patriot also on Hornby website. New tooling (?) ...........but lame 'ol Tender with valance!

I don't think its new tooling, more likely first test shots for this tooling in new facory. Likely to be the first re-introduction of this model following the 2012-13 move. So same old tender (which I guess has already been set up/tested with the Black 5/8F etc).

 

More disappointingly the livery sample of the A4 still has the damage to the tooling of the cab roof (sunken surface just by the rear edge) which has failed to be fixed. Issue first appeared on the last SK Mallard release around 2011...

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They have said that the Streamlined Princess will have another Bogie will correct sized wheels. Supplied with the underscale wheels fitted so that it can traverse trainset curves straight from the box.

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