Hornby castle arriving?

[Ian Hargrave]

Good images available now on Rails website.Livery much improved in line with recent GW Star and Castle releases.

[TrevorP1]

Thanks Ian. Just what I need to create ‘Earl of Clancarty’ (I think!). But what’s happened to that ejector exhaust - hope that’s a one off!

[RCAR6015]

Thanks Ian. Just what I need to create ‘Earl of Clancarty’ (I think!). But what’s happened to that ejector exhaust - hope that’s a one off!

Was going to buy this release, however the observation above and the pictures on the Rails web site has cast doubts in my mind. The footplate above the offside cylinder also look to be uneven!

More QC issues fron Hornby?

Edited July 6, 2018 by RCAR6015

[G-BOAF]

Safety valves also leaning forward - I presume someone fitted that example back to front.

In terms of wavey running plate I'm trying to get to the bottom of this, but haven't got my spare castle body stripped to a state of (possibly) causing irreversible damage by parting the running plate and boiler. My suspicion is either that the steam pipes are pushing the running plate down due to tight interfaces, or that pressure is induced in the running plate where it is fitted over the spigot that screws the boiler into the chassis... Based on my current schedule, will be a few months before I can be more conclusive.

Edited July 6, 2018 by G-BOAF

[Silver Sidelines]

Wavy lines?  I would say the steam pipe (along the handrail) is wrong in different ways on both the Hattons pictures and the Rail pictures.  There were similar issues with certain editions of Llanvair Grange.  I wonder whether bits of plastic were not given enough time to cool - easy to imagine in the UK current weather conditions.

 

Ray

[Vacuum]

Thanks Ian. Just what I need to create ‘Earl of Clancarty’ (I think!). But what’s happened to that ejector exhaust - hope that’s a one off!

 

 

 

I believe you are referring to the large ejector pipe on the driver's side (underneath the handrail). All of the photos posted by various retailers of post Sanda Kan examples of the Castle which I have seen exhibit the same fault to a lesser degree. The Rails photos would appear to indicate that the problem has got even worse. Certainly the same pipe on my example of 7007 (which I believe was manufactured by SK) is perfectly straight.

 

This fault coupled with the other problem of the distorted footplates would appear to indicate that Hornby's QC currently leaves much to be desired. This is very frustrating as the Castle is otherwise a very fine model.

[G-BOAF]

I believe you are referring to the large ejector pipe on the driver's side (underneath the handrail). All of the photos posted by various retailers of post Sanda Kan examples of the Castle which I have seen exhibit the same fault to a lesser degree. The Rails photos would appear to indicate that the problem has got even worse. Certainly the same pipe on my example of 7007 (which I believe was manufactured by SK) is perfectly straight.

 

This fault coupled with the other problem of the distorted footplates would appear to indicate that Hornby's QC currently leaves much to be desired. This is very frustrating as the Castle is otherwise a very fine model.

I do wonder if the holes drilled for the ejector pipe/handrail supports are slightly misspaced. I say this as I *suspect* that the holes for these parts are not part of the injection moulding and drilled after. In this case, a slight mis-drilling, or poor set up of whatever tools/guides they use to drill the holes will result in parts being stressed and wavey.

Either that or the moulding of the pipe did not cool properly and is misformed.

 

Either way, it comes down to QC in the factory and what Hornby accept.

[Hal Nail]

No need to be confused G-BOAF, just ask!

 

There ar two types of cab front windows in the large tender engines at Didcot and the difference is simple. The ones that appear to be larger are just a brass frame with some glass in. These are hinged directly off the inside front wall of the cab.The ones that appear smaller are a brass frame and window combination. The frame is bolted directly to the inside of the front cab wall and the separate hinged window frame is in that. This type also sometimes has an integral windscreen wiper as part of the hinged window frame. No. 4079 still has these fitted as she hasn’t been in a Scrapyard and is thus still relatively ‘origInal’.

 

Castle

Hi,

I’m still confused!

From photos, the early builds had the larger opening windows and the later 7000 series smaller - similar with Halls (large) compared to Modified Halls (small).

 

So I always assumed the odd exception such as 4079 with small windows had received a replacement later cab at some point?

Edited July 8, 2018 by Hal Nail

[G-BOAF]

Hi,

I’m still confused!

From photos, the early builds had the larger opening windows and the later 7000 series smaller - similar with Halls (large) compared to Modified Halls (small).

 

So I always assumed the odd exception such as 4079 with small windows had received a replacement later cab at some point?

Can 'Castle' advise; I'm still not convinced that it is just the frame arrangements; the actual cab sheet aperture looks a different size to me.

From what I can see, all (preserved) locos up to 5051 have the larger windows. 5080 (built 1939) already has the smaller windows, i.e. in advance of the 7000 series.

 

Pic of 5013 here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/93456400@N04/14140179068

 

5080 Defiant (as an example) here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/76178881@N07/7509189640/sizes/l

[The Stationmaster]

I do wonder if the holes drilled for the ejector pipe/handrail supports are slightly misspaced. I say this as I *suspect* that the holes for these parts are not part of the injection moulding and drilled after. In this case, a slight mis-drilling, or poor set up of whatever tools/guides they use to drill the holes will result in parts being stressed and wavey.

Either that or the moulding of the pipe did not cool properly and is misformed.

 

Either way, it comes down to QC in the factory and what Hornby accept.

 

I have more than a suspicion that Hornby do not actually 'accept' anything in terms of carrying out any sort of QC checks.  All they seem to go on, certainly judging by the past words of the person who is now their 'Marketing and Development Manager', is the number (percentage) of models returned as 'faulty' and that figure has in the past been quoted as 'miniscule'.

 

One could of course ask just how many people buying a model 'Castle' in 2018 would recognise a bent or bendy ejector pipe as 'a fault' and I suppose the same might be said about a slightly skyward pointing front footplate?

[G-BOAF]

I have more than a suspicion that Hornby do not actually 'accept' anything in terms of carrying out any sort of QC checks.  All they seem to go on, certainly judging by the past words of the person who is now their 'Marketing and Development Manager', is the number (percentage) of models returned as 'faulty' and that figure has in the past been quoted as 'miniscule'.

 

One could of course ask just how many people buying a model 'Castle' in 2018 would recognise a bent or bendy ejector pipe as 'a fault' and I suppose the same might be said about a slightly skyward pointing front footplate?

Exactly. QC this way is somewhat flawed. Scenario - I return a Castle for bendy moulding. I can't get a replacement because they are all like this, so I either return the model (which someone less discerning buys) or I keep it and put up with the issue, in which case Hornby see this as a satisfied customer. If they are all the same, is this a 'faulty' model?

I once went through an entire shop's stock of Bachmann 47s to try to find one without a 'banana' bogie. In the end the shop keeper got fed up with me... possibly rightly so as it is/was a uniform fault. But was I 'wrong' to be being so picky? I would argue no; it is not unreasonable to demand a product is manufactured as designed. I would love to see the CAD files with the wonky ejector pipe...!

[Coach bogie]

Exactly. QC this way is somewhat flawed. Scenario - I return a Castle for bendy moulding. I can't get a replacement because they are all like this, so I either return the model (which someone less discerning buys) or I keep it and put up with the issue, in which case Hornby see this as a satisfied customer. If they are all the same, is this a 'faulty' model?

 

 Or fix it yourself. I just bought a 5011 for £80 that was a returned model with the bent front. 30 secs with a hair dryer on hot is enough to soften the bend and reset to the correct angle.Sorted.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[G-BOAF]

 Or fix it yourself. I just bought a 5011 for £80 that was a returned model with the bent front. 30 secs with a hair dryer on hot is enough to soften the bend and reset to the correct angle.Sorted.

 

Mike Wiltshire

bend front as in the 'ski slope' running plate/buffer beam?

Hadn't thought of that as a solution... might have to give it a go IF it is not due to some sort of induced tension when fitted to the boiler moulding

[Hal Nail]

Can 'Castle' advise; I'm still not convinced that it is just the frame arrangements; the actual cab sheet aperture looks a different size to me.

From what I can see, all (preserved) locos up to 5051 have the larger windows. 5080 (built 1939) already has the smaller windows, i.e. in advance of the 7000 series.

 

 

I was being lazy in stating 7000 series but everything I've seen points to a change in design to smaller windows at some point, without the prominent brass surround visible from the front. I'm not certain but Pendennis seems to have this later style which I presumed was a retro fit at some point as its an exception in that number series?

 

You can zoom in on this photo:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart166axe/24622553988

 

Edited July 10, 2018 by Hal Nail

[G-BOAF]

I was being lazy in stating 7000 series but everything I've seen points to a change in design to smaller windows at some point, without the prominent brass surround visible from the front. I'm not certain but Pendennis seems to have this later style which I presumed was a retro fit at some point as its an exception in that number series?

 

You can zoom in on this photo:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart166axe/24622553988

Looks like you are right. Pendennis did have the larger windows when built

https://photos.smugmug.com/GWRSteam-1/Collett-Locomotives/Collett-460-designs/Collett-Castle-Class/Collett-Castles/40754082-Built-1924/i-qBmcHRp/0/3d563ca1/X3/4079%20Pendennis%20Castle%20Loco%20Exchanges%201925%20at%20Wood%20Green%20%28LNER%29-X3.jpg

 

My guess is that the new design started with the 1938 batch lot 310 (5068 onwards), on the basis of 5080 today...

http://www.greatwestern.org.uk/m_in_cas.htm

[Silver Sidelines]

A brave man

 

Some of the detail on Bucklebury Manor was warped and I thought - I'll use some heat from my wife's litle hot air gun.  Yes it softened the plastic - it curled up and died!

 

I had to do some creative remodelling with paint and card.

 

I wonder if the buyer ever realised?

 

 

.... 30 secs with a hair dryer on hot is enough to soften the bend and reset to the correct angle...

 

Regards Ray

[Caledonian]

Evening All,

 

First a confession of ignorance. I have a small layout so get the most out of it by collecting different sets of locos and stock reflecting my interests with which to ring the changes as the fancy takes me. Somehow and quite inadvertently I've discovered I possess a decent [by my standard] set of Great Western stock - God knows how but there we are.

 

Haulage is a bit limited. I have a Bachmann 85XX which is always a good start, and I have a Hornby Castle. To be precise its a red-liveried Castle which I bought for my eldest son 11 years ago. Still runs very nicely but would likely give Messrs Churchward and Collet a conniption fit seeing the colour. 

 

What else is wrong with it? Aside from the build quality issues discussed above the current version I'm told is far better. If I can muster the courage to give it a new paint job, what else needs doing to it and which version [ie: which identities] would be open to me without major surgery?

[Coach bogie]

A brave man

 

Some of the detail on Bucklebury Manor was warped and I thought - I'll use some heat from my wife's litle hot air gun.  Yes it softened the plastic - it curled up and died!

 

I had to do some creative remodelling with paint and card.

 

I wonder if the buyer ever realised?

 

 

 

Regards Ray

I did not have any issues myself. I took the body off, turned it upside down, rested the front end on a piece of wood and when the heat was applied to the crease where the horizontal drops, the weight of the body was enough to allow this section to begin to soften and gentle pressure to correct the position.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[The Stationmaster]

Evening All,

 

First a confession of ignorance. I have a small layout so get the most out of it by collecting different sets of locos and stock reflecting my interests with which to ring the changes as the fancy takes me. Somehow and quite inadvertently I've discovered I possess a decent [by my standard] set of Great Western stock - God knows how but there we are.

 

Haulage is a bit limited. I have a Bachmann 85XX which is always a good start, and I have a Hornby Castle. To be precise its a red-liveried Castle which I bought for my eldest son 11 years ago. Still runs very nicely but would likely give Messrs Churchward and Collet a conniption fit seeing the colour. 

 

What else is wrong with it? Aside from the build quality issues discussed above the current version I'm told is far better. If I can muster the courage to give it a new paint job, what else needs doing to it and which version [ie: which identities] would be open to me without major surgery?

 

The earlier Hornby 'Castle' wasn't too bad overall.  Its big problem, which the current version addressed, was not having correct detail for individual engines in a class were detail variations were numerous.  It might also have some minor (and not worrying) dimensional errors but it is a cheap route to a 'Castle'.  best guide is to search out photos of any particular engines you fancy and start from there.

[Rugd1022]

I hope nobody minds me posting htis here but I've got a Hornby Castle going spare if anyone's interested - it's the R2850 catalogue number issue of 7034 'Ince Castle, boxed and hardly run, slightly weathered with a small amount of real coal in the tender, has slight damage to the nameplate on the fireman's side (easy enough to cover up with an etched plate -  surplus to requirements as I do very little modelling now, I'm asking £95.00 inc. p+p.

 

Cheers 

Edited July 12, 2018 by Rugd1022

[G-BOAF]

Mainly because I am currently admiring her on my desk, I realised that I never posted a picture of 'almost complete' Hornby 7027 Thornbury Castle made from parts of Hornby Ince Castle and Earl Cairns. Here she is in natural daylight during summer. Very little left to do other than sourcing (3d printing?) some rear sandboxes, squaring off the front cylinder cover, and adding the larger lubricator pipe cover on the RHS.

 

The etched fox plates are lovely, though the etched plinths were somewhat difficult to cut away. The cab plates are mounted on some 80gsm paper and edged out in green as I sense the etches are actually too think for the thick cast cabside plates. She is supposed to be 'as will be preserved' although now that the owner has sold the Collett tender tank in favour of a Hawksworth one, I will probably have to apply Rule 1 or hope for a tender swap with stable mate Kinlet Hall at some point!

 

Basically the model is the same mix of core components as Hornby have now produced for R3619, except that a) I got there first and b) R3619 5013 shouldn't have the same cab, bur rather have the earlier 'large front window' cab rather than the later cab. Also 7027 has a 3 row boiler with no left hand lubricator pipe.

 

At some point (maybe over the next few weeks)? I will get round to making 5043 'as preserved' which was the whole purpose of this project in the first place!

 

 

[gwrrob]

Here's hoping Hornby announce a post war liveried version with a Collett tender in the new year.

[Hilux5972]

Sorry to revive an old topic but I’ve had a problem once again with my 2 new Castles. Ive just put purchased 2 R3619 and both arrived and both smokebox darts were missing. This has happened with all 7 Castles I have owned over the years. Very annoying to have to keep buying aftermarket ones to replace them.  

[G-BOAF]

Does anyone know of some decent GWR style screwlink couplings that can be stowed sideways?

The Hornby cosmetic ones are fine for most locos, but not GWR arrangements which hang off a hook to the side of the buffer beam. I can't be the first person who wants to capture this element of GWR practice.

[Hilux5972]

Try LP5 on this page about 8 or 9 products down. 

 

http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/index.asp?search=Railways-20OO/HO-20Gauge&showorder=partnumber&check=yes&searchme=Smiths-20Couplings