I am reading on RMweb that there could be a shortage of Hornby models. When I saw this truck for sale a little under £100, I would snap it up.
£100 Truck
By chance I had stumbled upon a video on YouTube which had been made using the Branor Systems Cam Truck. I was impressed and I thought that I would investigate further. In fact I have purchased truck No. 230.
Branor Systems Cam Truck
I have swapped the standard Hornby couplings for the older Mainline type with a shorter hook. I think th
I have been busy buying some more ‘excellent’ items, you know, the ones that drop through the letter box with broken parts or bits missing.
The cab wind deflectors which are featured on a lot of Hornby’s newer models seem to be particular problem.
Hens Teeth – Genuine Hornby cab wind deflectors
Note that the spacing of the fixing spikes is greater than length of the protruding deflector
When I spoke recently with the Customer Service Department at Hornby I was informed that the cab defl
Matters have moved on since my recent Post detailing the arrival of the Diamond Jubilee Britannia (R3094).
The donor – Hornby William Wordsworth R2563
Firstly a view of the model that was to provide the tender with the Late Crest. At the time of writing my last post there were issues with William Wordsworth. I would give it a new identity with a tender with an early emblem and at a suitable time I would sell it.
After recovering the white roof, R2563 Left R3094 Right
Perhaps I should hav
This week saw the arrival of Bachmann 32-451, otherwise known as D369.
The ‘Bible’ in 1960
The introduction of the English Electric Type 4 took place back in 1958. This was some 56 years ago towards the end of my ‘train spotting’ career. More like class of sixty than class of forty.
Despite being a diesel locomotive as opposed to steam, the Type 4s made a lasting impression and I bought my first Bachmann model, D325 (32-477) in May 2007. This was the ‘custard dip’ version and it was s
I would say that the newly tooled Hornby Britannia is one of the best models of all time. I would buy one of the Diamond Jubilee sets that have been recently advertised. I already had a couple of ‘Britannias’ with the modified smoke deflectors. With R3094 there was the opportunity to acquire a model fitted with the original ‘dangerous deflectors’ with handrails.
Hornby R3094 Diamond Jubilee Train Pack
What is in the train pack? I can confirm that you get a model that is supposed to be repres
There seems to be some confusion as to what constitutes ‘etched plates’. My understanding is that they are made from thin metal sheet, usually copper or steel, which have been dipped in an acid solution. Printing an image of the name or number onto the metal plate ensures that only the exposed or non printed areas of the plate are etched by the acid, leaving the original letters or numbers standing out in relief.
Some early Jackson Evans Etched Plates
I have been fitting etched plates to my
This Post is a direct follow up to my previous post and provides some illustrations of the mid level ‘round and round’ (the continuous run), and the low level reversing loop. The pictures also feature Hornby R3191 which has recently taken up a lot of my time. It is getting to be quite an expensive engine – well if I had to charge for the time I have spent fettling it.
The Grand Plan – with photo locations
As planned and initially constructed the layout was to be ‘Out and Back’ with a Main Te
Enough of Duke of Gloucester and on with the current layout.
The Grand Plan – at inception
As planned and initially constructed the layout was to be ‘Out and Back’ with a Main Terminus, a double track mainline leading to ‘the Main Junction’ and then heading off to a return loop with storage sidings.
The plan would build on past experience.
The Bracken Ridge Layout
My first serious layout, the Bracken Ridge layout dated from around 1980. It was an ‘out and back’ layout and occupied about
I was my intention to finish with Duke of Gloucester (DoG) and to move on. First however I would just fit some jointed coupling rods (from a Britannia). It seems that nothing is quite that straightforward with my model and I uncovered some other issues that hopefully will not bother too many of you, but just might be of interest to some of you.
Hornby R3191 Duke of Gloucester – a rare view in service
When first taken out of the box my model was a reluctant runner first crawling and then s
A brief mini Post that might be of interest to other purchasers of Duke of Gloucester (DoG) – perhaps those of you who pick up a bargain off an auction site.
Duke of Gloucester with Spring Buffers and kinky reversing gear
When I posted the picture above a number of you drew attention to the reversing mechanism disappearing rather abruptly beneath the footplate. I just added it to the list of things to be sorted.
Duke of Gloucester – reversing gear in close up
Well it is now sorted.
As a break from work work I took a day off to replace the buffers on my Hornby Duke of Gloucester (DoG).
Hornby R3191 Duke of Gloucester as I think it should be with Sprung Buffers
I was inspired by Matt otherwise known as ‘Bluebell Model Railway’ of this website.
Fitting the buffers to the front was straightforward. I followed Matt’s suggestion and used Hornby Spare Part No. X9313. My usual supplier did not have the R (red) variant so mine were black and had to be painted red.
Th
Continuing my journey around the layout I thought it time to return to the Branch Junction and catch the ex GWR branch train.
Bachmann Dukedog ready and waiting
The next station down the old GWR branchline is the ‘Halt in the Corner’ or more simply the ‘Passing Loop’.
The Halt in the Corner
Neither the station nor the passing loop featured in my original plans. Trains leaving the Branch Junction for the Main Terminus via the old GWR line (literally the Great Way Round) followed
This is a follow up to my last Post which was devoted to Hornby’s release of Special Edition Duke of Gloucester.
Hornby R3191 Duke of Gloucester left versus Hornby R2717 Apollo right
What do I still think of the model? I am not so sure about value for money.
Hornby R2717 Apollo left versus Hornby R3191 Duke of Gloucester right
Hornby R2717 Apollo came with a wealth of added detail parts fitted at manufacture – almost too many to list.
HornbyR2717 Apollo - a closer view
Apollo came wi
Many thanks to that well known retailer in Sheffield who contacted me on Friday for payment and then delivered the locomotive on Saturday.
Hornby R3191 - Duke of Gloucester
What do I think of the model? Well it is ‘growing on me’.
Straight out of the box there were a number of issues. Most obviously ‘something’ had come adrift in transit and the engine was no longer coupled to the tender.
Tender to engine coupling unglued.
In the way of things this is minor and can easily be remedied.
Before continuing with my journey around the layout I thought I would share a few pictures of the Main Junction Station populated with some rolling stock that might have graced the north east of England in the 1960s.
Bachmann Mk1 Pullmans, Hornby L1 and Bachmann WD 2-8-0
The original theme of the layout is BR (LMR/WR) perhaps near Chester or there again maybe Shrewsbury or even somewhere further south. However I also have fond memories of growing up in north east England and with the availab
I have been rather preoccupied of late and have not been keeping up with the various forums. I have given myself a break today and for some relaxation I will attempt an answer to the question - Hornby Grange or Bachmann Hall – which is better?
First why would you want a Hall or a Grange? The old GWR constructed around 255 ‘Hall’ Class locomotives and then proceeded to build a further 70 or more ‘Modified Halls’. With 6ft driving wheels the Halls were designed to provide a powerful general purpo
Following on from my last Post I am showing some more pictures of the Main Junction Station concentrating on the ‘through’ tracks that form the Mainline.
The Main Junction – overview with two Bachmann Scots in the centre two way road
To help locate the pictures I have turned the track plan presented in my last post from the vertical to the horizontal.
The Main Junction – not to scale
The preferred through routes I have labelled as Up and Down Main.
First some trains passi
Onwards and upwards – well I guess it depends on the direction of travel. The Branch Terminus and the Branch Junction described in my last posts are actually the highest parts of the layout being 158 mm higher than the original Main Terminus. Continuing our journey from the Branch Junction the title of this Post should probably read ‘Downhill all the way’ – I think not!
The Main Junction –wide angle
The Main Junction –panoramic
There are two single track lines from the Branch Juncti
From the Branch Terminus described in my last Post, the single line crosses a short viaduct to arrive at an ‘end on’ junction station where the BR(WR) branch makes a connection with another single track BR(LMR) line.
The Branch Junction – a blend of Scaledale and Scenecraft
This is one of my favourite track layouts and provides lots of play value with three loops for passing and storage, together with a small goods yard and locomotive facilities. There is also a long siding which doubl
Some time ago I was asked to provide more details of the current layout. Where to start? I would start with the Branch Terminus.
The Branch Terminus – Long Shot 2013
First a little bit of history. Back in the 1960s I didn’t have that much space for a model railway and I had plans and even made the base boards for, a short ‘L’ shaped layout. It would be modelled on one of CJ Freezers suggestions. In this article from August 1961 CJ Freezer took the track diagram from Ashburton (ex GWR) and pr
Stocks of the latest Bachmann Midland 4Fs have appeared in the shops and I have taken delivery of one of the examples with a Late Crest. Well I have taken delivery of two engines but more of that later.
Bachmann Midland 4F on unfitted freight
It is now over 100 years since Sir Henry Fowler introduced his 4F goods engine. 192 of these engines were built by the Midland Railway between 1911 and 1922 and according to Casserley and Asher (1961) all these engines were still in service up until May
A model railway friend has recently upgraded and motorised his kit built turntable. He has used parts formed with a 3D Printer - real cutting edge technology. As a result I have been shamed into refurbishing my hand operated turntable made in the 1980s.
Turntable prior to refurbishment
In the 1980s there was the Airfix turntable, now marketed by Dapol. This was a plastic kit for an above ground turntable. At the time I thought it a disappointment as it was particularly flimsy and I could not
I recently acquired one of Hornby’s 52xx tank engines to add to my fleet of ex GWR heavy good engines.
Hornby 52xx Going Backwards
It is a good looking engine with some very fine detail. It runs forwards and backwards very smoothly albeit at a prototypical slow speed. I had to take my glasses off to study the handrails round the bunker – and yes they are individual wires! I like the full set of brackets on the rear of the bunker visible when using the engine in reverse. However the foo
Back in the early 1970s I was a not infrequent user of the overnight sleeper service from Edinburgh to Kings Cross. I would say not my favourite mode of transport. However I would also say that no 1960s model railway can be complete without some sleeping cars.
This week I took delivery of two of the latest Bachmann Sleeping Car Firsts. I was not disappointed.
The date on the solebar shows 1960, which should be ideal for my sixties layout.
Bachmann Mk1 Sleeping Cars
Up until very r
A view of the Bachmann Scenecraft Brewery with the local ‘pick up’ goods setting back to pick up some empty coal wagons from the boiler house. Note the trailing connection with the ‘main line’, much safer than facing points?
Bachmann Scenecraft Brewery
It is summer and rather than completing the scenery effort has gone into brewing real beer and making wine. Is there time to look behind the scenes?
Maturing Wine (Rhubarb and Parsnip)
We have been making our own ‘country wines’ for over f
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