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Silver Sidelines

Entry posted by Silver Sidelines

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Hornby have released a second batch of their ex GWR King Class locomotives. With retailers selling these new models at a lower price than the price I paid this time last year for King Edward VIII, I have succumbed and invested in a model of 6006 George II.

 

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Hornby R3384 6006 King George II

 

The Hornby Kings are rather splendid models. However I do wish Hornby would sort out their vacuum packaging.

 

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Rub marks from packaging, Hornby Kings William and George

 

I had three Kings through my hands this Christmas and all showed rub marks on top of the boiler behind the chimney. One was ‘a William’ whilst two were ‘Georges’. They were sourced from two retailers, one of whom confided that the rub marks were a known problem and that all his stock was similarly marked, some more than others. Might this account for the lower prices?

 

I would keep one model. It seemed to run nicely. The tender body did not sit flush on its chassis. I thought at first that this was simply the handrails had not been fitted into their preformed holes. No, that was not the problem. I needed to file the rough edge off the little PCB that carries the plug socket so that it would fit snugly into its recess and allow the tender top to be screwed down level. Whilst ‘playing’ with the tender body the two handles (brake or water scoop?) fell off and had to be reattached. I would say not much sign of any adhesive. The main PCB (the one that carries the DC chip or blanking plate) also caught my eye. It seemed to be sitting at a jaunty angle.

 

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The large PCB (for the DC chip) in the foreground and the small PCB with the plug socket in the background

 

Unscrewing the PCB revealed that it had been fastened down on top of one of the connecting wires. I don’t know whether the wire had been compromised but I cut it back and resoldered it.

 

Back in business I would give the engine a longer run around. I would try it on the rake of seven coaches that I used with King Edward VII. Out of its box King Edward could manage seven coaches up and around my layout, almost as well as one of Hornby’s Britannias. However King George just slipped to a halt. Now, there was a puzzle, both Kings weighed the same! On closer inspection I realised that King George was not sitting rock steady on the track. On one side the centre driving wheel seemed to be acting as a pivot preventing either the rear driving wheels or the front driving wheels from resting on the track.

 

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Keeper plate, Hornby King George II

 

The bottom plate or keeper plate is held in place with four screws. The screws can be slackened off and the plate and screws lifted out together.

 

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Centre Driving Wheels, Hornby King George II

 

The axle for the centre driving wheels runs in two brass bearings which sit in slots in the Mazac chassis casting. In my case the large diameter narrow bearing (highlighted with the red arrow) needed to be pushed further into the chassis.

 

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Some useful tools, a Philips screw driver for releasing the keeper plate, a tiny flat screw driver to enlarge the bearing slot and a wrench for the undoing the crank pins.

 

I used a small adjustable wrench to undo the crank pins to the centre drivers, which can then be lifted clear without disturbing the coupling rods, or the front and rear drivers.

 

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Centre drivers

 

The wheels, pins and spacers need to be put safely to one side. (The spacers on the King are particularly thin and when I Iost one last time round I had to devise a way of making the thinner spacer from the more readily available but larger sized Hornby spares.)

 

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The ‘slot’

 

With the centre wheel set removed the bearing slot highlighted with the red arrow can be gently scraped deeper with a tiny flat screwdriver. I hate misusing tools but the Mazac is very soft and ‘needs must’. I didn’t want to make the slot over deep so I kept replacing the wheel set to check on progress.

 

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Finished

 

I have added another view above prior to reassembly. Note the spring contacts for transferring electric power from the wheel wipers on the bottom plate.

 

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Some extra lead weights

 

For whatever reason George (not Gordon) was still reluctant to manage Edward’s seven coaches up my gradients. This was solved by adding some pieces of 2mm (1/8 inch) sheet lead attached by double sided tape to the sides and rear of the firebox as shown in the view above.

 

Now then, what about some sound on DC?

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  • RMweb Gold
Mikkel
  • RMweb Gold

Informative as always, Ray. You should write the "guide to troubleshooting loco problems"! Do you see similar quality control issues with coaching and wagon stock?

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Silver Sidelines

Thank you Mikkel

 

.....Do you see similar quality control issues with coaching and wagon stock?

I cannot comment on wagons but I have handled quite a few coaches.  Maybe being lighter in weight there are not the same packaging issues.  As regards quality recent examples from both Hornby and Bachmann have been very good   I would say an improvement over this time last year.

 

Regards Ray

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  • RMweb Gold
Mikkel
  • RMweb Gold

I suppose there is also less that could go wrong on a coach or wagon. I was only wondering because there don't seem to be many reports of QC issues on the roling stock.

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Silver Sidelines

Hello Mikkel

 

Your mind looks to have been working over time - 03.00am in the morning?

I suppose there is also less that could go wrong on a coach or wagon. I was only wondering because there don't seem to be many reports of QC issues on the roling stock.

I think part of the problem is the money.  An engine at +£100 is an expensive item - so it should be right.  A coach on the other hand, at say £30 is not quite the same outlay.  So people are less inclined to complain?

 

It might seem that I buy a lot (certainly I am sure my wife thinks so) but in reality I am quite selective and a lot of last years purchases were 'preloved items'.  I did buy a rake of Hornby's Collets new which I think are superb.  However the RailRoad County bought at the same time was not good at all and went back to the retailer.  The replacement was also faulty and after fettling it was sold on that well known auction site.  I do wonder whether RailRoad items are manufactured to a lower quality.

 

This time last year I bought a couple of Bachmann specials - very expensive but all good.   I also bought a selection of Hornby Gresleys and Thompsons.  These were 'in the sales' and had / have a number of defects with footboards. Again the items were reduced in price - perhaps for good reason.

 

Quality costs but I have yet to be convinced that If paid the full recommend retail price for Hornby items that I would be guarenteed a flaw free item.

 

Ray

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  • RMweb Gold
Mikkel
  • RMweb Gold

There was a thread in the forum recently about which shops test the locos before sending them out (I think you contributed?). I've noted them down, as I like the idea. 

 

(couldn't sleep the other night. Computer screens are supposed to make it worse but I succumbed!)

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Silver Sidelines

Yes I think the Hereford Model Centre put a signed card into their presents telling you that they have been checked.

... shops test the locos before sending them out...

 

(couldn't sleep the other night. Computer screens are supposed to make it worse but I succumbed!)

Greg at Kernow volunteered to take an engine home and to run it on his own layout whilst Simon and Warren at Rails have been through boxes for me.  So lots of helpful people out there.

 

Too much caffeine or perhaps solvents from glues and paints?  I prefer our home made alcohol.

 

Regards

 

Ray

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  • RMweb Gold
57xx
  • RMweb Gold

Are you sure those rub marks are from the packaging? Just opened James I and the vacuum come nowhere near the boiler in the location of the marks on yours.There's also a sheet of plastic film protecting the whole length of the top of the loco and tender and not a hint of a rub mark.

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Silver Sidelines

Thanks 57xx

Are you sure those rub marks are from the packaging? Just opened James I and the vacuum come nowhere near the boiler in the location of the marks on yours.There's also a sheet of plastic film protecting the whole length of the top of the loco and tender and not a hint of a rub mark.

Yes all three Kings had a sheet of plastic film from front of smokebox to back of tender.  There was also a rib in the vacuum formed plastic packaging where the rub marks appeared.

 

I quote from one retailer:

 

Thank you for returning your R3409.

The reason for return, mainly the mark near the chimney on the top, this appears to be a packaging fault on each one of this particular model. Some are only faint, but some are obvious marks and it doesn't appear we will be able to replace with a mark-free model.

With this in mind, please let us know how you wish to proceed with this?

 

Perhaps Hornby were aware and changed the design of the packaging.  Certainly this was not an issue last time round (King Edward VII).

 

Regards

 

Ray

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  • RMweb Gold
57xx
  • RMweb Gold

It does indeed seem that they have taken note changed the packaging then. :)

 

I checked my centre wheels after reading this, all looks good on that front too. King James is doing a running in turn around the test track as I type.

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Silver Sidelines

Good to hear.  When Hornby get something right it can be very good.  I did like their Collett coaches.  Perhaps John was made after George and William!

It does indeed seem that they have taken note changed the packaging then. :)

 

I checked my centre wells after reading this, all looks good on that front too. King James is doing a running in turn around the test track as I type.

There was a similar problem with Penrice Castle where if the sheet of polythene slipped or wasn't positioned properly there was a cut mark from the vacuum formed plastic on the top of the boiler.  Quite an art in sending something half way round the world.

 

Speak again

 

Ray

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Pandora

As an alternative to a screwdriver to scrape away the Mazak to enlarge the axle slot,  could the slot  be  ground away with  valve grinding paste ( motor cars)  and a scrap axle or a dowel of the suitable diameter.

 

Hornby retailers sell a tool for crank axle nuts,  the part number has slipped my memory   

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Silver Sidelines

Hello Pandora

 

As an alternative to a screwdriver to scrape away the Mazak to enlarge the axle slot,  could the slot  be  ground away with  valve grinding paste ( motor cars)  and a scrap axle or a dowel of the suitable diameter...  

 

I think the bearing in questoin is someties referred to as a 'Top Hat' bearing.  It is the space for the rim of the Top Hat that is wrong.  The space for the riim needs to be made deeper.   It needs machining out or becaue it is soft mazak it can be scraped with a small sharp implement.  I don't think scrap dowel and griding paste would do that job.

 

Cheers Ray

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