apollanaut

My last orders from Hattons were the LMS and BR versions of Hornby’s Turbomotive, which both arrived in NZ within 2 weeks of placing the order. I have always had excellent service from Hattons, including a few returns which they handled very well and provided replacement models or refunds without any fuss. They have been my preferred supplier for many years and will be greatly missed!

I started using TMC's services after my brother sent me a custom-weathered Bachmann Deltic for last year's birthday present. I thought they did a great job for a very affordable price, so I now order my new models from TMC whenever I want to add a few extra enhancements or install a quality bespoke sound decoder. My most recent purchase was Hornby's Lord Rodney in early BR livery, with an added crew, real coal and a full-fat sound project from Youchoos. I finally got to test it on my layout this week and am absolutely delighted with their work. It's clear to me that they must thoroughly test the models following a complex sound installation, as I've only needed much shorter running-in sessions to achieve maximum performance. The Lord Nelson is no exception, and I'll post some photos on the appropriate thread in due course. And your TMC-weathered Clan looks absolutely superb, Rob!

I’m now reunited with my layout after months of being trapped in Auckland’s lockdown, so yesterday was finally able to give Clan Stewart its first test run. Just a quick running in session using my ancient DC controller, but I was suitably impressed by its outstanding running qualities straight from the box. I still consider my 2009 Clan MacGregor to be one of Hornby’s best performers of its day, but the motor in this upgraded version is on another level entirely. Smooth, powerful, fast and very, very quiet! Next job is to install a spare Britannia TTS decoder in the tender. Yeah, I know, “TTS”, “ sacrilege”, “cheap and nasty”, blah, blah. blah…. You get what you pay for, I suppose, but the Brit sounds are actually fairly decent for a budget sound decoder (I’ve installed a couple already). I figure the Clans would have sounded very similar to their larger cousins, so it will keep me more than happy for now. I haven’t yet mastered the skills to tackle a high-spec sound decoder/speaker installation but will one day get a round tuit… Incidentally, does anyone know if there’s a quality Clan sound project available from the usual DCC suppliers?

Great photos Rob, as usual! I’m also the proud owner of 72009, which I purchased from Ironhorse Hobbies in Christchurch as they were selling it at more-or-less the same price as the UK retailers. I simply had to have this version because it’s also my namesake loco (my first name is actually Stewart!). I’m on the fence regarding the green footplate, as I’ve studied the photos of the prototypes and agree that it’s hard to tell what the actual colour is from old shots of grimy, hard-working Clans in action. But there’s one area where the new version is a distinct improvement on my older model of Clan MacGregor. The clarity, hue and sharpness of the numerals and fine lining is much better on the 2021 version than my older model: as shown in these closeups I took of the two cabsides for comparison:

I’ll be more than happy to report back here once I’ve had a chance to install the alternative bogie. I’ll even include some “before and after” photos to help you decide if you want to do this for your model. I do recall that installing the bogie on my red and gold King George VI model was a little fiddly, so I will also share any tips I may have for doing this yourself. I’ll next be visiting the house where my layout is based during the first weekend in June, so I hope you don’t mind waiting until then!

Sorry for the late reply, but I am just catching up on recent Rmweb posts. I have fitted the larger front bogie to one of the newest streamlined Hornby Coronations (King George VI) and also to an older “NRM Special Edition” streamlined Duchess of Hamilton. Both locos perform well on my layout, including navigating 2nd radius points in sidings at low speed. My double track main line uses large radius curves (approximately 33” on the outer circuit and 26” on the inner one) with express points and both locos happily romp along at scale speeds in excess of 100 mph. The older Hornby version has always been an excellent runner, but doesn’t quite have the haulage power of the latest tooling. The larger bogie wheels do make a big difference to the appearance of these excellent Hornby models. My next job is to fit the alternative bogie to my blue and silver Queen Elizabeth model, as I’m looking forward to seeing it haul my recently acquired set of matching Coronation Scot coaches.

I visited the NRM back in 2014, finally fulfilling a lifetime’s dream of seeing a fully streamlined Coronation Pacific in person. I spent a small age worshiping at the Art Deco altar of this spectacular restoration, but was equally enthralled by the accompanying Stanier coach in matching Maroon and Gold livery. I know that livery only existed on the set that accompanied Duchess of Hamilton on its tour of the USA. However the coach livery gave me a powerful insight into an alternate reality where WWII never happened and the elegance of the late 1930s continued well into the 1940s (and possibly beyond). I have the full set of blue Coronation coaches on pre-order, but would be willing to shell out my hard-earned cash for a second rake in lined maroon and gold should Hornby provide this at a later date (a likely proposition given the popularity of the first release!) Even better would be an accompanying Hamilton loco, dressed up as Coronation with the bell and lights for its US adventures.....

I bought the Crosti 9F pre-fitted with TTS sound when it first came out. The running qualities of this model are at least as good as my two Bachmann 9Fs, in power, reliability and smooth slow-speed running capabilities. The sound quality is also above average for a basic TTS decoder/speaker. The combination of excellent performance and halfway decent sounds have made this my main heavy freight workhorse ever since. There's something quite hypnotic about watching the motion of a slow-moving large freight loco trundling around my roundy-roundy layout. it's almost like meditation.....

I've been considering buying a membership for some time, but this offer will probably push me into doing so. I had been considering the unlined green version, but would far prefer the fully lined BR green livery.

Thanks for sharing your experience with these couplings. I remember reading a review when they first came out, but was put-off when the reviewer had doubts about the magnets' ability to hold together under the weight of a lengthy express or long goods train. I note you have used them on a HST, so was wondering if you had tested them with other medium to long trains (say, eight coaches plus or equivalent)?

At a loose end under lockdown, I took advantage of the evening sun on my balcony to take some more photos of Princess Marie Louise:

A few attempts to capture the blue livery under different lighting:

I managed to find an hour before bedtime to admire Her Royal Highness in all her shimmering beauty and take a few quick photos. But it was enough to realise how special she is. My first impressions were that this model represents the pinnacle of Hornby’s model making excellence, surpassing even Princess Elizabeth! Just like the prototype there are so many detail variations, both large and small, from the earlier model that it feels almost like an entirely new tooling. And the rendering of the tricky early BR blue livery simply takes the breath away! It’s one of those glorious colours that shifts in hue and tone and depth according to the ambient lighting, It shifts from an almost purple-violet at one extreme to a subdued but pleasant pale blue at the other. And the satin sheen is the best I’ve seen on recent models. How Hornby managed to achieve this stunningly complex livery is beyond me. Because of the lockdown I’m stuck in Auckland, away from my layout so cannot yet directly compare it with Princess Elizabeth. But I’ll have plenty of spare time at the weekend to take some more photos, which I will share here if possible. It will be interesting to see other’s photos of the blue livery, as I expect they will demonstrate how much it changes under different lighting conditions.

And I must have been a very good boy, for the Model Railway Gods smiled upon me and allowed this Blue Beauty to arrive in NZ a few hours before the 4 week lockdown commenced:

For more recent models, Hornby’s excellent Crosti 9F is hard to beat. I picked up mine a few years ago on sale from a local supplier for a ridiculously cheap price, all with TTS sound which sounds quite good on this model (possibly because of the cavernous tender space). It’s been the go-to heavy freight hauler on my layout ever since. I’ve never had to service or even lubricate it, but it’s as smooth-running and powerful as when I bought it. It really should be properly weathered to reflect the filthy state of the real things, but I haven’t yet had the courage to spoil the beautiful black sheen of Hornby’s original paint job:

These are some of your best ever photos, Rob! I’m in awe at your talents....

Rails take the best photos! Sooo much better than Hattons. I have a growing collection of Rails photos of my favourite models.

By coincidence, I did the same in 2004, which is the year I emigrated to NZ. I'd been collecting on-and-off during the 90's, but didn't have the space in my UK house for a permanent layout, so had to put my favourite hobby on the back-burner for many years. Shortly after settling in NZ, my Kiwi partner took me to the old model shop in Frankton he used to frequent as a boy and it was there I was introduced to the marvelous Bachmann E-Z track. Whilst not being as accurate as finescale track with hand-applied ballast, the robust plastic roadbed and good electrical connectivity meant I was able to set up and enjoy temporary layouts to run my models and experiment with layout ideas. Then on a trip back to the UK in 2007, I purchased my first "super-detail" locos: a Hornby rebuilt Royal Scot, a Bachmann BR Green Class 20 and a Hornby Britannia. It was the latter that truly wowed me with its extraordinarily fine detail and superb running characteristics. After that I was well and truly re-addicted for life to this absorbing and rewarding hobby. The next step was to invest in a DCC control system as I was curious to see if it lived up to the hype. My new locos came DCC equipped and it turned out that Bachmann E-Z track is ideal for DCC control, so I was up-and-running straight away. The vastly improved control and performance offered by DCC, the greater realism when running multiple locos on the same track, and the options for individually customising each loco meant I was immediately hooked (especially when compared to the old analogue systems I was used to!)

Like many others in this thread, my first layout was on a 6’ x 4’ sheet of chipboard purchased from a local builders yard in the late 70’s. It was a simple double track circuit with two sidings and the track was pinned to the board on foam underlay. I would set it up on my bed with a variety of buildings and scenic accessories to bring it to life. My uncle was a keen modeller too and kindly built and customised a wonderful Superquick station set for my layout. Our family home was a small terraced house in Addiscombe and the only place to store the layout when not in use was to lean it against the upstairs landing wall next to my tiny bedroom!

I haven't yet tried the replacement trailing wheels, but the closer drawbar setting worked fine on my layout. My main line circuit has 33 1/4 inch curves and the closer setting made a big difference to the appearance of the Princess. The drop plate in particular sat on top of the loco-tender gap just like the real thing. I only had limited time to take photos and they didn't come out very well, but I will try to take some decent shots next time I visit the property where my layout is housed.

Agreed!

My test runs with other large Hornby Pacifics were unsuccessful with flanged wheels on the trailing truck, so I didn’t try this with the Princess. I might give it a go at some point, but I’m not that hopeful, as the Princess Class has such a long wheelbase.

I forgot to mention that I tried running my Princess with the tender coupling bar set for close coupling. This closed the gap between loco and tender for improved realism. She had no problems navigating the curves with a full train behind. I only tested this on the outer main line circuit on my layout, which has 33 1/4 inch radius curves.

My Princess Elizabeth arrived down under (NZ) last week. I had a chance to run her in on my layout at the weekend. I’m pleased to report that she runs as great as she looks, smooth and steady straight from the box. After the usual running in session, I added a set of nine assorted LMS coaches, including six Hornby Stanier Period IIIs, two of Bachmann’s older LMS coaches and the Hornby (ex-Dapol) 12 wheel restaurant car. She handled this fairly heavy train effortlessly and showed no signs of slipping. Fast too, just like the prototype! I got the impression she could handle more coaches without any trouble, thanks to the substantial weight of this model. She seems a lot more robust than some of Hornby’s recent releases, though that could be down to the sleek profile of the real thing, as there are less fiddly protruding bits to fall off.

You and me both, Rob! I have both R3709X and R3711X on pre-order, and I don’t think I have been so excited about a new Hornby release in a long time. Assuming they arrive intact(!), the photos of Princess Elizabeth on the Rails website and the extra effort Hornby have put into developing this model bode well for something rather special. As does the improvements Hornby made over time to their previous large LMS express racehorse, the Princess Coronations (both streamlined and unadorned). I own two of each, but it is the later releases that impress me the most. My birthday is a few days before Christmas and I was lucky enough to receive the re-released R3555 unstreamlined Sir William Stanier F.R.S. in 2018 and the streamlined R3639 King George VI in 2019. Both are now the pride of my fleet, with performance to match their good looks.