robmcg

By some curious distortion of container traffic patterns, we in the antipodes received these models before UK buyers. I look forward to your photos Tony, my blue rebuilt 10000 and early BR 60700 are both lovely, my photos are in the relevant Hornby thread but here are a couple.. edited cylinder drains on 10000. and below, obviously edited background, but the engine has been subjected only to brightness and contrast correction. I believe 60700 had the long cylinder drains until 4/53 might be wrong, and we won't talk about guard irons.. both models are superb. The photo of 60700 was by my brother, he was quicker off the mark in purchasing one than I was. I added the scenery. Then I bought one... Not much chance of re-numbering one of these.

I have both the rebuilt LNER blue and BR 50700 and agree these are beautiful models. I have repaired all three of my damaged R3840-1 examples, which for me was actually a rather tricky but ultimately satifying conclusion. As to buying from the other side of the world, this is problematic for a return, quite rare for me with hundreds of engines purchased over the years, and only about 4 went back, and no doubt they were ultimately repairable. 'Daft enought to play the game' Andy? Yes, clearly I am. These pics below repeated, say why.

My findings are simply 3 from 3 faulty for my purchases, and about 30 pages back in this thread some contributors asserting high returns from retailers, from memory in one case 80% faulty, but of course I have no way to establish the veracity of this. I thought that the model railway press, not just BRM, might have an inkling that not all was well with this particular model's quality control record, or not. It is obviously of interest to prospective buyers of new unopened examples. I do understand that Hornby would be unlikely to publish the rate of returns, and that a magazine needs evidence if there are in fact high numbers of unsaleable R3840 models. I haven't read anything about QC for R3840 in the model railway press, but like many here I'm curious about facts..

This forum cited earlier dealers with high reject rates with stock they received. I didn't think this was a normal occurrence with Hornby, at least at the level of failure cited for R3840. Perhaps I was wrong, I certainly would have thought it worth a mention in the press if true, otherwise we must presume it is false? I've had 3 from 3 of R3840 and R3841 unfit for sale, thus my question.

Well, with a shaking hand I removed the body, and the cylinder assembly hadn't been assembled in its recess, so I re-set it and now it looks better, steps aside. Steps will need re-gluing, So not the disaster I thought.

I have Emailed support at Olivias regarding returns and the cost of traked airmail, we shall see. I'm left with a feeling, but only anecdotal evidence that over 50% of R3840 models are faulty and not fit for sale, and rather less than that are returned. Some of course can be fixed by buyers. Strange that the model railway press have not to my knowledge mentioned any issue with this model.

I'm reluctant to send it back by tracked airmail to Olivias, it toook a month to get here. I might attempt a repair... straighten the cylinders, but the slidebars look a bit bent. And maybe the valve gear. Anyone here got experience of repairing this fault?

Update. I opened the box today to photograph it. Alas, the tender was not fixed to its chassis at all. The cylinders and motion on bothe sides are tipped by about 15 degrees, this will require body-off investigation. I didn't try to run it. So three out of three purchases of R3840 / 1 unfit for sale in a major way, Not sure what to say, really. That cylinder valve gear and slidebar may be a bit damaged, the step was damaged before removal. I may attempt repair. Both sides look bit beyond help... ? What a pity, and I feel sorry for anyone buying a 'new' 'unopened' R3840. Sending it back to the UK is an expensive slow and unplesant option for everyone incuding the retailer.

I hadn't realised 60964 was available, that's the one I have been waiting for and your photo of it alongside 60700 is an invaluable thing, given the radical differences between blue box and red box manifestations of that elusive thing 'BR Brunswick Green'. Are we not spoiled? Here is another angle on my brother's 60700

Miracles do happen. Yesterday I received a second R3840 original W1 model, this one purchased from Olivias in mid December when some dealers were receiving faulty stock. It cost a slight premium over RRP but was less than Ebay. And VAT was removed, so not bad. When I saw the packet I was a bit worried, no padding of any kind, just and extra cardboard layer over the Hornby box. But it survived the 1 month 18,000km journey undamaged. Sorry I didn't take a quick photo of it in its shroud, but thought I might re-sell it sometime as un-opened. Visually there was nothing wrong or loose, and no rattles. Luck?

I agree the model is a very fine one, and here's a photo of my brother's recently acquired version, taken yesterday evening in summer light with a touch of reading-lamp light,

I believe so Tony. I had the rare privilege of being able to buy one here in NZ before it arrived in the UK., such are the vagaries of international shipping these days. In NZ during the 1960s I would read 'Model Railway News' on the floor of our rather sunny 'front room' which was also something of a library, my father Tom McGavin being an editor, author and publisher. We were typically six weeks behind you lot in the UK, At age 11 or 12yrs I really wanted the latest Kitmaster models. I still have an un-made LMS Garratt and NYC Hudson. That same floor was home to a Hornby Dublo three-rail layout too, from time to time. 'Bristol Castle' roaring by with six red-cream tin bodied carriages. My school uniform had polystyrene glue on the front.... Intead of putting motors in the Kitmaster bodies, I towed them with brown cotton on a winch on a 6-foot straight diorama, and made 8mm movies of them, later... but I ramble. Cheers, Robbie

My brother has received his R3844 60700 yesterday and just sent a photo, I removed the background and got this. I think it's lovely.

I have a feeling Tony that this is a bit of a golden age for RTR steam-age esoteria like the W1 and Coronation Scot. The market may shrink, certainly it will change in its subtleties, and model making will continue. In the meantime I do like this RTR stuff, personally. I just bought this... Britain's most powerful steam express locomotive, ever. Just ask O S Nock.

If Gresley had continued the development of either the P2 or W1 I'm sure we would have had engines which would make Stanier look twice. The W1 was after all the most powerful express engine in Britain at over 41,000lbs t.e. and was able to haul 700 ton trains at express speeds, no doubt depending to some degree on the fitness of the fireman, and I think for high speed efficiency an A4 might just have edged it. For acceleration and medium speeds and heavy loads the W1 may have had the edge. Always depending on variables like engine condition, crew, coal, weather, permanent way slacks, signal stops, and so on Nodody mention Princess Coronations. I will be photographing a BR W1 tomorrow, I hope.

Not mad at all, I am doing photos of blue pre-war A4s right now, and a W1, and they are superb machines, and models. I was reading an O S Nock book on the locomotives of Sir Nigel Gresley last night and both the A4s and the W1 could sustain over 2,000 horsepower, the A4s at a higher speed, the W1 at perhaps lower speeds with larger cylinders but smaller valve ports. Great engines. May I ask which you have bought?

A couple more pics of R384t and R3843 for any who are thinking of buying these models. I shall be photographing a borrowed BR early crest green R3844 this weekend, I look forward to that, we can discuss Hornby green. I like the treatment of the rebuilt version's lower cylinder sides, turned in a bit as per the prototype. There probably ought to be front guard irons if one was to be picky, maybe they are in the detail pack, I didn't check. Overall superb and both engine ran smoothly and well straight from the pack.

You have to feel for the fireman feeding that 50 sq ft grate....

How better can one spend an afternoon than messing around with a camera? My layout, from which many and various abrogations of reality emerge. Like this... interesting to note the subtle body changes around the cylinders, I think BR 60700 may have to be purchased as well....

Ah, yes, that is was what I suspected, my point was that the lug had sufficient area to allow a reasonable bond. My hands and eyes mean that I only had a bit of a feel around the area and a friend did the actual fitting. The lug felt very shallow, and I wasn't sure. Sorry to have given the impression both surfaces were flat. Mea culpa. It, and the set screw thing on the rear coupling rod, was a success though and meant that the model didn't have to go back.

But, but, with a little bit of imagination...

I agree and I too await the A4-shape version (10000 in blue), a local NZ courier delivery, any day now. Lovely. Especially since I tried a set screw from Merchant Navy 35011 on 'British Enterprise' and to my surprise it fitted... the rear driving wheel now looking and running as it should. I also successfully glued the detached step on the other side... the faces were quite clean and flat, but the design is such that they would snap off quite easily. It needed a bit of help from a friend with a steady hand and better eyes, but I supplied the hex-head socket driver and glue. I think we expect a lot from the manufacturer to assemble such somplex delicate models perfectly. So all in all a good outcome, and any spare set screw from Hornby will be used to re-instate 35011. I should note that fitting the step to the underside of the running plate was easier than I expected, there is a distinct position where the two parts have a flat surface for the joint, using your adhesive of choice, probably a medium-slow-setting cyano would be ideal. I used polystyrene glue so I had about 40 seconds to 'set' the position, but I think it might snap off if knocked. Trouble with a super-strong joint is that it might break the area to which the step is fixed, if knocked. My 'training' was in Kitmaster from about 1960-on so what would I know...? I even soldered electrical things for a living for a while, but I do like plastic glue. Lovely model now. Smooth graceful runner too.

Nice to see the BR blue 60700 without valances for Oct 2022, but as Micklner points out the LNER with chrome numbers would be very nice. I'm still amazed, and pleased, that Hornby made this model at all. I just recieved a R3841 'British Enterprise'. I can't find the missing set screw for the coupling rod in the packaging, and as far I know I can't just steal one from any other Hornby model, they tend to vary. It may have to go back to the retailer,(who have been very good) The model is perfect in every other way, well, a step was loose in the pack, talk about a pennyworth of tar! Maybe I should ask Hornby if they would post a set screw to NZ? So that's two failures from two with this model for me. I have a third lost in the mail system somewhere in the UK, tracked in theory and delivered by Royal Mail to international partner, who have not after 25 days scanned it. Here's a lot to be said for buying in person at a reail store and viewing the model.

Clearly an art-form, product packaging. Moving on somewhat to other W1 models I see that the R3843 LNER W1 and R3844 BR 60700 are now arriving in the Antipodes at least, and the BR versions looks to my eye to possible have a better 'turn-under' to lower cylinder casing than earlier conventional A4s by Hornby. Or am I just imagining it? https://www.hattons.co.uk/513700/hornby_r3844_rebuilt_class_w1_hush_hush_4_6_4_60700_in_br_green_with_early_emblem_sold_out_o/stockdetail

I noticed when putting my broken-repaired R3840 back in its plastic shroud yesterday that there is a distinct 'double click' location effect... that is, it looks like it's in place but the steps and general fit don't feel quite snug or 'right', than if nudged it clicks into place snugly with everything secure and no pressure on the top front area. This extra 'click' into place suggests to me that it would be easy for a factory worker to think it's in place, snap the housing closed, and 'squash the front upper body and possibly the steps against tthe lower housing. Clearly it is easy for the engine to look as if it is shug and home in the shroud when it isn't quite.