Hornby Princess Coronation Class (Duchess)

[G-BOAF]

Full pics now on Rails website. Colour looks good, certainly comparable to Sanda Kan Britannias/Bulleids/Castles etc, and nowhere near the recent Kings and others with bright orange lining. Finish is maybe a little matt for my liking; certainly looks duller than SWS, but I will see what is looks to other 'high quality' Hornby BR paint jobs when I see mine in the flesh .

 

Left hand handrail on the Rails example seems slightly wobbly, not quite London Underground lineside cables, but not exactly straight either.

Chassis seems to have all flanges on the floor (except for one pic when both leading drivers have some daylight - but BOTH is better than ONE)

 

https://railsofsheffield.com/products/32289/Hornby-r3509tts-oo-gauge-br-4-6-2-city-of-birmingham-princess-coronation-class-modified-with-tts-sound

[Merlin242]

My City of Birmingham has arrived. Runs ok and looks pretty good. The colour is a tad warmer than Queen Maude .

[Tony_S]

My City of Birmingham arrived. It did need lubricating at the spots indicated on the leaflet and moves freely now. It can have a proper run in tomorrow on my garage layout. The short track across my computer desk isn't really a good run for such a loco.

I used (long long ago) to see the full size loco when I went to the Science Museum in Birmingham.

[bike2steam]

Looks good, but that garish pipework needs toning down.

[robmcg]

Hi all

 

Moving away from City of Birmingham for a moment, I've been looking at Duchess of Atholl in LMS Red, does anyone know did any of the duchesses survive to 1947 in LMS Red without smoke deflectors please?

 

Ian

 

As I understand it all the first non-streamlined engines 6230-6234 were in LMS red until 1945-6 and none received deflectors until late 1945 (Irwell Book of Coronation Pacifics Vol.2 pp 64 and 59)  double chimneys varied from 1939 to 1943 most by 1941. 

[robmcg]

I am relieved to see that the valve gear on production 46235 R3509TTS is at Hornby's usual standard and the fitting of parts is better than on the pre-production pictures.

 

If I may be so bold to reproduce Rails pic and that above by Merlin242  to show the model off I think we are now in a position to judge this model quite well.

 

 

 

I think the shed scene is very nice thankyou Merlin242 , I await with pleasure the arrival of my model from Hattons. 

 

Thanks

[G-BOAF]

It does look like quite a beast.

I sense something is slightly amis with the angle of the cylinders - they seem too inclined. Not something I'd noticed with the previous batch. Mainly that the line of the pistons runs below the wheel centre of the middle axle (it should run throughg it) I suspect this might be the slide-bar/cylinder interface, or at worse, involve packing the cylinder a bit.

 

Finish looks good.

Any report on the chassis trueness?

[robmcg]

It does look like quite a beast.

I sense something is slightly amis with the angle of the cylinders - they seem too inclined. Not something I'd noticed with the previous batch. Mainly that the line of the pistons runs below the wheel centre of the middle axle (it should run throughg it) I suspect this might be the slide-bar/cylinder interface, or at worse, involve packing the cylinder a bit.

 

Finish looks good.

Any report on the chassis trueness?

 

While that cylinder angle can on many of my Duchess models be a tad downward-pointing it is in my view often exacerbated by the nature of 00 ..the wide gap for the narrower gauge and room for the motion, and the angle of viewing.

 

I'm relieved that the model looks to me like it is being assembled pretty well, at least up to the usual standard anyway.

 

here are the Rails pics for drooling over 

 

 

 

[Merlin242]

My City of Birmingham has arrived. Runs ok and looks pretty good. The colour is a tad warmer than Queen Maude .

 

Running it is interesting as the TTS sound cycles somewhat. By that I mean that at a pretty constant speed the chuff rate noticeably increases or reduces. This is not something I have come across before with other TTS or other sound locos.  I gather chuff rate  is driven by emf and that may improve once its run in. It was tending to do it at the same points on the circuit generally when the train was on the flat. The sound is way out of sync as usual at slow speed ( 3 beats per rev) but not too bad at moderate and higher speeds. 

[Nig H]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know why the City of Birmingham crest is missing from above the nameplate? It was on the pre-production pics as in this Thinktank shot.

 

Edited March 27, 2018 by Nig H

[brushman47544]

Hi,

 

Does anyone know why the City of Birmingham crest is missing from above the nameplate? It was on the pre-production pics as in this Thinktank shot.

 

[attachment=984613 City of Birmingham Think tank 118.jpg]

 

Nig H

 

I assume it can't be printed on because there's no backing plate for it. It's on the separate (can't say etched as they're not) nameplates in the box to fit yourself. Presumably they were fitted to the pre-production model.

[G-BOAF]

Crest is supplied on the extra 'etched plates' (that are actually printed). Assuming these plates are printed onto brass - I suspect it may be cheaper to etch brass the specific shape than tool up a plastic nameplate (with fixing lugs) for just one loco... But this is just guesswork

Personally, I eventually intend to order fox plates and glue them onto the plastic plates.

[Tarnish1]

Interesting to see City of Birmingham without the height reductions enforced on the other two surviving locomotives for main line running. Apparent around the cab.

[Pete the Elaner]

Interesting to see City of Birmingham without the height reductions enforced on the other two surviving locomotives for main line running. Apparent around the cab.

I would assume this is the reason they used City of Birmingham for some dimensions, because more modellers want them depicted in their days of regular service than those wanting to run the odd one as a preserved steam special.

[John Tomlinson]

My City of Birmingham has arrived. Runs ok and looks pretty good. The colour is a tad warmer than Queen Maude .

 

Really like the pictures, especially the one under the Ash plant.

 

The first one does show how far they've come compared to the Princess Royal with its toy train rear pony. I haven't corrected mine either, yet another job on the "to do" list!

 

John.

[MikeParkin65]

Crest is supplied on the extra 'etched plates' (that are actually printed). Assuming these plates are printed onto brass - I suspect it may be cheaper to etch brass the specific shape than tool up a plastic nameplate (with fixing lugs) for just one loco... But this is just guesswork

Personally, I eventually intend to order fox plates and glue them onto the plastic plates.

The plastic printed plate is easy to prise away carefully with a craft knife. There is a big visual improvement to be had by removing the printed plate and replacing it with a proper etched plate. The printed plate is quite thick and with the etched plate attached looks a little odd (too proud of the boiler) if you compare with pictures of the prototype.

[G-BOAF]

The plastic printed plate is easy to prise away carefully with a craft knife. There is a big visual improvement to be had by removing the printed plate and replacing it with a proper etched plate. The printed plate is quite thick and with the etched plate attached looks a little odd (too proud of the boiler) if you compare with pictures of the prototype.

 

Are they just glued on, or secured and glued with lugs into the boiler (I know the A4 uses lugs, as does the rebuild Merchant Navy)?

 

I see what you mean re thickness

http://evergreen.zenfolio.com/p142428667#h2549002c

[MikeParkin65]

Are they just glued on, or secured and glued with lugs into the boiler (I know the A4 uses lugs, as does the rebuild Merchant Navy)?

 

I see what you mean re thickness

http://evergreen.zenfolio.com/p142428667#h2549002c

Two small ‘pips’ locate into holes in the boiler side. They snap off cleanly. Same arrangement as with the last model. Free supplement with this months RM shows this using the new 46256.

[apollanaut]

Ah, thanks, I just ordered a R3509TTS from Hattons who generally deliver to here in NZ about 4-6 days so if nobody else buys one and shows photos I should be able to assuage curiosity, OTOH Easter weekend might delay things.  

 

a lazy impatient person I am!

 

edit; I have an NRM Hamilton 46229 and had a Rails black version, and also have a 6231 Atholl and they have all been good, but as I have opined elsewhere none are quite as smooth as my older Duchesses from 2004-2011 are, my quietest smoothest DC model is weathered blue Princess !

Hi robmcg, my preordered City of Birmingham arrived safe and sound in New Zealand yesterday - a late birthday present from my partner:

 

I took some photos on my dining room table last night so might post a few here once I figure out how!

[robmcg]

Hi robmcg, my preordered City of Birmingham arrived safe and sound in New Zealand yesterday - a late birthday present from my partner:

 

I took some photos on my dining room table last night so might post a few here once I figure out how!

 

That would be nice, the more the better, I'm not expecting to see my 'Brum' before Easter.  Once I managed to order and receive a model from the UK even before UK buyers, which was fun, but mostly I am just a tiny bit apprehensive about R3509TTS because of recent quality control issues, quite irrational really because the number of failed engines/broken/damaged received has been very low over the years, and most are fine, with a 50/50 split in failures Bachmann/Hornby, only two or three have had to be returned in 12+years, from literally hundreds (I buy and sell a few).  

[apollanaut]

Here’s a few shots - taken in artificial light so doesn’t show the full richness of the livery:

[robmcg]

Here’s a few shots - taken in artificial light so doesn’t show the full richness of the livery:

 

Brilliant! Just what we wanted, thanks for taking the trouble, great photos.

 

Nice to see the cab doors, and is that an AWS pipe in front of driver's side sand boxes?

 

I think the colour looks excellent. Also my pet 'issue' the eccentric crank driving the valve gear looks as good as Hornby ever get it. In fact the assembly quality looks outstanding.

 

I think I will go and illustrate a Gresley A4 for my sins.  

[Tarnish1]

Has this new model had the close connection problems (as with SWS) to the tender dealt with?

 

Thanks!

[Paul_sterling]

Here’s a few shots - taken in artificial light so doesn’t show the full richness of the livery:

 

That looks really impressive, and even the livery does look pretty good, considerably better than previous Hornby BR green. and if the pictures don't show it as well as it is in the flesh, then that is even better, 

 

thanks! 

 

Paul. 

[Hilux5972]

That green looks outstanding. Now we just need to get the Kings and Castles into that colour!