Bachmann or Hornby’s A4, which is better?

[TravisM]

I saw A4 60009 “Union of South Africa” on Thursday at Peterborough station and as I have a Bachmann A1 “Tornado” and a Hornby 60103 “Flying Scotsman”, I thought getting a A4 would nearly complete the set. Can I ask, which of the two make the best model of a A4?

[PaulRhB]

The latest Hornby one is considered the best out of those two as long as you avoid the earlier moulding now in their Railroad Range which isn’t quite as good.

[Steamport Southport]

Definitely the Hornby version.

 

Isn't the Bachmann one the old Lilliput/Trix model?

 

 

 

Jason

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

There's a little bit of 'depends what you want' to be explored.

 

If exterior accuracy and appearance is paramount. Overall Hornby, and  by no small margin. Better shape and detail, offers more of the variation in tenders too.

 

OTOH, if you find the Bachmann looks well enough to please you, it is the more robust of the two, and the outside rods look more the part for a BR version in my opinion.

 

Thought it worthwhile to add the clarification  that the items intended are the current Hornby main range and Bachmann products, and may both be discriminated from the earlier respectively tender drive and split chassis mechanism versions by having DCC decoder sockets.

 

While the Bachmann does have a loco body shell derived from the old Trix model, in one respect it was ahead of the Hornby double chimney versions as seen when first released, by having the chimney apertures identical diameter. Unaccountably Hornby made the rear aperture significantly smaller - I presume they have corrected this by now?

Edited December 10, 2018 by 34theletterbetweenB&D

[TravisM]

I’m thinking of getting Hornby’s (if I can find one) R2302 version of Union of South Africa and I was wondering if it’s a good representation of the loco or are there better ones about without paying a fortune for it?

[micklner]

Mallard R2339 is the first of the current much better model. Look for  R numbers higher than that one and not Railroad versions which still use the very poor detail and shape old Tender drive Tender moulding and chassis.

 

R3202 is the older version avoid unless you are a collector.

 

This is the one 

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/32112/Hornby_R2909_Class_A4_4_6_2_60009_Union_of_South_Africa_in_BR_Green_with_late_crest_Ltd_Edit/StockDetail.aspx

Edited December 10, 2018 by micklner

[Hilux5972]

R2909 was produced about 6-7 years back and this was Union of South Africa. It was part of the commonwealth collection of locos so may be a little difficult to find but ebay is always bringing up some good finds.

Edited December 11, 2018 by Hilux5972