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Hornby - New tooling - Large Prairie


Andy Y
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31 minutes ago, maico said:

 

What about the running board, should it bend down forward of the water tank?

No, but it seems to be very common from the photos of the models and from testing my version of the model with a straight edge.

 

To be fair you don't notice it most of the time but just knowing that it's there is slightly annoying.

 

I hope the Dapol team are keeping track of all this... :wink_mini:

 

Edited by Harlequin
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2 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

No, but it seems to be very common from the photos of the models and from testing my version of the model with a straight edge.

 

To be fair you don't notice it most of the time but just knowing that it's there is slightly annoying.

 

I hope the Dapol team are keeping track of all this... :wink_mini:

 

I think that the top of the motion bracket doesn't fit well into the little notch under the running plate. I had a look at fixing it but bottled out.

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1 hour ago, Harlequin said:

No, but it seems to be very common from the photos of the models and from testing my version of the model with a straight edge.

 

To be fair you don't notice it most of the time but just knowing that it's there is slightly annoying.

 

I hope the Dapol team are keeping track of all this... :wink_mini:

 


Shades of the ski slope A3 in reverse ?

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For those who don't see my thread here's a few of mine. I think Dapol have the chance to better Hornby's model in several ways. The weight for starters along with a few cheap touches and quality issues that this model possesses.

 

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Whilst the loco is light (still managed to haul 12 carriages), the Hornby loco is going to take some beating by Dapol.

 

Clearly there is an advantage about coming second, but I reckon, in so many areas, Hornby have got it right.

 

As I have said before, Dapol will be hard pressed to beat the Hornby loco. (In my opinion).

 

I should have added, it looks very much at home on ANTB @gwrrob

Edited by Neal Ball
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I saw the Sam's Trains video as well.

 

Lovely looking locomotive.

 

Must admit, I was concerned with the performance, particularly considering the relative lack of weight.

 

He compared it to an older 'Large Prairie' momentarily, and at half power, or similar as stated, it didn't keep moving at the reasonably speed it was travelling at, it slowed and stalled.

The older one when stalled, spun it's wheels.

 

For a better understanding, it is better to see the video, but was a little concerning.

Is this performance typical for others who've purchased it?

 

Al.

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Controlling it using my Gaugemaster DS this afternoon took me back to when I was a spotty teenager who got his first Scalextric for Xmas. Whacking it up too just under full pelt to keep it moving. I'd say that the Sam's Trains video was spot on from my experience. My layout isn't on the carpet though.

 

I still think Dapol could better this if they're inclined but lets see their mogul first.

Edited by gwrrob
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1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

Whilst the loco is light (still managed to haul 12 carriages), the Hornby loco is going to take some beating by Dapol.

 

Clearly there is an advantage about coming second, but I reckon, in so many areas, Hornby have got it right.

 

As I have said before, Dapol will be hard pressed to beat the Hornby loco. (In my opinion).

 

I should have added, it looks very much at home on ANTB @gwrrob

The one who is first to market usually has the sales advantage although there is a good solid core of folk who will wait for the other one and see how they compare.   All I can hope with Dapol is that they get a good mech and it doesn't swipe all the power off our solar panels just to keep moving.   Time will tell but I seriously wonder where it is in their development queue as they are working on the D for Rails/the NRM and that's one they can't drop back in the queue.  And having announced the 'Manor' will they try to beat the competition to the market place with that one I wonder thus pushing the prairie into the background?

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I've ran mine dcc fitted with a lenz standard for over 4 hours today, with no load, then loaded with some 60' Colletts and no issues at all. Admittedly only upto 5 coaches, but that's all I run on my layout. It runs very well at all speeds and no signs of stalling or hesitation. The only mod I made was to add some loctite to the front pony retaining screw.

 

Ive a video but it's too big to upload to here unfortunately.

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35 minutes ago, Markn said:

I've ran mine dcc fitted with a lenz standard for over 4 hours today, with no load, then loaded with some 60' Colletts and no issues at all. Admittedly only upto 5 coaches, but that's all I run on my layout. It runs very well at all speeds and no signs of stalling or hesitation. The only mod I made was to add some loctite to the front pony retaining screw.

 

Ive a video but it's too big to upload to here unfortunately.

You can't upload any video to RMWeb.

You need to upload a video to You Tube or similar and hotlink it.

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I didn't find the speed problem in Sam's trains video but IMHO it is too highly geared with a ridiculously high top speed.

It was a little stiff when first run but a small amount of running soon got rid of that and it starts in a very controlled and smooth fashion.

My 2 bugbears are the lack of weight, especially as there is the room for more and the front and rear trucks being far from ideal.

 

His problem is that he judged it's running qualities straight out of the box when running in is recommended before coming to any initial performance conclusions.

 

EDIT Correction

Seems he does do some running in, I missed that as I tend to have the sound on low (through headphones)

Edited by melmerby
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2 hours ago, melmerby said:

 

His problem is that he judged it's running qualities straight out of the box when running in is recommended before coming to any initial performance conclusions.

No he didn’t. If you listen properly he says after an hour of running in. He briefly tests before running in and then runs in and comes back again after that.

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46 minutes ago, tomparryharry said:

I'd be hopping mad if I was Hornby. First, take a model straight out of the box, disregard the running in instructions, and then complain that the 'new' model doesn't come up to scratch. 

 

It's a bit like.. I've been test driving the new Souperswizz XXX. I decided to ignore the owners handbook, and jump straight in. Although the car looks good, it's performance in the canal is not as good as I first thought...."

 

A word of caution about these sorts of things, however. If there is a review by way of trade, or the reviewer receives financial reward,  then the reviewer can-might, leave themselves open to having 'interviews without tea & biscuits'. 

 

 He runs in all new locos even if the instructions say it's not needed.

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On 29/07/2020 at 16:32, tomparryharry said:

In all honesty, if you're putting on 12 in the real world, get a bigger locomotive. It's pretty flat from Paddington, but if it's going uphill, bring in a Hall, or something of similar haulage. 

 

In all fairness to both of you, I haven't bought one yet. I'd be expecting to see a haulage of 6-8 suburbans, and that's about it. 

 

Sorry if I've put a damper on your observations.

 

Cheers,

Ian. 

 

Towards the end of steam in 1964 even the little 4575 Prairies hauled full length main line sets of around 12 coaches from Old Oak Common to and from Paddington as Empty stock.  Churcward himself described to the GWR Board in July 1905 how the 31XX  built for the very heavy mineral trains in the  Monmouthshire district  had been run at 75 MPH with complete steadiness and in December 1905 that one of them was running a 70 wagon train between Southall and Banbury doing the round trip in a day with one set of enginemen.   That was the non superheated low pressure predecessor of the 61XX.  

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8 hours ago, TerryBewdley said:

Is it worth buying the Hornby loco or wait to see what Dapol has to offer?

 

Quote from Father in Law after comparing new Hornby 61XX to the older one.   "I wouldn't have bought it (the new one)  If I had known"   That's after finding the errant coupling rod screw and while investigating why the new one stalls on live frog points, which the old one relentlessly crept over.  It turns out the pony trucks take all the weight on slight dips in the track.  I made a nice polished wood plinth with a bit of streamline track on it and suggested it can sit on the mantle piece and look pretty.

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5 hours ago, DavidCBroad said:

Quote from Father in Law after comparing new Hornby 61XX to the older one.   "I wouldn't have bought it (the new one)  If I had known"   That's after finding the errant coupling rod screw and while investigating why the new one stalls on live frog points, which the old one relentlessly crept over.  It turns out the pony trucks take all the weight on slight dips in the track.  I made a nice polished wood plinth with a bit of streamline track on it and suggested it can sit on the mantle piece and look pretty.

 

I think you're making a little joke but it would be a waste to leave it on the shelf. It would look even more pretty on the track hauling a B-set!

 

The tool you need for the coupling rod screw is a "2.5mm nut spinner". Google brings up several choices. And there are various simple ways to give the front pony more vertical travel described above. My method: file down the collar of the pony casting where it sits over the pivot.

 

Edited by Harlequin
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24 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

 

I think you're making a little joke but it would be a waste to leave it on the shelf. It would look even more pretty on the track hauling a B-set!

 

The tool you need for the coupling rod screw is a "2.5mm nut spinner". Google brings up several choices. And there are various simple ways to give the front pony more vertical travel described above. My method: file down the casting where it sits over the pivot collar.

 

Don’t Hornby themselves sell such a tool? I’m sure I recall seeing it in the 2020 catalogue

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10 minutes ago, Hilux5972 said:

Don’t Hornby themselves sell such a tool? I’m sure I recall seeing it in the 2020 catalogue

Indeed they do, the second release of which is due to be released soon.

I've been using the 2.5mm head nut thread screw which works fine.

The Hornby tool is about £3.80, where's the above is 10p.

You pays your money and takes your choice !

Edited by Black 5 Bear
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6 hours ago, Hilux5972 said:

No he didn’t. If you listen properly he says after an hour of running in. He briefly tests before running in and then runs in and comes back again after that.

 

6 hours ago, maico said:

 

 He runs in all new locos even if the instructions say it's not needed.


But didn’t run it hauling bunker first .Yes I watched it too.Be aware that as much as he might raise our eyeballs upwards,as he does mine,he is perhaps surprisingly influential to a degree that he gets invitations to new product events/press releases. We won’t discuss the merits of self appointed judge and jury,perhaps ? Talking of which this Prairie appears to be dividing opinion to a degree of wide extremes doesn’t it ? 
 

   I go with Robin of ANTB on this ( and who should know better ) and given my scepticism on Hornby’s green ( ? ) paint finish,for late GWR and BR green versions,I am inclined to wait a while for the Dapol version.

 

When the opportunity arises I’ll give my Hornby black BR Prairie a thorough appraisal.

 

For now I feel something better should have come our way.Especially as its release has been subject to delay.

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6 hours ago, Hilux5972 said:

No he didn’t. If you listen properly he says after an hour of running in. He briefly tests before running in and then runs in and comes back again after that.

 

Exactly what I did with the same results. I had high hopes for this model but this morning I'm feeling very underwhelmed by it. What is it with Hornby and GWR models.

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5 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

 

Exactly what I did with the same results. I had high hopes for this model but this morning I'm feeling very underwhelmed by it. What is it with Hornby and GWR models.

 
Especially when compared to their new Princess Royal which does set new standards in both performance and finish.Why this discrepancy ?

Just for comparison for under £25 more you can buy a model that is light years ahead in quality...and they did run ( briefly) on the WR too.

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