Hornby R3772 RAF Class 156

[cowside]

The Service Sheet enclosed with the loco suggests how to remove the body. But this is no use when trying to fit a DCC decoder. I contacted Rails of Sheffield from whom I bought the loco who advised:

**PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED WITH THE LOCOMOTIVE ADVISE TO UNCLIP THE BODY FROM THE CHASSIS, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. UNCLIP THE ROOF FOR DCC FITTING**

It is easy to unclip the roof, and this exposes the DCC socket ready to use. 

It also looks as if the only pickups for this model are on the motor bogey, so I've found it sticks on long curved points. I am going to have to fit a stay-alive to the decoder.

[sawyermodels]

53 minutes ago, cowside said:

The Service Sheet enclosed with the loco suggests how to remove the body. But this is no use when trying to fit a DCC decoder. I contacted Rails of Sheffield from whom I bought the loco who advised:

**PLEASE NOTE THAT THE INSTRUCTIONS PROVIDED WITH THE LOCOMOTIVE ADVISE TO UNCLIP THE BODY FROM THE CHASSIS, THIS IS NOT THE CASE. UNCLIP THE ROOF FOR DCC FITTING**

It is easy to unclip the roof, and this exposes the DCC socket ready to use. 

It also looks as if the only pickups for this model are on the motor bogey, so I've found it sticks on long curved points. I am going to have to fit a stay-alive to the decoder.

Hi Cowside, 

There should be pick ups on both bogies of the power car. All ours had them. 

Hope this helps. 

[JDW]

The above is correct, there are - or at least should be!) wires running under the floor to the trailing bogie. And yes, the Rails advice is correct. In fact, even if you do need to remove the body shell, it is easiest to remove the roof first, then the glazing, then gently lever the clips that hold the chassis on from inside. I've broken a few trying to do it by levering the chassis down from outside, on both Hornby and Lima 156s (they are essentially the same apart from the motor)

[charliepetty]

Just thought this might be of interest to those thinking of buying the unit:

 

 

[Legend]

5 minutes ago, charliepetty said:

Just thought this might be of interest to those thinking of buying the unit:

 

 

 

ha ha I can see why you might think that!   I think Sams review is actually spot on . 

[atom3624]

I like Sam's Trains' reviews, but this one was a tad negative I thought - not saying he's wrong, but does discourage thoughts of purchase - wife will thank him one day !!

 

Al.

[truffy]

15 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

I like Sam's Trains' reviews, but this one was a tad negative I thought - not saying he's wrong, but does discourage thoughts of purchase - wife will thank him one day !!

Actually, I find a lot of his 'reviews' to be of almost puppy dog enthusiasm. The seeming lack of critical perspective, and fawning over trivialities, is off-putting.

 

I found this one to be positively refreshing in its candour. And, with good reason, perhaps it should discourage thoughts of purchase. I give it 5/5.

Edited September 5, 2019 by truffy

[BR Blue]

Fair enough review.

 

It is bascially a really old model with a slighlty updated mechanism and a nice coat of paint. The paint job is the only thing that elevates it above the Railroad range where it belongs. The underframe detail, or the almost total lack of it, shows how far the hobby has come in the the approximately 30 years since the model was first tooled.

Edited September 5, 2019 by BR Blue
spelling

[Ouroborus]

all correct and of course there is a much better model available, albeit not in the RAF colours.

[surfsup]

Something that he does highlight there is the quality of the packaging. I'm surprised Hornby has gone for the "Egg Carton" look. Then again, I was a little disappointed at the quality of the packaging on my ScotRail HST, so it seems to be something across the board at the moment. Yes the 156 is an old and low detail model, and doesn't require super premium packaging, but surely it would deserve something better than an egg carton cardboard for a £120 model. 

[miles73128]

I think you’ll find this is an environmental  issue. Blown polystyrene uses nasty cfs in production. This new packaging is recycled cardboard and therefore much better for the planet. If I remember correctly, all the Olympic stuff used paper/cardboard as polystyrene was not allowed as part of the contract (?) So this new packaging is superior. 

[TravisM]

I just feel you get what you pay for.  If you want a budget model, then get the Hornby model but if you want a model that has the “wow” factor, then get the Realtrack  one.

 

 I’m not being negative in anyway because I must admit that I’m impressed with the paint scheme on the Hornby model and was seriously considered getting one but as I have a Realtrack EMT version, putting the two together only highlights it’s dated tooling.

[charliepetty]

Sadly the model has the 1990s/2000s bodyshell, the current 156s have been rebuilt and one car has less windows!!!

 

 

Edited September 7, 2019 by charliepetty
error

[charliepetty]

[kernowtim]

I must admit to liking this version but like the RAF class 91 wont be buying it for the simple reason its an ancient model with a nice paint job and too expensive for what it is, will make do with my original Lima 156 I bought new around 30 years ago!

[surfsup]

23 hours ago, miles73128 said:

I think you’ll find this is an environmental  issue. Blown polystyrene uses nasty cfs in production. This new packaging is recycled cardboard and therefore much better for the planet. If I remember correctly, all the Olympic stuff used paper/cardboard as polystyrene was not allowed as part of the contract (?) So this new packaging is superior. 

 

That's true, but even something like a Bachmann style clear plastic tray would have been a little more preferable. Hornby do still seem to be using the Polystyrene though as my ScotRail power cars have just turned up in them. I just feel that for £120, the presentation inside the box could match that outside a little bit more. My other concern with it is how stiff it can be - thankfully the ex Lima 156 doesn't have any added detail that's easily knock able off in this case! 

[Guest JiLo]

Maybe its time everyone stopped moaning about the models or the packaging and just enjoyed their trains? 

[NIRCLASS80]

1 hour ago, JiLo said:

Maybe its time everyone stopped moaning about the models or the packaging and just enjoyed their trains? 

 

Enjoy models, I think that’s totally uncalled for!  

[bart2day]

On 07/09/2019 at 13:34, surfsup said:

Something that he does highlight there is the quality of the packaging. I'm surprised Hornby has gone for the "Egg Carton" look. Then again, I was a little disappointed at the quality of the packaging on my ScotRail HST, so it seems to be something across the board at the moment. Yes the 156 is an old and low detail model, and doesn't require super premium packaging, but surely it would deserve something better than an egg carton cardboard for a £120 model. 

 

How did your Scotrail HST come packaged? Do Hornby not still use the polystyrene tray and tissue paper for the power cars?

[charliepetty]

Yes they have the standard packaging.

[cowside]

Back to where this thread started, I have fitted a decoder with a large stay-alive and it now runs happily through long curved points and does not stutter anywhere. 

[JDW]

Ignoring the whole underframe issue, the biggest improvement in my opinion are:

- to add snowploughs (I use Hornby class 153 ones, modified to fit),

- to paint the light clusters black (rather than just the face being printed black)

- paint around the inside of all the window openings an appropriate colour (black or the body colour) to hide the gap between glazing and body

all of which make it look much better. OK, you'll never make it look like the Realtrack one, but for the sake of a few minutes with a paintbrush and some very basic plastic cutting on the ploughs, it makes a significant improvement, especially to the "face".

[Ragtag]

The window itself shouldn't be too tricky a fix, matching the colour on the other hand...

 

Then again I'm more inclined to tinker around with one of these than I am to try and fix the lights on the Realtrack version. 

[Ouroborus]

It is what it is.  A nice coat of paint over an old body, much like their 66s.  And nothing wrong with that - I knew what I was getting (apart from the packaging) when I ordered it.   I bought it purely for the livery.

 

Maybe the retailers on here would be kind enough to give some feedback on how these are selling.  I'd hope that if it does ok, Hornby may think about supplying TTS chips for it....

Edited September 15, 2019 by Ouroborus

[truffy]

3 minutes ago, Ouroborus said:

I bought it purely for the livery.

Which, I wouldn't be surprised, is what Red will be banking on for most of their sales.