Hornby Class 423 4-VEP

[Colin parks]

Goodness me!

 

I have just come across this whole section of posts regarding my 'disagreement' with  post #1578 by AJA Models.  I cannot understand how this happened and removed the negative rating.  As was said by several members, the stylus being used on the tablet thingy which I had for Christmas must have brushed against the 'disagree' button whilst scrolling down the page. Apologies for any offence inadvertently caused.

 

In the meantime, I must confess to having bought a Kernow '£99.99' 4 VEP with a view to undertaking some drastic surgery on it later in the year.

 

Colin  

Edited March 7, 2015 by Colin parks

[lapford34102]

Picked up an NSE 423/1 cheap - sold as seen - in the Hornby factory sale and started work on it to run on a friends layout. Started on the TSO as being the easiest to do. Apart from turning the bogies has new vents and repainted roof, cantrail now correct colour, AK wash on doors. Looks a bit more VEP like...???  MBSO next.

 

Stu

 

 

 

 

 

[47606odin]

i have just received my VEP from Kernows, and i wondered which depot the unit was allocated to, and my oldest platform 5 book i has was 1992, so the unit numbers were in the 31XX range. according to my book, the trailer cars were from 3130 and the motor coach from 3145. Both RE which suits me

 

did the units get mixed up or have Hornby got the coach numbers wrong? (this may have been covered, but theres 70 pages to look through!)

[brushman47544]

When the VEPs were refurbished, the extra work involved in converting part of the brake van area to seating took longer so most Units received a different MBSO before re-entering service - usually one from a Unit that entered Eastleigh Works a couple earlier in the refurbishment programme.

[jjb1970]

At £99 the blue/grey 4VEP is a bargain, I have ordered a second set from Kernow as at the price it is too good to not have another. I have the earlier all blue version and whilst I am happy with it I did recognise it was not as good as I hoped it'd be, the solid interior partitions were an especially silly blunder. On a layout it looks fine but nevertheless the knowledge that the shortcomings are there is real. I think the blue/grey release is an improvement and it is noticeably better, it does seem to be a better runner. For sure it is still not a perfect model but it is the only 4VEP RTR model, if I was to try and build a kit it wouldn't be as good as the Hornby model and it'd cost more whilst if I paid a professional builder it'd cost an awful lot more than the Hornby model. The Bachmann 4CEP is a much better model but I have always had a real soft spot for Southern EMU's and this Hornby 4VEP is a good if not brilliant model. Certainly I have never regretted buying my examples and would buy them again.

[JSpencer]

The best of the three, still rests IMHO the NSE version of the VEP. This is because the under frame under the motor coach is wrong for the early versions. Refit that with the new interiors and it will be the best of the 3.

 

The blue grey has doors in the interior partitions, that could be easily retrofitted to the all blue version, however the all blue has curtains.

[Mike Storey]

Railway Modeller popped thru the door today and in the review section - the Hornby 00 Blue/Grey 4 VEP!  A very positive review overall, which is unusual for the normally factually neutral reviews that RM does. 

 

MR has not reviewed it, but I don't see any other mags - has anyone else reviewed it yet?

[lapford34102]

Some additional weathering to do on the underframes and ends but need to get to better pics so I'll have to talk to my local NSE expert but I'm sort of calling this done.

Cab corridor connection modded in the approved manner - that was fun!

All necessary bogies turned and the DTC's leading bogie "reconfigured" - that was fiddly but worth it.

First class compartment partitions opened - A bodge and certainly not to the standard of one of Mr Parks plastic confections but make a very noticeable difference.

Missing grab/handle on MBSO.

Some very basic painting on the interior partitions.

Lights disconnected - it's DC so a little pointless going on and off all the time but that's a personal view

New roof vents and horns, repaint roof dark grey.

This is a very difficult model to pigeonhole. Aspects of it are excellent, the sides for example, other aspects.........! It's seems to me to be a bit like a horse designed by separate teams, very odd. I wonder if a lot of effort went into the lighting rig at the expense of other elements.

From my viewpoint there's an odd coincidence about this model. I thought I had a set of brass horns somewhere but must have used them so resorted to some very old whitemetal ones. They needed a lot of fettling and still aren't that good. I then realised they were MTK ones and it was an MTK kit that I used to build my first VEP a long time ago. I wonder what some of  "todays"  modeller would say faced with one of those ?

 

Stu

 

Apologies for the iffy pics, sun kept going in and out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[leopardml2341]

............and it was an MTK kit that I used to build my first VEP  a long time ago. I wonder what some of  "todays"  modeller would say faced with one of those ?

 

It was a kit, I suspect many wouldn't have a clue what to do with it; we have lost the 'Airfix' generation methinks

[jjb1970]

To call an MTK "kit" a kit might be stretching what is accepted as being a kit....assisted scratch build may be more accurate

[NickL2008]

Kit? what is this thing you refer to as a K I T  being serious though the CEP looks good Lapford, been meaning to get a NSE one for a while but no space to put it!

NL

[The Evil Bus Driver]

I managed to consist a VEP with the Bachmann CEP when the VEP was first released in 2011

 

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zvcvYxDzbJY

Hey if you're in Portslade I'm surprised you haven't come down to the club at London Road station.

[metadyneman]

Hey if you're in Portslade I'm surprised you haven't come down to the club at London Road station.

I've often thought about doing so but never got round to it really. I spend far too much time running trains round the garden or enjoying a pint in the pub! (occasionally attending bus rallies too ;-) )

[Judge Dread]

It was a kit, I suspect many wouldn't have a clue what to do with it; we have lost the 'Airfix' generation methinks

It was said by me and many others that Colin sent a lot of modellers down the road to scratch building, but he's gone now and I for one won't speak ill of the dead. 

[andyman7]

Browsing Flickr I found a picture with all blue and blue grey VEPs alongside a blue 2-BIL! 

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevs_trains/2985132762/in/photostream/

[Mike Storey]

Another review in Rail Express modelling section, but I don't have it. Has anyone seen it?

[jjb1970]

I've been running a blue/grey 4VEP and also a blue/grey 4CEP on the boys trainset layout this week and whilst on close inspection the Bachmann 4CEP is a much better model (that really is a cracking model, an outstanding bit of work by Bachmann) when running them on a layout the Hornby 4VEP holds up remarkably well and it is a very nice model.

[Metr0Land]

No posts in 8 months in a subject that was a really hot topic once upon a time.

 

Is everyone now happy with the later 4VEPs/Given up on 4VEPs?

[Enterprisingwestern]

The latter.

 

Mike.

[BR(S)]

I bought one of the blue/grey ones about a year ago that had some of the needed amendments made to it.  I'm happy with its looks, although the motor could be better.  Still waiting to try a sound decoder in it.  Other than that, I don't suppose we'll see this unit coming out in any other liveries any time soon and it's just dropped quietly off the radar.

[leopardml2341]

Silly price expectations on eBay next then?

[Andrew F]

I love my early blue VEP and really enjoyed modifying it to get it to run properly and sorting out the body errors. As a result of the work, I prefer it to my CEP.

 

It was treated as a kit with most of the work already done like paint and glazing. Personally I'd prefer all rtr to be a bit ropey if it makes them affordable, but I suppose that's not the point is it?

[Hilux5972]

I love my early blue VEP and really enjoyed modifying it to get it to run properly and sorting out the body errors. As a result of the work, I prefer it to my CEP.

 

It was treated as a kit with most of the work already done like paint and glazing. Personally I'd prefer all rtr to be a bit ropey if it makes them affordable, but I suppose that's not the point is it?

Definitely not the point haha. I personally would have no hope at getting a mode like as good as an RTR release

[jjb1970]

I'm very happy with mine. For sure Hornby dropped the ball with these, on the first releases the solid partitions were disappointing and the placement of the motor bogie was odd however for all its faults the model looks like a 4-VEP, the finish is very good and despite a lot of negative comment my examples run well. Could it be improved? Yes. Is it good enough to live with and be happy with? Again, in my opinion yes, I've never regretted buying mine. Certainly there is no way I'd get anything like as good if I tried kit building.

[JSpencer]

No posts in 8 months in a subject that was a really hot topic once upon a time.

 

Is everyone now happy with the later 4VEPs/Given up on 4VEPs?

If the model came out in 2000, it would have been "Hornby has upped their game..." But it came out after the Bachmann 4-cep and it was both more expensive and not as good....

 

But I am still glad they did it, albeit, I brought 2 of my 3 when prices reduce to clear them. It is also the only 4 car EMU you can buy in refurbished condition and NSE colours.....