'Railroad' Tornado

[QRModeller]

Excellent review!! Now just need one in N Gauge!!

 

Matt.

[S.A.C Martin]

Excellent review!! Now just need one in N Gauge!!

 

Matt.

 

Thanks Matt - Bachmann (Graham Farish) are actually producing an N Gauge one for release later this year (or possibly early 2012, you know what manufacturer's schedules are like! ). There's some pictures somewhere of a proving model which looked very smart at Warley last year.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

... I've made special mention of the tender connection, done a short clip on how it fits together.

 

The bar is on the tender, the pin for fitting it is on the loco. Sort of the reverse to that on the Bachmann model, and in my opinion it doesn't work very well. It seems very flimsy, and possibly prone to derailment going backwards.

Looks very similar to the arrangement used on the Britannia and Castle, and these have performed faultlessly on my layout. Is the link metal (as on the two models mentioned) or plastic?

 

Thanks for the useful look at the chassis, that's something I always want to see.

[Mark 37]

That's a fantastic review!

Is there any chance that I can send a list of models for you to buy and review?

 

Thanks again,

 

Mark

[S.A.C Martin]

Looks very similar to the arrangement used on the Britannia and Castle, and these have performed faultlessly on my layout. Is the link metal (as on the two models mentioned) or plastic?

 

It is metal. I didn't realise it had been used on other models. On my example it derailed twice over pointwork at low speed.

 

Thanks for the useful look at the chassis, that's something I always want to see.

 

No problem. It has to be said, it is a very well sorted chassis mechanically, extremely smooth. I'm looking over my model and thinking how good it would look in the original grey livery...!!!

[S.A.C Martin]

That's a fantastic review!

Is there any chance that I can send a list of models for you to buy and review?

 

Thanks again,

 

Mark

 

I hadn't planned on making it a regular thing for the "proper models" (the thomas reviews are much more lucrative views wise), but I'd be happy to take suggestions and see if it floats my boat for a bit of practice filming and editing Thanks very much for your kind words.

[coachmann]

A useful review there Mr. Martin. Must admit I failed to spot the difference in Tornado's cab roof..

[S.A.C Martin]

A useful review there Mr. Martin. Must admit I failed to spot the difference in Tornado's cab roof..

 

It's actually only noticeable from the top down, I'll try and take some photographs to show what I mean. It's extremely subtle, barely noticeable in 4mm, but it is there all the same.

 

 



 



 

 

EDIT: as above, the curvature of Tornado's cab roof is ever so slightly flatter than that on the originals. This helps cut its overall height down, but has a knock on effect on the shape of the cab spectacles at the front. Note also the changed whistle position to compensate for the change in height. The roof vents are also slightly flatter and less prominent on Tornado than on the originals, and is modelled here. It's so slight it's ridiculous, but it makes it more accurate than Bachmann's Tornado in this respect.

 

Now that's rivet counting...

 

Overall I think Hornby have done a good job in everything but the buffers. Why oh why did they mould them in plastic?

[micklner]

Simples Its a basic version . Surprised no vac pipes, missing from box ???

[Dan Hill]

I may get a Special Edition if it has that loco-tender connector.

 

 

I wonder if Hornby will do a Works Grey Tornado and maybe that could be be Railroad.

[Bernard Lamb]

EDIT: as above, the curvature of Tornado's cab roof is ever so slightly flatter than that on the originals. This helps cut its overall height down, but has a knock on effect on the shape of the cab spectacles at the front. Note also the changed whistle position to compensate for the change in height. The roof vents are also slightly flatter and less prominent on Tornado than on the originals, and is modelled here. It's so slight it's ridiculous,

Very interesting.

It just goes to show that not all inches are equal.

Take away an inch in numerous other places and no one would spot the difference.

Bernard

[S.A.C Martin]

Okay, made a decision. My Railroad Tornado is getting a repaint into this livery:

 



 

 

The question is - where do I start? I'm not 100% certain of the actual shade on the engine, nor do I know where to get the transfers made for it (make my own via transfer paper?)

 

Other than that - replace buffers, check. Make resin copies of the electric lighting spares from the Bachmann model? Check. Remove printed nameplates? Check. Rub down cabsides and tender for repainting? Check...!

 

So in short, help!

 

I've done the hard bits, so I first thought!

 

Just to clarify - it was a special paint, not an undercoat, for Tornado, described as "eggshell blue" by David Eliott to me once. I'm not sure if it's an actual off-the-shelf colour, but there you go.

[Mark 37]

Hi,

 

I wanted one of the railroad Tornados, but hate the colour it comes in and thought I would go this route of livery, as with all pictures it is hard to guess the correct colour, but I think it's close to Humbrol 127 ghost grey, used in US warships.

 

If you do get the exact colour, please post, we would love to know.

 

Another thought I've just had, you could try taking the photo to a body shop, they will usually mix a can for a few quid.

 

All the best,

 

Mark

[7013]

Excellent review, I presume that a detailing kit is available for the loco which would make the Railroad version an excellent choice. It will be interesting to see what the differences are on the finer detailed version, which is almost £50 cheaper than Bachmanns version. Hornby could be on a winner here.

[coachmann]

Railroad Tornado plus detailing pack plus labour = how much money?

[S.A.C Martin]

I'm doing it all myself - only needs a Vac brake at the front, electric lamp brackets and I'll be happy enough with it. Don't fancy removing the handrails particularly at this point in time. So not very much to make the conversion to the grey livery, just paint, make your own transfers perhaps (which I'm experimenting with this afternoon).

[S.A.C Martin]

Found a colour which appears to be a perfect match - have painted the tender/bodyshell and most of the wheelsets (minus the driving wheels) this evening. Fingers crossed, first time with enamels and it seems to have worked well. I'll edit this post shortly with the photographs I'm uploading, complete with explanation RE the choice of paint.

[31A]

Had you thought about transfers for the 'National Express' variant?

 

[S.A.C Martin]

Actually, I've just realized I can get away with not having any transfers applied, if I pick my time period carefully. However, spot the deliberate mistake (aside from the still green driving wheels - going to paint those tomorrow).

 

Okay, from the top: tender was rubbed down, to remove markings, using some wet'n'dry paper:

 

 

As was the cab - out of shot, the nameplates had been removed from the deflectors using a cotton bud, and some nail varnish remover:

 

 

I then got the trusty spray gun out. I'd been to one of my favourite locations for paints, and spotted out of the corner of my eye, a pot of enamel paint. I've always been an acrylics user, but this pot caught my eye because the swatch underneath it had that strange, sort of bluish tinge to the grey that the Tornado had.

 

So, after ten hours and two coats, here was the state of affairs:

 

 

 

Which, after painting all the wheels, but the driving wheels, led me up to this:

 

 



 



 

 

I think Hornby have missed a trick here. I think the Railroad model should have been the grey liveried Tornado - it looks a lot brighter, despite being plain, and somehow better than when it was in green. Note also, mine has its sprung buffers and bufferbeam painted now.

 

The colour I used was Revell no.49 - "light blue", and trust me on this - it reacts exactly the same way Tornado's original paint scheme did, having a bluish tinge in certain lights, but being grey and light in others.

 

I'll finish off the paintwork tomorrow afternoon, and set about to changing the chimney for a spare, lipped Hornby one. (That was the deliberate mistake, as of course, mine has a stovepipe chimney here...!)

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Send the picture of your excellent repaint project to Simon Kohler perhaps? Hornby must be minded to ring the changes with all the liveries this machine has and will carry. (Such a shame that GNER have gone, think how good it would have looked in their deep blue...)

[31A]

A cunning choice of paint there-certainly works very well on your model, although I would never have thought of using any kind of 'blue' myself!

 

There's an interesting line up of all three Hornby versions in the current BRM, which shows how much better the expensive version looks with full lining - a problem which is neatly sidestepped in the 'grey' version, and another reason why it would have been a good candidate for 'Railroad'! It seems a pity they have gone for moulded handrails on the cab and tender which seems to be a throwback to the 80's, and appears to be carried forward into the more expensive versions of 'Tornado' as well.

 

On the other hand, I wouldn't mind being able to get hold of the tender underframe moulding as a spare part, as an easy way of providing roller bearing axleboxes for my Bachmann 60156!

[coachmann]

That grey machine is rather fetching Mr.Martin.

 

Have you considered a plain black machine as well.

[Dan Hill]

Looking in some of the model magazines reviews (well the pictures anyway) earlier and it looks like the Brunswick Tornado (that comes in the Tornado Express Set) has a slight lack of decoration. It is missing both the printed naming plaques and the worksplates on the cabsides and has black painted door hinges. It looked like a repainted Railroad version which considering the set is £163 is dissappointing (unless the production model is different).

 

The Special Edition is looking very tempting. And should a BR Blue version be released I may have to get that as well.

[S.A.C Martin]

Send the picture of your excellent repaint project to Simon Kohler perhaps? Hornby must be minded to ring the changes with all the liveries this machine has and will carry. (Such a shame that GNER have gone, think how good it would have looked in their deep blue...)

 

That's a very good idea, I will do just that.

 

Mark Allatt himself told me back in 2008 (no less than fifteen minutes after the photographs I took above were taken, at the GCR!) that he has made a few Tornado models himself - and one of them is indeed, in GNER blue. That is something I'd love to see as a one off, perhaps for an April Fools day joke...!

 

 

A cunning choice of paint there-certainly works very well on your model, although I would never have thought of using any kind of 'blue' myself!

 

Thank you very much

 

There's an interesting line up of all three Hornby versions in the current BRM, which shows how much better the expensive version looks with full lining - a problem which is neatly sidestepped in the 'grey' version, and another reason why it would have been a good candidate for 'Railroad'! It seems a pity they have gone for moulded handrails on the cab and tender which seems to be a throwback to the 80's, and appears to be carried forward into the more expensive versions of 'Tornado' as well.

 

On the other hand, I wouldn't mind being able to get hold of the tender underframe moulding as a spare part, as an easy way of providing roller bearing axleboxes for my Bachmann 60156!

 

The advantage to the moulded pieces is that the model is very robust, in all but one area. I am absolutely flabbergasted that the buffers are plastic on the base mode, moulded as part of the bodyshell. I have removed mine and fitted sprung buffers, and I know they will be much more durable to being bashed about than the plastic ones.

 

 

That grey machine is rather fetching Mr.Martin.

 

Have you considered a plain black machine as well.

 

I have one of those already! I made "502" for a film I did several years ago. Old Hornby Tender drive Scotsman, in jet black, single chimney. I gather my numerals were wrong, as I used the standard gold/red and it should have been yellow/red.

 

Looking in some of the model magazines reviews (well the pictures anyway) earlier and it looks like the Brunswick Tornado (that comes in the Tornado Express Set) has a slight lack of decoration. It is missing both the printed naming plaques and the worksplates on the cabsides and has black painted door hinges. It looked like a repainted Railroad version which considering the set is £163 is dissappointing (unless the production model is different).

 

The mockups certainly showed this, although if this is true of the production model, I will be very disappointed too.

 

The Special Edition is looking very tempting. And should a BR Blue version be released I may have to get that as well.

 

I do have a blue one too - after repainting this Railroad one, I have a feeling that Tornado may be retired (and put back to being one of the originals) in favour of repainting another Railroad Tornado into blue, instead.

 

Gents, thank you for all your kind words. The deed is done, as far as painting goes. See what you think, I'm going to make a blog post on it shortly:

 



 



 

 

I'm over the moon. She looks exactly as she did when I saw her at Darlington, through the fence. No transfers, just grey and imposing. I've wanted a model to recapture that strange, tingling feeling I had when I saw her that first time, and this model does it for me in a way the TMC edition of the grey didn't. The paint is perfect, Revell no.49 "light blue" for anyone who wants to paint their own.

 

The stovepipe chimney is staying for the moment until I figure out how to remove Hornby's one without damaging the smokebox too much.

[micklner]

Re Chimney try a gentle tap from inside the smokebox if you can get to the inside. My NRM conversions of the A3 were sorted without drama in this way. One even survived for further use if needed !.

 

Nice repaint well done