Coarse Scale O Gauge

[Nearholmer]

I tend to think that you have to love, or not, these locos as they are, for what they are, all the disproportions and strange tenders included.

 

But, the Hornby Centenary loco is a bit odd, because it’s a fairly good replica of the slightly modified iteration that came later in 1920, rather than the very first iteration under the Hornby name.

[goldfish]

1 hour ago, Nearholmer said:

But, the Hornby Centenary loco is a bit odd, because it’s a fairly good replica of the slightly modified iteration that came later in 1920, rather than the very first iteration under the Hornby name.

 

The original Hornby press release for the centenary edition included comparison photographs of pe-production samples and the originals.

 

https://uk.Hornby.com/community/blog-and-news/engine-shed/2020-centennial-celebration-Hornby-brand

 

The original models in the photograph, to me at least, look more like the 1920 version shown on page 11 of Graebe than anything produced later. It certainly has the smaller wheels.

 

Edited November 17, 2023 by goldfish

[Nearholmer]

You can see in one of the old pictures reproduced with that press release that the original originals, early 1920, had a single loop coupling, and nickel-plated bases. By late 1920, things had moved on to the version shown in the later old picture reproduced, which is what they based the reproduction on.

[Ben B]

I thought it was a shame they couldn't have ressurected the clockwork tank loco in 00, the 'International' I think. In red, with Hornby on the tanksides in yellow, it would have been an interesting novelty for the centenary. It lasted into the catalogue into the early 1990's, alongside models like the Intercity 225, which is pretty mad for a starter clockwork loco. I guess the molds had been destroyed in the great purge in the 2000's though.

[goldfish]

On the theme of parody locomotives. A few years ago there was a lot of interest in the possibility of Merkur producing a tinplate LNER J94. Well the wait has ended and the Merkur J94 has arrived. Or at least it has popped up on their website, which is not necessarily the same thing. Available in LNER black and LMR blue.

https://www.merkurtrain.cz/britska-tendrova-lokomotiva-typ-j94-s-oznacenim-lner-8025

https://www.merkurtrain.cz/britska-tendrova-lokomotiva-typ-j94-s-oznacenim-lmr-195

[Nearholmer]

Yes, two guys in this country worked with Merkur towards getting it into production, but the late head of Merkur was a notoriously difficult person to work with and the collaboration was fraught with difficulty. IIRC two prototypes were made, I remember seeing the LMR livery one, but then it all folded. After a lull, the baton was taken up by Messrs Toten and Lumsdon, working with ETS, which resulted in a very good tin version tgat doesn’t have the heavy-wheeled look that was a signature of Merkur.

 

SFIU, since the death of the former head of Merkur, they’ve ceased to make trains, and crucially ceased to make track, to concentrate on their educational robotics range, and what amounts to traditional Meccano. Has the range now passed to a new owner?

 

BTW: if you think their attempt at an Austerity was a bit off beam, have a look at their Terrier, which the made with no British input. Very odd!

 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Nearholmer

[goldfish]

39 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

SFIU, since the death of the former head of Merkur, they’ve ceased to make trains, and crucially ceased to make track, to concentrate on their educational robotics range, and what amounts to traditional Meccano. Has the range now passed to a new owner?

 

On the death of the former owner the trains part of the business was hived off to form a new company under the. banner of the Tioka-Ikaria Group, which was headed by the son of the former owner. They carried on making track at least for a while but apparently ran out of money. The website has always shown some products as being available but the range kept reducing. It seems that they have found some finance because the range has increased and they have introduced some new ranges, including the military wagons. What the actual situation is at the moment is unclear, but the Tioka-Ikaria Group website has disappeared.

 

The Terrier has been around for a long time. A couple have appeared on ebay, so some have found their way across the channel.

https://www.merkurtrain.cz/britska-parni-lokomotiva-terrier-cerna-trikolejnicovy-system

[CKPR]

9 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

BTW: if you think their attempt at an Austerity was a bit off beam, have a look at their Terrier, which the made with no British input. Very odd!

Somewhat ironically for a company with a supposedly retro take on model trains, that looks like some sort of AI-generated abomination.

[ThomasW]

Fortunately ETS is still going strong.

 

This loco is too big an engine for my layout but it negotiates without trouble my 620mm radius curves and there are hopes for a garden railway in the distant future....

 

 

 

ETS added longer wheelbase wagons to the range. I like them but only added two of them as for my small layout the shorter ones fit better.
 

 

 

 

Thomas

[Metropolitan H]

I do like the look of the ETS CSD class 555 / German Class 52 2-10-0s, but must not diversify collection too much wider!

 

But while we are mentioning ETS, their model of the Ministry of Supply "Austerity" 0-6-0ST - some of which became LNER (and later BR) Class J94 - is a very good. Here is my one, in Longmoor Military Railway colours.

 

 

I intend to (sometime!) get a pair of "Errol Lonsdale" nameplates to fit, so it looks even more like the real one seen at Longmoor Downs in summer 1969. It brings back happy memories.

 

Regards

Chris H

[ThomasW]

The LMR train looks great. The LMR livery is very attractive. The ETS 2-8-0 in LMR livery is very nice, too!

 

I would like more of the ex DR 52 locos but they are not cheap. No I am saving money for a Liberation class 2-8-0.

 

Thomas

 

 

[goldfish]

 

I have been very strict with myself ever since ETS brought out their 2-10-0. and so far I have been good and not succumbed and bought one.

I do like their larger locomotives, it always impresses me that they are able to get a 2-8-0 through a double 627mm curve with no problem.

 

 

A tad large for my shunting plank, but it happily copes with the small radius points. It is much happier in wider expanses running around at ground level on carpet boards.

[ThomasW]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas