How Many Hornby A4's Have You Got

[Ollie K]

A question for A4 aficionados:

 

Are there any significant differences between how 4489 Dominion of Canada was restored for the Great Gathering - and was depicted by Hornby - and how it would’ve looked in 1937? 
 

Same tender style / access hatches in casing etc?

 

 

Wondering if there are any giveaways that the model is ‘as preserved’ rather than ‘as built’. 
 

Cheers!

Edited December 26, 2023 by OliverBytham

[NZRedBaron]

Just as a side note, I had a look recently, and by all accounts the only 'Coronation' A4 that hasn't appeared in LNER livery is Dominion of New Zealand; it's only ever appeared in BR Green- Hornby did it with the Late Crest, and Bachmann did one in the 90's (supposedly a split-chassis version?) with the Early Crest.

Edited December 26, 2023 by NZRedBaron

[Dominion]

I would love Union of South Africa in LNER livery. I would have to try to renumber a Hornby model as I don’t think that has been done yet either. 

[JamieR4489]

1 hour ago, OliverBytham said:

how it would’ve looked in 1937? 

The most obvious difference is that the bell wasn't fitted until March 1938. Other than that the only modifications would be to paint the handrails silver. DoC's were painted blue in 2013 because to take them back to bare metal would have required the removal of the asbestos lagging.

[jwealleans]

Jamie's on the nose there - all A4s had an extra access panel added below the nameplatein 1938 and yours doesn't have it, so if it is correct it can only be for a fairly short window in 1938.   I'd lose the bell.   Most models of the loco have it, one without will be more individual.

[Ollie K]

5 hours ago, jwealleans said:

Jamie's on the nose there - all A4s had an extra access panel added below the nameplatein 1938 and yours doesn't have it, so if it is correct it can only be for a fairly short window in 1938.   I'd lose the bell.   Most models of the loco have it, one without will be more individual.

 

Thanks Jonathan, and Jamie. I don't own a DoC - either in the new Dublo guise or one of the previous releases. Tempting though it is to indulge in a new Coronation A4 to haul the forthcoming stock, budget-wise I think renumbering an eBay basket case might be the way forward for now.

[G-BOAF]

14 hours ago, OliverBytham said:

A question for A4 aficionados:

 

Are there any significant differences between how 4489 Dominion of Canada was restored for the Great Gathering - and was depicted by Hornby - and how it would’ve looked in 1937? 
 

Same tender style / access hatches in casing etc?

 

 

Wondering if there are any giveaways that the model is ‘as preserved’ rather than ‘as built’. 
 

Cheers!

Smokebox top lamp iron is in lower position (they have got it right on this Dublo release, but got it wrong on the GG and GB releases). So its 'as preserved'. I think the handrails were originally burnished stainless steel in 1937- the NRM explained that this could not be restored as it would have involved new handrail brackets, which in turn would have involved removal of the casing and disturbing/removing the asbestos boiler lagging (which was sealed at the start of the restoration, rather than removed). So they were pained blue, as Hornby have modelled them.

 

They do look very nice, but I just don't like the cab front window (too small, because diecast cab roof is thick), and the mould lines along the 2.30 positions on the boiler sides. So unnecessary - there SHOULD be a parting line in the middle of the top where the casing joins, and in the case of the A4, there are no 'inserts' required at the top of the boiler that should need a vertical release part of the tool.

then again, just shows how good the original 2004 release was, that 19 years later, no one has actually bettered it, even with a completely new body tool (in this case), nor the rather weird proportions on the Dapol model

Edited December 27, 2023 by G-BOAF