Hornby Merchant Navy announced (formerly Facebook leak)

[Godfrey Glyn]

14 hours ago, RectoryLane said:

I think you’ll find that one @Graham_Muz is a Genesis fan

I thought Graham worked for Kernow, not Hattons! Both great firms of course!

 

Godfrey

[Calidore]

A veritable flood of Merchant Navy engines is incoming according to the KMRC newsletter -- all four main range variants due during April. That's 35022, 35029, 35017, and 21C7, for those who may have lost count.

 

I'm still somewhat on the fence about 35024, having been a tiny bit underwhelmed by the photos, but one or two of the green ones should be a done deal.

[robmcg]

8 hours ago, Calidore said:

A veritable flood of Merchant Navy engines is incoming according to the KMRC newsletter -- all four main range variants due during April. That's 35022, 35029, 35017, and 21C7, for those who may have lost count.

 

I'm still somewhat on the fence about 35024, having been a tiny bit underwhelmed by the photos, but one or two of the green ones should be a done deal.

 

I don't know how one can overlook the brooding power of 21C7  ! 

[DCB]

On 31/03/2021 at 16:30, stovepipe said:

I’m generally very happy with my example of 35024, though I think the nameplate could be a little better.

 

Couldn't be much worse.  I didn't actually notice the flangeless trailng wheels but it did waggle down the main line like Ivatt Atlantic in a gale.   I suppose I'll have to think about changing the wheels for flanged ones.

More worrying the thing won't stop when you turn the power off.  It over ran my dead section which stops most trains from a ton or so in 24" by at least two coach lengths.   However give it a bit of reverse power or short it out and it stops in 24"  Its actually good fun reversing it and slippingthe wheels bckwards in a desperate attempt to stop, but its going to ram something like a buffer stop really hard sooner or later,

At least it pulls 7X bogies on my 1 in 100 "level" bit, well 7 X Mk1s and a B set with a lot of slipping and really careful handling.   About half as much again as "Bude" did before I stufed it ful of lead flashing

I know it was heavily discounted but surely they could have used a half decent printer for the nameplate.  See pics (no it's not blurred)

See Barnstaple nameplate from 1963 ish taken same day same camera

 

 

Edited April 10, 2021 by DavidCBroad

[sandwich station]

My MN name plate.

 

[wainwright1]

6 hours ago, DavidCBroad said:

 

Couldn't be much worse.  I didn't actually notice the flangeless trailng wheels but it did waggle down the main line like Ivatt Atlantic in a gale.   I suppose I'll have to think about changing the wheels for flanged ones.

More worrying the thing won't stop when you turn the power off.  It over ran my dead section which stops most trains from a ton or so in 24" by at least two coach lengths.   However give it a bit of reverse power or short it out and it stops in 24"  Its actually good fun reversing it and slippingthe wheels bckwards in a desperate attempt to stop, but its going to ram something like a buffer stop really hard sooner or later,

At least it pulls 7X bogies on my 1 in 100 "level" bit, well 7 X Mk1s and a B set with a lot of slipping and really careful handling.   About half as much again as "Bude" did before I stufed it ful of lead flashing

I know it was heavily discounted but surely they could have used a half decent printer for the nameplate.  See pics (no it's not blurred)

See Barnstaple nameplate from 1963 ish taken same day same camera

 

 

 

 

Sounds like prototypical performance ?

 

All the best

Ray

[Dunsignalling]

If experience with the rebuilt Light Pacifics is anything to go by, a flanged trailing wheelset will require an absolute minimum of a 30" radius and will be much happier on a 36".

 

John

[robmcg]

I'm wondering which of these two would be easier for a factory to assemble...

 

 

 

Given the reputation for poor assembly of the latter.  I have bought four  A2s (four different models, two different sellers) and all were excellent, one had a broken rear coupling.  The front lamps on the Merchant Navy are a bit annoying.  All run well.

 

Just thought I'd put a word in for Hornby from a satisfied customer, for both models.

 

Edie; p.s. does anyone know when the new Merchant Navy plastic-body models might arrive? Beyond the official '2nd quarter 2021'?  I see TMC describe R3717  21C7  as 'out of stock'  but you can pre-order others,  Kernow are still inviting pre-orders for 21C7.  As is Hornby.

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by robmcg
typos, addition.

[Dunsignalling]

I think the prices offer a fairly clear indication of  the differing amounts of factory time required to assemble the Bulleid and Thompson Pacifics, though they perhaps hadn't allowed quite enough for the latter....

 

As for arrivals, the latest hint I've seen for the one I have on order (35029) is that it's about a month away.

 

John

[robmcg]

14 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

I think the prices offer a fairly clear indication of  the differing amounts of factory time required to assemble the Bulleid and Thompson Pacifics, though they perhaps hadn't allowed quite enough for the latter....

 

As for arrivals, the latest hint I've seen for the one I have on order (35029) is that it's about a month away.

 

John

 

Thanks John,

 

I think the skills required to assemble a model like an A2/3 are not quite as easily found as some buyers tend to think. At least at the prices we pay. Not to say a Bulleid is much easier.

 

I thought I had read somewhere that the new Merchant Navy models were 'imminent' which I take to mean on a a ship in a UK port, or better.

 

I confess I haven't kept up with the new models, being rather taken with the wartime black version, which I had hoped would be in the shipments described as 'Spring 2021' or '2nd quarter 2021',  and was surprised that TMC list R3717 21C7 as 'out of stock'.  It's far too easy to speculate, but impatience you know.... given the way retailers are supplied these days.  I usually pay full price up front on pre-order if I know the model is in a UK port.

[Graham_Muz]

See https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/n/51/Latest-Expected-Hornby-releases-for-April---more-Merchant-Navy-pacifics-docking

[robmcg]

Thankyou Graham, I have bought a fair bit from Kernow and haven't been disappointed.

 

Edit; duly purchased, can't wait to photograph this example of 1940s steam!

 

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by robmcg
addition

[Hilux5972]

47 minutes ago, robmcg said:

Not to say a Bulleid is much easier.

Of course it’s easier, it’s an ugly box

Edited April 11, 2021 by Hilux5972

[robmcg]

1 hour ago, Hilux5972 said:

Of course it’s easier, it’s an ugly box

 

Don't we have any moderators around here to ensure balanced and civilised commentary on this great subject? 

 

Mind you, I used to think I would never touch a Thompson Pacific and now I have four.  So there's hope for you yet...

 

Actually the much-commented-upon Hornby flat paint finish is very evident on the blue 35024...  a real challenge to replicate the light and panelling on these ugly boxes...     that's why god invented photo-editing.

 

This below is before any particular work, including adding cylinder drains, front steps and coupling and so on... 

 

 

messing around with my new camera is half the fun.

 

 

lower photo edited.

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2021 by robmcg
addition

[Calidore]

On the ugly box point — I’ve always thought the light pacifics look better with the graceful front cowling and full casing ahead of the cylinders. Yet with the Merchants, I think they look more purposeful and brutish with the cutaway and no cowling. I think it’s something about their heavier front end which makes them look this way — it suits the ‘face’. So I’m looking forward to these coming BR examples which are all in the slightly later form.

[robmcg]

I wonder if the Merchants ever ran in blue with the lower front cowling cut away?

 

I have done an experiment with messing with colours and tones on the bodywork, I have no idea how this could be achieved by painting or varnishing the model directly.  Will remove if it offends.

 

 

Somewhere out west in the summer of '51. Sounds like the name of a movie.

I think this model comes into its own when the hardware detailing is fitted.

 

 

35024 was always a western section engine was it not?

 

 

 

cheers

Edited April 11, 2021 by robmcg
addition

[ed 66 plant]

According to my records  cowlings were removed  between June 1952 and November 1953.

Blue livery was evident from 1949 to 1951 except for  35011/14/23 --never painted such.

35024 had its cowlings removed October 1952 and was in B.R. blue livery between March 1949 and June 1951.

Hope this helps,

best regards,

Ed

[robmcg]

At risk of boring everyone, (who, me?) , here are two more ordinary photos of 35024 as it came out of the box.

 

 

 

edit, almost enough to make a person yearn for a bit of Hornby BR Brunswick Green, innit ! 

 

 

 

I have been playing around with cameras and stuff, someday I might even run a model train...

 

 

Edited April 13, 2021 by robmcg
foolishness

[GreenGiraffe22]

I don't even need the one I have let alone two but man does it look sexy in wartime black...! In my model world they operated expresses between Brighton and Plymouth :p 

[Graham_Muz]

11 minutes ago, GreenGiraffe22 said:

I don't even need the one I have let alone two but man does it look sexy in wartime black...! In my model world they operated expresses between Brighton and Plymouth :p 

 

It does look good, although I might have to put the later front on mine when it arrives.

 

 

 

[GWR Neal]

9 hours ago, Graham_Muz said:

 

It does look good, although I might have to put the later front on mine when it arrives.

 

 

 

Graham,

What would be involved additional to the smoke deflectors to make this a later series 1? 

I'm assuming RT models would have the parts needed. 

I am hoping Hornby's next move is the later version series 1 as they look the business, if not I will be looking at doing the same.

thanks, 

Geoff

[Graham_Muz]

22 minutes ago, GWR Neal said:

Graham,

What would be involved additional to the smoke deflectors to make this a later series 1? 

I'm assuming RT models would have the parts needed. 

I am hoping Hornby's next move is the later version series 1 as they look the business, if not I will be looking at doing the same.

thanks, 

Geoff

A replacement cowl in front of the chimney, the sides from just above the bottom edge of where the defectors will start cut back to be flush to the smoke box front and short deflectors blended in. 
it will be the topic of a blog post when I do it as 21c7 in black will be first followed by my 21c3 in malachite. 

[GWR Neal]

Thanks Graham. Will look forward to it.

 

[robmcg]

7 hours ago, Graham_Muz said:

A replacement cowl in front of the chimney, the sides from just above the bottom edge of where the defectors will start cut back to be flush to the smoke box front and short deflectors blended in. 
it will be the topic of a blog post when I do it as 21c7 in black will be first followed by my 21c3 in malachite. 

 

I look forward to 21C7 and recall that when I created pictures of early Merchant Navy engines a few years ago there was a veritable plethora of shapes around the front. Well, enough to confuse me... I have Irwell and the Haynes 'The Original Bulleid Pacifics' for reference.  Perhaps there were actually only a few arrangements around the front of the early engines, the original 21C1 and then the cutaway version, then the short deflectors and flat-bottom top cross piece?

 

Do we have any dates for the types of front? E.g the change from curved front top to the flatter cross piece? I notice that there are few photos from the war years (understandably) and many show 21C1-9 without nameplates, and also, very few are clean!

 

At least one could practice weathering on 21C7 !  

 

Edit, I'm presuming that 21C7 is the same as the already-produced  21C3  but with a strengthening strip along the sides as per the pictures of your assessment sample?

 

Edit 2;  I think 21C3 already has the body strip, looking at my photos more carefully.  So 21C7 is essentially a name/number/livery change?

 

cheers

Edited April 14, 2021 by robmcg
additions

[robmcg]

Further to my display of ignorance above, here is the Hattons photo of 21C3 to compare with Graham's excellent 21C7 photos from a few messages back.

 

 

Looks pretty similar to me, and I have feeling that these models are quite hard to find second-hand.