Hornby Princess Coronation Class (Duchess)

[Robin Brasher]

The overhang of the rear pony truck on my 'Duchess of Atholl' looks ridiculous on the 2' 6" curves of our club layout at the barn at Godlingston Manor, Swanage as the picture shows. The model is designed to negotiate 17 1/4" track and points and would look even more ridiculous on those.

 

The first reaction of another member who is a newcomer to the hobby was to ask if the pony truck had derailed. When I explained to him that the wheels were rollers with no flanges and the truck was fixed his reaction was that it was a cost cutting measure.

 

I don't think most model railway enthusiasts have got enough room for a large layout with over 3' radius curves and points that may accommodate a fixed rear pony truck with flanged wheels. I think anyone who viewed the locomotive passing through reasonable curves at an exhibition would notice the overhang.

 

I realise that a fixed pony truck with flanged wheels looks better on a layout that only has straight track but I expect most model railway layouts either have Hornby curved track or flexible track with a minimum radius of 2'. In an ideal World people would have layouts with curves and points over 3' radius but most people do not have that amount of room.

[Legend]

Hi Legend

Many thanks for your post. I certainly agree with the points you highlighted in a/b and c.

Organising the return for me personally is a major problem.

In 2002 I was diagnosed with a very rare incurable illness ( Wegeners Granulamatosis ) incidence is between 6 to 8 cases per

1 million head of population. The illness is a blood disorder where your own immune system is attempting to kill you by attacking various body organs. I am truly lucky to have survived for 15 years, however the initial illness has caused kidney failure, reoccurring skin cancers, and Axional Sensory-Motor Peripheral Neuropathy to both lower limbs - virtually unable to walk or stand..

My problems with R3555 are rather insignificant!

 

It indeed puts things in perspective . Folk that go on and on about Bullhead track, Gate stock and pantographs on 87s should be referred to this post

 

You take care. Wishing you all the best .

[cctransuk]

The overhang of the rear pony truck on my 'Duchess of Atholl' looks ridiculous on the 2' 6" curves of our club layout at the barn at Godlingston Manor, Swanage as the picture shows. The model is designed to negotiate 17 1/4" track and points and would look even more ridiculous on those.

 

The first reaction of another member who is a newcomer to the hobby was to ask if the pony truck had derailed. When I explained to him that the wheels were rollers with no flanges and the truck was fixed his reaction was that it was a cost cutting measure.

 

I don't think most model railway enthusiasts have got enough room for a large layout with over 3' radius curves and points that may accommodate a fixed rear pony truck with flanged wheels. I think anyone who viewed the locomotive passing through reasonable curves at an exhibition would notice the overhang.

 

I realise that a fixed pony truck with flanged wheels looks better on a layout that only has straight track but I expect most model railway layouts either have Hornby curved track or flexible track with a minimum radius of 2'. In an ideal World people would have layouts with curves and points over 3' radius but most people do not have that amount of room.

 

I couldn't agree more - thanks for illustrating the point.

 

If fixed trailing trucks become / are now acceptable, how long before fixed / flangless leading bogies or non-functional valvegear are proposed - all in the interests of economy, you understand !!

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[sawyermodels]

Another good outlet to add to the list,however shouldn't it fall to Hornby to QC their products before despatch to outlets?

I agree. Models should be tested before dispatch to retailers. We'd still test everything regardless if the manufacturer tested them or not.

[Ian Hargrave]

Hi Ian, we test everything prior to dispatch on our various DCC and DC shop layouts.

Thank you for that...another to add to the list of the small and beautiful.

[Ian Hargrave]

It indeed puts things in perspective . Folk that go on and on about Bullhead track, Gate stock and pantographs on 87s should be referred to this post

 

You take care. Wishing you all the best .

And please keep us in the loop......for a successful result with R3555. Best regards.

[coachmann]

It is not merely the pony truck that looks ridiculous on 17¼" radius trainset curves....

Edited November 3, 2017 by coachmann

[Paul_sterling]

I agree. Models should be tested before dispatch to retailers. We'd still test everything regardless if the manufacturer tested them or not.

 

I'd be surprised if Model Railway manufacturers don't do 100% inspection/testing given the relatively small volumes of their builds. There are lines in our Injection molding factory that do 100% inspection with quantities that run into the millions per year.

 

If they don't do 100% inspection at these volumes then that is something of a gaping hole in QC, as there certainly won't be the justification to invest in automated inspection equipment for such low volumes. 

 

Paul. 

[MikeParkin65]

Thank you for that...another to add to the list of the small and beautiful.

I hope this thread doesn’t turn into ‘model shops that test’ as this has been covered before. But if we must I will add Monk Bar in York as ‘known testers before dispatch’.

[RCAR6015]

This is an update.

Following a 30+ minute phone conversation, the supplier has agreed to contact Hornby to find out if they have a replacement item to send. Getting them to agree to this was like " extracting blood from a stone "

Initially advised: Sold out at Hornby!!!

This major retailer does not hold back any items in reserve to cover any major defects. ( Not a very clever business model )

When they are gone they are gone attitude - end of story

My other options are to return for a refund or they require the item returned to them for it to be forwarded to Hornby, with no guarantee that they will have the parts to effect the repair

Any body like to know the retailer?

It's not: Hattons, Rails, CMC, Invicta but a major retailer. so guess who!

[RCAR6015]

This is an update.

Following a 30+ minute phone conversation, the supplier has agreed to contact Hornby to find out if they have a replacement item to send. Getting them to agree to this was like " extracting blood from a stone "

Initially advised: Sold out at Hornby!!!

This major retailer does not hold back any items in reserve to cover any major defects. ( Not a very clever business model )

When they are gone they are gone attitude - end of story

My other options are to return for a refund or they require the item returned to them for it to be forwarded to Hornby, with no guarantee that they will have the parts to effect the repair

Any body like to know the retailer?

It's not: Hattons, Rails, CMC, Invicta but a major retailer. so guess who!

 

During the telephone conversation I mentioned I had posted the problem on RM web, the reply being " not to believe everything that is posed on there".

I personally find that a rather arbitrary attitude

[Legend]

I'd be surprised if Model Railway manufacturers don't do 100% inspection/testing given the relatively small volumes of their builds. There are lines in our Injection molding factory that do 100% inspection with quantities that run into the millions per year.

 

If they don't do 100% inspection at these volumes then that is something of a gaping hole in QC, as there certainly won't be the justification to invest in automated inspection equipment for such low volumes. 

 

Paul. 

 

Actually Id be surprised if they do, in fact i'm virtually certain they don't

 

Modern QC is about testing processes . If the processes pass the theory is this should result in good product and therefore you don't need to test the products themselves .  That's the theory!  But it also explains why rogue locos slip through  , because no one is actually testing them at the end . They possibly do a sample , but that's all.

[Chamby]

The overhang of the rear pony truck on my 'Duchess of Atholl' looks ridiculous on the 2' 6" curves of our club layout at the barn at Godlingston Manor, Swanage as the picture shows. The model is designed to negotiate 17 1/4" track and points and would look even more ridiculous on those.

 

The first reaction of another member who is a newcomer to the hobby was to ask if the pony truck had derailed. When I explained to him that the wheels were rollers with no flanges and the truck was fixed his reaction was that it was a cost cutting measure.

 

I don't think most model railway enthusiasts have got enough room for a large layout with over 3' radius curves and points that may accommodate a fixed rear pony truck with flanged wheels. I think anyone who viewed the locomotive passing through reasonable curves at an exhibition would notice the overhang.

 

I realise that a fixed pony truck with flanged wheels looks better on a layout that only has straight track but I expect most model railway layouts either have Hornby curved track or flexible track with a minimum radius of 2'. In an ideal World people would have layouts with curves and points over 3' radius but most people do not have that amount of room.

We can’t have it both ways. If we want models that are truer to the prototype, then we also have to run them on layouts with more prototypical curves for them to look right when running. The manufacturer has to make a call between flangeless wheels in a fixed chassis, or a trailing bogie that swings ludicrously out from the side of your model on the tight radii we demand. Neither looks right and with a swinging trailing bogie, the cab hangs out on a bend just as much anyway, with the added dislocation from the bogie. The fact of the matter is that the radius of our model curves creates the problem that the manufacturers have to work around. Which is why there will always have to be an element of compromise in our hobby.

[Paul_sterling]

Actually Id be surprised if they do, in fact i'm virtually certain they don't

 

Modern QC is about testing processes . If the processes pass the theory is this should result in good product and therefore you don't need to test the products themselves .  That's the theory!  But it also explains why rogue locos slip through  , because no one is actually testing them at the end . They possibly do a sample , but that's all.

 

Yes and process QC is absolutely fine if you have a robust process, and your output trends back it up. In this case they don't. 

 

I suspect then, that they do first off, hourly samples, and last off, at component level at least. 

 

Paul. 

[Paul_sterling]

During the telephone conversation I mentioned I had posted the problem on RM web, the reply being " not to believe everything that is posed on there".

I personally find that a rather arbitrary attitude

 

a "bury head in the sand and ignore the shouting" attitude would be closer to the truth based on that.

 

Granted, on a balanced viewpoint, internet feedback does tend to lean slightly towards overly negative, as in many other aspects of life, people are ambivalent when things work as expected (because that is what they expected it to do), and negative when things don't, there is not much that leans to positive, unless they are impressed by something which was not expected.  

 

Paul. 

Edited November 3, 2017 by Paul_sterling

[AGR Model Store]

Thank you for that...another to add to the list of the small and beautiful.

 

Add another to list ..

 

We test everything before it hits the shelf, then when it leaves.

[adb968008]

So a nice twist to my monkey Sunday with my previously damaged Duchess of Atholl.

 

I received a phone call on Monday from Derails informing me my William Stanier was available for dispatch. Dan said he noticed my post on the forum about my damaged Duchess of Atholl and said that he had spare available and would I like him to add one to my order.

 

As always Derails test the locomotive before sending, I Can’t get better than that so now I have both my two duchesses ready to go.

Edited November 3, 2017 by adb968008

[MikeParkin65]

So a nice twist to my monkey Sunday with my previously damaged Duchess of Atholl.

I received a phone call on Monday from Derails informing me my William Stanier was available for dispatch. Dan said he noticed my post on the forum about my damaged Duchess of Atholl and said that he had spare available and would I like him to add one to my order.

As always Derails test the locomotive before sending, I Can’t get better than that so now I have both my two duchesses ready to go.

A useful reminder that despite our issues with quality control these are absolutely magnificent looking models. Fingers crossed that my second 46256 from Hereford (first which is from Rails was damaged) which I am picking up on Saturday is a good one

[coachmann]

That Duchess of Athol is a bobby dazzler!

[tetsudofan]

Pleased to say that my Sir William has been performing well during some light engine movements:

 

 

Union of South Africa has just arrived with a set of coaches ready for Sir William to take over for a trip up the inclines.....

 

Keith

[MikeParkin65]

Pleased to say that my Sir William has been performing well during some light engine movements:

 

PrincessCoronation-02.jpg

 

Union of South Africa has just arrived with a set of coaches ready for Sir William to take over for a trip up the inclines.....

 

Keith

Loving the lollipop 'place marker'! 

[Ian Hargrave]

That Duchess of Athol is a bobby dazzler!

It surely is.My personal,favourite of the two on current release.I could not resist.I missed out on the 6231 as a kid and got No.7 Sir Nigel instead.So I've made good the loss ! By strange coincidence I have a pair as above and both from Derails .

[coachmann]

It surely is.My personal,favourite of the two on current release.I could not resist.I missed out on the 6231 as a kid and got No.7 Sir Nigel instead.So I've made good the loss ! By strange coincidence I have a pair as above and both from Derails .

Mine was bought on the never-never with pocket money from Denny's circa 1956, a pre-war Hornby-Dublo in LMS maroon. I didn't bother telling my pa who had blessed a load of crap Trix-Twin on me some years earlier. I was moving surreptitiously towards more realistic models.

[Gilbert]

Probably find it's best to put them on track rather than pushing them around on the floor (lol)

I think rule 1 applies.....

[grimytimes]

All our locos are tested be them new or preowned, and shown to run in front of the customer if present, another good reason to support your local shop large or small where the potential purchase can be fully inspected.