Hornby Princess Coronation Class (Duchess)

[Pete the Elaner]

That's not entirely correct, Queen Elizabeth was destreamlined and painted wartime black which it kept possibly in to BR ownership. There are a few photos of her backing this up.

That has escaped all the sources I have seen before.

That is excellent news from my point of view.

I would like to accurately model a de-streamliner in wartime black in late 47 (so I can run it alongside 6256 when it eventually gets released), but the sources I have seen infer that the only 2 to get wartime black as a de-streamliner were re-painted very quickly into 1946 lined black.

[Ian Hargrave]

I looked at the video and it's a nice model.

 

If anyone is in doubt I have bought one but yet to receive it here in NZ so concocted this below with what I have edited-in the slightly more realistic supplied larger front wheels and toned down the white paint on wheels generally, as I intend to do with my model.

 

Impatient as always, but I suspect this is one of those models which will look gorgeous 'in the flesh' so to speak. It was made from three still pics in the video, thankyou Sam!

 

6221_coronation_duchess_side_portrait1_3abcd_r1200.jpg

 

Picture is edited, will remove if it offends.

 

I'm sure Stanier was a genius.    Who is this Gresley fellow anyway?

 

Depends upon which Gresley you are referring to. Church Gresley,Castle Gresley or the one that keeps a pub in Swadlincote these days ?

[Ian Hargrave]

Dear chaps and chapesses of Schloss Hornby ( Well Dear Prince Albert who invented Christmas as we know it came from Saxe-Coburg didn’t he ?....hence Hornby Fairyland......whoops.... I have set in a castle he might have occupied ).I am posting this to let you know that as a magnanimous seasonal gesture of goodwill,I am fulfilling my part of our pact to produce one of those wonderful nostalgic trains of yesteryear...you know the blue and silver one..I purchased a replica model of the locomotive commemorative of our dear late Queen Mother.Indeed her namesake blooms as radiantly as she once did.

 

Problem : our dear Queen is lonely and longs to be reunited with her consort coaches which once echoed her glamour as they jointly and majestically steamed northward faster than anything W H Auden could write or even Britten compose.

 

So then please complete your part of our “ bargain “ and give her some coaches worthy of a great train

[toboldlygo]

Dear chaps and chapesses of Schloss Hornby ( Well Dear Prince Albert who invented Christmas as we know it came from Saxe-Coburg didn’t he ?....hence Hornby Fairyland......whoops.... I have set in a castle he might have occupied ).I am posting this to let you know that as a magnanimous seasonal gesture of goodwill,I am fulfilling my part of our pact to produce one of those wonderful nostalgic trains of yesteryear...you know the blue and silver one..I purchased a replica model of the locomotive commemorative of our dear late Queen Mother.Indeed her namesake blooms as radiantly as she once did.

 

Problem : our dear Queen is lonely and longs to be reunited with her consort coaches which once echoed her glamour as they jointly and majestically steamed northward faster than anything W H Auden could write or even Britten compose.

 

So then please complete your part of our “ bargain “ and give her some coaches worthy of a great train

 

Go yesteryear and put a set of Shorty Mk.3's behind it   

[Ian Hargrave]

Go yesteryear and put a set of Shorty Mk.3's behind it   

Just given it its inaugural out of the box run.Looks and drives the part.For the time being,well until Hornby step up to the plate ,it’ll be GWR Colletts and LMS red Staniers. Fortunately I posses no such Shorties,though I did just by a box ( shortbread ) just in Morrisons.

 

Pleased with the model though.It has a certain presence. You can imagine how it would draw the crowds and potential buyers if only they would have the courage to produce the full set, Ah well,one can but dream.Hope The Ghost Of Christmas Present visits Kent on Christmas Eve.Its his 150 th anniversary and Dickens lived in a Kent. Be a big stocking though.....

[Garethp8873]

Wasn't expecting to pick mine up today...!! Was from AGR Model Railway Store in Leighton Buzzard. Had two left when I was there

[robmcg]

Wasn't expecting to pick mine up today...!! Was from AGR Model Railway Store in Leighton Buzzard. Had two left when I was there

 

Thanks for that photo, it looks superb.

 

Here is a nice old film of the real thing.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7kbyVF-qE

 

Edited December 22, 2018 by robmcg

[drt7uk]

Does anyone know if I can use the bigger front wheels on a 2nd radius curve? Thanks!

[robmcg]

Does anyone know if I can use the bigger front wheels on a 2nd radius curve? Thanks!

 

3rd radius recommended. A short section of 2nd radius and you might get away with it. (my experience of the older-tooling version).

 

typo edit

Edited December 23, 2018 by robmcg

[JSpencer]

Thanks for that photo, it looks superb.

 

Here is a nice old film of the real thing.

 

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT7kbyVF-qE

 

 

What a wonderful era it must have been to have lived.

[drt7uk]

Also, has anyone else's model arrived with the 4 front railings missing? Got mine from Rails of Sheffield, will give them a call after Christmas. Hoping they / Hornby have plenty of spares...

[sandwich station]

What a wonderful era it must have been to have lived.

 

I have the full version of that on VHS tape somewhere which I bought in the 8o's.

 

That's footage of her record breaking run, that's why aircraft are following her.

[sandwich station]

4 front railings missing?

 

Railings?

[drt7uk]

Railings?

Handrails sorry

[sandwich station]

Handrails sorry

 

Can you show us a pic please?

[Pete the Elaner]

You can imagine how it would draw the crowds and potential buyers if only they would have the courage to produce the full set.

Have you looked at the actual formation? According to Wikipedia (which I don't always trust), it consisted of 6 different types of coach & I have been told that none of these are currently available.

So Hornby would need to tool up produce 6 different coaches.

This is from a company which has been struggling in recent times. It would seem to me to be a very risky decision.

 

I have brass sides & donor coaches for the 2 kitchen cars. I think that completing these & doing similar for the other 7 coaches is the only way I will get a reasonably authentic Scot set.

[sandwich station]

Brake 1st, Corridor 1st, Open 1st, Kitchen Car, Open 3rd, Open 3rd, Kitchen Car, Open 3rd, Brake 3rd.

 

6 different types of coach.

[drt7uk]

Can you show us a pic please?

Here you go - tiny little metal handrails should be in these holes. They must have fallen out at some point. Wasn't anything lose in my packaging so who knows where they went.

[markw]

Have you looked at the actual formation? According to Wikipedia (which I don't always trust), it consisted of 6 different types of coach & I have been told that none of these are currently available.

So Hornby would need to tool up produce 6 different coaches.

This is from a company which has been struggling in recent times. It would seem to me to be a very risky decision.

The brake third and corridor first are all ready in the Hornby stanier range, they would only need some additional tooling for the roof trunking that could plug into the existing holes for the roof vents.

Much of the research and drawings from the existing staniers could be reused and the new types of coaches can be added to the existing range in LMS and BR liveries (with or without the roof trunking).

I don't think it is as risky as people think.

[Clearwater]

Have you looked at the actual formation? According to Wikipedia (which I don't always trust), it consisted of 6 different types of coach & I have been told that none of these are currently available.

So Hornby would need to tool up produce 6 different coaches.

This is from a company which has been struggling in recent times. It would seem to me to be a very risky decision.

 

I have brass sides & donor coaches for the 2 kitchen cars. I think that completing these & doing similar for the other 7 coaches is the only way I will get a reasonably authentic Scot set.

I've argued on the Hornby 2019 thread that it's precisely the sort of thing that should cost the same as other coach toolings (there were three variants on the Collett bow Enders on launch) with parts that are reusable for other Stanier diagrams but crucially, boxed as sets of three (say) with a total of 9, you could look to sell at a premium for the "prestige." We know that they can produce a single diagram coach, eg the Maunsell dining car, to retail at £45 or so. If selling at say £150-175rrp for a three car set, they should be able to increase profitability. May sell into the same type of market that may otherwise be sated with Pullman stock.

 

On risk, it's a question as to whether it's riskier or not than any other item. Arguably a more iconic set of coaches than standard coaches and may help drive sales of the loco range.

 

David

[robmcg]

I've argued on the Hornby 2019 thread that it's precisely the sort of thing that should cost the same as other coach toolings (there were three variants on the Collett bow Enders on launch) with parts that are reusable for other Stanier diagrams but crucially, boxed as sets of three (say) with a total of 9, you could look to sell at a premium for the "prestige." We know that they can produce a single diagram coach, eg the Maunsell dining car, to retail at £45 or so. If selling at say £150-175rrp for a three car set, they should be able to increase profitability. May sell into the same type of market that may otherwise be sated with Pullman stock.

 

On risk, it's a question as to whether it's riskier or not than any other item. Arguably a more iconic set of coaches than standard coaches and may help drive sales of the loco range.

 

David

 

Good point about selling engines. It would be a brave thing to create the full set of carriages, even if the drawings, CAD process and production could be done at £45 per carriage.

 

I can hear the howls of 'why haven't you done other more common Stanier diagrams?' already....

 

Still, fortune favours the brave.  I did an edited version of what 'might be'  with rather more liberties taken than in the 'best ever thread'... starting with an older tooling version, but numerous changes not least to, well, everything but the tender handrail.  Still waiting for delivery of my new model.

 

At Thankerton near Carstairs in 1937-8.  Frosty morning perhaps.

 

Edited December 23, 2018 by robmcg

[JaymzHatstand]

Here you go - tiny little metal handrails should be in these holes. They must have fallen out at some point. Wasn't anything lose in my packaging so who knows where they went.

A friend of mine got one from his local shop with the top pair missing. The proprietor was going to send it back, but my friend was able to purchase it from him at a touch over trade price (he wouldn't have bought one otherwise) and is happy to repair it with some brass wire.

 

I appreciate that paying full price, this shouldn't be something one has to do, but yours is certainly not the only Duchess to arrive sans handrails.

 

Cheers

 

J

[sandwich station]

I can hear the howls of 'why haven't you done other more common Stanier diagrams?' already....

 

But they are common types, basically all they need to do is change the roof. God knows I've been saying for years that the Stanier LMS coaches have been left behind by Hornby compared to their other ranges. This would be a big plus for RTR LMS/BR region coaching stock.  

[Charles]

Also, has anyone else's model arrived with the 4 front railings missing? Got mine from Rails of Sheffield, will give them a call after Christmas. Hoping they / Hornby have plenty of spares...

Hi drt7uk,

 

It looks like a great model, and I hope you are, ultimately, very happy with it.

 

I guess Rails of Sheffield should be acknowledged for getting it to you as quick as they could.

 

May I ask if Rails of Sheffield included a 'certificate' with your purchase, which said that your model

had been inspected and approved for dispatch as being satisfactory ??

 

Best regards,

Charles

[tetsudofan]

On Friday I collected my pre-ordered "Duchess of Gloucester " from my local hobby shop 26 miles from here. When I opened the a little bit of something fell of from the tender end of the packaging. Having preserved this little bit I placed the loco on the track and thought that something did not look right:

 

 

Then it clicked, the cylinders at the front were not in the correct position. Looked at the Hornby, Rails, Hattons and Kernow websites and all the pictures of "Duchess of Gloucester" show the cylinders higher up close to the running plate. Just to be sure I also compared my "Duchess of Gloucester" to my "Sir William Stanier":

 

 

"Duchess of Gloucester" is the third "Duchess" that I've purchased - "Duchess of Hamilton" (which has the cylinders in the correct place), "Sir William Stanier" and now "Duchess of Gloucester" and all three have had to or will returned to Hornby with problems to be rectified. As far as I'm concerned they are fantastic models to look at but I just wish that Hornby could ensure that they are built as good as they look.

 

Contacted my local hobby shop this morning and have been told that having looked at the rest of their stock they have discarded those with bits broken off and have one left which they believe is satisfactory  and which they are keeping safe for my next visit.

 

Rather disappointing...….

 

Keith