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Hornby R3520 'Coeur-De-Lion' Britannia Class


Oliver Rails

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Nice model, interestingly show at the earlier end of the 'late crest' period, with forward facing lions on both sides. An interesting variation of livery from Hornby, complemented by the absence of the speedometer and AWS equipment.

Colours (greens and oranges) also look better than the previous batch of Britannias. Although the whistle is possibly outside the loading gauge (it should be angled not vertical!)

 

BUT (and I have commented on this before) - what is going on with the centre driving wheels? - there is noticeable 'daylight' under the flanges in the rails photograph (especially second pic). This almost smacks of the 'floating' centre wheels of the Margate days. Could this be tool wear on the chassis moulding that holds the centre bearings? Or reduced diameter canter wheels? Either way, this means the middle wheelset is not providing ANY traction and will impact haulage.

 

I know this isn't a jet engine, but this can't be within design/manufacturing tolerances!

 

Ho hum...

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That doesn't even look like a printed nameplate, rather the outline and letters printed onto the black of the smoke deflector. As long its slightly smaller than scale size, so an etched plate covers it completely, that could be a good approach.

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 Considerations of whether it is on a plane surface apart...

...BUT (and I have commented on this before) - what is going on with the centre driving wheels? - there is noticeable 'daylight' under the flanges in the rails photograph (especially second pic). This almost smacks of the 'floating' centre wheels of the Margate days. Could this be tool wear on the chassis moulding that holds the centre bearings? Or reduced diameter canter wheels? ...

This has come up before, but cannot quickly find my way to any postings on here referring to it. The example I had that showed this effect, it was the seating of the front driving axle bearings in the block that was the problem, they were not going all the way home. (Tool wear reducing the size of the locations for the bearings? But why not equally affecting all the axles?) So the loco was supported on the front and rear drivers. A little material removed within the front bearing locations, and all straight and level, all tyres in rail contact.

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Considerations of whether it is on a plane surface apart...

 

This has come up before, but cannot quickly find my way to any postings on here referring to it. The example I had that showed this effect, it was the seating of the front driving axle bearings in the block that was the problem, they were not going all the way home. (Tool wear reducing the size of the locations for the bearings? But why not equally affecting all the axles?) So the loco was supported on the front and rear drivers. A little material removed within the front bearing locations, and all straight and level, all tyres in rail contact.

Hornby (or their supplier's) have been adding a spring to the front bogie's on a number of models including the Standard 7MT's - it may well be affecting how the loco sits.

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 Considerations of whether it is on a plane surface apart...

This has come up before, but cannot quickly find my way to any postings on here referring to it. The example I had that showed this effect, it was the seating of the front driving axle bearings in the block that was the problem, they were not going all the way home. (Tool wear reducing the size of the locations for the bearings? But why not equally affecting all the axles?) So the loco was supported on the front and rear drivers. A little material removed within the front bearing locations, and all straight and level, all tyres in rail contact.

It wasn't in the discussion of the Hornby King's was it? Or was it Britannia specific?

If your theory is correct, there should be a slight difference in buffer height of locos affected with those not. As it happens I own two late-produced Sanda Kan models (c.2012), one of which has the same problem, and one which doesn't... might investigate and report back in the Britannia thread at some point...

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Might well be worth waiting a few months for these to be further discounted. Earl Haig, Lord Kitchener and Thomas Hardy appear to be still widely available at between £99 - £115. That is unless Hornby have decided to restrict this edition to low numbers production.

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Might well be worth waiting a few months for these to be further discounted. Earl Haig, Lord Kitchener and Thomas Hardy appear to be still widely available at between £99 - £115. That is unless Hornby have decided to restrict this edition to low numbers production.

I got Thomas Hardy at £109 (rrp 175!!!) around Christmas, It looks good towing a string of blood'n'custard stock, I'm very pleased with it!

 

I don't think I'll be looking to bring Coeur De Lion into the stud at present.....

 

Regarding the Cour De Lion nameplates, its exactly the same method used for Duke of Gloucester.  Just be glad Hornby didn't offer "etched" nameplates like the ones the main range DoG came with! The Thomas Hardy nameplates are identical, though the inking is a bit heavier, not like the weedy effort on CDL...

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That doesn't even look like a printed nameplate, rather the outline and letters printed onto the black of the smoke deflector. As long its slightly smaller than scale size, so an etched plate covers it completely, that could be a good approach.

The Earl Haig printed nameplate just fits beneath the Fox etched plate. Assuming the Fox plate is to scale this implies the nameplate is to scale as well.

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Might well be worth waiting a few months for these to be further discounted. Earl Haig, Lord Kitchener and Thomas Hardy appear to be still widely available at between £99 - £115. That is unless Hornby have decided to restrict this edition to low numbers production.

And given the numbers of Brtiannias released recently by Hornby that could well be a sensible approach.....However caution here in that production numbers do seem to have been cut in some models recently arrived..Is this in the latest 2017/8 programme or one held over from a previous order which might well dictate numbers available ?

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And given the numbers of Brtiannias released recently by Hornby that could well be a sensible approach.....However caution here in that production numbers do seem to have been cut in some models recently arrived..Is this in the latest 2017/8 programme or one held over from a previous order which might well dictate numbers available ?

It's in the latest 2017 programme.

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It's in the latest 2017 programme.

Then I think it's reasonable to assume that there will be fewer around and maybe less likely to find one heavily discounted.Unless of course the market is already saturated with its stablemates....in which case....anything goes. Yer pays yer money and takes yer choice.

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Just occurred to me that this is yet another Britannia with the original smoke deflectors. We have not seen the later deflectors with inset handrails, nor the Western Region square cut out deflectors since the move away from Sanda Kan. Is this just a question of variants chosen, or have the tools for these parts gone the same way as those of the Clan Class?

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'Only' (!) £142.50 at Bure Valley Models, plus £5 P&P (Royal Mail 1st class) UK only: http://www.burevalleymodels.com/p/9614/R3520---Brittannia-Pacific-70007-Coeur-De-Lion - just ordered mine. As a Norwich-shedded locomotive working the GE main line how could I not; many memories of them slipping on starting from Colchester North in the early 1960s on the Norwich interval expresses.

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I have looked at the small official images, but I would be interested in seeing s picture of Hornby R3520 Britannia Class, BR 4-6-2 'Coeur-de-Lion' '70007', if anyone can post one of a purchased loco please. 

Won't get much clearer pictures than at the top of this thread!
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Look, I prefer to see images taken by buyers.....There is a particular reason here. If my request is too much trouble, then forgeddit!

 

I know where you are coming from Larry, you want to see what the Loco looks like under natural light - rather than the harshness of light-box conditions.

 

I'm sure someone will oblige in due course. I'm afraid I can't with this one - yet...

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