Which older RTR models do you still admire?

[Northmoor]

On various other threads there have been often vociferous comments on how appalling some 30 year old RTR models were, although we hoovered them off the model shop shelves at the time. The Jouef 40 and Hornby's half-cab Pannier are just two examples to divide opinion.

 

What 20, 30, 40 year old models still "cut it" for you?  I personally have never (yet) had the problems with Airfix/Mainline/Lima motors which have led to so much criticism, but the quality and longevity of mechanisms is well known, so would suggest we limit this to the quality of the detail, finish and general "rightness" of models.  All scales/gauges considered.

 

I will start with:

 

Mainline 03, 45 & 56

Lima HST, Western and 73

Hornby 86

 

Airfix 14xx, Castle

Mainline 53xx, 66xx, Manor, 2P 4-4-0, Jubilee, J72, Std. Cl.4

 

<Pulls pin from hand grenade and runs out of room>

[PM47079]

Lima 47 and 31 are not bad.......

[Vistisen]

The Hornby suspension bridge.

[Steamport Southport]

I'll also add.

 

Mainline Warship

 

Most of the later Lima diesels (20, 31, 37, 40, 47, 50, 59). GWR DRC including Parcels version.

 

Airfix 4F and GWR 61XX

 

Mainline Original Royal Scot, Collett Goods, 57XX, N2, Dean Goods (ignore the tender drive it's still a good model), although the last two should possibly be in Airfix

 

Hornby Fowler 4P 2-6-4T

 

Dapol L&YR Pug, Austerity 0-6-0ST,

 

Replica B1

 

 

 

Jason

[forest2807]

Mainline 16 Ton mineral wagons. They have an incorrect wheelbase but they just look (to my eye) quite pleasing. They probably remind me of my childhood when Mainline were IMHO the pick of the bunch of model producers. All Mainline wagons have a certain quality look and feel to them I think, especially the private owner wagons.

[newbryford]

Triang TT Class 31 body (the mechanism was incredibly strong for it's day and Airfix copied the mechanical design from Triang for their 31)

 

Lima 73 body.

As with all Lima pancake motors, a bit of TLC in keeping them - and the wheels clean - was more than rewarded with good running - especially those that had extra pickups on the non-powered bogie.

 

I'm quite happy cutting up Airfix aircon Mk2 shells, as with a bit of flush glazing they can turn out quite well in yellow.

 

I'll go with the Mainline 03 as well - especially when fitted with a Craftsman air brake conversion kit.

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Steamport Southport]

If we are also nominating rolling stock then the Mainline RMB.

 

 

 

Jason

[Il Grifone]

Aren't all these modern models?

 

Dublo's 'Castle' still does it for me plus Tri-ang's 'L1' and 'Dean Single' (despite their dimensional accuracies).

 

Apart from the L1 (transmuted into a less satisfactory 2P), these were still available within the forty year period.

Edited March 27, 2018 by Il Grifone

[sub39h]

Lima HST, Lima Mk3, Lima 101, Lima 121

Jouef Mk3

Mainline/Replica Mk1 RBRs

Mainline/Dapol 56

Edited March 27, 2018 by sub39h

[DCB]

Has to be Hornby Dublo early Castle with 1/2" motor, and Hornby Dublo 8F with 1/2 " motor.  The H/D 08 and 4MT would be in there if their  gearing was not so ridiculous.

[cheesysmith]

As to which older models can be improved with a bit of detailing but still stand against the more modern models, my list includes-

 

The mainline 56, which when later made by Hornby even had wire cab side handrails.

The Hornby 142.

The Lima hst.

The Lima 31.

The old Hornby 25.

The Hornby 86.

The mainline peak.

The Lima 101.

The replica BG.

The Lima 47.

 

These are all models that respond to a bit of detailing and better drive trains/remotoring.

[caradoc]

Agree absolutely that the Mainline Mark 1 catering vehicle (an RB rather than RMB) was a step forward, as were, IMHO, the Airfix Mark 2d coaches with their flush glazing and small couplings; Hornby are still making these today, and with improved decoration they look pretty good, although it is a shame the TSO uses the wrong bodyshell.

[Dunsignalling]

For me, the one from the OP's list that stands out is the Mainline BR4 4-6-0. That was the real game changer from the late 1970s.

 

Of the first two standard-setting steam-outline locos from Mainline, it was the one geographically relevant to the greatest number of modellers.

 

I still run one, a bit tweaked and now on its third Bachmann chassis as I wore out the original and its first replacement, the second suffering a motor burn-out when the valve gear jammed in the tunnel on Tamerig Central and nobody noticed it hadn't come out until it began to smell.

 

Of course, most of the models likely to be cited will have been superseded by more modern versions, rendering upgrades a matter of choice rather than necessity.

 

If we can stretch this back into the 1960s, I'd cite the Tri-ang Brush 2 (the model pre-dates the "Class 31" moniker IIRC) and EM2 as still holding up remarkably well, at least visually. I'd include the Hymek too, but Heljan's model is just too good to make the effort worthwhile.  

 

John

Edited March 27, 2018 by Dunsignalling

[Graham456]

Well for me it has to be the Triang Nelly !

Why ? Well for the last fifty two years she has scampered around the track as youthfuly as she did when I was three , no chassis rot,no bits dropping off, no worries just fun when required

Other than that it might be Mainline's 4MT what a game changer when it came out

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Since the OP rules allow anything introduced 20 or more years ago.

Bachmann's A4, B1, J39, V1, V2. Just the fact of an LNER design 0-6-0 in RTR was enough to amaze me.

 

Airfix Brush type 2 and N2. Good bones, so they scrub up well.

 

Triang EM2. A model I had not seen in near fifty years until recently, when I adapted a modern drive to go in one for a friend. If he chooses to flush glaze,detail and repaint it will look pretty close to current standard in my opinion.

[Torper]

I loved my Hornby Dublo 2-8-0 and the 2-6-4Ts.  And however wrong they are I still love my Hornby Dublo "super detail" tinplate coaches.

 

DT

[FPH 603]

I have a collection of Australian Outline Lima stuff, all restored to working order, including:

 

- A NSWGR 44 Class No. 4469 in 'Tuscan Red' (actually brown)

 

- A NSWGR 42 Class No. 4201 in Indian Red

 

- An 'XPT' in original Candy colours (with HST tooling) - unfortunately one of the coaches is missing a bogie!

 

- Various Lima wagons - I probably have 10 of these

 

I also have some old Hornby Railways stuff including:

 

- An LNER D49 No. 222 'The Berkley' - I love the sprung tender coupling! I don't know why it isn't used in current RTR models.

 

- An LNER A4 No. 4902 'Seagull'

 

- I also own a couple of Hornby NSWR coaches which came out of a set of five including a locomotive.

 

- A Hornby Breakdown Crane in BR Red

[PatB]

I loved my Hornby Dublo 2-8-0 and the 2-6-4Ts. And however wrong they are I still love my Hornby Dublo "super detail" tinplate coaches.

 

DT

Whenever I see a colour photo of a shiny rake of prototype blood and custard or maroon coaches I always think of how astonishingly Dubloesque they look. Given the usual 3/4 view with the loco in the foreground it's very hard to tell that BR made their copy too long and didn't do anything like as nice a job of the flush glazing .

[88D]

I think the auto coach and Collett 60 iterations have stood the test of time. Flush glazing was/is the bugbear for older coaches, but various ruses and ,now, laser glazing overcomes much of this.

[Baby Deltic]

Loco wise, just going by looks and not based on running quality and Pre-Bachmann which is pretty good anyway:

 

Diesels would be:

 

Mainline 03, Class 42, Class 56

 

Lima Class 20, Class 31, Class 73, (Lima 26/27/33 if super detailed can make good models)

 

Hornby Class 25

 

Electric:

 

Hornby Class 86

 

Lima Class 87

 

Lilliput Class 81

 

Steam:

 

Dapol N2, Pug

 

Coaching stock/NPCCS wise:

 

Mainline RU, 50ft BG, Mark 2D

 

Dapol Syphon G

 

Lima 42ft Stanier CCT with Bachmann Stanier bogies, Lima GUV with Bachmann MK1 bogies, Lima CCT with a bit of work. The Lima Syphon H can also be made into a pretty good model.

 

Hornby MK2A with some work

 

Wagon Wise:

 

Mainline bogie bolster A and C, Conflat, 1 plank, 3 plank, and some of the vans.

 

With detailing and correct bogies the Lima bogie bolster E and PWA can be made into decent models, as can the TEA with a bit of work and correct sized bogies.

.

Edited March 27, 2018 by Baby Deltic

[MJI]

Hornby 47, it looks like a 47

Hornby 25

Airfix 2D

Mainline RMB

Old Triang Hornby Mark 1s are surprisingly good.

[MartynJPearson]

Smokey Joe

 

I'll get my coat

[Andrew F]

The Mainline Jubilee, Patriot and Scot still look stunning to me.

 

I respect most old models and all my modelling focuses around old stock now as modern rtr is not affordable to me or not available because of small manufacturing runs.

 

I do like the Hornby Class 21/29, probably as this was my first model bought for me at Chrtistmas when it first came out and I still run these with newer mechansisms and modified bodies. Also the Hornby 110 DMU is pretty nice as is the APT.

 

Now I'm modelling electrics and air braked stock I've had pleasant experiences too with the Hornby 86 and Lima 87 and modifying with better mechs from unpopular new rtr what are already models that look quite right. Also worth a mention is older air-braked freight stock such as the Lima PGA that can be bashed easily into other types and the V-tank PCA and the grain hopper looks good to me too.

 

Like others: The Mainline RBU

                    Jouef mk3

                     Airfix mk2d             ......and the Lima Mk2f's !

                     Lima Class 47

 

Thank heavens for toy fairs.

[Graham456]

Smokey Joe

 

I'll get my coat

What do you need your coat for ?.....if I can go for a Nelly what's wrong with her modernish version, hours of fun have been had carving up smoky joes, just look how many have been put under narrow gauge things

[37114]

Lima class 31 is a good model shape wise and in 2 hours you can fit the mechanism from one of the self destructing Mazak rot Hornby version. I am building my second one now, and thanks to the cheapness of the Lima loco and broken Hornby chassis you can make a good loco and have change from £70. Add another £30 for Laserglaze and etched grilles and respray and you have a top drawer loco.