R4871 Brighton Belle coach pack

[Hilux5972]

Hi all

 

It’s a little difficult to tell from photos online but do these coaches have a silver roof or a white/off white roof?

 

Cheers

[Hilux5972]

As an aside to this question, how many people on here knew of Hornbys intention to release this years Brighton Belle with normal NEM couplings instead of the electrical one? I’ve just watched a video on YouTube that shows the purchaser did no research prior to purchasing the new coaches to run with his older 1960 driving cars, and was just an excuse for him to have a 10 minute rant at his own inability to do a little research.

[MGR Hooper!]

As an aside to this question, how many people on here knew of Hornbys intention to release this years Brighton Belle with normal NEM couplings instead of the electrical one? I’ve just watched a video on YouTube that shows the purchaser did no research prior to purchasing the new coaches to run with his older 1960 driving cars, and was just an excuse for him to have a 10 minute rant at his own inability to do a little research.

Not only did Hornby inform the general public about the change, they also clearly listed it on their website as having NEM couplings. Just another person looking for something to complain about and as you said, was just an excuse for another 10 minute rant.

[Hilux5972]

Yep pretty much. Going on about “sorry Hornby this is being returned as unfit for purpose etc”. Making the point that it states on the front of the box “This coach pack for use with R3606 Train pack” and then moaning because it didn’t fit with a previously released pack of a different number. Makes you laugh really

[MGR Hooper!]

Yep pretty much. Going on about “sorry Hornby this is being returned as unfit for purpose etc”. Making the point that it states on the front of the box “This coach pack for use with R3606 Train pack” and then moaning because it didn’t fit with a previously released pack of a different number. Makes you laugh really

He also tried saying that Hornby used the incorrect images previously IIRC. However he failed to bring up the point where Hornby themselves note that it has NEM couplings and also a disclaimer saying contents can differ from the image provided.

 

I am shocked that he noticed the NEM couplings on the box and never noticed Hornby's updates.

 

I tried watching his video, got bugged a few mins in when he tried playing the part of the "poor ol' victim"

[Black 5 Bear]

Serial complainant I think.

Just like yourself, I couldn't watch anymore of this inane, pointless drivel.

It's very simple,read what's on the box before you purchase !

Edited August 31, 2018 by Black 5 Bear

[Steamport Southport]

A valid complaint IMO. Try getting the trailer cars for the previous issues. Plenty of Driving/Motor cars still available. I honestly don't know why they changed them as the previous system works perfectly. You can buy the names/numbers as transfers so identity is easily changed.

 

 

I had a nightmare trying to get the trailers for my motor cars. They were virtually none existent even at the time as idiots were buying them thinking they were normal Pullman Cars. It should be noted that the preserved cars were drastically changed from their days as Brighton Belle cars. New chassis and bogies with some of the windows changed are the most noticeable alterations.

 

 

I think they should only be sold in sets such as the Bachmann Blue Pullman. It might seem a lot to pay in one go, but it would mean that you actually got the full train.

 

Now do I buy another set so I can have a full 10 car set? Then there is the problem of no front couplings. Easily solved with Kadees.

 

 

 

Jason

[JSpencer]

On the other hand, they can use NEM type coaches on the VSOE.

 

I wonder if previous batches (and the 4-VEPs which share the same) were Sanda Kan and could not be transferred/produced easily at the new factory.

 

Given the Close coupling system nature in the drive cars, it could be possible to stripe down, rewire and fit a NEM pocket instead.

Or maybe make a coach plug coupling using these that return wires back to the drive units and coaches.

https://www.petersspares.com/Hornby-x6317-class-423-4vep-coupling-assembly-with-wires-female-pack-of-3.ir

[JSpencer]

I had a nightmare trying to get the trailers for my motor cars. They were virtually none existent even at the time as idiots were buying them thinking they were normal Pullman Cars.

 

I think they should only be sold in sets such as the Bachmann Blue Pullman. It might seem a lot to pay in one go, but it would mean that you actually got the full train.

 

 

They too must have had fun coupling them to normal Pullmans! If true, I wonder if they complained to Hornby about that causing them to change couplings to the NEM type we see now?

 

Agree with you that they should have been sold as box sets of 5. It would be a bit like selling a 4-VEP as separate vehicles instead of as one EMU.

[Ceptic]

Returning to Hilux5972's original question..... 'What colour are the roofs ?'

 

Cheers.

[tetsudofan]

Collected my set of middle coaches this morning and the colour of the roof is...…………………..SILVER

 

….and it comes with the Hornby Roco couplings fitted (which I prefer!)  with the hook and loops in a separate bag. The box cover, though, shows it the other way round with the hook and loops fitted.

 

Keith

Edited August 31, 2018 by tetsudofan

[brushman47544]

Wasn't one of the reasons put forward by Hornby for changing the coupling arrangements was so the middle cars could be sold individually as hauled coaches? That doesn't, however, explain why they changed their minds and are selling the driving coaches and centre cars as two separate packs, rather than as a complete unit as originally announced (IIRC on that Engine Shed webpage that never appeared). The change came at more or less the same time Simon Kohler returned to Hornby. Perhaps they were put off by the supposedly not very successful Brighton Belle complete train pack in N gauge under the Arnold brand, whereas I suspect Bachmann's success with the Met-Cam Midland Pullman set would have been a better indication.

[tetsudofan]

Wasn't one of the reasons put forward by Hornby for changing the coupling arrangements was so the middle cars could be sold individually as hauled coaches? That doesn't, however, explain why they changed their minds and are selling the driving coaches and centre cars as two separate packs, rather than as a complete unit as originally announced (IIRC on that Engine Shed webpage that never appeared). The change came at more or less the same time Simon Kohler returned to Hornby. Perhaps they were put off by the supposedly not very successful Brighton Belle complete train pack in N gauge under the Arnold brand, whereas I suspect Bachmann's success with the Met-Cam Midland Pullman set would have been a better indication.

 

Yes, it was.

 

Seems as though many guys wanted to buy the named coaches separately when their wife/partner/whatever had the same name. As the newly released coaches come in individual boxes maybe some dealers will split the boxes and some Gwen's and Mona's may be receiving their own named coaches for birthday/Christmas presents!!

 

Keith

Edited August 31, 2018 by tetsudofan

[adb968008]

I understood the couplings were changed due to cost.

However it opens the door the possibility of producing VSOE Pullman cars, which if conjunction with Belmond’s sales catalog could be a very lucrative market, though I’m not holding my breath.

Edited August 31, 2018 by adb968008

[steam-driven boy]

Hi,

I'm not aware of any significant problem with the N Brighton Belle, reading instructions for many can still be a last resort...

The simple answer to the Arnold/Hornby N Brighton Belle packaging was that it was sold as the 5-car pack in the UK - Model Rail quoted SK "...nothing to do with Margate", you could buy the separate packs in Europe, DM-Toys had remaining stocks of the driving cars for quite a while.

 

Regards, Gerry.

[Phatbob]

I picked up my new Brighton Belle set from my local model shop on Thursday.  Looks the dogs danglies.
All present and correct.  Motor coach bench tested fine.
Now the bad news; it was set-up on Saturday for a good running-in session on Star Lane at the Burgess Hil show. 
What a dissapointment.  Couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.  The 5 car set was unable to exit the fiddle yard without being "banked".  Massive wheel spins through the points and on the up-hill part of the layout (the gradients are not that sevre).  Previous encarnations of the 5BEL work fine on Star Lane, but this one will need either more weight in the motor coach, traction tyres, or a second powered vehicle.  Hopeless.  Those of you with gradients, complex pointwork, tight curves or anything other than plain level track on your layouts beware. 
 

Edited September 3, 2018 by Phatbob

[miles73128]

Oh, what is the weight compared to the previous versions?

 

I picked up my new Brighton Belle set from my local model shop on Thursday.  Looks the dogs danglies.
All present and correct.  Motor coach bench tested fine.
Now the bad news; it was set-up on Saturday for a good running-in session on Star Lane at the Burgess Hil show. 
What a dissapointment.  Couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.  The 5 car set was unable to exit the fiddle yard without being "banked".  Massive wheel spins through the points and on the up-hill part of the layout (the gradients are not that sevre).  Previous encarnations of the 5BEL work fine on Star Lane, but this one will need either more weight in the motor coach, traction tyres, or a second powered vehicle.  Hopeless.  Those of you with gradients, complex pointwork, tight curves or anything other than plain level track on your layouts beware. 
 

[Hilux5972]

Could be an axle or two not correctly seated in the Bogies. Or the back to backs are not correct.

[jonathan452]

I picked up my new Brighton Belle set from my local model shop on Thursday.  Looks the dogs danglies.

All present and correct.  Motor coach bench tested fine.

Now the bad news; it was set-up on Saturday for a good running-in session on Star Lane at the Burgess Hil show. 

What a dissapointment.  Couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.  The 5 car set was unable to exit the fiddle yard without being "banked".  Massive wheel spins through the points and on the up-hill part of the layout (the gradients are not that sevre).  Previous encarnations of the 5BEL work fine on Star Lane, but this one will need either more weight in the motor coach, traction tyres, or a second powered vehicle.  Hopeless.  Those of you with gradients, complex pointwork, tight curves or anything other than plain level track on your layouts beware. 

 

Yes I noticed this on Saturday.

 

Whilst fretting about various children touching the exhibits (with insufficient parental control).

[adb968008]

I picked up my new Brighton Belle set from my local model shop on Thursday.  Looks the dogs danglies.

All present and correct.  Motor coach bench tested fine.

Now the bad news; it was set-up on Saturday for a good running-in session on Star Lane at the Burgess Hil show. 

What a dissapointment.  Couldn't pull the skin off a rice pudding.  The 5 car set was unable to exit the fiddle yard without being "banked".  Massive wheel spins through the points and on the up-hill part of the layout (the gradients are not that sevre).  Previous encarnations of the 5BEL work fine on Star Lane, but this one will need either more weight in the motor coach, traction tyres, or a second powered vehicle.  Hopeless.  Those of you with gradients, complex pointwork, tight curves or anything other than plain level track on your layouts beware.

 

I found the same to be true with my previous blue and 1930’s one... I invested in a second power car for that exact reason.

[Phatbob]

Could be an axle or two not correctly seated in the Bogies. Or the back to backs are not correct.

Thanks for the suggestion, but everything was checked-out and okay.  The only issue was the wheel spins and lack of movement.  It was fine on plain track on the level and ran pretty well going downhill!    It would not go through the points out of the fiddleyard starting from rest.  Just spun it's wheels.  We developed a method of banking it out of the fiddleyard using the train behind, but that doesn't eliminate the fundamental problem.  It looks like putting pick-ups on every coach is generating too much friction.  Some modification is required and that's really not good enough afer spending over three hundred quid!  Hornby should be doing the development, not their customers (assumes "grumpy old man mode").

 

[Phatbob]

Oh, what is the weight compared to the previous versions?

Feels about the same as the previous version from handling the things, but it's not been on the scales for a pukka check.

[Bulleidboy100]

This question is not really about the coach pack, but it didn't seem worth starting a new thread. Does this set have directional lighting for the headcodes?  It has been mentioned on another forum that it does not - although Hornby says it does. Does it require a second decoder?

[SRman]

This question is not really about the coach pack, but it didn't seem worth starting a new thread. Does this set have directional lighting for the headcodes?  It has been mentioned on another forum that it does not - although Hornby says it does. Does it require a second decoder?

None of the previous umber and cream sets have had headcode lights at all, only the blue and grey set did (with modelled roller blind headcodes).

[Phatbob]

This question is not really about the coach pack, but it didn't seem worth starting a new thread. Does this set have directional lighting for the headcodes?  It has been mentioned on another forum that it does not - although Hornby says it does. Does it require a second decoder?

No lights in the headcodes boxes in the one I've got, despite what the web-site might have to say about it.  Just some rather nasty, "far too shiney" stickers to put over the umber painted headcode boxes.  The '4' is way wrong and scarely recognisable.  I put them on for the Burges Hill show (only bought the thing the day before!) but they'll be removed and replaced with something offering more fidelity to the prototype. I'm not into DCC, but as there are only internal lights, powered directly off the track, I feel it safe to say that only one decoder is required.