Hornby 66s

[Legend]

I can’t see a thread for the new run of Hornby 66s , probably because they are not a new model as such.   The release is a low cost 66 using the old Lima body. But the 9 releases are all of various colour schemes, some of which I think are only appropriate to the later Low Emission variant that has a different door layout , and possibly other differences around headlights etc . So my question is of the 9 variants released , which ones have the correct body and which are not correct?

[Godfrey Glyn]

Whatever body they have, from what I saw at Alton yesterday, they sell like hot cakes. To quote one customer, I can get two for the price of a Bachmann or a Hattons one and at normal viewing distance they look fine to me. The liveries are very well applied and they also run very nicely. He did indeed buy two. Its good that we will soon have 66s at three three levels of price and detail. I think Hornby have made a very shrewd move with their recent introductions of the 66s in coats of many colours.

 

all the best

 

Godfrey

Edited March 30, 2019 by Godfrey Glyn

[adb968008]

Apart from looking good, how well do they run ?

 

i am contemplating using the motor for lima class 92 upgrades.

Edited March 30, 2019 by adb968008

[Legend]

New Junction has a review on YouTube of all 9, loaned from a local model shop.  He found they were relatively light , although ( think he got them to pull 9 Mk1s . However they did struggle with 5 Bachmann hoppers .  But I would suspect like most recent Railroad diesels that they run very well.  I’m thinking maybe one or two , and although I normally go for the three foot test , I would like to have ones where the livery and body are prototypical. 

[Hilux5972]

I am a little disappointed they didn’t upgrade them to at least have Lights. 

[brushman47544]

16 hours ago, Hilux5972 said:

I am a little disappointed they didn’t upgrade them to at least have Lights. 

 

But then they wouldn’t have arrived before the Hatton’s versions and the price would have been somewhat higher, making them less competitive price-wise. Are there any Railroad locos with lights?

[Hroth]

Although packaged as main group locomotives, the Hornby 66 locos are priced at Railroad levels and should be treated as such.  With Hattons producing a full fat, up to date model, there's no space in the market for Hornby to create a new chassis AND body moulding to address the variations over time that are applicable to the Class 66. It would end up competing with both Bachmann in the middle and Hattons at the top end, and thus would take a long time (if ever) to recoup their investment. Hornby have done the right thing in producing "Railroad" class 66s and spending their development cash on models that won't have such close competition.

 

What Hornby has produced is a cheap,  reliable clotheshorse that is ideal for layout use and looks good at normal viewing distances. 

 

If you require a super-detailed model, with doors, vents and appropriate exhaust systems in the correct position for each variant, that you can proudly display in a cabinet or inspect with a magnifying glass, then Bachmann and Hattons are there to fulfill your exacting standards.

 

There's no point in getting all wound up about the Hornby offering if it doesn't do what you want it to do, is there?

 

 

 

[jjb1970]

The whole point of the Hornby model is to offer a low cost, no frills alternative to more expensive better specified models. Redesign the chassis to all wheel drive and add lights and you would end up with something not much cheaper than the Hattons models. 

[jjb1970]

On running qualities, we have a few of the former Lima models for the train set I built with the boy. No 66's, but 37's, 47's and a 73 and I'm guessing the motor bogie is basically the same. I find it an excellent motor bogie, very smooth, very quiet and reliable. The pulling power of these models can't match the full fat all wheel drive main range models but it's adequate and overall I've found that the models offer excellent performance. A world away from the old pancake motor.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

14 hours ago, Mersey507003 said:

...Recently I managed to fit just the body from my Hornby 66042 locomotive onto a Bachmann 66 chassis.  This required a small modification to the cab ends by filing out a bit of the plastic where the light sit but I ended up removing a tad too much plastic during the filing process leaving small gaps.

 

Despite this goof up the loco works and although not fitted with lights, it does the job and has the power and weight just like a 66 should ...

Incidentally, Bachmann recommended this process as an option for those wanting an all wheel drive class 59, somewhat over ten years ago. I would hope that the Hattons 66 release might well increase availability of s/h Bach 66's...

 

(The opportunity for 'stuffing' older bodies with the ever expanding selection of better mechanisms now available has been a fun aspect of this hobby for the last twenty years. Over this time my operation has boasted various hybrids in

Airby, Airmann, Hornjan, Hornmann, Joumann, Kmann, Mainby, Mainmann, Poomann, Repmann, Willby and Willmann, flavours; and I am currently thinking about  Craftford and Willford matings.

[No Decorum]

18 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

Airby, Airmann, Hornjan, Hornmann, Joumann, Kmann, Mainby, Mainmann, Poomann, Repmann, Willby and Willmann, flavours; and I am currently thinking about  Craftford and Willford matings.

That little lot has mashed my brain good and proper. If I were you, I’d trade mark “Poomann” quickly before someone else does! 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I am fully capable of a Pootons and Poonow should the right opportunities arise...

[John M Upton]

Although I never had any Lima 66's, I did have a pair of their Class 59's when they first appeared (one ARC, one FY) and with some weights taken from Hornby Mk2 coaches stuffed inside, they shifted fifteen plus Lima PGA's with sand in them easily!!

[MGR Hooper!]

On 31/03/2019 at 08:00, Mersey507003 said:

I saw a bit of the new junction review and was also disappointed that the drive has not been upgraded to a twin bogie 6 axle drive with a centre mounted motor like the Bachmann 66s.

 

The Hornby 66 chassis is badly let down by the single motor with rubbish tyres on 2 of its wheels which shed off at the 1st opportunity they get.  I know this because I bought a model of 66042 which I believe was 1 of the 1st 66s that Hornby produced.

 

Its performance was absolutely rubbish and it would barely manage 5 Bachmann mk1s nevermind 9 and within 20 minutes it had lost both its tyres.

 

I would hazard a guess that it could be possible to twin motor the Hornby 66s which would necessitate buying another complete chassis to get the motor bogie and the cut out on the chassis where the motor bogie sits.

 

Recently I managed to fit just the body from my Hornby 66042 locomotive onto a Bachmann 66 chassis.  This required a small modification to the cab ends by filing out a bit of the plastic where the light sit but I ended up removing a tad too much plastic during the filing process leaving small gaps.

 

Despite this goof up the loco works and although not fitted with lights, it does the job and has the power and weight just like a 66 should but created from a Bachmann chassis and Hornby body.

A bit pointless don't you think? If Hornby has to cough up so much money to re-tool the chassis just to have a centrally mounted motor and both bogies driven, then we'd be the ones paying for that. Instead of 70 quid a pop, it will be 110 quid a pop making it utterly pointless. You've probably had a one off case. I've had a Hornby Class 66 from one of the original batches and it still runs fine today. Pulls 10 wagons with ease the last time I ran it and have had no issues with the traction tyres. And I like in a region with what's considered a tropical climate, where such things tend to wear down faster.

 

Secondly if you want to add another motorized bogie, you DO NOT have to buy a whole new chassis, the motorized bogies are available as one entire piece and you can fabricate the mounting yourself. The cut-out can be done on the existing chassis. You sound like you're just trying to make the model sound worse than it is. Granted you've had one bad experience, but if it was such a bad model and everyone got one like this, they'd not be producing it because no one will be buying it.

 

Funny that most people just don't get the point of a budget model.....?

 

Personally Hornby Class 66, with it's dumbed down detaIl, NEM couplings, 5-pole skew wound motor and DCC compatibility....I think is a fairly good deal for 70 quid. It's perfect for little kids or any new entrants, perfect for those on a budget and perfect for people like who who thoroughly enjoy designing detailing kits and actually doing modelling work.    IT'S NOT MEANT FOR A RIVET COUNTER.

[MGR Hooper!]

2 hours ago, Mersey507003 said:

There are videos on youtube of locos fitted with cd/dvd motors.

 

1 of the videos was of 2 Lima class 59s in national power livery with the numbers 59201 & 59206,  both locos were fitted with these motors in the original motor frame.

 

I think the owner also fitted extra weight aswell as extra pickups and their performance was much better than with the original Lima motor bits. 

 

Hmmm maybe Hornby should invest in loads of cd/dvd motors rated at 9 volts though they can comfortably take 12 volts, maybe Hornby might increase sales if the locos had better motor performance. 

Hornby's Class 66 might find it's origins with Lima, but since Hornby upgraded it, it's certainly a different model with improvement where it actually matters. They perform normally, you just had a faulty model.

[MGR Hooper!]

On 30/03/2019 at 22:44, Hilux5972 said:

I am a little disappointed they didn’t upgrade them to at least have Lights. 

And once Hornby do that we can all sit back and enjoy the majority of this forum who won't even buy one...sit and grumble about the price! Just because they can.

 

If Hornby were to upgrade them with lights, they'll be spending a good 4 figure sum just to modify tooling and so on. They we'd be paying over a 100 quid for it.

 

Far easier to buy a model worth 70 quid or less, a lighting kit for around 20 quid (from Express Models and supporting a smaller business in the process) and doing it yourself for under 100 quid.

[rob D2]

1 hour ago, MGR Hooper! said:

Hornby's Class 66 might find it's origins with Lima, but since Hornby upgraded it, it's certainly a different model with improvement where it actually matters. They perform normally, you just had a faulty model.

Improvement where it matters, other than the god awful detailing. It’s a bargain basement model and always will be. You can’t polish a ......

 

but it that’s fine, it’s at the bottom of the pecking order, above it , Bachmann and hopefully....

 

above that , the hattons one, but that’s an unknown quantity 

[MGR Hooper!]

1 hour ago, rob D2 said:

God awful detailing....

I wouldn't call it "God awful", the detail helps the model capture the look of the Class 66. It came from an era where detail like that was accepted and TBH it is still quite okay for me and many alike. The handrails look like handrails, the grilles look like the prototype grilles and the underframe has a major part of all that piping along it.

Sure it lacks the fine sandpipes and working headlights and so on, but those things aren't hard to do for a rookie or seasoned modeller.

 

Let's not forget these models do come with nameplates, replacement valances and air pipes. So that's fairly good.

[Legend]

The other significant thing is that it’s a model of the most populous loco on the rails today . So for a large part of Hornbys clientele it’s great for people buying a model for little Johnny of the train he has just seen.  They will have never heard of Bachmann, in any case the new liveries won’t turn up till 2020 and bulk at paying £125+ . So these models are ideal. The detailing is not “god awful” but minimal. . Still don’t know which bodies are actually correct for liveries carrying though

[brushman47544]

The Class 66 is our equivalent of mainland Europe’s Class 185. Both are available in model form from different manufacturers and the number of them and their different liveries are enough to support that. We should consider ourselves lucky to have the choice of different versions (and level of detail) at different price points.

Edited April 2, 2019 by brushman47544

[JohnR]

Not only is it easy to add lights (Express Models kit is £19 I believe), but stick a TTS chip in there and you can get a sound loco for just over £100. No wonder they're flying off the shelves!

 

Hasa anyone tried adding TTS AND lights? Can the TTS chip handle the additional load?

[RAF96]

51 minutes ago, JohnR said:

Not only is it easy to add lights (Express Models kit is £19 I believe), but stick a TTS chip in there and you can get a sound loco for just over £100. No wonder they're flying off the shelves!

 

Hasa anyone tried adding TTS AND lights? Can the TTS chip handle the additional load?

 

The TTS decoder has a 100mA limit on the lights and aux function outputs so you may need to add an extra resistor into the Express Models kit to bring the lighting load within this limit. I had to do this on a Class 37 which had a headlight, 2 front markers and 2 rear reds at a nominal 20mA each. A 1K ohm resistor placed in the blue wire sorted that out. I don’t know how many lights the 66 runs or if Express Models has modified their kits to limit led current draw. The kit obviously already has resistors to safeguard the leds.

Edited April 2, 2019 by RAF96
Typo

[rob D2]

I fully understand the need for different versions of the 66to fit different markets, but if you start adding too much value in terms of lights etc, the cost easily strays into the second hand Bachmann market which I’d personally take in preference .

[toboldlygo]

I've brought one, I couldn't resist 66779 for less than half the price of the Bachy one.

 

 

Straight out of the box, so no etched plates or detail added and it's certainly a lot heavier than original Limby 59/66 release.

 

And before the naysayer's moan - the etch plates supplied ARE metal 

[jjb1970]

The paint looks very nicely done on these and despite the age of the model it is still a nice representation of a class 66. For the typical price in shops these are quite the bargain IMO. In a way they are a good example of what a Railroad model should be - no frills but a good representation of the prototype, nicely finished and inexpensive.