Hornby APT (2020 tooling)

[Norski]

My 7 car set arrived today, 40 years after i wanted it. 

 

Livery wise it looks a stunner to my eyes. I like that they've had a go at the tilt and on my tighter curves i can see it. I would never have missed it but buying Hornby makes me nervous.....

 

The pantograph is not to be touched or even stared at for too long. It will break. 

The capacitor was a good intention (which i appreciate) followed by poor execution.

The motor in the NDM is very coarse and noisy. Mines travelling around now and i hope some miles under its belt will smooth it out. 

The packaging (and id include Bachmann "inners bigger than the outer" in this) is cheap as chips. Having recently purchased from Revolution, Accurascale and Cavalex id say spend a bit on presentation chaps. It just adds to the whole purchase. 

 

My 2p worth. Im glad i bought it and i had no intention of missing out. 100%.

BUT.....I would have paid Hornby double what its cost me to have a something at a higher level.

 

I fear Hornby have to tread the line between mass market fancy toys and fussy like me. In that respect i can sympathise with them. However, that's what the rail road range is meant to do. I would have paid more to get more and i suspect so would a lot of others.

 

Anyway despite its foibles ive got it after a long wait and im a happy'ish man.

 

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, Bloodnok said:

Did the cantrail stripe change colour at the same time the black window surrounds were applied in real life? Or were these separately applied changes?

No idea, I just noted the difference so swapped them. The APT experts may be able to confirm?  

[Scrooge]

Am I the only one confused by the 2022 models listed on Hornby web site.

Initially I read

R30104 5 car sets 370 003 and 370 004

R30229 7 car sets 370 001 and 370 002

Then I looked at the individual listing for each pack and the pictures show the opposite numbers especially the 14 car diagrams show

R30104 5 car sets 370 001 and 370 002 yellow front with coach packs R40210 etc

R30229 7 car sets 370 003 and 370 004 black window surround with coach packs R40210A etc

This would then agree with R30105 NDM being compatible with R30104.

Please accept my apologies if I have missed a post, as I am new to this community.

If anybody is thinking of placing an early pre-order for the new sets they may end up with the opposite running numbers. Also R30105 NDM may not be livery correct for the current 7 car set.

Edited January 22, 2022 by Scrooge
Additional comments

[Bigeddie]

6 hours ago, zoomer1979 said:

Both types of pantograph are poor and flimsy

Can you explain “both types” I thought the ndm’s only come with the early type  not the high speed type.?

Edited January 22, 2022 by Bigeddie
Typo

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, Bigeddie said:

Can you explain “both types” I thought the ndm’s only come with the early type  not the high speed type.?

7 car set has the high speed single arm pantograph. The separate NDM, and I assume the 5 car, has the early type with the V arm on the top half. 

[zoomer1979]

16 hours ago, stuclark said:

My 7 car set turned up today as well. I've got to say that for a brand new model, it's not all that much more detailed than the 1980s original, and the huge capacitor clearly visible in each car is inexcusable.

 

But what's getting me most are the pantographs - one of the ones on the 7 car set was broken in delivery and I've had to glue back together, but neither of those, nor the one on my separate powered NDM will actually go up and stay up. They all feel like cheap cr*p, especially compared to the full metal version in the '80s original.

 

Is there a trick to getting these pantographs to work that I'm missing?

Yes Stu,

 

I was quite disappointed with them too. I found that you have to raise the lower part first, then adjust the top part and head angle after. Very flimsy, one half of mine was broken off too. I'm definitely looking to replace them.

 

Neil

[wrex]

My local model shop (Frizinghall Models & Railways) called last week to say they were expecting the 7 car stock in soon and to check I was ok with the new price.

In the moment I said ok - it had been on pre-order with them for quite a while, and I had been after the model since it appeared in the catalogue (and was one model I always requested in any annual survey!)

Now it's here these flaws and shortcomings - capacitors, squeaks, fragility and performance are really pushing me to reconsider if it is worth the outlay, and in turn I'm disappointed that my model shop would lose a sale. 

[lyneux]

1 hour ago, zoomer1979 said:

Yes Stu,

 

I was quite disappointed with them too. I found that you have to raise the lower part first, then adjust the top part and head angle after. Very flimsy, one half of mine was broken off too. I'm definitely looking to replace them.

 

Neil

 

At least the basic shape is right this time. The 1980s model had a boxy looking cab (definitely not right), over large cut outs around the bogies to accommodate tilt on train set curves and made large use of coloured plastic and crude seam lines to achieve the livery.

 

This is so much better as a base model regarding all of these points. I agree, it’s not perfect and there is scope for further detailing but it ain’t bad!

 

Guy

[RedgateModels]

25 minutes ago, lyneux said:

 

 made large use of coloured plastic 

I have to take issue with you on this point. Every surface of the 1980’s version was painted. It would make my life so much easier when cutting and shutting the underframes if the light grey/blue was self coloured

 

yes the bogies were self coloured, but I expect the new version is too

[Wolf27]

41 minutes ago, RedgateModels said:

I have to take issue with you on this point. Every surface of the 1980’s version was painted. It would make my life so much easier when cutting and shutting the underframes if the light grey/blue was self coloured

 

yes the bogies were self coloured, but I expect the new version is too

Painted yes, but in completely the wrong colours.

[RedgateModels]

28 minutes ago, Wolf27 said:

Painted yes, but in completely the wrong colours.

lol agreed! Took me ages to mix up a good match to the light grey. Doing the same next week with the dark grey ……

[boxbrownie]

9 minutes ago, RedgateModels said:

lol agreed! Took me ages to mix up a good match to the light grey. Doing the same next week with the dark grey ……

I was wondering if there is a ready made colour match somewhere?

[Rob Rossington]

Complaints about a 'lack of detail' baffle me.

 

It's a streamlined body shell, Hornby can't exactly invent detail to put on it, can they?

[WestRail642fan]

question the people here who have already received the models, how easy is it to couple the NDMs to each other and the TBFs?

[Wolf27]

I found the couplings ok, given that you shouldnt really need to do any uncoupling apart from maintenance. I did read elsewhere that others have broken them and how rubbish they are. Dont know how they managed that unless it’s a case of trying to find something wrong, which seems to be the current trend at the moment. 

[PaulRhB]

22 minutes ago, WestRail642fan said:

question the people here who have already received the models, how easy is it to couple the NDMs to each other and the TBFs?

Quite easy, just gently align them and push together, and came apart easily enough too with a firm pull. 

[WestRail642fan]

6 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

Quite easy, just gently align them and push together, and came apart easily enough too with a firm pull. 

so about on pare with the Class 395 style couplings?

[newbryford]

24 minutes ago, Wolf27 said:

I found the couplings ok, given that you shouldnt really need to do any uncoupling apart from maintenance. I did read elsewhere that others have broken them and how rubbish they are. Dont know how they managed that unless it’s a case of trying to find something wrong, which seems to be the current trend at the moment. 

 

Complaints about Hornby?

 

Who ever would expect that?

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, WestRail642fan said:

so about on pare with the Class 395 style couplings?

No easier, these are flat from the pivot so don’t bend like those. All it takes is gently aligning the two

Note they are identical but one is upside down,

 

slide one over the other until they are interlocked like this. 

 

Then grasp the bogies sideframes firmly and push together.

 

Do the same to pull apart.  

Edited January 24, 2022 by PaulRhB

[miles73128]

9 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

No easier, these are flat from the pivot so don’t bend like those. All it takes is gently aligning the two

Note they are identical but one is upside down,

 

slide one over the other until they are interlocked like this. 

 

Then grasp the bogies sideframes firmly and push together.

 

Do the same to pull apart.  

Or use the new Hunt couplings magnetic APT sets. Then easy and robust! 

Edited January 24, 2022 by miles73128

[PaulRhB]

6 hours ago, miles73128 said:

Or use the new Hunt couplings magnetic APT sets. Then east and robust! 

Ta for the info but always worth including a link

 

https://www.westhillwagonworks.co.uk/hunt-couplings-c-2/hunt-couplings-elite-oo-gauge-c-21/hunt-couplings-elite-coupling-pack-for-Hornby-br-class-370-apt-p-305

Coupling Pack Includes:
1 Pair TBF Coach Couplings
2 Pairs NDM Couplings
1 Pair Development Coach Couplings

[Wolf27]

10 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

Complaints about Hornby?

 

Who ever would expect that?

Do you not use social

media? There are some really grumpy people on there! I’m a little more pragmatic and look to fix any issues. Does that make me a bad person and the evil Hornby empire will never learn?
 

controversially I have moved all the capacitors and didn’t shout about it from the rooftops. Am I doing this wrong?

[SamThomas]

12 minutes ago, Wolf27 said:

Do you not use social

media? There are some really grumpy people on there! I’m a little more pragmatic and look to fix any issues. Does that make me a bad person and the evil Hornby empire will never learn?
 

controversially I have moved all the capacitors and didn’t shout about it from the rooftops. Am I doing this wrong?

With respect it should not be up to the end user to rectify detail (detail, detail) issues that should have been done at the factory, especially on an expensive model - a model many people will have spent a huge chunk of their budget on.

[Wolf27]

Don’t get me wrong, it should be faultless as should all models, given the cost. I wonder how many of the outspoken complainers actually take Hornby to task over the issues. Bleating on and on via their social media groups is done for attention and likes and only causes more outrage. Personally I’m happy to be getting my APT which looks right. I’ll deal with any issues as that’s what I do. I certainly wouldn’t be sending it back. 
 

Each to their own and all that. 

[SamThomas]

Fair points Wolf - especially regarding complaining on SM.

 

Personally, I would complain to the manufacture direct if I had an issue.

 

Surely, a manufacture will take more notice of say 10 direct emails than say 30 complaints on SM ?