Hornby Announce a Re-tooled Class 91 for 2020

[andyman7]

1 hour ago, scouse889 said:

I just can't help but come back to this - isn't it poor that you need "a thin piece of card (from a Peco track packing) cut into a V shape and placed into the flangeway around the frog" to make a £217.99 MRP loco run smoothly on the manufacturer's own track?! If Hornby want to charge tip-top prices, they should be producing tip-top models. It is obvious they had running issues at the design stage with the model ('beyond the buffers' chat with the designer) and it seems they just haven't rectified them properly - and, as such, they have released a model with a pretty significant design flaw.

I really do like these locos and would love one, but the random nature of the running problems being reported coupled with the high price point really does put me off. I've seen them down to the £175 mark so far, so I'll hang on a bit longer I think, and maybe the Flying Scotsman one will have the issue addressed......

I suspect it will be addressed in future batches so probably best to hold fire.

I have long ago accepted that modern 'superdetail' finescale does not mean perfect out of the box models - Hornby have had several hotly debated issues but in truth it is an issue to some extent for everyone - e.g. new batch of Dapol 68s missing front handrails; even some Accurascale Deltic customers have queried the need to re-attach bits/reconfigure decoders/run on certain track formations. 
In the end, you pay your money and take your choice. There are loads of cheap original version Hornby 91s from the 1990s trainsets out there if you want a modelling project configured for your purposes and running requirements from the ground up - there are RMWebbers who have done amazing things with the types of model everyone else has chucked out.

 

[Phil Mc]

Got a couple of 91's so far.....

 

They do seem to clonk their way over some pointwork, but we don't have any particular derailing issues.

Although, as others have noted, most of the weight seems to be carried on the outer axle of each bogie.

 

But for me, the most annoying aspect of the model is the fact you can't completely separate the body from the chassis !!

Even with all the plugs removed, there's still 2 wires connecting them together.

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[jjb1970]

I find this one rather sad as it is a wonderful looking model. I haven't bought one as I have been a lot more selective but I will admit that my fingers keep hovering over the order button as I do like the Class 91. However the running issues seem to be more than unlucky samples in this case. I think I will wait for a future run to see if they release an improved design.

[NewSiding]

When I was checking the wheels out I noticed a residue of something building up on the underside of the chassis.   It's difficult to take a picture of but hopefully can be seen below.   It is in the shape of an arc and is where one of the plastic support pieces on the bogie protudes up and rubs on the underside of the chassis.  The first picture shows the plastic piece - see white arrow.  This seems a strange bogie design to me.    Hopefully the residue is paint from the chassis and not the plastic support piece wearing away?  Is it normal to expect this?

[James90012]

My 91111 runs appallingly, derailing in multiple places at any speed in both directions. I know my track isn't perfect but every other loco I have runs just fine, so it's the model.

 

GNER set now cancelled and will try and get this refunded. 

[Phil Mc]

2 hours ago, NewSiding said:

When I was checking the wheels out I noticed a residue of something building up on the underside of the chassis.   It's difficult to take a picture of but hopefully can be seen below.   It is in the shape of an arc and is where one of the plastic support pieces on the bogie protudes up and rubs on the underside of the chassis.  The first picture shows the plastic piece - see white arrow.  This seems a strange bogie design to me.    Hopefully the residue is paint from the chassis and not the plastic support piece wearing away?  Is it normal to expect this?

 

I've used a fibreglass brush to remove the paint from the chassis where the bogie clip swings, not particularly because it caused issues the bogie turning, but because it's quite a thick layer of paint, so I thought removing it from both sides of the chassis block might increase the ability of the bogie to move vertically....

Not sure how much difference it has made ( if any ! ), I haven't done enough testing since, but I figured it couldn't do any harm !!

 

Cheers,

Phil.

[Caledonian Gateway]

To fix your Class 91 problems that occur due to a terrible design, I recommend putting a spacer washer* (I made mine out of cardboard) around the pivot point between the top of the bogie worm drive holder and the bogie holder cradle part of the chassis. 

 

*See orange arrow in my photo.

 

If you do this on both bogies it raises the body slightly and gives the bogies the extra bit of fore/aft movement they need to stop derailing.

This also stops the tabs on the bogies wearing away as seen in @NewSiding post. I also experienced this before doing my modification.

 

When you add this spacer in be careful to not let the driveshaft fall out as it's a right pain to get back in!

 

I have done this to two 91s now and it works for me. I cancelled the rest of my 91 orders because I shouldn't have to do this but at least they work properly now.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by rxj27
extra info

[wairoa]

So tempted to order a Class 91. However, the issues are what have so far kept me from pulling the trigger. Right now “For the Fallen” is available here in the U.S for less than $170. 

Edited August 3, 2022 by wairoa

[scouse889]

I see the GNER DVT R40147 is now in stock with retailers (so completing the availability of the GNER 225 set). Anyone see one in the flesh?

[hellotojasonisaacs]

There was a video on the Dean Park Station group on Facebook- looked very smart indeed 

[ac1874]

On 03/08/2022 at 15:55, wairoa said:

So tempted to order a Class 91. However, the issues are what have so far kept me from pulling the trigger. Right now “For the Fallen” is available here in the U.S for less than $170. 

Where is this from please? I am out in the US at the moment.

[wairoa]

4 hours ago, ac1874 said:

Where is this from please? I am out in the US at the moment.

Trainz .  com. They are for sale both on their website on on their eBay page. I think they have 10 of them left.

Edited August 5, 2022 by wairoa

[amwells]

On 04/08/2022 at 08:44, scouse889 said:

I see the GNER DVT R40147 is now in stock with retailers (so completing the availability of the GNER 225 set). Anyone see one in the flesh?

Yes, nice coach. The circuit board was loose in mine but easily screwed back in. 
 

is it the last of the GNER coaches? I thought there was one left to go?

[ac1874]

1 hour ago, wairoa said:

Trainz .  com. They are for sale both on their website on on their eBay page. I think they have 10 of them left.

Cheers

[scouse889]

23 hours ago, amwells said:

is it the last of the GNER coaches? I thought there was one left to go?

Apologies - indeed, Coach F still to go. At least there is front and back now though!

[Ncarter2]

Has anyone been lucky enough to get an Intercity one without the rubbing?

Ive just had a 6th delivered and the rubbing to the red strip and white in the cab is really bad. 

[hellotojasonisaacs]

Not intercity , but I had to go through two GNER examples until it was blemish free due to the rubbing. Make sure you email Hornby if you haven’t already. 

[brynna79]

On 05/08/2022 at 23:01, wairoa said:

Trainz .  com. They are for sale both on their website on on their eBay page. I think they have 10 of them left.

It interests me that the RRP in $ is the same or similar to the £ price for this, when you factor in the exchange rate, then that is cheaper than RRP or typical savings in the UK.  Obviously I appreciate that you couldn't import and there may be differing import costs etc... to the US.  Guess it is the same when you see Rails and the price of some Athearn stuff as well being cheaper than Stateside.  I remember buying the Paddington IET from Australia, ended up paying the same price as what I would have done in the UK, even with import charges, after they had sold out.  The interest being how the fringe markets are priced to sell this stuff over the home market  

Edited August 10, 2022 by brynna79
Spelling

[NewSiding]

On 09/08/2022 at 19:07, Ncarter2 said:

Has anyone been lucky enough to get an Intercity one without the rubbing?

Ive just had a 6th delivered and the rubbing to the red strip and white in the cab is really bad. 

no, unfortunately.  

But it was very minor on mine so it wasn't worth the hassle of returning it and I thought I would probably end up getting a replacement that was worse.  About 1 to 1.5 mm under the cab at the blunt end, on one side.  I managed to gently rub off the small bit of red that was on the white line and was able to touch up the small bit of red line that had rubbed off.  

I did send back 2 For the Fallen ones as it was bad on those and I just got a refund.

Edited August 11, 2022 by NewSiding

[The Black Hat]

I feel sorry for Hornby already having seen the new Intercity-style Mk.4 sets with the grey doors up close last week. Reason why is that the middle, central and larger body side stripe around the windows is actually a deep maroon colour but from certain angles then looks black. So do Hornby do it black from angles and thats what most people would think it should be, or maroon and be accurate to prototype but then get the hate mail when people think its wrong but actually they are at fault. Not an easy one... 

[NewSiding]

It is a pity for Hornby because there are some positives about the 91.  The motor is very smooth and quiet.  The quality of the paint finish (ignoring the rubs from the packaging) and general build quality is very good.  It's the pantograph and that bogie design that let it down to me. I've been trying to find another of my locos which has a similar terrible bogie design with those plastic clips and tabs that rub against the chassis and I don't seem to have another one like it!  Why did Hornby design it like that. 

[Adam1701D]

On 11/08/2022 at 13:47, The Black Hat said:

I feel sorry for Hornby already having seen the new Intercity-style Mk.4 sets with the grey doors up close last week. Reason why is that the middle, central and larger body side stripe around the windows is actually a deep maroon colour but from certain angles then looks black. So do Hornby do it black from angles and thats what most people would think it should be, or maroon and be accurate to prototype but then get the hate mail when people think its wrong but actually they are at fault. Not an easy one... 

Thanks to a Freedom of Information request, the livery diagrams for the new LNER 225 livery are in the public domain, so there is no reason why Hornby would get this wrong when they get around to releasing it. The original InterCity livery used a dark brownish-grey shade called "Falcon Grey", which is very hard to nail down in different lighting conditions.

 

I was passing through Paddington last week and could see the difference between GWR Green in the shade and in bright sunshine and that really brought home to me how subjective colours can be.

[BR(S)]

 

[James90012]

Has anyone had any luck sending their 91 off to Hornby and receiving it back with better running?

 

Hornby were relatively quick to respond to my first email to their customer service portal but I've had nothing now for 3 weeks so I'm stuck with a £200 model that I can't use! Not sure whether to just try and sell on eBay and hope that the new owner has better luck.

Edited August 31, 2022 by James90012

[Fireline]

15 hours ago, James90012 said:

Has anyone had any luck sending their 91 off to Hornby and receiving it back with better running?

 

Hornby were relatively quick to respond to my first email to their customer service portal but I've had nothing now for 3 weeks so I'm stuck with a £200 model that I can't use! Not sure whether to just try and sell on eBay and hope that the new owner has better luck.

Contact them again. Emails have been known to go into some kind of Bermuda Triangle in their system.