Hornby Thompson L1

[7013]

Seems like poor Model Rail get the duff ones to test, they had problems with their 28XX which have not materialised as a general fault.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Any test method is subject to the limitations of the test equipment...

[CUTLER2579]

Also shows that Hornby do not hand pick the Loco's Model Rail gets.

[Guest Max Stafford]

Black 'un arrived waiting here today when I came in from work. Very nice!

 

Dave.

[Sailsbury Hall]

One thought occurs with regard to the Model Rail test. Did they replace the screw after removing the front transit 'L' bracket? This screw must be replaced as it secures the plastic lower chassis cover with holds the axles and the front pony truck in place.

[7013]

Someone has mentioned that on MREmag, they had derailing problems similar to the MR test. As soon as he replaced the screws in the chassis the problem was resolved. So if this was indeed the problem it is easily sorted and anyone who has a worry about the loco can be assured that it was minor.

[davidw]

Someone has mentioned that on MREmag, they had derailing problems similar to the MR test. As soon as he replaced the screws in the chassis the problem was resolved. So if this was indeed the problem it is easily sorted and anyone who has a worry about the loco can be assured that it was minor.

curiously Tony Wright had a similar problem in the BRM review!

[wilks]

I received my 67772 BR black L1 (early emblem) on Tuesday. Hornby have released it with 34e shed plate Neasden rather than 34a Kings' Cross as provisionally announced. 67772 went to Kings's Cross on the 30/9/1956 after having general overhaul at Darlington. Can 67772 run with the early emblem and have a 34a shed plate?

 

I too have had problems with the front pony truck derailing through Peco code 75 curved points. I have replaced the transit bracket screws, perhaps they are not tight enough.

 

Otherwise it is a very good model.

[7013]

From reading the review am I right thinking that the pony truck is attached differently from say pony trucks on the large majority of 2-6-4s we have in the market place? If so my question would be why change something that has given no problem before to something that is in danger of becoming a major gripe and cause a lot of anger if it is down to the design? I do not want to be gloomy but my heart sinks when it is becoming a regular occurence that there are problems with new models, and we just hope that it is a minor glitch or just bad luck. Trouble is when it is ones own bad luck it rankles. QC has clearly suffered in recent years, and faulty bogies, pony trucks etc. are not down to us modelers being more demanding or discerning it is down to poor QC.

I sincerely hope that the L1 pony truck problem is nothing more than the screws needing to be reattached, but if it will not go through certain points then I for one will not buy it. Bachmann had a similar problem with its Southern N class which derailed, they quickly changed the design and replaced the locos. Lets hope that Hornby do not have to go down that route.

[10000]

The method of attaching the pony truck has been used before. My old tender drive 8f uses the same method as do my 2 Fowler 2-6-4T's and like my new L1 they do not suffer regular derailments.

My L1 runs fine on my code 100 track and points including slips, 3 way points and curved points (all Peco streamline) even at top speed which it will not normally do.

 

For info its R2959 and I did not have to remove any transit pieces.

They had been removed by the shop where I bought it because they put all loco's on a short test track for you to see it working before you pay for it.

[Butler Henderson]

Theres a video of the Hornby L1 in action at

 

http://www.model-railways-live.co.uk/News/See_the_new_L1_from_Hornby_in_action!/

 

which around half way through shows the pony wheels tracking all over the place, just ripe for derailing although it does not.

[2ManySpams]

Someone has mentioned that on MREmag, they had derailing problems similar to the MR test. As soon as he replaced the screws in the chassis the problem was resolved. So if this was indeed the problem it is easily sorted and anyone who has a worry about the loco can be assured that it was minor.

 

There were comments / letters about L1s derailing in the latest Hornby Mag too, so it seems to be catching a few folk out. Hopefully it is just a screw loose!

 

Edit - on second reading I can't find these comments again in HM, perhaps it was MREmag that I read them in too? Must be old age creeping up on me....

[Baby Deltic]

Picked up a black one at Tollworth today. Cracking model.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

A cleanish L1 at Aylesbury think I may renumber mine as this one.

[31A]

Has anyone figured out how to get inside the cab yet? I'd like to add a crew. It looks as though the cab roof is a separate piece, but it doesn't sem to want to come off very easily!

 

One of the black ones arrived in Finsbury Square this evening; I had to tweak the bogie pick ups so that they all rubbed against the wheel backs before it would run reliably.

 

Apart from that, I'm more than pleased with it!

[CullingworthGNR]

Having just bough this loco yesterday, I am 100% satisfied with the quality of it - it's at least as good as the Clan I have and also doesn't need a coupling on with that frustratingly small plug arrangement. I'm very tempted to get a whole set of these L1s, as they run so smoothly with my Morley controller, and the amount of fine detail is increadible (particularly around the smokebox area).

 

Thoroughly recommended!

[Anglian]

Having seen them in my local model shop I thought them a stunning model. Of course that says nothing for their ability on the track but the LNER version really caught my eye. Very, very nice indeed.

[Charlie]

Having got mine out of the box to attach the added extras, (liking the split polystyene style) I appear to have what looks like a tool box but no idea where it goes. Also, has anyone added all the bits and run it with coaches? Or should certain bits be excluded, The Instructions aren't all that clear...

[31A]

It all depends how sharp the curves are that you intend to run it round. If using sharp curves you may need to leave the front footsteps off, although I was able to fit them-the sharpest curves on my layout are the curves in Peco double slips. I even managed to fit the front screw coupling as well as the auto coupler; if you hook the bottom link up onto the drawhook, it clears the auto coupler. Can't imagine what your 'toolbox' might be though I'm afraid, and still not managed to break into the cab!

[antrobuscp]

I bought an L1 a week or two back, but have only just had the opportunity to run it other than just as a test. Like one or two others, I found a slight tendency to derail at certain points. I have had the same problem on one of the LMS 2-6-4 tanks on which, because I had bought 2 and one was fine the other not, I checked out the differences and found the back-to-back on the derailing loco was too tight. I've done the same test on the L1, opened out the wheels slightly, added a bit of lead on the leading truck, and it's now fine.

 

I don't really like this design of pony truck as it seems very sensitive to the back-to-back measurement and it takes up a slightly odd position to the rails on tightish curves - I think the effective pivot centre is slightly too far forward. On the other hand, it works when properly adjusted, and the lack of springing does improve adhesion. A bit of extra weight on unsprung Hornby bogies/pony trucks doesn't hurt.

 

The L1 is an impressive model, and it pulls more than I expected too. I've just tested it on an 8 coach kit built and weighted set, and it pulled away with prototypical slipping on a slightly rising gradient.

 

Colin

[31A]

I even managed to fit the front screw coupling as well as the auto coupler; if you hook the bottom link up onto the drawhook, it clears the auto coupler.

 

Just to correct myself, although I did initially fit the scale coupling at the front end and thought it cleared the auto coupler, I've realised this evening that it was impeding the vertical movement of the pony truck in such a way that the leading drivers were being lifted slightly in certain circumstances, and losing traction. So now I've taken the scale coupling off the front end again, and will just fit a drawhook, the same as at the rear end.

 

Does anyone else find the balance of these locos a bit strange, with the ballast weight in the boiler front / smokebox making them front heavy?

[streak]

I'm very impressed with the appearance of the L1 and running but it does have the same pony truck arrangement as on the current 8F , Fowler tank and Stanier tank that I have.And the earlier tender drive 8F.

All of these locos as bought derail the pony truck at one location on the layout.

The pony truck takes a 'set' on curves as mentioned above and at the trouble spot is still hard over as the loco straightens out approaching a L/H straight turnout which is easily negotiated if set to diverge left (the same way as the preceding curve) however the loco cannot go straight on without derailment. Adjusting the back to back and the tightness of the screws doesnt help.

 

I added some fine wire to the other locos to prevent the pony truck running at an angle to the track (it provides side control) and this has cured the previous locos. The L1 will need the same treatment.

 

I wish they had a better pony truck arrangement as none of Bachmann's locos with a leading truck are affected.

I was going to buy another one but probably wont now I've had a chance to run this one and discover that the truck is the same as the older locos.

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

I have the same problem as many others with my L1. The front pony truck derails on one point on my layout.

 

Having tested it on my clubs test track, I found that the pony truck was causing the loco to wobble drastically, I found that pushing the body back to the straight cured the wobble. I'm going to try checking the back-to-backs and add a little weight to the pony truck.

 

I will report back to see if it works

 

Simon

[coachmann]

Have fitted some rather neat correct size LNER 12mm bogie wheels from Markits.

[streak]

well the fine wire plus a bit of relaying has cured the issue but it is a bit annoying to have to go to such lengths with a brand new loco.

It runs extremely well now its run in and pulls everything I need it to and looks the part.

Oh well some money saved.