Hornby-Dublo, Built to Last

[cessna152towser]

My first Hornby-Dublo electric train, the EDP14 set, arrived on Christmas morning 1958, when I was age 7.   Little could I have foreseen that I would still be running it on Christmas morning 2021, aged 70.   The train was "modernised" in the 1970s with the loco converted to 2-rail, when the coaches gained Wrenn wheels, number transfers and Ratio interiors.   This short video from this morning shows the train pulling away from the branch terminus, very slowly at first due to voltage drop as a result of power being applied from the controller which feeds from the far end of the layout, clearing the dead frog point, never stalling then racing away towards the national network as it approaches the power feed.   Merry Christmas everybody!

 

[Dorkingian]

My example of 80054 arrived at a similar time, in support of the existing motive power "Sir Nigel Gresley".  And yes, I also had the Standard tank converted to 2-rail - and she's still going strong, as in this video:

 

 

[Il Grifone]

Mine was Xmas 1951, age 4 (going on 5 as 'Sound of Music' has it - train mad from an early age!) - 'Duchess of Atholl' and a collection of wagons. Coaches were in short supply, due to problems on the other side of the world which are still not resolved! and I only managed to get a single LMS composite. She has survived conversion to 2 rail, a teenage repaint (rubbish) into BR green, and reconversion to 3 rail. The cab roof has been repaired (broken in a fall). Though repaired several times (including trips to Binns Road), she still meets the five circuits in 25 seconds criterion.

She has since been joined by examples of most other Dublo locomotives.

[cypherman]

Hi all,

My introduction to Hornby Dublo was for my 6th birthday in 1965. When my parents deemed me more sensible to be given my brothers H/D train sets. I had at that time been fed on a diet of Triang trains. A 3F and 4F, B12 and BOB pacific. They all got put away and very rarely used once i got my brothers trains. It was quite a haul. A4 Silver King, Bristol Castle, Duchess of Athol, 2-6-4 tank and the 0-6-2 N2 tank. With a wealth of wagons, coaches and track. Plus a lot of H/D station buildings and signal boxes. I cannot remember how many wagons but I do remember that there were 5 coaches each for the passenger trains. Plus 3 for the 2-6-4 suburban train. I do not remember how many wagons. Just that there were a lot. As for track it was like all my Christmas and birthday presents all rolled into one. I ran it all until I was about 13 when my father decided that 2 rail was the way to go. So out came the old Triang engines and stock. All the track was replaced with 2 rail and all the H/D engines and stock were converted to 2 rail. Guess what I still have it all and it still runs like new. So they are now part of my extensive H/D and Wrenn collection. And cherished above all my other railway engines and stock.....

[Ruffnut Thorston]

My first experience of Hornby Dublo was playing with some of my brothers stuff.

 

Apparently, I got interested when I was about 2.

Mam would say that, when she took me in the pram by the railway, I would cry if she tried to leave before a train came by! She was sure that I could hear a train coming before she could! 

 

After using a Western Region Brake van as a locomotive (I wasn’t trusted with the power unit or a working locomotive at that time.) I was allowed to use an old 0-6-2 tank loco with the armature removed. 

 

It was like a bigger version of the Lone Star Locos we had! Push along with track laid on the floor!
 

This was all three rail stuff.

 

The newer two rail track was deemed to fragile for me to play with!

[railroadbill]

Had the Flying Scotsman set when I was 7 to replace wind up Hornby o gauge.  A4 Mallard with the later crest, just like the full size loco had then. N2 added a while later when pocket money saved up. Extra tin plate stock and track added second hand. Got type 1 Bo Bo as somewhat later present. Finally bought Bristol Castle and 8f when they were being sold off very cheaply in a local shop at the end of H-D. Best stock, breakdown crane and tpo set.

Still got it all, but as it's 3 rail only gets occasional test run. Some accessories on main current layout though. Now if it had been converted to 2 rail.....

Edited January 8, 2022 by railroadbill
typos

[Dorkingian]

Continuing in the spirit of the Hornby Dublo 2-6-4T, here's mine in a staged photo in the snows of four years ago.

 

 

In this photo the plastic bogie wheels look surprisingly like the original metal ones, but that's just coincidence.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Dorkingian
afterthought

[Dorkingian]

And the 8F doesn't look too bad either:

 

[TerryD1471]

It's absolutely great to see old H/D locos and stock still doing what they were intended to do. I still rate the 8F as the best (most realistic) and finished up with 4 (all with the old 1/2 inch motor). These motors were later superseded by the ring field motor, but my experience of them was not good. Too temperamental. I had Cardiff Castle a long time ago and a 5th 8F with one. The Castle I sold, while the 8F had a "heart transplant" with a Scalespeed motor which transformed its performance.

 

All my H/D locos have had their wheels changed for scale size Romfords. A Duchess on 5ft 6in wheels just doesn't look right! I have 3 which still have the original chassis, although two have since been revived with neodymium magnets. If your old H/D Duchess/A4/4MT/N2 is tired or depressed or listless, you can replace the magnet and its performance will be transformed!

 

Although I have many more recent locos from the current manufacturers' ranges, nothing quite has the robustness and sense of gravitas of the old H/D models.