Hornby zinc alloy diecast construction methods

[maico]

Here's my B12, the green part of the boiler, splash guards and cab sides are injection molded metal. Attached to this are the plastic running board, front part of the boiler and cab roof. A quality method of construction that Hornby don't really mention in their catalogue.

 

Has anyone got similar photos of the inside of modern Dublos?

 

 

 

 

Edited February 26, 2023 by maico

[maico]

Bump. No new Dublo internal photos posted yet so In the meantime heres the neat construction of my spam can. The dials are amazing they have legible numbers printed on them.

 

The great composite image by I think AY mod needs reposting

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2023 by maico

[E100]

Those dials are superb!

[The Stationmaster]

18 hours ago, E100 said:

Those dials are superb!

Even if the details are somewhat imagined and one of them is completely wrong having only one needle instead of two.  But I will admit that's being a bit churlish when you consider that they have actually bothered to do something rather than not bothering at all.  (The gauge at top left should be a duplex gauge,. ie. two needles)

 

So was it down to poor detail spec by Margate? (you can find details of the gauges in less than a minute on the 'net)

[CF MRC]

If you’re being that picky, then the water gauges should show stripes/chevrons. 
 

Tim

[exet1095]

On 01/03/2023 at 11:03, The Stationmaster said:

Even if the details are somewhat imagined and one of them is completely wrong having only one needle instead of two.  But I will admit that's being a bit churlish when you consider that they have actually bothered to do something rather than not bothering at all.  (The gauge at top left should be a duplex gauge,. ie. two needles)

 

So was it down to poor detail spec by Margate? (you can find details of the gauges in less than a minute on the 'net)

Let’s have a look at some of the gauges you have painted on your models…

[VIA185]

This is reproduction of Hornby-DUBLO style. It's a reproduction of a toy. One could argue that it shouldn't have details on the gauges - in fact it shouldn't have gauges at all - just a  blooming great Ringfield motor sticking out of the cab! I'm guessing its intended to be what Hornby-Dublo would look now, if it was still manufactured, so there would be some development of detail over the past 60 years but would Binns Road, Liverpool have been able to print dials? (CJL)

Edited March 18, 2023 by VIA185
because the stupid spell-corrector won't accept Binns!

[maico]

On 01/03/2023 at 11:03, The Stationmaster said:

Even if the details are somewhat imagined and one of them is completely wrong having only one needle instead of two.  But I will admit that's being a bit churlish when you consider that they have actually bothered to do something rather than not bothering at all.  (The gauge at top left should be a duplex gauge,. ie. two needles)

 

So was it down to poor detail spec by Margate? (you can find details of the gauges in less than a minute on the 'net)

 

Does anybody else in 1:76 get the tiny gauge printing right?

[Bernard Lamb]

33 minutes ago, maico said:

 

Does anybody else in 1:76 get the tiny gauge printing right?

Guy Williams?

Bernard Showing my age. There must be more modern people.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

On 26/02/2023 at 01:00, maico said:

A quality method of construction that Hornby don't really mention in their catalogue.

I too am surprised, especially as they have been doing it for some time. The V (Schools) may have been the first such, and the J15, D16/3, J36 and I think the 700, all offer this construction; with significant advantages for traction and no downside whatsoever that I perceive, including no price increment over regular plastic moulded bodies. 

 

Of all the RTR OO steam models I own, I rate the B12/3 at the top of the heap in all respects, even better than the NRM/Rapido Stirling single. 

 

On 18/03/2023 at 08:50, VIA185 said:

I'm guessing its intended to be what Hornby-Dublo would look now, if it was still manufactured, so there would be some development of detail over the past 60 years but would Binns Road, Liverpool have been able to print dials?

 

Had that business survived, it would have access to all the current technique. But their general managerial ineptitude did for any chance of that.

 

Now, RTR OO has these last 20 some years very clearly been feeding off 60 + years of development in RTR HO, very much to its benefit, and still lags well behind the sophistication this offers. My continental cousins had point motored double slips in their HO setrack by the late 1950s; where's that Hornby?

[wainwright1]

I hope that none of these new metal bodied models develop the dreaded Mazac rot.

 

Ray

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

3 hours ago, wainwright1 said:

I hope that none of these new metal bodied models develop the dreaded Mazac rot.

The technology to screen out this problem in real time is now readily affordable, in the form of a handheld XRD. Hopefully now in general use wherever zinc alloy casting is part of the production process.

 

I would hope that this will significantly reduce incidences, but realistically there is no prospect of complete elimination of this failure mode. Whatever, the material improvement in the models utilising this technique is worth the risk in my book.

 

There's a RTR OO industry trend in this direction: the majority of Bachmann steam tender loco footplates have been cast since 1997, with only one failure early on (N class) and they have increased metal body content in recent steam loco releases; Dapol's A4, Rapido/NRM Stirling single, Oxford Rail's N7 and Sonic's A5 have largely metal bodies. It's all good (and properly focussed on the dry side, in the lead as ever).

 

[maico]

On 08/07/2023 at 15:00, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

I too am surprised, especially as they have been doing it for some time. The V (Schools) may have been the first such, and the J15, D16/3, J36 and I think the 700, all offer this construction; with significant advantages for traction and no downside whatsoever that I perceive, including no price increment over regular plastic moulded bodies. 

 

 

 

Also the Hornby T9,  Adams Radial, new 9F and forthcoming MT-2.

 

I hope for an all metal streamlined Coronation and BR Standard Class 4 tank from Dublo and/or Accurascale within the next 2 years!

 

Modern MIM (metal injection moulding) techniques help intricate part production.

 

Edited July 16, 2023 by maico

[maico]

Drummond 700