The Hornby Diesel Maintenance Depot R516: the “Snap Fit” experience

[teeinox]

I was looking for a small diesel maintenance depot which could be used to display some of my collection of (a mere seven) diesel-hydraulic locomotives.  A trawl of eBay revealed the Hornby R516 Diesel Maintenance Depot in the “Snap Fit series” as a suitable candidate.  A pristine example was on offer for £16 plus postage.  Irresistible for the “Snap Fit” feature alone!  I don’t know when this model came out, possibly quite a while ago.  Apparently, the prototype was Ripple Lane, not a place frequented by diesel-hydraulics, I imagine.  However, it is rather bijou, big enough at two tracks, and small enough to sit on a shelf which is what I had in mind.  Here is the rather retro box:

 

 

Contents were all in their original state, and carefully wrapped in yellow tissue paper.  They consist of sides and end screens, all with lots of glazing.  Plus a solid flat roof with two roof-lights.  Finally, there is a floor pan indented for two tracks.  Petrol pumps and oil barrels are supplied to add to the atmosphere.

 

The mouldings are beautiful, but you have to stick on your own transfers and do quite a lot of painting to bring out their quality.  Fair enough, though there is only one transfer for all the petrol pump meter panels.  So the fuel reading in every case is: 11301.  Maybe Westerns and Warships all tank exactly the same amount of fuel?  This photo of part assembly gives you an idea of the interior detail.  Rather fabulous, isn’t it?

 

 

The glazing is not so fabulous.  You have to cut out the panels from transparent sheets; dotted lines guide you.  In general, they cut out over-sized and have to be tailored to fit.  The end screens were a doddle.  That for the side windows needed tedious trimming, and the clip-fit arrangement to hold them was not adequate to keep them in place; they fell out easily.  That is why quite a number of these kits on offer second-hand have this glazing missing.  I had to cement in plastic keeper strips to ensure the glazing stayed in place.  As for the glazing in the roof-lights; it was a total pig.  3/10 for “Snap-Fit” here.

 

Which brings us to assembly.  The side walls are supposed to hook into slots in the floor pan.  Except they didn’t.  As I found out, if you forced them, they broke; luckily reparable with plastic cement.  They needed considerable trimming to fit.  Even so, they remain “difficult” and fragile.  Not a problem if the model is not going to be disassembled, unfortunately my intention.  Moreover, some of the petrol pumps and barrels obstruct the fitting process.  So they can only be fitted after the side walls are in place.  O.K., but Hornby don’t tell you that.  Trial and error applies, mainly error.

 

Once the side walls are fitted, the rest goes together easily.  The end screens drop into place and are secured by the dummy light fittings.  Their design is exquisite.  The fixing spigots are not round; they are oblong with chamfered corners to fit into the correspondingly shaped holes.  So the light is always exactly aligned.  There are drainpipes and ladders, too.  The drainpipes even have the fixing clamps moulded, while the ladders are made of metal.  Once they are fitted, the flat roof fits over to stabilise the structure, though there is no positive engagement.  Similarly with the roof lights: they simply drop into place.  Except mine don’t; they are too badly distorted.  Looking at other examples on eBay, this seems a common problem.  And that is it!  8/10 for the “Snap-Fit” features.  It would be higher except for those dodgy clips.

 

Trackwise, it looks like it was designed for Hornby Setrack.  I don’t have any, so what it has got is some Tri-ang series 3 track.  So, with the track installed and a selection of green diesels being refuelled, here are two views:

 

 

 

I find it all rather Laira-esque!  It seemed right to park an Airfix tank wagon outside; it adds to the atmosphere.  Not bad for a wagon built by my husband when he was only about 10 years old.

 

Hornby make an up-to-date version of the model (R8006) in a grey colour scheme and with better painting.  But if you fancy buying the original R516 version second-hand, just be sure all the bits are there.  Fabricating missing parts would not be easy.  In summary, a lovely model, but not as “Snap-Fit” as Hornby suggests.

Edited August 20, 2023 by teeinox

[Wheatley]

I remember getting one of these for  Christmas around 1980 ? It instantly became my favourite bit of my trainset. I don't remember any issues with the clip fit but it did end up with odd bits of sellotape holding the windows in. 

[Halvarras]

I bought one too when they first appeared, must have been 1980/81. I think it cost £4.35! I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it at the time, but in December 1982 I had an opportunity to exhibit some of my detailed Scottish locos at a local exhibition so built a 5' x 1' three-point layout depot layout in six weeks (foam underlay helped) with this kit as the centrepiece. I wanted to fit a full floor so ordered another floor section from Hornby but it didn't arrive in time so I used balsa wood topped with plasticard instead, and clad the brick-printed side walls with embossed brick plasticard. Although the plastic floor section was pinned down (it had to be as it goes under the track) I retained the ability to dismantle the building (lift off the roof, pull out the lights, lift out the glazed end panels, fold in the sides to disengage from the floor) for storage. I went easy on the side wall clips, filing them slightly so they engaged without stress, although later on they were showing signs. I also built an office for it, basically an Airfix bungalow kit with a flat roof (Perspex covered with coarse 'wet-and-dry' abrasive paper) which blocked off one rear exit road.

 

When I dismantled the layout the building parts (including the unused new floor section) went into a box for many years, until I decided to build another depot layout some time back using Bachmann's rather lovely resin diesel servicing depot, and needed a single road shed for the shunters. So out came the old kit, saws, files, plasticard and an idea of what I wanted it to look like and......well, I had some fun with it! For one reason and another I still haven't built the layout it'll sit on yet - I live in eternal hope - but this (and much else besides) is ready for the glorious day.......I'll try to dig it out and post a couple of pics as I'm quite proud of it 😊!

[BernardTPM]

An early picture of Ripple Lane. Certainly recognisable then, less so in later years.

[teeinox]

17 hours ago, Halvarras said:

I bought one too when they first appeared, must have been 1980/81. I think it cost £4.35! I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it at the time, but in December 1982 I had an opportunity to exhibit some of my detailed Scottish locos at a local exhibition so built a 5' x 1' three-point layout depot layout in six weeks (foam underlay helped) with this kit as the centrepiece. I wanted to fit a full floor so ordered another floor section from Hornby but it didn't arrive in time so I used balsa wood topped with plasticard instead, and clad the brick-printed side walls with embossed brick plasticard. Although the plastic floor section was pinned down (it had to be as it goes under the track) I retained the ability to dismantle the building (lift off the roof, pull out the lights, lift out the glazed end panels, fold in the sides to disengage from the floor) for storage. I went easy on the side wall clips, filing them slightly so they engaged without stress, although later on they were showing signs. I also built an office for it, basically an Airfix bungalow kit with a flat roof (Perspex covered with coarse 'wet-and-dry' abrasive paper) which blocked off one rear exit road.

 

When I dismantled the layout the building parts (including the unused new floor section) went into a box for many years, until I decided to build another depot layout some time back using Bachmann's rather lovely resin diesel servicing depot, and needed a single road shed for the shunters. So out came the old kit, saws, files, plasticard and an idea of what I wanted it to look like and......well, I had some fun with it! For one reason and another I still haven't built the layout it'll sit on yet - I live in eternal hope - but this (and much else besides) is ready for the glorious day.......I'll try to dig it out and post a couple of pics as I'm quite proud of it 😊!

Yes, I was puzzled as to why the floor pan was so small.  It seemed so strange.  But in putting the kit back into its box, I discovered why.  The floor pan has to fit across the top of the roof, so constraining its length to a bit less than the width of the roof.  The packaging of the kit into the box is almost a work of origami!

[teeinox]

5 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

An early picture of Ripple Lane. Certainly recognisable then, less so in later years.

Lovely photo.  The office block to which it was attached was a bit of an architectural period piece, too.  As for the locomotive, is that a NBL Class 21, the diesel-electric cousin of the hydraulic Class 22?  Am I right, I’m not good at loco spotting?

[BernardTPM]

Yes, before they were sent back to Scotland. It would be quite appropriate to use Arkitex to create the adjacent offices.

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, BernardTPM said:

Yes, before they were sent back to Scotland. It would be quite appropriate to use Arkitex to create the adjacent offices.

 

A useful product widely used by @Kier Hardy .

This is the Sunshine Desserts building on Wibdenshaw in naked form and after refurbishment;

 

 

 

Mike.

 

 

[Halvarras]

I've taken some photos of my heavily butchered Hornby Diesel Depot. I sometimes wonder why I embark on such projects as they invariably turn out to be more complicated and time-consuming than I'd anticipated, but I needed a second building, this was sitting idle in a box in kit form and........well, I like a challenge I suppose!

 

The embossed brick plasticard side overlays were done in 1982 and 30-odd years later I still had enough of the same sheet left to do the ends - never throw anything away!

 

The unrealistically spotless interior (one day......)

 

The underside showing the use of cut-down original floor panel and second one obtained as a spare but not used......until now. Also wiring to feed the inner isolated section (purpose is shunter servicing):

 

And underside of the roof which was narrowed to match (the joint is visible at the top below 'A'). This meant the roof light was off-centre so this had to be shifted a bit as well - you can tell how much by the infill piece along its lower edge:

 

Phew! I don't think I'll be doing THAT again.......🤪

[SteveyDee68]

On 20/08/2023 at 19:42, teeinox said:

The glazing is not so fabulous.

George Dent used the kit as part of a diesel depot micro layout in an article for a MR special, and used custom brass etched windows to replace the original glazing - this (with some other upgrades such as filling in the slots for the assembly tabs) improved the kit to the point of it sitting comfortably next to a Bachmann resin product.

 

The window etches he used can actually be purchased, but as “special orders” with a price tag of £50 for a set, I decided that (for me) that was a little pricey, considering I had bought the kit second hand off eBay for a lot less than half that amount! 
 

I am hoping that a laser cut kit designer might see a way of producing suitable replacement window frames using card/board, hopefully at a far more budget friendly price!

 

Steve S

[russ p]

I've detailed one of those in the past. I used wills sheets to give it more detail

[dmsmith]

On 03/09/2023 at 11:03, SteveyDee68 said:

George Dent used the kit as part of a diesel depot micro layout in an article for a MR special, and used custom brass etched windows to replace the original glazing - this (with some other upgrades such as filling in the slots for the assembly tabs) improved the kit to the point of it sitting comfortably next to a Bachmann resin product.

 

The window etches he used can actually be purchased, but as “special orders” with a price tag of £50 for a set, I decided that (for me) that was a little pricey, considering I had bought the kit second hand off eBay for a lot less than half that amount! 
 

I am hoping that a laser cut kit designer might see a way of producing suitable replacement window frames using card/board, hopefully at a far more budget friendly price!

 

Steve S

I’d be interested in the etches, even at that price, to produce a cameo where I might take photographs. Do you have a link or other contact details for who produced them?

 

Best wishes

David

 

 

 

[SteveyDee68]

On 10/09/2023 at 20:40, dmsmith said:

I’d be interested in the etches, even at that price, to produce a cameo where I might take photographs. Do you have a link or other contact details for who produced them?

 

Best wishes

David

 

 

 

Hi David

 

My mistake - you need to contact them directly as the etches are a ‘custom order’ and are not listed under ‘special orders’ 🙄

The company you want is PHD Design

Hope that helps.

 

Cheers

 

Steve 

[dmsmith]

Thank you Steve!

[canuck1]

I have just bought the newer version R8006 and have started to make it more of a model as opposed to the toy look… I have just started with the interior by painting the pumps and hoses as well as the oil barrels…

[canuck1]

Body of shed complete… roof and sides weathered. Still have to add ground cover

[Darius43]

On 21/08/2023 at 22:25, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

A useful product widely used by @Kier Hardy .

This is the Sunshine Desserts building on Wibdenshaw in naked form and after refurbishment;

 

 

 

Mike.

 

 

Great.  Super.

 

Cheers

 

Darius