Hornby Class 101 Strathclyde Met Camm Unit

[Legend]

Just received my Met Camm unit today . Nice little 2 car unit in Strathclyde “red” (orange) &black . It scrubs up well for an ex Lima model and the paintwork is superb . I note it doesn’t have the radio box on cab roof which I think it should have ( not entirely sure) . However the humorous bit is the destinations . Glasgow Central - Paisley Central . Being a local I can tell you it should be Paisley Canal . No way does it interfere with my enjoyment of model , but once again shows Hornbys attention to detail ! 

[meatloaf]

Does it have traction tyres? 

 

Does it look easy to get into?

[Trainnoob]

8 minutes ago, meatloaf said:

Does it have traction tyres? 

 

Does it look easy to get into?

The doors don't open And I doubt a giant human can fit through such a tiny door even if it did open.

[Legend]

10 minutes ago, meatloaf said:

Does it have traction tyres? 

 

Does it look easy to get into?

 Yes it has traction tyres on diametrically opposing sides of the motor bogie . You also get a spare set of traction tyres and some boards to fit on under frame . The body is a click fit per the instructions and that looks to be correct . Can run a finger nail between body and chassis which seems to loosen it . Haven’t tried it though . It’s an 8 pin chip if you want to fit . I’m analogue do don’t need to bother . It is a nice wee unit 

Edited March 21 by Legend

[meatloaf]

5 hours ago, Legend said:

 Yes it has traction tyres on diametrically opposing sides of the motor bogie . You also get a spare set of traction tyres and some boards to fit on under frame . The body is a click fit per the instructions and that looks to be correct . Can run a finger nail between body and chassis which seems to loosen it . Haven’t tried it though . It’s an 8 pin chip if you want to fit . I’m analogue do don’t need to bother . It is a nice wee unit 

cheers quite tempted i must say

[scottrains29]

It's not as bad as when Hornby put a Norwich destination on the Scotrail 156! Details, details.....

 

Perhaps they'll send out more accurate destinations to fit ourselves, as they did with the 156.

 

Lima tooled the later roof pod version but I don't think Hornby have ever used this tooling.

 

Can anyone find a photo of 101695 before it got it's cab roof pods but after it got the BR logo replaced with the Scotrail swoosh logo? The early warning flashes also suggest it's pre 98 but I haven't yet found a picture of it as Hornby have modelled it. 

Could of course just be Hornby's 'that'll do' attitude to detail!

 

It's also odd it's got traction tyres. It's a lightweight dmu! The Hornby spt 156 didn't have tyres yet can easily haul the two car unit. It's easy enough to replace the traction tyres with the non tyred version.

 

I might get one to go with the previous release, but I'll probably wait until the price is more realistic for what it is.

[Legend]

3 hours ago, meatloaf said:

cheers quite tempted i must say

 I’ve just run it . Lovely and smooth . Intend running it with my Bachmann 108(masquerading as a 107) . Not sure it really needs the tyres . 

[adb968008]

got to admit i quite like it too.

[Great Waterton]

I've come to the conclusion that it's another case of Hornby's "that'll do" attitude without them really checking/researching properly. From memory I'm sure Lima made the tooling with the roof pods so either Hornby have used the incorrect tool or perhaps it's not available anymore through damage or similar etc?

 

However the paint job is very nice indeed and the colours look spot on. Another example of perfect colours on Railroad items; something that Hornby seem to do better than in their main range... 

 

I'm pleased they've done one with a full height yellow end this time too. The previous one with its black cab roof always looked odd to me and spoiled the shape of the unit. Almost reminiscent of a 108 on a quick glance. 

 

But we still don't have a BR era Strathclyde PTE 101; all three so far have been early privatisation era (four if you count the blue one)... Maybe next time! 

[adb968008]

4 hours ago, Great Waterton said:

I've come to the conclusion that it's another case of Hornby's "that'll do" attitude without them really checking/researching properly. From memory I'm sure Lima made the tooling with the roof pods so either Hornby have used the incorrect tool or perhaps it's not available anymore through damage or similar etc?

 

They do because Lima initially did the reverse error and their 1st release 101 came out in Green with whiskers and the aerial pod. (Yes Lima made whoppers too, but at £39.99 we were more forgiving in those days).

 

https://www.hampshiremodels.co.uk/products/lima-149895-oo-gauge-br-green-class-101-2-car-dmu

 

 

Edited March 23 by adb968008

[Trainnoob]

11 hours ago, Great Waterton said:

I've come to the conclusion that it's another case of Hornby's "that'll do" attitude without them really checking/researching properly. From memory I'm sure Lima made the tooling with the roof pods so either Hornby have used the incorrect tool or perhaps it's not available anymore through damage or similar etc?

 

However the paint job is very nice indeed and the colours look spot on. Another example of perfect colours on Railroad items; something that Hornby seem to do better than in their main range... 

 

I'm pleased they've done one with a full height yellow end this time too. The previous one with its black cab roof always looked odd to me and spoiled the shape of the unit. Almost reminiscent of a 108 on a quick glance. 

 

But we still don't have a BR era Strathclyde PTE 101; all three so far have been early privatisation era (four if you count the blue one)... Maybe next time! 

Hornby does that alot with there diesels.

[Great Waterton]

8 hours ago, adb968008 said:

They do because Lima initially did the reverse error and their 1st release 101 came out in Green with whiskers and the aerial pod. (Yes Lima made whoppers too, but at £39.99 we were more forgiving in those days).

 

https://www.hampshiremodels.co.uk/products/lima-149895-oo-gauge-br-green-class-101-2-car-dmu

 

 

 

They're still my favourite brand overall, and in fact they're the only ones I wouldn't part with for anything. They'll certainly outlive me and probably my children as well. 

[Trainnoob]

Although To be fair i think the railroad range is probably more aimed at people who just want to see trains go around and don't care much about details. I think quite alot of serious modellers to modifications even to super detailed models anyway.

Edited March 23 by Trainnoob

[Halvarras]

14 hours ago, adb968008 said:

They do because Lima initially did the reverse error and their 1st release 101 came out in Green with whiskers and the aerial pod. (Yes Lima made whoppers too, but at £39.99 we were more forgiving in those days).

 

https://www.hampshiremodels.co.uk/products/lima-149895-oo-gauge-br-green-class-101-2-car-dmu

 

 

 

Funny you should mention that, just last month I landed an absolutely mint Lima ER twin set from Howes for £40, with detailing pack, described as a non-runner - a motor strip-down revealed a carbon brush seized in its guide tube, it took a file to get it to move freely so it must have been a rare manufacturing defect, certainly the model shows no sign of use. This was even a version without roof pods and with lining which aligned correctly with the window bars (unlike the one in your link). It does still have the side heater grilles but the dark green paint disguises these to some extent.

 

To cap it all a couple of weeks or so later the same shop listed the rare matching centre car for £17.50 so after I'd stopped choking on my tea I grabbed that as well - it even came with four sets of bogie steps it doesn't need, but I can always find a use for. The centre car's green paint and cream lining is slightly paler than the two power cars (a common problem when supposedly matching models were not manufactured at the same time) but I'm not complaining! It will receive the detailing pack and a few improvements - end details, larger buffers, closer coupling -  and a renumber to a Scottish Region unit to accompany my handful of c1967 ScR diesels.

 

The Class 101 was an impressive effort from Lima - the difference between this and the Class 117 shows how far they came in two decades, but sadly this progress did not include the drive system which barely changed at all. I picked up a limited edition Class 50 50040 'Leviathan' and noticed that it had shiny plated wheels but no traction tyres, so rice pudding skins didn't need to worry - this and the 'Lima Collection' box labelling pretty much summed up Lima's philosophy towards the end I think.......

[scottrains29]

I guess the easiest way to fix the mistakes on this unit would be to update it to a later version by adding the roof pods, fixing the fictitious destination blind and maybe replacing the warning flashes with the later style.

To back-date the unit to a non roof pod version you would have to remove the ScotRail swoosh logo and replace it with the black BR double arrow logo, and also fix the fictitious destination blind.

 

Does anyone know why this model, R30172, is a standard RailRoad model yet the Network Rail 101, R30195, that has also just been released is RailRoad Plus? I can't see anything better on the Network Rail one. They are both the same price. Also, the Network Rail 101 appears to be boxed in a standard RailRoad box without the RailRoad Plus branding.

I've never really understood what Railroad Plus means and perhaps Hornby don't understand it either. Personally, I think they should ditch Railroad Plus and just try to make the livery look good on all the RailRoad models (including accurate destinations that actually exist!). Surely it can't add much to the cost.

[Legend]

12 hours ago, scottrains29 said:

I guess the easiest way to fix the mistakes on this unit would be to update it to a later version by adding the roof pods, fixing the fictitious destination blind and maybe replacing the warning flashes with the later style.

To back-date the unit to a non roof pod version you would have to remove the ScotRail swoosh logo and replace it with the black BR double arrow logo, and also fix the fictitious destination blind.

 

Does anyone know why this model, R30172, is a standard RailRoad model yet the Network Rail 101, R30195, that has also just been released is RailRoad Plus? I can't see anything better on the Network Rail one. They are both the same price. Also, the Network Rail 101 appears to be boxed in a standard RailRoad box without the RailRoad Plus branding.

I've never really understood what Railroad Plus means and perhaps Hornby don't understand it either. Personally, I think they should ditch Railroad Plus and just try to make the livery look good on all the RailRoad models (including accurate destinations that actually exist!). Surely it can't add much to the cost.

I thought they were both plus , but it’s irrelevant to me as I wanted one .  Still very happy , but looking at it I do wonder if Hornby has got the livery details right . It has the Scotrail Whoosh which means it’s no longer British Rail but part of the privatised NatEx group . That puts it around 1998 , but by that time the Met Camm were having their front roof painted black down the the orange cantrail stripe . Also the Strathclyde Transport map logo had been replaced by the bold SPT around this time  . I’m happy this has the full yellow end but wonder if it shouldnt have the good old BR arrows of indecision in black . 

[andyman7]

I do like the Hornby (ex-Lima) 101 so it's good to see it issues again. One oddity I've noticed is that the motor bogie frame has a NEM socket but the other bogies retain the moulded on 'D ring' coupling. Upgrading those bogies so that the couplings could be easily altered would be my next choice of upgrade for this model.

[darrel]

Just a small note the Scotrail woosh was introduced before privatisation. And was kept by National Express when it took over. 

[Cruachan]

19 hours ago, darrel said:

Just a small note the Scotrail woosh was introduced before privatisation. And was kept by National Express when it took over. 

Indeed, introduced in early 1995 following the move to BR Train Operating Units and the return of Chris Green to Scotrail.

 

20 hours ago, Legend said:

I thought they were both plus , but it’s irrelevant to me as I wanted one .  Still very happy , but looking at it I do wonder if Hornby has got the livery details right . It has the Scotrail Whoosh which means it’s no longer British Rail but part of the privatised NatEx group . That puts it around 1998 , but by that time the Met Camm were having their front roof painted black down the the orange cantrail stripe . Also the Strathclyde Transport map logo had been replaced by the bold SPT around this time  . I’m happy this has the full yellow end but wonder if it shouldnt have the good old BR arrows of indecision in black . 

101695 retained the yellow cab front up to the roofline and the Strathclyde Transport map logo until at least 2001 when it was employed in the North West, and probably until withdrawal in late 2003. The livery as generally depicted is therefore appropriate for the period 1995 - 2003, although it lost the small swooshes on the cab front when it left Scotland and also had the overhead electrification warning flashes updated.

Edited March 28 by Cruachan

[Knapdale]

Just ordered one of these from TMC via their eBay store. I’ve been waiting for Bachmann to release an SPT 101, as the Hornby one has traction tyres and no lights. However, TMC have reduced the price to £102 making it too attractive to resist!

I’ll be back on RM Web in the near future to ask how traction tyre wheels are replaced and how to fit lights to Hornby Railroad model…

[Austin Allegro]

Just picked mine up from Invicta in Sidcup - I know it was cheaper elswhere but there's nothing better than supporting your local shop and being able to drool over a load of stock in real life. 🤤

 

One seemingly odd "quirk" of it is that the  driving carriage as removeable couplers whereas the non-driving one doesn't, it just has the original Lima large tension lock coupler, meaning I've no other choice but to have a tension lock coupling between carriages making it look well out of place with the rest of the layout.

 

What on earth were Hornby thinking doing that???

 

Edited April 18 by Austin Allegro

[Fireline]

On 18/04/2024 at 13:21, Austin Allegro said:

 

What on earth were Hornby thinking doing that???

 

 

It's a re-release of an older model. What did you expect?

[adb968008]

On 18/04/2024 at 13:21, Austin Allegro said:

Just picked mine up from Invicta in Sidcup - I know it was cheaper elswhere but there's nothing better than supporting your local shop and being able to drool over a load of stock in real life. 🤤

 

One seemingly odd "quirk" of it is that the  driving carriage as removeable couplers whereas the non-driving one doesn't, it just has the original Lima large tension lock coupler, meaning I've no other choice but to have a tension lock coupling between carriages making it look well out of place with the rest of the layout.

 

What on earth were Hornby thinking doing that???

 

They updated the motor bogie to match the upgraded motor, so they added nem at the same time.

 

The rest of it looks unchanged since Lima.

its not hard to cut off the big loops and replace with say a Roco 40344 NEM bracket/pocket and spring assembly mounted under the body.

 

https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/Accessories/Accessories/Roco-40344/gb/modell_22608.html

Edited Tuesday at 14:44 by adb968008

[Legend]

On 10/04/2024 at 22:06, Knapdale said:

Just ordered one of these from TMC via their eBay store. I’ve been waiting for Bachmann to release an SPT 101, as the Hornby one has traction tyres and no lights. However, TMC have reduced the price to £102 making it too attractive to resist!

I’ll be back on RM Web in the near future to ask how traction tyre wheels are replaced and how to fit lights to Hornby Railroad model…

argh you know how to make a Scotsman cry . I paid £121 for mine . Quite happy though , it is a lovely smooth runner but at £102 it’s even better ! 

[Going Spare]

Bogie frames with NEM coupling pockets were introduced in 2008 so if the original Lima-style coupling has been used, it must be a mistake.  X9637M for non-motor bogies, X9636M for the motor bogie.  Both in stock at Lendons, if that is any help.