Hornby Class 50,s

[gillinghamgus]

As they came on stream 50018 Had a name in the wrong position, a grilled window when it should have been clear, 50035 the first edition with bare wire handles had an orange stripe that 50035 did not have in service, this edition before white painted hand rails, had a window plug one side to put in a grill. Hornby or the factory must have made a mistake as with 50018 but Hornby did mot wish to make and paint a batch of window plugs as an after sale for 50027 with its window mistake! The last in the first batch was 50045 in late NSE but the grey was too light and slight weathering again the numbering was too large.

 

50002 in very dark NSE numbers too large and heavy weathering this would be ok for a wet day but wouldn't be allowed to be that dirty for long, the front warning yellow is too orange. 50007 was as in preservation with short term red names and the LA symbols on all corners of the cabs, if they had the yellow overhead warning flashes it would have been more accurate. the Hornby club weathered 50007 had black names but again the weathering is very heavy

 

Limited edition 50031 with in-correct ships crest (it looks like a combination of those applied) on the large logo locos all of them are not totally accurate with the numbering from 1980 to 1985 the numbers were slightly thinner than those applied in later years also the base of the numbers should be level with the bottom line of the double arrows this is not the case on all the Hornby Large logo class 50's!

 

D421 is the most accurate of all the Hornby class 50's the printing on the loco is very good 50037 is the only other standard blue loco which gets a tick in the box.

 

50013 has a grill where the window should be so avoid it if you can. 50004 was the usual large logo with the numbers not in the correct postion most were expecting the DCWA stickers under the second mans window as this was the case when St Vincent had that style of crest applied the model was a standard to 50035 print job.

 

50027 has a light late NSE and a window where the grill should be, the NSE Blue looks to light under most lighting conditions. 50011 and 50020 are copies of the 50035 standard and 50011 did not have an orange stripe either this loco would have suited a black roof with ships crest instead. 50048 in ONSE and this is as before has

the wrong style of upswept lines, and the usual over sized numbers.

 

And now we are on to 50015 which looks ok but has operation issues (lights) mine also had an incorrect placed battery box. So I think that's the list sorry if its not in the correct order of realise? but it is from memory

 

I like the model but there could be improvements but Hornby don't seem to want to make any changes unlike Bachmann do with their models (37's), I know it's expensive to make changes to the mouldings and stopping production to do this but there could be some slight changes made to bring this loco up a stage from where it currently is.

 

Most people make changes to the cab front windows as they don't droop enough and the central pillar is to fat, the rad fan grill mesh is to thick and that of the Bachmann style should be adopted or a shawplan etching put in, the moveable rad louvres are just a gimmick and to deep in the loco with the louvres open this hides the depth. why are are lifting rings so shallow and not rings? also a minor fact of the roof guttering over the cabs are straight lines when they should be angled over the cab doors also a small pair of grab handles under the headcode boxes. I would also say that the steps on the bogies should be added and not moulded to the bogie and be more detailed.

 

My list as purchased

 

50018

50035

50045

50035 with white hand rails for repainting x 2

50002

50007 plus the weathered Hornby club loco x 2 (Yes thats 3 50007's)

D421

50037

50031

50004

50011

50020

50048

50015

 

17 locos ouch!

 

Well that's enough for now I am off to count some more rivets! ;-P

[35 Ark Royal]

Yes you are right about 35,but i think they modelled it as in preserved condition and hoped that people would not notice.Regarding the orange stripe the first loco to recieve this was Rodney ex Donny Jan 86.I will bet all my money now that the fortcoming model of Sound Fitted Illustrious in Large Logo will have the orange stripe.Which yet again will be WRONG as the loco like 35 never carried the orange stripe in service in this livery.It will be a carbon copy of 35 just a different running number.Like you i was surprised about St Vincent not having DCWA stripes which i think on Hornby's part was very lazy as the loco carried theese while having the ships crests.If you look back to the early days of the later Lima models (i know very poor models) but Ramillies LE had the DCWA stripe and Furious had 434 on lower bodyside.So if the Italians can do all theese extra things that are very modeable why cant Hornby.Going back to the abysmal 048 if you look at Lima,s Exeter paintwise is a lot more accurate and standard Onse Invincible paintwise again correct.I am not saying that Lima is a better model than Hornby but what i am saying is that i think Lima did more reserch and some of the paint jobs have been more accurate than Hornby.

Phrehaps Vi trains or Bachmann may come to the rescue and release a more accurate model with more of the other liveries and give Hornby a run for thier money?

[gillinghamgus]

Lima at the time listened to the people who bought their products, Hornby know that if they put it in a red box with Hornby on the side there are people who will buy it no matter what is in side!..their 37 which was 30 years old with 47 bogies is a good example of that!

 

although the Lima loco was poor and based on the original loco they did do some paint jobs shame that their print/painting wasn't always the best either.

 

I need to get some of my 17 rebuilt and repainted at some point.

 

Bachmann is possible if their Farish sideline do an upgrade on their "N" class 50 would Bachmann do a blue ribbon "OO" class 50? trouble is once Bachmann sell out they don't go back...I was thinking about getting a 159 some time back, but none are out there apart from Ebay. I'd just have place my orders faster.

[vac_basher]

I will bet all my money now that the fortcoming model of Sound Fitted Illustrious in Large Logo will have the orange stripe.Which yet again will be WRONG as the loco like 35 never carried the orange stripe in service in this livery.It will be a carbon copy of 35 just a different running number.

 

Why can't they eliminate the cantrail stripe? It would hardly cost them anything to do so. Sorry but that's just plain lazyness if they don't.

At the prices we're paying for these models you'd think they'd do everything they can, within reason, to get them right.

[35 Ark Royal]

I bet you any money that they will release Illustrious with the Orange cantrail stripe which of course it never carried while in Large Logo livery as it was released from Donney in ONSE in October 86.Of course if Hornby realy cared not only could they issue it without the cantrail stripe but they could add snowploughs as it carried theese for a short period in late 85 and early 86 and if memory serves was the first vac to do so.

As i have already stated why do Illustrious again anyway?tThey should instead do 50039 Implacable from 1988 so the orange cantrail stripe is correct but add roof pods and NSE flashes in headcode box (as NWRA loco. I rated both when following the class but say if i had a choice of theese 2 out of Padd i would do 39 everytime as Implacable IMHO was the better loco.I have always had a soft spot for the loco as the first time i saw it August 1980 was at reading on FIRE !!! and had to be put out by the local fire brigade and also was the first one i had on the down beds and finally a very fast run Plymouth -Bristol August 86 ensured that 39 was my fourth favourite.R.I.P

[gillinghamgus]

50037 was the first to have ploughs yes, I thought it was 86/87 though? it would be nice to loose the Orange stripe and pack a set of ploughs in the bits bag but you know they won't...Ohh I forgot I also have 50149 from Rail Express so that's 18 Vacs in the pack....

 

Hornbys choices are very strange even more so that they are choosing some of the Lima locos numbers, perhaps in vein thought these are the only best sellers? what about the Mickey mouse 50008 laira livery or black roofed large logos they would sell! what I do know is your idea of 50039 with roof pods is a good one but I can bet you they will never make a large logo loco with roof pods because as we have said before 50035 is their base for that livery.

[50033]

Good Morning

 

It strikes me that like me a lot of people are disappointed in Hornby's offering. So how many of us would it to take to write to Bachmann/Heljan/Vitrains/Hornby suggesting an accurate uptodate model. Maybe we could do a poll or by putting our names down suggesting the changes we would like to see to the model and suggested livery's etc, this surly would show them the numbers of people who would buy numerous loco's, could this spur them to make it? Especially someone like Bachmann as they could then do the N gauge Farish version.

 

I certainly would sell my entire 18 Hornby Class 50's for the chance to have a decent representation where I didn't have to mess with windows or Louvres.

 

My preference in Livery's would be

 

Large Logo Black roof

Large Logo White roof

Revised NSE light blue

Revised NSE Dark blue

Laira blue as in 08,19 and 37

Dutch

 

And what if the do unnumbered versions with the choice of what you number it. Include DCWA, NSE flashes, snow ploughs etc and wow I'd buy 1 a week for months.

 

Mark

[43179]

Good Morning

 

It strikes me that like me a lot of people are disappointed in Hornby's offering. So how many of us would it to take to write to Bachmann/Heljan/Vitrains/Hornby suggesting an accurate uptodate model. Maybe we could do a poll or by putting our names down suggesting the changes we would like to see to the model and suggested livery's etc, this surly would show them the numbers of people who would buy numerous loco's, could this spur them to make it? Especially someone like Bachmann as they could then do the N gauge Farish version.

 

 

At warley I had a good chat with the Vitrains Rep about class 50s - you never know!!

If they can do a 50 on par with ther 47 id be a very happy chappy

 

tfn

 

Jon

[brushman47544]

At warley I had a good chat with the Vitrains Rep about class 50s - you never know!!

If they can do a 50 on par with ther 47 id be a very happy chappy

 

tfn

 

Jon

And their huge bag of bits can include every optional extra imaginable...

 

Don't get me wrong - I like Class 50s, and bashed them until 50023 went into NSE livery, but personally I think we're lucky to have what is a pretty good model from Hornby. I hadn't noticed the front window error and it still doesn't really bother me. Yes, the individual livery errors are frustrating, but there are plenty of other newish models out there that are much worse for accuracy than the Hornby 50. Look at the front windows on the new Heljan 86...

 

Much as I would like to see them, and 50008 in particular, I'm not actually convinced there is a market out there for all the livery versions being mentioned - at least as standard models. The standard BR Blue and LL versions must sell because Hornby repeats them. LL with black roof, 50008, 19 etc. are perfect candidates for Limited Editions but noone has commissioned them. Perhaps over fears they won't sell?

 

MREMag, supported by a good number of magazines, is currently running the 2010 British Model Rail Wish List Poll, so there's a chance now to vote for a better Class 50 model. Can't see it happening though.

[vac_basher]

It strikes me that like me a lot of people are disappointed in Hornby's offering. So how many of us would it to take to write to Bachmann/Heljan/Vitrains/Hornby suggesting an accurate uptodate model.

 

Sounds like a good idea to me.

I'd like, in order of prefrence,

 

RNSE light

RNSE dark

LL black roof

ONSE

Laira blue

LL gray roof

LL blue roof (50010)

LL with small arrows (50023)

undercoat (50035)

 

imagine them doing an all new cl. 50 to the same spec as the Deltic prototype! B)

and if they were to do them unnumbered and with all the options (ploughs, pods, NSE flashes, ect) included in the box i'd sell my Hornby ones and buy 50 of them (honestly). even at say £150 a piece.

[35 Ark Royal]

i'd sell my Hornby ones and buy 50 of them (honestly). even at say £150 a piece.

Bloodey hell you must be a millionare!!

[50033]

I'm already considering selling my untouched Vacs and just concentrating on the few I've started detailing. Might hold on to the Limited editions though!

 

I would love to see a better release especially in terms of the louvres and windscreens. If they did that who knows how many I'd end up with.

30+ in 1990 & 10+ more to extend into 1991. Might even go back to 1985 too. Just to be safe put me down for 50 odd too.

 

Mark

[D6975]

50s in my fleet - zero.

 

I was going to buy a couple of D421s and renumber one, but when I saw the head on view of the model, the old wallet refused to part with hard earned dosh.

Those front windows are soooo wrong.

It screams out at you that the sad eyed droopy look of the real thing's windows just isn't there. The old Lima model had the same fault, which makes you wonder if the same drawings were used.

[brushman47544]

Those front windows are soooo wrong.

It screams out at you that the sad eyed droopy look of the real thing's windows just isn't there. The old Lima model had the same fault, which makes you wonder if the same drawings were used.

Interesting point about the drawings. Perhaps both Lima and Hornby did use the same official drawings...and EE manufactured the locos slightly differently. I'm sure I've read that the BRB messed around with the original design, although how much this affected the bodyshell I don't remember.

 

IIRC this was exactly the issue with the cab windows and surrounding area of the Lima and Heljan Westerns - Swindon's production did not match the official drawings. Scanning the real thing as Bachmann did with the excellent DELTIC for the NRM seems to produce the best results.

[vac_basher]

Bloodey hell you must be a millionare!!

 

Quite the conterary.

I think we all probably have to sacrifice somethings for our hobby, but I don't mind.

If I was a millionare I'd be collecting the real 12 inches to a foot scale ones

[gillinghamgus]

I thought Hornby scanned in a vac on the SVR? my theory on the windows is a structural compromise issue they made the middle pillar fatter to support the roof from kids leaning on the loco too hard? but as for the lack of sad eyes/droop maybe the scanning didn't pick that up? or from a track level angle it didn't compute?

 

I don't think there are any issues with the drawings because surely the BREL Doncaster drawings would be correct for the 1979-83 refurbishments as well as those from Vulcan foundry building plans if they were available? The BRB messed about with the internals of the loco from DP2 prototype (adding slow speed control and Rheostatic braking etc)

 

If Bachmann do vac of the MRM's DP1 DELTIC standard then yeah apart from a couple of Limited editions the fleet would be started again. Not so sure on Vtrains though I'm not convinced of their product..mind you I have only seen pics I must see them in the flesh or plastic as it were.

 

All these other prototypes in recent years, any chances of any manufacturer doing a decent DP2? I'd love one of them!

[vac_basher]

Not so sure on Vtrains though I'm not convinced of their product..mind you I have only seen pics I must see them in the flesh or plastic as it were.

 

I have a ViTrain 37. I don't like it. It really is a toy.

 

any chances of any manufacturer doing a decent DP2? I'd love one of them!

 

Same here B)

[gillinghamgus]

Perhaps that's the big Bachmann story on Sunday? They could be doing better production Deltic model and also DP2 with the side vac rad grills and Vac roof? only 2 days to find out..

 

The V-Trains 37's looks toy like and the 47 looks a bit better but not totally convinced!

 

Having said all that I see that Heljan are doing an O gauge production Deltic as well as a class 33 so how long before there's a chance of a RTR O gauge Vac.... that's a bit Ker-Ching, but I would cough up for at least one or two, im tempted by a blue 55 and massive speaker for the sound chip! Hmmmm

 

Edit:

As for asking for an improved class 50 I pointed out these things to Hornby on numerous occasions but I just get the standard response and no action, as for the RNSE window plug for 50027 I had a reply that they had no intention of correcting this with my suggestion!

Ok thanks only my money... 50013 and 50027 are avoided for that reason 50018 I may sell it?

 

One other point nobody has mentioned it the marker lights which should be painted as they look like broken glass on a grey roof as for the halogen main head light this could be a little silver in colour when not on as well? Limited edition 50149 has its marker lights painted and looks really good!

[35 Ark Royal]

Perhaps that's the big Bachmann story on Sunday? They could be doing better production Deltic model and also DP2 with the side vac rad grills and Vac roof? only 2 days to find out..

 

The V-Trains 37's looks toy like and the 47 looks a bit better but not totally convinced!

 

Having said all that I see that Heljan are doing an O gauge production Deltic as well as a class 33 so how long before there's a chance of a RTR O gauge Vac.... that's a bit Ker-Ching, but I would cough up for at least one or two, im tempted by a blue 55 and massive speaker for the sound chip! Hmmmm

 

Edit:

As for asking for an improved class 50 I pointed out these things to Hornby on numerous occasions but I just get the standard response and no action, as for the RNSE window plug for 50027 I had a reply that they had no intention of correcting this with my suggestion!

Ok thanks only my money... 50013 and 50027 are avoided for that reason 50018 I may sell it?

 

One other point nobody has mentioned it the marker lights which should be painted as they look like broken glass on a grey roof as for the halogen main head light this could be a little silver in colour when not on as well? Limited edition 50149 has its marker lights painted and looks really good!

So i think we all agree the Hornby model has a lot of faults with wrong front windows,adding windows when they shouldn,t etc.However in my view with all it,s faults you lucky 4mm modellers still have a half decent loco.If you think the windows are wrong on the Hornby model,just look at the Farish model in 2mm the front looks flat, the model looks like a toy and add to that no lighting.

I think the worse model they did was Dauntless you only have to look at ebay to find loads in the bargain basket.Where as Lion with the incorrect window and to light light blue RNSE livery seems to fetch a high price.So i obviously think people other than diehard vac fans like ourselves buy them regargdless or ingnorant of thier faults.I would be interested to know out of thier high spec models classes 31/50/56 and 60 which is the bigger seller?

[35 Ark Royal]

I agree if somebody did do a RR Vac in O gauge id have to get one but no prizes for guessing what number it would be

[vac_basher]

nobody has mentioned it the marker lights which should be painted as they look like broken glass on a grey roof as for the halogen main head light this could be a little silver in colour when not on as well? Limited edition 50149 has its marker lights painted and looks really good!

 

I concur.

 

Please Mr. Bachmann - a new class 50. Pleassseeeee!!

[gillinghamgus]

I would be interested to know out of thier high spec models classes 31/50/56 and 60 which is the bigger seller?

 

Well most of the class 31's are having problems with the Chassis snapping off and in some cases breaking the plastic body as well, plus they seem to be doing all standard blues with an unpainted body stripe, not many Doncaster fitted upside down fan covers,

 

Class 56's all three variants are done but the Crewe built ones (056-135) have less of a remodel and still uses the palitoy/Dapol sticker for the horn vents, the (031-056 batch) vent is used on all from (001-056)! The lights on 56013 seems to have a (056- 135 batch) style light and the (056-135 batch) numbers seems to have the (001-030 batch) rubber style light and the (056-135) so far has have a sealed beam replacement like those seen on 31/33/37/45/47 of the box style! now these may have been swapped over again over the years but looks more like a mistake to me? The only class I have not heard problems about is the 60's as these were a standard fleet.

 

The Blue grey HST power cars could have had the smoke deflectors fitted as well as those with out, plus they don't match the coaching stock for lines and what about Executive (No Swallows) intercity livery? the most prolific of the IC colours before swallows took over? the swallows don't match up to the paint job on the MK111 stock either.

 

Sorry if I sound really piccy but it bugs me when the make mistakes and yes nobody is perfect.... But the next batch could get the improvements?

[vac_basher]

I don't know if this is the right place, but a friend just asked me if the 50028 on Ebay was by Hornby or Lima.

As they're selling it as a Hornby when it is in fact actually a Lima model, I just thought I may as well bring it to your attention. If it's any help the item number is 220571435726

Shame really because it looks rather nice like that.

[vac_basher]

Not good news i'm affraid....

Just this evening have I noticed that a couple of my Hornby Vacs chassis have swelled (difficult to replace body after removal), similar to the Heljan 47 problem. I hope they don't break or crack the bodies.

I don't know which locos they originally were because my chassis have been mixed.

Is there a known fault with the Hornby 50 too? Should we be worried? I'll have to get all my locos out tomorrow and examine them all.

Say one of my profesionally repainted bodies were to get damaged. Would the manufactoror be liable for that?

I don't like this at all....

[The Fatadder]

I thought Hornby scanned in a vac on the SVR? my theory on the windows is a structural compromise issue they made the middle pillar fatter to support the roof from kids leaning on the loco too hard? but as for the lack of sad eyes/droop maybe the scanning didn't pick that up? or from a track level angle it didn't compute?

 

 

The roof is full of errors as well, so if they did scan a loco they really didnt do a very good job of it. likewise its not just the window which is wrong at the front, the profile of the top of the nose is incorrect as well.

 

 

I think the worse model they did was Dauntless you only have to look at ebay to find loads in the bargain basket.Where as Lion with the incorrect window and to light light blue RNSE livery seems to fetch a high price.So i obviously think people other than diehard vac fans like ourselves buy them regargdless or ingnorant of thier faults.I would be interested to know out of thier high spec models classes 31/50/56 and 60 which is the bigger seller?

Lion was fetching very low prices a couple of years back when I brought mine, I guess as a result of this all the cheap ones have finally been sold.

 

 

Not good news i'm affraid....

Just this evening have I noticed that a couple of my Hornby Vacs chassis have swelled (difficult to replace body after removal), similar to the Heljan 47 problem. I hope they don't break or crack the bodies.

I don't know which locos they originally were because my chassis have been mixed.

Is there a known fault with the Hornby 50 too? Should we be worried? I'll have to get all my locos out tomorrow and examine them all.

Say one of my profesionally repainted bodies were to get damaged. Would the manufactoror be liable for that?

I don't like this at all....

 

Now that is a worry, especially as its going to be a fair while until I can check mine.........