Jump to content
 

Hornby B1


Guest Tom F
 Share

Recommended Posts

I'm fortunate with mine:

 

and the 2 61138's have become 61005 'Bongo', of March shed and 61097 of New England

 

whilst the 61243 will become 61363 of Cambridge

 

I've still two Bachmann models - which are split chassis models, and DCC fitted and run very smoothly as:

 

61276 of York and

 

61010 'Wilderbeast' of DairyCoats

 

Perhaps the latter two will be replaced with Hornby versions but only in due time, when 61270 is release by Hornby

Link to post
Share on other sites

Well I like mine - a million times better than the Samsung I had before. Then again I don't pay for it.

 

I think 'DMR' is the phrase you're struggling with, Sean. I've had bits from them in the past although ISTR Ivan suggesting he'd been less successful.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

......I think 'DMR' is the phrase you're struggling with, Sean. I've had bits from them in the past although ISTR Ivan suggesting he'd been less successful.

 

Only ever had bits from DMR when I've caught Mike Russell trading at a show. And that has been..oooh twice in the last 12 years....... Then again, he doesn't really do the shows I've been to (Scaleforum, RailEx, Watford Finescale, Tolworth).

Link to post
Share on other sites

Here is some info collated by one of our group, which some of you may find helpful.

 

Scottish B1s with the narrower spaced brackets identified by photos are:

 

no electric lighting - 61081, 61103, 61134, 61172, 61184 (61081 also had a normally spaced bracket smokebox door during its career)

 

with electric lighting - 61197, 61221, 61243, 61261, 61278, 61290, 61342, 61347, 61350, 61351, 61357, 61397, 61400, 61401, 61403, 61404 (61197, 61221, 61261, 61350, 61351, 61357 and 61404 also had normally spaced smokebox doors during their careers).

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Bingo! (or perhaps Bongo?) Hornby have got the chassis layout oh so right on this model. Motor ahead of the driven axle so that as much weight as possible can go over the coupled wheels. (If they do a newly tooled 4-4-0 they could hang the motor in the smokebox this way, so that no traction tyres are required.) It's low down too, ideal for other Doncaster 7'3"+9' wb traction.

 

Going to have to fit a drawbar in the proper location though, wonder why they haven't continued with what they began so well on the Britannia?, Temporarily coupled with a new shorter link on the original screws it just needed the intermediate buffers filed obliquely to allow enough swing between loco and tender, looks so much better thus spaced with the fall plate and cab doors closing off the correct sized gap. The general sexiness of this production means that I won't be bothering to repower any more old Bach B1's.

Link to post
Share on other sites

In general appreciation of the Hornby B1 and the inimitable pleasures of the 1950s BR travel experience, here is a somewhat messed-around version of an unmodified 61138 presumably after a visit to the paintshop....

 

What a lovely model!

 

post-7929-0-75128800-1344059357.jpg

Edited by robmcg
  • Like 6
Link to post
Share on other sites

Finally got my hands on mine this morning.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! VERY tasty.

Some Gibson Wheels for a gauge conversion and some replacement bits from Planet Bradwell methinks.

Wonder what else may appear mind for the finescale noodlers???

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Might have been mentioned somewhere before, but how do you remove the smoke box door on the B1?

 

Thin scalpel blade (#9 is a good one) inserted between outer edge of ring and smokebox. Should pop off with minimum of fuss. Has a square lug at the top and the same at the bottom.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Thin scalpel blade (#9 is a good one) inserted between outer edge of ring and smokebox. Should pop off with minimum of fuss. Has a square lug at the top and the same at the bottom.

 

 

Make sure you pop out the handrail knob first though - it will hold things back a little otherwise.

 

Dave.

 

Thanks for the tips, worked like a charm ;)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...
  • RMweb Gold

Finally got my hands on mine this morning.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!! VERY tasty.

Some Gibson Wheels for a gauge conversion and some replacement bits from Planet Bradwell methinks.

Wonder what else may appear mind for the finescale noodlers???

 

IAK,

 

If you're EMing then I successfully widened the the drivers as supplied. I used the Gibsons for the bogies and tender though and did a Bradwell replacement for the dome and chimney.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/55838-Hornby-b1-em-conversion/

 

Worked very well (so far!)

 

Gus

 

post-1879-0-29220900-1353189937_thumb.jpg

  • Like 11
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

When you poped off the smokebox door did it still leave the ring around the box where the door sits up against. Am planning to do some modelling myself now - given no new B1s from Hornby this year! have ordered the door from 247 developments.

 

Having done this one myself, I can describe what's underneath the door. There is a tapered moulding to the inside of the smokebox that mates with the original door. I used a D49 door for this one and had to modify the outside of it so that it would sit snugly into the aperture. A small amount of filing around the outside edge of the donor door to remove the "step" on the inside is all that is needed. It is worth carefully salvaging all the detail off the original door, unless you're going to reuse it elsewhere.

 

Incidentally, what's to become of the old door once you're done with it? I might have a potential use for it.... ;)

 

Cheers,

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

Couldn't resist photographing my old Bachmann weathered 61008 renumbered 61018 'Gnu' .. a York and Darlington engine I believe, with four Hornby Gresleys; brake 3rd, 3rd, composite, brake third, on a Darlington-Scarborough via Kettleness train c1957. Should have weathered a Hornby version, but have used a bit of editing to make a nice picture....

 

I do hope B1s actually ran on this spectacular line...

 

post-7929-0-37405500-1365031364.jpg

 

Rob

 

edit,  apparently B1s did not operate over Sandsend viaducts between Kettleness and Whitby West Cliff but I am not sure...  it might have therefore been a Scarborough-Whitby special...

Edited by robmcg
  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...