Hornby - Thompson O1

[Guest Tom F]

One for next year perhaps?

If the O1 sells well a O4/8 is a natural follow on. The only major difference is the Valve Gear . Design clever !! sort off

 

If Bachmann had done an all new B1 rather than Hornby I think we could have guaranteed an O4/8 from them.

[micklner]

Perhaps but very shortsighted on the the B1 and the V2 (sadly) and A4 . Hopefully Hornby will take advantage of Bachmann's oversight and make use of their GS Tender for a new V2 . It would sell in bucketloads

Edited February 3, 2013 by micklner

[S.A.C Martin]

I'm not wholly convinced that we're not going to hear Bachmann doing an O4/8 this year. Minimal changes required and a lot of things can be reused very easily from the existing O4 tooling. There were 99 O4/8 conversions made up until 1958, so plenty of numbers to choose from, a few different liveries too (LNER, BR branding, cycling lion and late crest). 

 

The question is, whether or not it's different enough from their O4 for a potential purchaser to say "I'll have that and all". Hornby I think nailed it with the O1 as it's different enough to the O4 to have that factor. Bachmann - well, if they can do a GWR Rod, an O4/8 isn't too different, as they say...

 

Mick, in complete agreement RE the V2, but I'm surprised - still - how well the Bachmann one scrubs up with careful modelling and a decent coating of weathering. Their A4 retooled model is a mystery in many respects, but it seems to sell well so perhaps there's room in the market for it after all.

 

I am hoping they announce a retooled V3 in future, the one model I'm loathe to touch until the February announcements. With Hornby's excellent L1, the V3 is the missing link we need for ECML modelling with a DCC ready chassis. Certainly I won't be touching a Bachmann V3 again until the chassis is done anew or the whole model replaced.

 

It will be interesting to see what Bachmann are looking to do in the coming year.

[micklner]

No idea why anyone would buy a Bachmann A4 miles behind the Hornby version. As to the current BR colour and lining "yuk".

 

Re the V1/V3, including a new body would be excellent. 

 

The J39 is just as needed. With a new Tender it would scrub up nicely the actual Loco body is quite nice.

 

Bachmann should jump on the Q6 well overdue and a chassis not a lot different from the O4 they already have.

[31A]

I got mine nicely weathered up several weks ago, using the same prototype picture as Tim for inspiration (post #164), but was probably a bit more restrained than him!.  The picture below was taken on an I phone, the cameras on them don't seem to be the best for photographing models:

 

 

 

I hadn't looked at it for a while, but this afternoon it was rostered for the Ferme Park trip again, and oil had leached up from underneath the boiler all through the paint I'd applied, making it glossy - aarghh!   The same had ahppened up the back of the tender (from the join between the body and underframe) - not quite the effect I had in mind!

[davidw]

Looks quite acceptable Steve!

[31A]

Thanks David!  Picture taken prior to oil leak catastrophe

[Guest Tom F]

Thanks David!  Picture taken prior to oil leak catastrophe

 

I've had this problem before Steve....i've found the best solution is to just leave it, it will eventually fade. I have an O4 (and my O1 did it too) and two months later it's all but disappeared.

[31A]

Thanks Tom, that's encouraging - I shall, erm wait and see then....

[S.A.C Martin]

Looks pretty good to me! Lots of excellent weathering exercises with the O1s going on since their release.

 

Silly question possibly - has anybody added to their initial purchases as yet with further models? I am selling off a few models to fund a further O1. It's just such a terrific model, and I do feel like tackling the mods ably demonstrated by Tom F elsewhere on the forum.

[45568]

Looks pretty good to me! Lots of excellent weathering exercises with the O1s going on since their release.

 

Silly question possibly - has anybody added to their initial purchases as yet with further models? I am selling off a few models to fund a further O1. It's just such a terrific model, and I do feel like tackling the mods ably demonstrated by Tom F elsewhere on the forum.

Hattons appear to have none in stock SAC, don't know about the other big outlets. Watching an LNER one on OzEbay at the moment, it will either go for peanuts ar a sheep station!

Cheers, Peter C.

 PS. Not selling that A2/1 are you??

[S.A.C Martin]

Nope, not selling the A2/1! I think it's great that it seems to be sold out at the major box shifters. Indicative of a popular model.

[RedgateModels]

Just in case anyone's missed it over in the DCC sound section, here's my O1 with a Paul Chetter sound chip

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/69101-Hornby-o1-with-zimo-mx-645/?p=971223

[Silver Sidelines]

A quick scan of the previous nine pages of this thread does not appear to mention 'the footplate'.



I thought at first that I had a 'duff model' but seems that Hornby hadn't spotted the problem when they designed the packaging.

It is relatively easy to cure but as already said - a bit of a bodge!

10/10 for the 28xx only 9/10 for the O1?

Regards

Ray

[S.A.C Martin]

Mine didn't have the footplate problem when I bought it. It was, and remains, perfectly level. I'll accept there are maybe a few out there where the valve gear may interfere with the running plate, but I would say the O1 is still better than the 28XX for other valid reasons (cylinders not out far enough on the 28XX for starters), along with the supreme mechanism with flywheel.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the O1 was "robbed" of Model of the Year (in my opinion - perhaps solitary in this, I'll also accept!), the C Class being much more high profile but not quite as excellent as the O1.

 

Having said that, the SECR livery C Class Bachmann put out really did look utterly fantastic, and perhaps that alone put it above the Thompson O1.

[RedgateModels]

Hmmmm,

 

mine does, thanks for the heads up Ray, I'll see if I can sort it next time it's out of the box

[31A]

Just had a look at mine, and have to say I can't detect any deflection of the running plate.  It did occur to me when separating the body from the mechanism that the running plate moulding seemed quite delicate, and that Bachmann would probably have used a metal casting in a similar situation; however in that case the result may have had slightly less 'finesse' about it.

[kristopher1805]

Couple of things here, if you think about it the grouping railways had each a mixed traffic loco and a big freighter although here the SR had less requirement, so Hornby have already covered most of the bases, then also an express 4-6-0

 

LNER B1 and O1 & B17

GWR 28xx 2884 and Hall & Castle/County/Star

LMS Black 5 and 8F, & Scot/Patriot

Southern ? and perhaps Q1 as alternative to a 2-8-0 and N15

 

There are some gaps but Hornby have done well here, all popular locos and all popular choices, I agree model of the year could have gone to Hornby for the excellent O1 or even brilliant B1.

 

Less obvious is the P2 but most will buy one out of interest, this is so especially when one takes to the tracks again so where are the gaps?

 

Bachmann have gone with designs of late that have no valve gear if you consider what they have turned out recently 3F, soon 4F, J11, D11, Compound, most of the others on the stocks

 

Other thing to note is that Southern modellers pay more, who can say they do not with the ridiculous M7 pricing so that leaves me thinking that the obvious contender for attention is the S15 and I would certainly buy one or two with a nice profit margin. 

 

The other market holes are now K1, S15, Q6, B16, J20, now with Bachmann taking on the Stanier mogul

As to the O4/8 the Bachmann chassis and footplate is designed to take different boilers so they must have a head start, there were 99 of these in the end and had a big spread across the LNER system so this would do well, I doubt it would be worth the effort to go after that market for Hornby as Bachmann are obviously there already but who knows, the O1 does provide the same basis nearly anyway.

 

If I were running Hornby it would be the S15 next

If I were running Bachmann it would be O4/8

 

sadly I am running neither. 

[Mallard60022]

I think it might be worth a 'punt' on a S15 for the near future.

I think this O1 looks brilliant.

P @36E

Edited March 26, 2013 by Mallard60022

[coachmann]

04/8 variant was still being turned out well into BR days and they looked brand new! But having seen them all around Dukinfield,  the 04/7 with its large boiler and smokebox made the rest look under-boilered! So hopefully Bachmann will get around to doing more with its 04 in due course.

 

The Eastern Region will be sitting pretty for 8-coupled locos when the P2 and 02 comes out, but this surfiet does make me wonder if it is also putting back the day of the NER Q6 0-8-0. I don't need to visit Mystic Meg or Mons Meg to I feel in my water that Hornby will produce the GNR J6 0-6-0 next. Not wish listing, honest guv!

Edited March 26, 2013 by coachmann

[Mod4]

A reminder that this topic is specifically about the Hornby O1 so please do not head off topic into a wishlisting mire, I know. Wretched, isn't it?

[7013]

Took the plunge and bought one of these beauties today (little treat while waiting for the Garratt). Ran very well straight from the box, front bogie runs a bit high, wheels sporadically inactive on code 75, but run fine on code 100, a little weight should cure that problem. The only gripe I have is the horrendous packaging, what a faff getting the loco out of the box, and even worse trying to put it back, fortunately I rarely store my locos in their original boxes so it will not be a problem, but it is high time Hornby settled on a style of packaging that is both robust and convenient to use.

Anyway that will not detract from this gorgeous bit of LNER machinery, it sticks in the throat a bit being a GWR man to admit that this is a beauty.

[Daniel533]

Picked up LNER O1 3755 from the Hornby Visitor Centre yesterday, they have around 12 to 18 O1's in LNER livery selling for £79.99, also spotted was B17 Thorpe Hall going for the same price.

[7013]

I am sick Daniel533 (with envy at the price).

[Horsetan]

Picked up LNER O1 3755 from the Hornby Visitor Centre yesterday, they have around 12 to 18 O1's in LNER livery selling for £79.99, also spotted was B17 Thorpe Hall going for the same price.

 

I think it was last year that Hattons (Liverpool) were selling off Hornby B1s for about £70, so I broke the habit of a lifetime and actually bought a new one. The more I look at it, the more I think I should put the Bradwell B1 chassis under it instead of the Bachmann bodyshell.