Hornby castle arriving?

[gwrrob]

Whilst browsing I've noticed quite a difference in price on the new Castle.I've seen it advertised for £140 and now I see Hattons are doing it for £108.

 

The new 'Caerphilly' is £136

 

Why is this ?

 

http://www.ehattons.com/stocklist/results.aspx?searchfield=Hornby%20castle

[Ian Hargrave]

Whilst browsing I've noticed quite a difference in price on the new Castle.I've seen it advertised for £140 and now I see Hattons are doing it for £108.

 

The new 'Caerphilly' is £136

 

Why is this ?

 

http://www.ehattons.com/stocklist/results.aspx?searchfield=Hornby%20castle[/quote

Well spotted.....a good question....one which needs a convincing answer.Could it perhaps be due to the NRM tag ?

[gwrrob]

Well spotted.....a good question....one which needs a convincing answer.Could it perhaps be due to the NRM tag ?

 

No.It was a like for like price for 'Wellington' with a £32 difference from two retailers.

[The Stationmaster]

Surely the GWR never used such an American term as 'consist'? 'Rake' possibly, unless that's just a modelling term. 

The correct term is 'formation'.  The first use of 'consist' I ever came across was when TOPS arrived in 1973 although I believe it might possibly have been used a few years previously with ATI (Advanced Traffic Information).

 

'Caerphilly' is possibly priced that way because of cashing in on the NRM association although I see I could offer one of my 7037s to Hattons in exchange for a 'Penrice' and a few coaches, and they could still sell it on at a profit.  Incidentally Hornby are listing 'Caerphilly' at £146.99, i.e £3 more than their list price for 'Penrice' so I suspect that what Hattons are doing is banking on 'Caerphilly' being a good seller and doing better than 'Penrice' hence they're not offering such a deep discount and are actually going to sell it at a profit (which seems unlikely  for 'Penrice' in view of what they are charging for it). Kernow are charging the same prices as Hornby for "Penrice' and 'Wellington' which is hardly surprising as no doubt most other retailers with a calculator will be doing more or less the same in view of Hornby's abysmal trade discount.

[Coppercap]

The correct term is 'formation'.  The first use of 'consist' I ever came across was when TOPS arrived in 1973 although I believe it might possibly have been used a few years previously with ATI (Advanced Traffic Information).

 

 

 

Thank you, 'formation' does sound a more suitably British, and 'proper' term! 

[Coach bogie]

Whilst browsing I've noticed quite a difference in price on the new Castle.I've seen it advertised for £140 and now I see Hattons are doing it for £108.

 

The new 'Caerphilly' is £136

 

Why is this ?

 

http://www.ehattons.com/stocklist/results.aspx?searchfield=Hornby%20castle[/quote

Well spotted.....a good question....one which needs a convincing answer.Could it perhaps be due to the NRM tag ?

I put it down to the NRM contribution. It is the one Castle I do have on order purely due to the 3,500 gallon tender for an early 1930's photo I have. One area I failed to spot that it is obviously in 'preserved' condition which means a fire iron tunnel. Oh well out with the drills.

 

I was tempted by Wellington for a 1946 coaching set I have, but was put off by the BR condition inside cylinder chest with the foot grip plate.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Ian Hargrave]

I put it down to the NRM contribution. It is the one Castle I do have on order purely due to the 3,500 gallon tender for an early 1930's photo I have. One area I failed to spot that it is obviously in 'preserved' condition which means a fire iron tunnel. Oh well out with the drills.

 

I was tempted by Wellington for a 1946 coaching set I have, but was put off by the BR condition inside cylinder chest with the foot grip plate.

 

Mike Wiltshire[/quote

An acceptable (?) way of presenting Wellington would be to remove the tender crest (sacrilege!) and to transfer 'British Railways' in its place.What is lamentably missing is suitable coaching stock to run with it....hence..spare my blushes...my use of the 'c' word.

That is in itself an impossible task to replicate....a situation that remained until way into the mid 50's when the ubiquitous Mark 1 brought some semblance of order to the WR scene..I used the word 'ragbag' in an earlier posting.

For the ultimate in masochism,a night on a late departure from Paddington to Cardiff in late 1959 with a compartment full of sixth formers returning from a school trip to The Old Vic 'As You Like It'......when I fell head over heels in calf love with a young Judy Dench...that's another story....we 'slept' head down on a WR Collett 2nd .I still bear the scars to authenticate it.

I

[Ozexpatriate]

For the ultimate in masochism,a night on a late departure from Paddington to Cardiff in late 1959 with a compartment full of sixth formers returning from a school trip to The Old Vic 'As You Like It'......when I fell head over heels in calf love with a young Judy Dench...that's another story....we 'slept' head down on a WR Collett 2nd .I still bear the scars to authenticate it.

"Good shepherd, tell this youth what 'tis to love."

[Rugd1022]

For the ultimate in masochism,a night on a late departure from Paddington to Cardiff in late 1959 with a compartment full of sixth formers returning from a school trip to The Old Vic 'As You Like It'......when I fell head over heels in calf love with a young Judy Dench...that's another story....we 'slept' head down on a WR Collett 2nd .I still bear the scars to authenticate it.

I

 

Post of the week for me is this! Conjures up images of 'proper railway romance'...

 

(Veering off topic for a mo if I may - talking of rag-tag GWR / early WR formations I've been delving into the books again with this in mind, there are numerous examples of really interesting mixtures of pre and post war passenger stock in normal everyday use, even in books which concentrate on locos there's often something of interest which stands out a bit further back in the frame. All good stuff and looking at these books again makes me wish I hadn't sold some of my WR stock earlier this year).

 

Back on topic - must dig out my 7004 'Eastnor Castle' and get it finished.

[The Great Bear]

Picked mine up today,

 

Got it to the car and checked it out, serious bending to the footplate, along with the smokebox dart broken off in the box.

 

 

 

Mine (from Liverpool) the same - poor, and returned and as now not in stock refunded. In any case if I understand Book of Castles correctly Wellington whilst the right shed for my layout, Stafford Rd, did not get the Hawksworth tender til 1948 and only one or two other potential candidates. No great loss as it turns out.

[gwrrob]

Mine (from Liverpool) the same - poor, and returned and as now not in stock refunded. In any case if I understand Book of Castles correctly Wellington whilst the right shed for my layout, Stafford Rd, did not get the Hawksworth tender til 1948 and only one or two other potential candidates. No great loss as it turns out.

February 1948 I believe.

Edited September 3, 2014 by gwrrob

[Silver Sidelines]

A few observations on the arrival of R3118 Penrice Castle.  

 

It was opened with the usual trepidation.  My example would appear to run smoothy in a straight line - so that's very good. 

 

I am not sure how or why, but my engine has a slight rub mark on the top of he boiler from contact with Hornby's celluloid packaging.  This was sorted with a very light rubbing with a tissue soaked in white spirit.  Too much rubbing and the surface will polish. 

 

On further inspection the next day it was clear that the boiler handrail on the driver's side was quite badly misshapen and perhaps the locomotive should have been returned.  Attempts to bend with a pair of tweezers proved fruitless.  However I would try the 'Uri Geller' technique and gently massage the wire back into shape.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  Slow and gentle would appear to be the key words. The handrail is now as good as the previous Sanda Kan products.

 

In contrast to the previous model the engine and tender are permanently screwed together.  I did attempt to reattach the tender using the closer spacing on the coupling bar but it is too close.  Be warned refitting the coupling bar is like one of those Christmas puzzles.  I suspect something not so design clever.  In addition to raised shoulders on the fixing screws, Hornby have also used two pairs of washers to provide sufficient slack to allow free movement of the coupling bar in both the vertical and horizontal plains.  Getting the screw back in its hole still with its two washers is quite challenging.

 

Whilst 'playing' with the tender I happened to notice that one of the steps / foot holds on the rear of the tender was almost complete detached.  This was refixed with a spot of Butanone.  It is not a problem that I have ever noticed before - but something definitely worth checking as in my case the plastic detail was on the point of dropping off - never to be found again.

 

As Hornby engines go - not a bad model.

 

Ray

Edited September 5, 2014 by Silver Sidelines

[toboldlygo]

A few observations on the arrival of R3118 Penrice Castle.  

 

It was opened with the usual trepidation.  My example would appear to run smoothy in a straight line - so that's very good. 

 

I am not sure how or why, but my engine has a slight rub mark on the top of he boiler from contact with Hornby's celluloid packaging.  This was sorted with a very light rubbing with a tissue soaked in white spirit.  Too much rubbing and the surface will polish. 

 

On further inspection the next day it was clear that the boiler handrail on the driver's side was quite badly misshapen and perhaps the locomotive should have been returned.  Attempts to bend with a pair of tweezers proved fruitless.  However I would try the 'Uri Geller' technique and gently massage the wire back into shape.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  Slow and gentle would appear to be the key words. The handrail is now as good as the previous Sanda Kan products.

 

In contrast to the previous model the engine and tender are permanently screwed together.  I did attempt to reattach the tender using the closer spacing on the coupling bar but it is too close.  Be warned refitting the coupling bar is like one of those Christmas puzzles.  I suspect something not so design clever.  In addition to raised shoulders on the fixing screws, Hornby have also used two pairs of washers to provide sufficient slack to allow free movement of the coupling bar in both the vertical and horizontal plains.  Getting the screw back in its hole still with its two washers is quite challenging.

 

Whilst 'playing' with the tender I happened to notice that one of the steps / foot holds on the rear of the tender was almost complete detached.  This was refixed with a spot of Butanone.  It is not a problem that I have ever noticed before - but something definitely worth checking as in my case the plastic detail was on the point of dropping off - never to be found again.

 

As Hornby engines go - not a bad model.

 

Ray

 

What's the Factory code on the box?

[Silver Sidelines]

Hi TBG

What's the Factory code on the box?

REF01-90371

R3118-25-852

 

Obviously 'Refined' and R3118.  Do the other numbers mean anything?

 

Regards

 

Ray

[toboldlygo]

Hi TBG

REF01-90371

R3118-25-852

 

Obviously 'Refined' and R3118.  Do the other numbers mean anything?

 

Regards

 

Ray

 

Not sure, possibly production slot numbers

[leavesontheline]

A few observations on the arrival of R3118 Penrice Castle.  

 

It was opened with the usual trepidation.  My example would appear to run smoothy in a straight line - so that's very good. 

 

I am not sure how or why, but my engine has a slight rub mark on the top of he boiler from contact with Hornby's celluloid packaging.  This was sorted with a very light rubbing with a tissue soaked in white spirit.  Too much rubbing and the surface will polish. 

 

On further inspection the next day it was clear that the boiler handrail on the driver's side was quite badly misshapen and perhaps the locomotive should have been returned.  Attempts to bend with a pair of tweezers proved fruitless.  However I would try the 'Uri Geller' technique and gently massage the wire back into shape.  I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.  Slow and gentle would appear to be the key words. The handrail is now as good as the previous Sanda Kan products.

 

In contrast to the previous model the engine and tender are permanently screwed together.  I did attempt to reattach the tender using the closer spacing on the coupling bar but it is too close.  Be warned refitting the coupling bar is like one of those Christmas puzzles.  I suspect something not so design clever.  In addition to raised shoulders on the fixing screws, Hornby have also used two pairs of washers to provide sufficient slack to allow free movement of the coupling bar in both the vertical and horizontal plains.  Getting the screw back in its hole still with its two washers is quite challenging.

 

Whilst 'playing' with the tender I happened to notice that one of the steps / foot holds on the rear of the tender was almost complete detached.  This was refixed with a spot of Butanone.  It is not a problem that I have ever noticed before - but something definitely worth checking as in my case the plastic detail was on the point of dropping off - never to be found again.

 

As Hornby engines go - not a bad model.

 

Ray

 

Interesting. Would the end result show up in a photo? (assuming you were able to take one!) I'd like to see if this method really takes the polished area back to a satin/matt finish like the surrounding paintwork? For some years when Hornby had the two-part split polystyrene packaging almost every model I picked up had badly polished areas on the boiler tops/roof sections where the packaging and the tissue paper they used to use (seemingly the hardest material known to man!) had rubbed away at the paintwork. I never found a satisfactory method for removing it, short of doing a full satin coat respray which was not on the cards for me.

 

Thankfully all recent Hornby purchases, both newer models in the new packaging and (strangely) older ones in the older packaging do not seem to have suffered from this phenomenon ..... until R3105 Wellington that is! It is only very minor and nowhere near as bad as I used to experience but there is a small polished area on my example on top of the boiler. The packaging is odd because the clear plastic internal part that actually holds the loco appears to have been manually cut out around the chimney and the safety valve bonnet. It is almost as if the plastic moulding was designed for another loco! Unfortunately where these two holes have been crudely cut out, the sharp plastic front edge of the 'safety valve' hole just touches on the boiler top and has polished the paint slightly. At normal viewing distances you don't see it but it bugs me all the same! Rather un-usefully, the separate strip of flexible clear plastic Hornby use along the top of newer models in this clear packaging was only positioned over the tender and the cab roof! Had it been in place along the top of the boiler it would have prevented the marks on the top of the boiler!

 

Other than that, this seems like another good product from the 'Refined' factory. Operation a slow speeds was very jerky to start with - in fact I almost thought it was a non-runner at first - but this seems to be slowly improving with running in. At normal speeds it is fine and a very smooth runner with no 'waddling' which one of my older examples from SK exhibits.

[6959]

Mine (from Liverpool) the same - poor, and returned and as now not in stock refunded. In any case if I understand Book of Castles correctly Wellington whilst the right shed for my layout, Stafford Rd, did not get the Hawksworth tender til 1948 and only one or two other potential candidates. No great loss as it turns out.

Picture of 5030 Shirburn Castle at unknown date when coupled to a Hawksworth tender G [arms] W.

 

 

Also 5022 Wigmore Castle in official GWR photo.

 

[Metr0Land]

Presumable the above two pics can be dated fairly precisely in the late 40's?  By the time they had Hawksworth tenders in the 50's they surely have had BR crests?

 

http://brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=5022&loco=5022

 

http://brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=5030&loco=5030

[Ian Hargrave]

It ain't necessarily so....many locos carried the old GW coat of arms well beyond 1948.A few sported them even until withdrawal in the early 60's. Dating GW tenders is not that straightforward.These days,photographic evidence is not as reliable as you might think. The photographers have departed to the Great Engine Shed and albums are subject to "editing" by successive publishers.

[Metr0Land]

It ain't necessarily so....many locos carried the old GW coat of arms well beyond 1948.A few sported them even until withdrawal in the early 60's.

 

 

...but the GWR weren't taking official photos in the 50's so I would contend the official GWR pic of 5022 does date it quite narrowly (unless the BR database is wrong).

Edited September 11, 2014 by Metr0Land

[6959]

Presumable the above two pics can be dated fairly precisely in the late 40's?  By the time they had Hawksworth tenders in the 50's they surely have had BR crests?

 

http://brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=5022&loco=5022

 

http://brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=5030&loco=5030

 

Not a Castle but here is a picture of a Hall in 1953 with Hawksworth tender yet still in GWR late-1940s livery

 

[6959]

Picture that Simon Kohler posted some while ago showing 5075 'Wellington' in post war G arms W livery. Repeated in case somebody cannot find the earlier link.

 

 

 

[6959]

I put it down to the NRM contribution. It is the one Castle I do have on order purely due to the 3,500 gallon tender for an early 1930's photo I have. One area I failed to spot that it is obviously in 'preserved' condition which means a fire iron tunnel. Oh well out with the drills.

 

I was tempted by Wellington for a 1946 coaching set I have, but was put off by the BR condition inside cylinder chest with the foot grip plate.

 

Mike Wiltshire[/quote

An acceptable (?) way of presenting Wellington would be to remove the tender crest (sacrilege!) and to transfer 'British Railways' in its place.What is lamentably missing is suitable coaching stock to run with it....hence..spare my blushes...my use of the 'c' word.

That is in itself an impossible task to replicate....a situation that remained until way into the mid 50's when the ubiquitous Mark 1 brought some semblance of order to the WR scene..I used the word 'ragbag' in an earlier posting.

For the ultimate in masochism,a night on a late departure from Paddington to Cardiff in late 1959 with a compartment full of sixth formers returning from a school trip to The Old Vic 'As You Like It'......when I fell head over heels in calf love with a young Judy Dench...that's another story....we 'slept' head down on a WR Collett 2nd .I still bear the scars to authenticate it.

I

 

Thanks for pointing out that the model has the wrong shape inside cylinder cover. Do I buy it and modify it or get 5022, 5030 or 5075 in late 1940s condition, by another modelling route.

 

Hattons link to pic...

 

https://hattonsimages.blob.core.windows.net/products/R3105_1045697_Qty1_1.jpg

[6959]

A photo of 5075 'Wellington' towing a 4000 gallon Collett tender bearing what looks like 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' on its side.

 

 

It has old steam pipes but new inside cylinder cover as used on the Hornby model.

 

Make up your own mind of the date from this link....

 

http://brdatabase.info/locoqry.php?action=locodata&type=S&id=5075&loco=5075

 

This could be a way of salvaging the Hornby model as it would otherwise be in GWR livery with lined firebox.

[Silver Sidelines]

Hi LoL

 

Your description of the celluloid packaging reflects exactly the situation with Penrice Castle.

 

I will try to get you a picture but I have been delayed in replying because our BT Broadband line has fallen over and doesn't lool like getting fixed any time soon - be warned.

 

White spirit does polish so it is a question of trade off - remove the abrasion or polish the surface.  I have a little cut mark which has been 'softened'. 

 

When you  buy by post you have to weigh up the options - when to send something back and will the replacement be any better. 

 

I will report again when BT have fixed the line!!!!!

 

Regards

 

Ray

 

 

 

Interesting. Would the end result show up in a photo? (assuming you were able to take one!)...

...

.... until R3105 Wellington that is! It is only very minor and nowhere near as bad as I used to experience but there is a small polished area on my example on top of the boiler. The packaging is odd because the clear plastic internal part that actually holds the loco appears to have been manually cut out around the chimney and the safety valve bonnet. It is almost as if the plastic moulding was designed for another loco! Unfortunately where these two holes have been crudely cut out, the sharp plastic front edge of the 'safety valve' hole just touches on the boiler top and has polished the paint slightly. At normal viewing distances you don't see it but it bugs me all the same! Rather un-usefully, the separate strip of flexible clear plastic Hornby use along the top of newer models in this clear packaging was only positioned over the tender and the cab roof! Had it been in place along the top of the boiler it would have prevented the marks on the top of the boiler!..