RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted December 1, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 1, 2013 Of the magazines I find that Model Rail are the best for reviews. Railway Modeller reviews are very soft and I tend to think of them as more product announcement than review. Hornby Magazine can be good and can be terrible, I've seen a few howlers in their reviews whilst I find Rail Express can be a bit over the top and need to sometimes take a step back. Model Rail I find do thorough reviews whilst at the same time being realistic in accepting the limitations of series produced models and that their readership have differing ideas over what is an acceptable level of detail and realism. I generally find them to be fair and balanced and free of (overt at least) alternative agendas. Which I find refreshing in terms of magazine reviews for anything. On the Star, the more I see it the more I feel comfortable with my original feeling that whilst it is not perfect and could (should) be a bit better it is nevertheless still a nice model and way better than any other Star I'm in a position to obtain unless I spend serious ££££'s to a professional kit builder. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted December 1, 2013 Share Posted December 1, 2013 Coming to my layout thread soon.A taster for you......It does scrub up well. In all, not bad for a mass produced model built to a price level. I'm happy with mine... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 I have a Hornby Star, ok model rail review is spot on but from my perspective, I think it's a great model as is despite its various minor faults. my only real dislike being the short horizontal cab hand rails which look more like wings from most viewing angles. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted December 2, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 2, 2013 My second one has turned up. On removing it from the packaging I saw the water scope standard jammed in the packaging and on removing the loco from the packaging the body came away from ths chassis. On checking the instructions on the removal of the body from the chassis I discovered that the 'nut' that should be fixed into the body under the smokebox had in fact not been glued in. I still have to put them on some track to try them out. SS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lofty1966 Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 My second one has turned up. On removing it from the packaging I saw the water scope standard jammed in the packaging and on removing the loco from the packaging the body came away from ths chassis. On checking the instructions on the removal of the body from the chassis I discovered that the 'nut' that should be fixed into the body under the smokebox had in fact not been glued in. I still have to put them on some track to try them out. SS Two ? That's just greedy.....as usual I'm gonna be the last one on the planet to get mine.... pfft Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted December 3, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 3, 2013 Two ? That's just greedy.....as usual I'm gonna be the last one on the planet to get mine.... pfft Yes, two, the certificate for the second was 177 the first one was 63. Hope this will help you to find out if you're likely to be in this lot of lucky receipiants. Mine will be regauged to EM and back dated to 1922 livery. Names and numbers to be decided, but will be on Laira's allocation for the mid '20's. SS 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 From Hattons today; >>Hornby R3167 Class 4000 4-6-0 Star 4061 'Glastonbury Abbey' in BR green with early emblem & 4000 gallon tender. DCC Ready £108.00 Our latest information from the supplier suggests this item will arrive with us on or after Monday 23rd December 2013 Whilst we are hopeful this information is accurate, manufacturer lead times are frequently prone to be delayed. This information is to be used as a guide only. << I am not really sure whether I should bother pre-ordering any more... my initial reaction is what the hell I'll just buy if and when they are available, or buy other models second-hand, and get rid of the UNCERTAINTY. Hurrmphhh Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted December 3, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 3, 2013 You're welcome Rob to have a play with my image in post 1052 to come up with one of your masterpieces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 (edited) Thankyou Robin, a most civilised and generous offer. Actually, having fluked a GWR Star from Kernows over a month ago I guess I could photo-edit that into BR guise too, with appropriate name number and detail changes as in the methods used for Hornby catalogue photos... Part of my impatience is that I have bought a few GWR style coaches, just cheap nasty older ones, and want to have a full week of GWR 'stuff' out on my diorama, but have held off waiting for 4061. Currently a weathered Duchess in early BR lined black is being photographed. Cheers, Rob typo edit Edited December 3, 2013 by robmcg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted December 4, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 4, 2013 It is sometimes difficult to 'keep the faith',Rob,is it not? This year,even pre-orders have not been a guarantee of fulfilment,in any case.That said,I took the plunge yesterday with Hattons and ordered 71000 in full knowledge of that.If only we were kept informed..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 One can only assume that Hornby themselves don't know where their finished products are, e.g. the arrival date of 18 Nov 2014 for 4061 Glastonbury Abbey must have been based on some sort of knowledge, that the locos were finished, and en route at least. This points to the possibility that shipments to Margate are in part container loads and are not reliable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted December 4, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 4, 2013 Hornby, ring up your Chinese manufacturers and give them a damm good talking too, threaten expensive legal action, do something as this is getting beyond a joke and your company is being crippled and will die if this utter shambles is not sorted out and you cease being effectively held to ransom by your contractors. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted December 4, 2013 Share Posted December 4, 2013 It is sometimes difficult to 'keep the faith',Rob,is it not? This year,even pre-orders have not been a guarantee of fulfilment,in any case.That said,I took the plunge yesterday with Hattons and ordered 71000 in full knowledge of that.If only we were kept informed..... As I just mentioned on the 'prediction' thread I took the plunge and bought a Britannia and a Black 5 off a box-shifter, and can add here in further off-thread comment that I did so because I prefer the Brit to the DoG, knowing the latter's patchy performance in BR days... whether that was breathing, valve-setting, or crew-familiarity I do not know, but I was rostered to haul that Euston-northwards turn in the 50s I think I would have preferred a Princess or Duchess. That said, the engine has now been 'sorted', and can flatten Shap or Ais Gill by all accounts, which begs the question, why didn't BR do it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) That said, the engine has now been 'sorted', and can flatten Shap or Ais Gill by all accounts, which begs the question, why didn't BR do it? I would think it was because railway politics changed after 1955 modernisation plan, and whereas it was worth continuing upgrading locos belonging to large classes, the solitary 'Duke' didn't matter. Probably ran until its boiler ticket expired then, goodbye. It does nothing for me in preservation and yet it makes a beautiful model for some reason. Edited December 5, 2013 by coachmann 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted December 5, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 5, 2013 I've had a DJH one for a few years. Runs beautifully ( Portescap ) but the cab is badly-represented,as with other DJH Standards. Unglazed cab,so I HOPE the Hornby offering IS glazed,unlike their Tornados. Interesting to compare the two,if & when it arrives.Saw the prototype parked outside Swindon Works in Oct.1954....yes that time when she was there on test. As a spotter of just 12,as I was then,a schoolboy's dream.Crewe comes to Swindon ? Unheard of..... Saw her again,6 years later,working North out of Crewe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted December 5, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) Hornby, ring up your Chinese manufacturers and give them a damm good talking too, threaten expensive legal action, do something as this is getting beyond a joke and your company is being crippled and will die if this utter shambles is not sorted out and you cease being effectively held to ransom by your contractors. And the various small Chinese manufacturers may well say bye bye Hornby, we've got plenty other manufacturers to make for. Its a risk. I dont know which strategy is correct, but suspect Hornby having to scramble around looking for alternative manufacturers on a take it or leave it basis. Hence the real reason for design clever ,to make it more suitable for some manufacturers to make (less finesse) and to lower the already increasing costs. This would account for the dribble of new products and that when they do hit the shops, its often in restricted numbers Edited December 5, 2013 by Legend 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted December 5, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 5, 2013 Indeed, it is almost certainly the case that Hornby needs the factory more than the factory needs Hornby. Hornby benefitted hugely from outsourcing production to China with a paradigm shift in the quality and attention to detail of their models, now they're experiencing the flip side. I hope they get things under control as for all their faults it was be a devastating blow for British modellers if Hornby went down the pan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach bogie Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Meanwhile, back to the Stars, I have been contacted by Steam. Another batch of 4003 Lode Star's has arrived and will be despatched over the next few days. Mike Wiltshire 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gruffalo Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 Well, that's a lode off my mind then! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6959 Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 If anyone is still looking for - R3166 Knight of the Grand Cross 4018 - Cheltenham Model Centre web site lists qty = 31 in stock. Not sure how up to date the stock level is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 (edited) It does add and edge to the pleasure of shopping... every purchase of a new, unmarked, fault-free Hornby product is like a win. I feel privileged to have been able to buy a Knight of the Grand Cross... I am intrigued by the recent appearance of pre-owned Hornby models in the Hattons lists of available models, with clear product coding to suit, but mixed up with new, and sold presumably on the same basis, at prices around 80% of new, and often with DCC fitted and details and or Hattons weathering, the last mentioned taking prices up to and beyond 'new' RRP. So I bought a Britannia and a Black 5 just to be going on with... It pleases me because it makes browsing more fun than when 80% of the ads required a pre-order and a 1 year wait! Edited December 5, 2013 by robmcg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheCuckoo Posted December 5, 2013 Share Posted December 5, 2013 If anyone is still looking for - R3166 Knight of the Grand Cross 4018 - Cheltenham Model Centre web site lists qty = 31 in stock. Not sure how up to date the stock level is. I guess we'll find out... I've just ordered one (gulp!) Come on Santa - I've been a good boy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Ah, we are all children in toyshops, at least I am! Good luck with the KoGC . Mine is a lovely model.... here it is after considerable re-touching of photo, but basically the changes are superficial, wheels, spokes etc... 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt1471 Posted December 6, 2013 Share Posted December 6, 2013 Ha Ha Ha!! I didn't think you were gonna bother with this one? What about the release of the Bachmann Dukedog next year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold gwrrob Posted December 6, 2013 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted December 6, 2013 I finally gave in to what has been said on this thread and ordered one what a pain in the @rse that was trying to get one !!!!, if it ain't right someone will get it in the neck Queen Victoria name plates have been ordered as well along with an iron to smooth out any wrinkles in the foootplate and about thirty odd quids worth of other bits and pieces to tart it up, SWMBO will hit the roof when she see's the credit card bill I can feel the bruises as I type this post . Blame the guy who posted his last week stretching its legs on his layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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