Hornby Star Class

[M.I.B]

Email Hornby Customer Services. I did and they arrived within a few days.

Thanks.

[Vistisen]

Hi, like you I was disappointed so I called Hornby and asked for two separate sets of replacements for both of my models. Roll the film forward about three weeks!

Having gone out to Dawlish Warren for the day to watch Sir Nigel Gresley I came home late evening to find a courier package left just inside my porch. My initial thought when I picked it up was how light it felt and couldn't remember ordering anything.

So upon opening the package I found a well taped cardboard box inside ( about the size of a OO gauge wagon box ).

I duly opened it and found lots of packaging polystyrene together with "one" set of axles !!!! (Not the two I'd asked for).

Ok, so thanks to Hornby I can now replace at least on front bogie with these but, overkill or what with the packaging ?

Goodness knows how much it must have cost them to get these to me. Having said that I am grateful to them, so don't be surprised when yours arrive!

Regards

Hornby are nothing compared til HP:

 

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/07/18/hp_packaging

[lofty1966]

Got an mail Friday from Hattons to say that Knight of the Grand Cross (dcc ready) available from 16th of May......should I start getting excited or another false alarm ?

[lofty1966]

Kerrrumbs n' Crikey.....My Star is actually on its way from the well known Merseyside emporium !

Will the second batch be better put together than the first ones ?

Has "Mr Wong" learned how to put things together better ?

Bl##dy well should seeing as he's had 8 months extra job experience !

I hope so as the exchange rate has deteriorated in that time and its costing nearly $20 more !

[Coach bogie]

There appears to be another batch around. Peter's Spares has BR ones. They also had a GWR small tender version but not anymore.

 

Anyone looking to change the names Modelmaster  has 23.5% off all orders for decals & nameplates until Monday Midnight!(26/5/14)
Discount Code NIAGARA.

 

http://www.modelmasterdecals.com/

 

Mike Wiltshire

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

...Has "Mr Wong" learned how to put things together better ?...

Perhaps better to ask if Ms's 'old hundred names' have been given better instructions/training/equipment to optimally perform the assembly task?

 

Whenever I have been called on to perform root cause analysis of assembly defects - and I have done 'a few' - the problems attributable to management shortcomings massively outweigh anything caused by assembly operative failings. Something like a 50:1 ratio...

[Ian Hargrave]

And would it be asking too much of the loftier management tier of this company for a positive input in this direction...."pour encourager les autres ", as it were,or is this perhaps not cost effective ?

[gwrrob]

There appears to be another batch around.

 

Do the new batches have the correct number of bogie wheel spokes.

[OldSutt]

Kerrrumbs n' Crikey.....My Star is actually on its way from the well known Merseyside emporium !

Will the second batch be better put together than the first ones ?

Has "Mr Wong" learned how to put things together better ?

Bl##dy well should seeing as he's had 8 months extra job experience !

I hope so as the exchange rate has deteriorated in that time and its costing nearly $20 more !

I thought I saw that Hattons had some Stars in their new stock listing several days ago, so looked forward to an e-mail saying that my pre-order was going to be despatched. Nothing happened, so I checked the listings of previous days and they had disappeared! Ah well senior moment?

[Tim Hall]

No , I think they were on Hattons website at £108 on Thursday. As this batch is about £15-£20 more than the last, I assume Hattons sold them VERY quickly. I was looking at lunchtime today and also found they'd disappeared, so bought one locally this pm.

[leavesontheline]

Do the new batches have the correct number of bogie wheel spokes.

 

No! Still 12 spokes on mine! I will email Hornby customer services when I get a moment....

 

They (R3166 Knight of the Grand Cross) came back into stock in Hattons on Wednesday I think and the quantity was 'more than 10 in stock', then when I checked back on Thursday morning there were only a handful left. At the same time R3019 Paviland Grange was also showing as being in stock - only a few examples and the quantities were dropping before my eyes! So I made the unusual decision (for me at least) of placing the order for both models via my mobile phone at Thursday lunchtime. Later in the day I think both items went out of stock again.

 

I have also managed to obtain another R3166 from my local retailer which I will be re-identifying. The Hornby website has been showing R3166 as 'in stock' ever since they were first released but it seems they have only been releasing them to retailers in dribs and drabs! My local shop has only received a fraction of the quantity he had on pre-order.

 

I have to say I am very pleased with both models so far although I have yet to do a 'detailed' inspection in daylight and a thorough test run. It is good to see that Hornby and the manufacturing companies they are using (both models have the manufacturer code 'REF01' on the outer box - I forget which factory this is) are still capable of producing a high standard of RTR model. 

[Black 5 Bear]

Hopefully the weathered BR 1963 version of Flying Scotsman and Bittern (BR Double Tender version) will be as good as this model !!!!  

[Ian Hargrave]

It is heartening to hear positive opinions being expressed about this model.A deal of criticism has been forthcoming about its shortcomings,some of it justified,it has to be said.It is,essentially,a damned good loco,which performs well.You can make it even better with a set of etched plates from Modelmaster....discount this weekend ...see post 1456 above.

I am also heartened by another GW.arrival...Grange 6803 ,concessions,"Bucklebury Grange",which to my judgement,is well up to the standard set a decade ago by its predecessors ( Sorry if this is off topic).The attraction of this one is its tender pairing...a bit different from the new "Paviland Grange".Still available from Locomotion Models Shildon. Etched plates for this one too!

[leavesontheline]

No! Still 12 spokes on mine! I will email Hornby customer services when I get a moment....

 

They (R3166 Knight of the Grand Cross) came back into stock in Hattons on Wednesday I think and the quantity was 'more than 10 in stock', then when I checked back on Thursday morning there were only a handful left. At the same time R3019 Paviland Grange was also showing as being in stock - only a few examples and the quantities were dropping before my eyes! So I made the unusual decision (for me at least) of placing the order for both models via my mobile phone at Thursday lunchtime. Later in the day I think both items went out of stock again.

 

I have also managed to obtain another R3166 from my local retailer which I will be re-identifying. The Hornby website has been showing R3166 as 'in stock' ever since they were first released but it seems they have only been releasing them to retailers in dribs and drabs! My local shop has only received a fraction of the quantity he had on pre-order.

 

I have to say I am very pleased with both models so far although I have yet to do a 'detailed' inspection in daylight and a thorough test run. It is good to see that Hornby and the manufacturing companies they are using (both models have the manufacturer code 'REF01' on the outer box - I forget which factory this is) are still capable of producing a high standard of RTR model. 

 

Just an update to the above, I have now given both models the once over (well, a very thorough 'once over') and I am still very pleased with both. The ONLY problem was a water scoop rattling around loose in the box for the Grange which just seems to have come adrift - nothing broken, just insufficient glue used by the looks of it. Apologies for the poor mobile phone image - it doesn't really do the weathered finish on Paviland Grange any favours and it does look better in the flesh. As usual with Hornby 'heavy weathering' it is an overall coating of grime with a bit more applied lower down. A good basis for further detail weathering perhaps.

 

Both models run very smoothly and quietly from the outset with no wobbling or jerkiness. Slow speed DC operation is excellent and has already improved slightly with limited running in. The current Hornby packaging with 'Bachmann style' clear plastic inner sleeves seems to be working much better as the finish on both models was unmarked - unlike with the old two-part polystyrene packaging which I often found marked/polished the loco bodywork at the contact points by the time it reached me! I still think Bachmann have the best solution though with the small silicone patches at the contact points - I have never received a marked model since they started using this method - must be labour intensive sticking them all in place though as I can't imagine a machine doing this?

 

As I stated above both boxes had the code REF01 on the back - I can't now find the forum thread where someone explained the factory names behind these codes but if this factory can keep up this level of quality, detail and finish and Hornby can control the prices (both of these were £110 give or take a few quid) within 'reasonable' levels then there is still hope....!

 

Edited just to apologise for putting a picture of a Grange in the Star thread!

Edited May 27, 2014 by leavesontheline

[The Stationmaster]

REF is probably Refined - one of the manufacturers Hornby listed last year as proposed to get a lot more of their business.

 

I believe this is them -

http://www.refined-ind.com/company/profile.htm

[Garethp8873]

Just wondering if you could help me. I'm looking to get one of the Hornby GWR Star 'GLASTONBURY ABBEY' in BR livery with the 4000 Gallon tenders and having it re-done as GWR Star 4051 Princess Helena. This all because I have seen 4051 in the book The Railway at Kidderminster in the 1940s on p29 and thought 'How lovely it would be to have a Star like that'!!

With it being in BR livery and of the BR era, would it require much time and effort to turn it back to when it was in the GWR?

Sorry if this does sound confusing to you all. If you need a pic, I will do ASAP.

[Miss Prism]

How far back into the GWR do you want to turn 4051? (It received Castle cylinders and pipes in Dec 1944.)

[Garethp8873]

How far back into the GWR do you want to turn 4051? (It received Castle cylinders and pipes in Dec 1944.)

 

The photo dates from 1947.

 

[Coppercap]

Bought a 'Lode Star' at the Steam museum at the weekend. Have had to send it back for replacement already - cylinder rocking levers loose (would normally be a simple job to fix that...), but  I can't take the body off to refix them as the body fixing screw won't come out! The printing on tender's at a slant, and it's still fitted with 12-spoke bogie wheels too. Didn't even try running it - it was straight back in the box to contact the museum on Monday. Hopefully I'll get one in return that's in one piece and finished properly...    

[nigel newling]

The photo dates from 1947.

 

Is it possible to swop out the elbow steam pipes with castle pipes? The outside cylinders seem to be cut into the hanging plate already so the change does not look as if it would require major surgery

[Coppercap]

Bought a 'Lode Star' at the Steam museum at the weekend. Have had to send it back for replacement already - cylinder rocking levers loose (would normally be a simple job to fix that...), but  I can't take the body off to refix them as the body fixing screw won't come out! The printing on tender's at a slant, and it's still fitted with 12-spoke bogie wheels too. Didn't even try running it - it was straight back in the box to contact the museum on Monday. Hopefully I'll get one in return that's in one piece and finished properly...    

 

Update:

Replacement arrived on Tuesday, with a full refund of my return postage, thank you Steam Museum. The replacement has none of the above issues. However, the body fixing screw was quite loose this time - and the brass ferrule (is that the term?) even came out from under the smokebox  - but at least I can get the body off this one! One of the splasher--nameplate etchings was glued in position leaning well out of vertical - easily remedied. Oh, and while fiddling, the con rod came detached from the back of the crosshead - looks like they might only be a push-fit - easy to fix properly with a touch of glue, so it seems - don't want a Tangmere scenario! She seems to run very smoothly on my rolling road too. Just need to get replacement bogie wheels from Hornby now...  

[Ian Hargrave]

Update:

Replacement arrived on Tuesday, with a full refund of my return postage, thank you Steam Museum. The replacement has none of the above issues. However, the body fixing screw was quite loose this time - and the brass ferrule (is that the term?) even came out from under the smokebox  - but at least I can get the body off this one! One of the splasher-######-nameplate etchings was glued in position leaning well out of vertical - easily remedied. Oh, and while fiddling, the con rod came detached from the back of the crosshead - looks like they might only be a push-fit - easy to fix properly with a touch of glue, so it seems - don't want a Tangmere scenario! She seems to run very smoothly on my rolling road too. Just need to get replacement bogie wheels from Hornby now...  

And?.......etched plates,of course.

[lofty1966]

Update:

Replacement arrived on Tuesday, with a full refund of my return postage, thank you Steam Museum. The replacement has none of the above issues. However, the body fixing screw was quite loose this time - and the brass ferrule (is that the term?) even came out from under the smokebox - but at least I can get the body off this one! One of the splasher-######-nameplate etchings was glued in position leaning well out of vertical - easily remedied. Oh, and while fiddling, the con rod came detached from the back of the crosshead - looks like they might only be a push-fit - easy to fix properly with a touch of glue, so it seems - don't want a Tangmere scenario! She seems to run very smoothly on my rolling road too. Just need to get replacement bogie wheels from Hornby now...

Not one of Hornbys 'Finest Hour' models in the quality control department , eh ?

[Coppercap]

And?.......etched plates,of course.

 

Well, they are brass etchings, with the splasher and nameplate all in one, but the nameplate's not etched so that the lettering stands proud, like replacement etched nameplates are. I guess if you can't remove them to take off the nameplate section, the only option would be to glue replacement plates over the top of the nameplate part, but then they might appear too thick, and the plates might then stand proud of the spasher.

Edited September 25, 2014 by Coppercap

[Ian Hargrave]

Well, they are brass etchings, with the splasher and nameplate all in one, but the nameplate's not etched so that the lettering stands proud, like replacement etched nameplates are. I guess if you can't remove them to take off the nameplate section, the only option would be to glue replacement plates over the top of the nameplate part, but then they might appear too thick, and the plates might then stand proud of the spasher.

It has been done and makes a big difference to the model.Mine was treated to Modelmaster plates & cab numbers.Not that I did it,of course but I know a guy who does. Believe me,it is worth going the extra mile.