iankemp Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Try these. The model's just arrived - so excuse the basic photos taken in darkness. Initial impressions are that the loco isn't up to Hornby's usual standard. The paint has minor marking to it and it is obvious that the loco has been quality checked before dispatch. I can confirm your suspicion of skew front overhead flashes. The front number appears to to be seated improperly rather than put on upside down. The printing of the Union crest is a bit iffy - a lot iffy really. I'm a bit underwhelmed to be honest which is a real shame having bought the loco because I used to live there. Wonder what the Gresley will be like.... Alastair the name plates are below standard for Hornby. I have seen better nameplates than what they have produced for this. I have to say this, I would buy nameplates from Fox-transfers.co.uk as they would look alot better. These plastic things are below. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike70 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Would of thought they'd of have taken it off their website by now. Placed an oder myself yesterday for DOC. Lay awake half the night with buyers remorse for parting with such a large ammount of cash for a model (don't think i've ever spent that much on one model!) which for what i need it for (renumbering and valance removal) any old banger would have done..... Got an email this morning from Wonderland saying that they had too much demand for the model and wouldn't be able to sell me one. Was quite dissapointed actually as I'd already ordered the Sir Nigel nameplates last night. Still, i suppose have £175 extra notes to spend over xmas Intresting hearing about the sets of 6 going on eBay. Wonder how much they'll fetch..... Really feal sorry for the folk who have bought the set only to find out days before getting them that the production's going to be repeated. I would of been furious if i were in that position. lol. I rang them about it yesterday and was told they had only got three sets and my order was being declined.But even then they were still available to order on the website. Got an email later last night confirming the same. I had a bit of buyers uncertainty after placing the order. After putting in a pre order for the Great Goodbye version, I've now got a bit of time to decide how much I really want it. I've already got two garter blue A4's (Mallard and CofA). I might just spend a bit of money at TMC getting CofA put right. Can anything be done about the chrome strip on the tender? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Mallard (75th anniversary version with the same problem) here, they have six if anyone wants one very poorly done IMHO a great shame. http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=231119618235&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:US:3160 Re Canada I have used microstrip underneath the soleplate to create the correct position for the chrome strip. You would have to remove the strip of the bottom of the tender body as well. There is a picture of mine using a Mallard body a couple of pages back on this thread. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium brushman47544 Posted December 20, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 20, 2013 I suspect that, plus the delay in getting them to market, are probably consequences of them shifting production and then having new folk get used to the job (plus maybe not giving them an entirely accurate spec to work to??) Which suggests that The Great Goodbye locos, although a little more expensive might actually be a better buy as the decoration errors may be corrected in those batches as the factory has more experience of their production. I have been surprised how many of the Great Gathering locos have become available for sale - perhaps that's what people have thought and, wanting only one set, are cancelling their previous orders in the expectation the next set will be better. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oOld Harry 666 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 the name plates are below standard for Hornby. I have seen better nameplates than what they have produced for this. I have to say this, I would buy nameplates from Fox-transfers.co.uk as they would look alot better. These plastic things are below. Why buy Fox nameplates when, as someone has pointed out above, they come with etched nameplates to apply, if you so wish? P.S. There is no such word as alot, if you must use this phrase (when much is so much better) then it is a lot. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 My Bittern has arrived. The prototype visited the Swanage Railway on the Cathedrals Express on 21 April 2012. I did not buy my model to display. My Swanage Railway layout is in the club room and I will be running it at the Isle of Purbeck Model Railway Group's meeting on Christmas Day. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-BOAF Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Robin, nice looking model. Tender lettering fractinally too high, cabside lettering actually looks OK. What's your example like for its front number and lamp iron position? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60800 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I'm genuinely surprised no-one has corrected the number plates and top lamp irons on their BR examples yet. Stuff the collectibility, if i'd paid that much for a locomotive that's blatantly incorrect, it would drive me mad.... The same goes for the buffer beam numbers on 19 and 22... and 22's tender lettering 4489 to be photographed in detail on the 25th, when I'm actually allowed to open the box I can see a fair bit of detail painting required - why can Hornby still not get the spectacle plate and ejector pipe cap colours correct or paint the tyres? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-BOAF Posted December 20, 2013 Author Share Posted December 20, 2013 Blackout, I presume you'll be correcting the top lamp iron position on your 4489? Interestingly, when first built pictures indicate the top lamp iron was indeed higher up the cods mouth, but not practically on the hinge as Hornby have done with these! Within a few years the lamp iron appears to have moved down a bit. Unless it is just a trick of the light. There are a set of bolts at each side of the Cods mouth. Later pictures indicate the lamp iron in line with these bolts. Earlier pictures (certainly of the silver batch) indicate the lamp iron above the line of these bolts. I'm working on pics in Peter Townsends book on East Coast Pacifics. Obviously can't post them here! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 2750 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Cancelling my DoC from Hattons. I've got some donor locos (Kingfisher), and will do as MickLNER has done with his which with the baremetal strip he uses, looks better than Hornby's offering. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
60800 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Blackout, I presume you'll be correcting the top lamp iron position on your 4489? Yes, mainly because the headboard will have to be wedged underneath the bell if I don't She'll likely be sent off to TMC (or similar) to have etched letters, plates and numbers fitted (I'm not confident enough to cut a section out of the first boiler band, as has been done with the 7 and 9 which they did for me - and I may as well squeeze as much out that £40 as I can). On return, the tyres will be painted (may as well do 19's at the same time), the spectacle plates, ejector pipe cap and other small details will be painted brass, front coupling will be painted silver, cylinder cock pipes will be fitted (on the inner edge of the valances, not in the holes provided under the cylinders), a crew will be fitted, the bell's cylinder arrangement will be scratch built and of course, the top lamp iron will be altered. I have a colour match in an old pot of citadel chaos black that has already been used on No.9's lamp irons (she lost a few of them in transit). I may try and pick up No.8 at some point. EDIT - Forgot to mention i'll try to source the correct whistle too. Referring to earlier comments regarding brass details, painted tyres and the colour match; (bogie tyres looking a bit tired and have since been repainted) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted December 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2013 To redress the Jeremiah syndrome,I have received today....courtesy of an excellent (free) 24-hour courier service from Gaugemaster,examples of D o C and DDE.The only missing bits are the Certs. They do have etched nameplates included,although the bog standard version is more than acceptable on both....certainly far superior to the lamentable cock up on C.of Aus. The finish on both is excellent.I,for one,am very happy.It only remains for me to attach those bloody infernal tender plugs and track test both,which I shall now leave until tomorrow morning I feel I had to post this,because the general tone of postings thus far has been negative,indeed,some of it Ill-informed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike at C&M Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 A question for the retailers amongst us: Has anyone received their numbered certificates yet? I was promised them to arrive on Wednesday, but as yet nothing has arrived. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
oOld Harry 666 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 A question for the retailers amongst us: Has anyone received their numbered certificates yet? I was promised them to arrive on Wednesday, but as yet nothing has arrived. No! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Robin, nice looking model. Tender lettering fractinally too high, cabside lettering actually looks OK. What's your example like for its front number and lamp iron position? I attach a front view of Bittern and I hope this helps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w4rrn Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I've just picked up my 3 Great Gathering A4's tonight from x2 different shops. Bittern seems to have smear marks on the black smoke box door (cods mouth) and on the tender around the lettering. But The main issue here is where are the etched nameplates in the packaging? I have been through all 3 boxes and can't seem to find them on any of the 3 models! Is it obviuos where they are located or are they missing Thanks in advance Warren Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
vac_basher Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I attach a front view of Bittern and I hope this helps. is there a number missing between the buffers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 I've just picked up my 3 Great Gathering A4's tonight from x2 different shops. Bittern seems to have smear marks on the black smoke box door (cods mouth) and on the tender around the lettering. But The main issue here is where are the etched nameplates in the packaging? I have been through all 3 boxes and can't seem to find them on any of the 3 models! Is it obviuos where they are located or are they missing Thanks in advance Warren There are two polythene bags in the top of the packaging. One contains a pair of wheels on an axle, some brass steam pipes and instructions. The other contains the Great Gathering headboard and the etched nameplates. It tells you to attach headboard with Blu-Tack. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 is there a number missing between the buffers? No it is obscured by a lamp iron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 No it is obscured by a lamp iron. Oh dear, totally wrong it should be underneath the iron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w4rrn Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 There are two polythene bags in the top of the packaging. One contains a pair of wheels on an axle, some brass steam pipes and instructions. The other contains the Great Gathering headboard and the etched nameplates. It tells you to attach headboard with Blu-Tack. Thanks Robin, Yeah they're all there :-) I didn't realise they'd under the the accessories pack which at the time I'd not removed from the packaging :-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike70 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Do the locos have "Made In India" stamped on them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted December 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 20, 2013 Do the locos have "Made In India" stamped on them? Why ask that question ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike70 Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 China OK. I asked because someone said earlier they were made in India. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
w4rrn Posted December 20, 2013 Share Posted December 20, 2013 Just noticed that bittern should have an inspection cover under the nameplate! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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