Great Gathering A4 Collection

[w4rrn]

Unboxed this morning - Missing one lamp iron (already replaced) and the buffer beam fell off, but the paintwork is perfect. Lamp iron position is not as bad as feared and the detail pack and plates will be fitted once a decoder has been fitted. Considering Hornby's recent quality troubles, I'm very happy with it;

Looks brilliant on your layout

[w4rrn]

Happy Christmas everyone :-)

Anyone want to sell me your token from Union of South Africa ;-)

If you don't ask you don't get LOL ;-)

[60800]

sadly it confirms the Tender strip is still in the wrong place

It's right, my old track just isn't level

[Guest spet0114]

Well, after some of the dust has settled a bit and having originally missed out on the entire Great Gathering pre-ordering frenzy last year,  I've ended up with three of the blighters! Mallard, DoC and SNG are on their way to me, courtesy of Invicta Models and a fellow RM-Web member.

 

My wallet has only just stopped screaming!

 

Cheers
Adrian

[micklner]

It's right, my old track just isn't level

Please post a side on photo to confirm please. As far as I can see the chrome/silver line is above the solebar when it should be below it.  Ta

[G-BOAF]

Blackout - your replaced lamp iron - was it just glued on the flat surface or was there an indentation i wich it was located?

 

could you not have afixed it in its correct lower position?

 

MickLNER - the trim looks like it is printed on the chassis rim that fits under the body. clearly if thats too high then there are a few dimensional twaeks necesssary. we need a full side on shot of 4489 ON A FLAT SURFACE - LIKE A KITCHEN WORKTOP OR PLATE GLASS. Any irregularity in track will maginfy due to he 'overhang' from rear driver to end of cab.

[Mike70]

Please post a side on photo to confirm please. As far as I can see the chrome/silver line is above the solebar when it should be below it.  Ta

Have you seen the photos on Hattons website?

 

There is a side on shot of R3197 and it looks to me like the chrome strip on the tender is in line with the chrome strip on the loco.

 

If you compare it to the same photo of R3095 (CofA), the chrome strip on DOC looks much better.

[micklner]

    Hattons show this

 

 

 

 

http://www.ehattons.com/69508/Hornby_R3252_Class_A4_4_6_2_4489_Dominion_Of_Canada_in_LNER_Garter_blue_with_etched_nameplate/StockDetail.aspx

 

 

This maybe a mock up as only one picture. If it is the model issued? it clearly shows the Tender as incorrect as per previous LNER Australia and the SNG versions.

 

 

Another clue in the above picture shows how high the Silver line is on the Tender in relation to the following Coach's solebar as well as the Locos Silver Line.

[Hilux5972]

That's the picture for the next set of the great goodbye. I searched the code on Google and it only brought up hattons results for mallard, Dwight d Eisenhower and Dom of Canada.

[Mike70]

Try this...

 

http://www.ehattons.com/60214/Hornby_R3197_Class_A4_4_6_2_4489_Dominion_Of_Canada_in_LNER_blue_The_Great_Gathering_range_wi/StockDetail.aspx

[60800]

Yet to see anyone else's GG A4's running, so here's 4489 zipping around with the teaks this morning; 

 

The usual horrendous squeaking from the tender sorted by tweaking the contacts and flooding the bearings with oil 

[micklner]

Try this...

 

http://www.ehattons.com/60214/Hornby_R3197_Class_A4_4_6_2_4489_Dominion_Of_Canada_in_LNER_blue_The_Great_Gathering_range_wi/StockDetail.aspx

They have painted the edge of the solebar moulding, hence narrower than the matching band on the Loco. Better than the other previous Hornby versions, the real ones had a matching strip fitted underneath the solebar edge.

[G-BOAF]

Looking at the pictuers on Hattons website (very useful) indicate that MrB's post #516 of Mallard may have been a one-off regarding the tender lettering positioning, From the hattons pics, the tender lettering looks like it is the same position as previous non-corridor tender LNER models.

Sadly the nose end numbers on 4464 and 4468 are consistantly wrong, and the cab numbers on 4468 are too low, by at least 2mm I would guess I think 4464 is OK, maybe .5mm too low but not that bad.

 

Other issues (UoSA OHL Flashes, SNG window frames, SNG whilstle etc) also consist.

 

The smokebox BR numbers and lamp irons are interesting. Further research indicates Hornby have mounted them in this higher position on the Silver A4s, and also the Flying Scotsman Kingfisher trainpack. This would appear correct for A4s prior to late 1938. Certainly I have seen a picture of one of the final Kyalchap A4s new with a smokebox lamp iron mounted roughly where Hornby have done them.

Mallard featured a higher lamp iron during its record run. e.g. Barkston, 1938 just before record run

http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2035844.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/View-of-Mallard-and-train-at-Barkston-2035844.jpg

 

Clearly from 1939, or maybe during the war the lamp iron was lowered by about 6-8 inches to sit level with two pairs of bolts either side of the cods mouth (doubtless holding the opening mechanisms). The BR number plate was obviously X inches below the lamp iron.

 

I have therefore just learned something new about A4s! Of note, the NRM have NOT changed this detail with 4489 in the restoration. similarly Doncaster did not revert the lamp iron on Mallard's 1963 restoration. I'm guessing the iron at present is an awkard reach, being accessible only from the side, on an already 'descending' running plate, so no need to make it worse!

 

Regarding the model, I would hazard a guess that the position of the lamp iron was incorrectly specified, or incorrect positioning interpreted by factory, and the BR numberplate positioned relative to lamp iron. Thus BR plates are too high.

 

Obviously in theory an easy fix, were it not for the glue marks that will doubtless be left.... so not so easy!

 

Therefore 4489 is actually damn accurate for how the loco was in c.1937, but not today! (minefield or what!)

[Robin Brasher]

Model of Bittern on the Cathedrals Express on 19 April 2012 at Corfe Viaduct. The model ran well and negotiated the 17" points and curves on my layout. Bittern hauled a train of mainly Mk1 maroon coaches with a crimson and cream and some brown and cream Mk1s. It ran to Swanage tender first but the model cannot do this as it does not have a front coupling.

[60800]

the model cannot do this as it does not have a front coupling.

It is possible to modify an old Bachmann screw attached tension lock coupling to allow tender first running with a Hornby A4. The hook needs to be removed from the coupling and the coupling's bogie contact area needs sanding down / thinning. The coupling can then be sandwiched in the screwed - on guard iron assembly on the bogie. If your curves are too tight or your track isn't level, the coupling will catch on the vacuum pipe

[60800]

I had forgotten that I cut the side of the frame out to clear the vacuum pipe. You'll need to push the screw link coupling up out of the way of it too. I'll fit it to No.7 later

[G-BOAF]

I had forgotten that I cut the side of the frame out to clear the vacuum pipe. You'll need to push the screw link coupling up out of the way of it too. I'll fit it to No.7 later

Great tip there. TBH the lack of front coupling on Hornby Gresleys is one of their key operational let-downs. Bachmann managed it relatively unobtrusively with their peppercorns, and with the new A4 chassis. People who dismiss the need for a front coupling either have very fixed operational requirements (hauling expresses only), or are not engaging in the full range of prototypical operation! Heritage operations aside (tender-first preserved line and mainline moves - e.g. 60009+60007 or 60009+61994) there are a number of photographically documented pics of A4s in BR days either being piloted or rescued by other locos, or indeed on positioning moves with other engines. There are also classic pictures from LNER days of gresley pacifics coupled together for transits between KGX and Top shed.

 

The only problem with your suggestion is what does one do about the AWS protection plate, which I believe would prohibit your method where fitted? I was toying with making up a wire-based coupling with 'kink' to aviod the bang plate.

[60800]

My No.7 is devoid of that plate. I wonder if there are any bogies with couplings available that could be retrofitted?

[w4rrn]

It seems FEDEX have may have lost my parcel with 60007 I ordered it over a week ago and it's still not here. It was supposed to be on a next day delivery.

They are going to let me know later the exact status .

In the mean time though anyone know of any 60007's anywhere as I'd prefer the GG version so I can order the cabinet, rather than the Great Goodbye version :-(

[Guest spet0114]

Now that Mallard has arrived, I couldn't resist a quick photo-shoot....

 

 

 

Just for fun, I couldn't resist getting out my other model of Mallard - a Liliput one from the mid 70s....

 

 

 

 

It's not exactly a fair comparison - the Hornby is fresh out the box but the Liliput model isn't a mint-condition example, but a 'spares/repairs' one that I picked up on eBay and have been slowly resuscitating.  ( A 'minter' would have been well out of my price bracket - people selling Trix / Liliput on eBay all seem to have adopted the 'Gostude' model!)

 

Anyway, it gives a slightly different perspective for the assessment of the current crop of models.

 

Cheers
Adrian

[60800]

I missed the earlier posts regarding confirmation on 4489's tender strip. My apologies. If I actually manage to wake up tomorrow whilst the light is still good, I'll get some flat snaps of 4489 and a few of No.7's front coupling

[w4rrn]

Still no sign of my 60007 which FEDEX seem to have lost :-(   USELESS......

 

Anyway on another note, I have just read in the latest issue of Steam Railway (423) magazine that Bittern is to have Mallard/Sir Nigel Gresley style plaques fitted to honour the three 90mph runs as preservations fastest.

The plaques will read 'In 2013 this locomotive undertook three 90mph runs to honour Mallard's speed record of 1938'

The magazine says that hopefully these will be fitted in time for the Great Goodbye at Shildon in February.

I wonder if Hornby can incorporate this change onto the Great Goodbye model of Bittern at such a late stage.

Be nice if they could :-)

[G-BOAF]

Thanks Spet0114 for those pics. yep it is a magnificent model, and such an improvemetn over the Trix model.

 

Your excellent photos have given me the opportunity to splice with pics of the real thing, taken from approximately the same angle in 2008.

Gives a more quantified idea about my queries over lettering height. Will post when have opportunity.

[Andybish]

My first posting so sorry for some dumb questions!!

Can anyone confirm if the DCC decoder socket is located in the tender or engine on the GG A4's? Also do the "etched nameplates" just slot into the holes vacated by the factory fitted ones or do they need to be permanently fixed? Thanks.

Couldn't resist adding a photo......

[Hilux5972]

Yes the dcc socket is in the tender. The etched nameplates will need fixing with glue onto the model. I usually just apply them with a drop of cyanoacrylate over the plastic printed nameplates but some people prefer to remove the printed nameplates completely