A Nod To Brent - a friendly thread, filled with frivolity, cream teas and pasties. Longing for the happy days in the South Hams 1947.

[County of Yorkshire]

Who’s going to buy Castles at £208 a throw? Surely most modellers have all they’re going to need by now?
 

I think this year’s range announcement is a straight admission that H see themselves as a manufacturer of tat toy merchandise (Beatles stuff) and overpriced exclusive stuff for collectors (endless diecast Dublo stuff). They have evidently withdrawn from the modellers market, and Accurascale, Rapido and Dapol have moved in to replace. I’m not complaining! 
 

CoY

[Clearwater]

I’m sure @Miss Prism will have a longer list, but I up to a third error on 4074.

1) fire iron tunnel

2) superheater on smokebox

3) should be tall chimney

 

At least two of these appear to be capable in the tooling based on the mock up of 4073.

 

[Miss Prism]

I don't see much point in trying to believe Hornby photoshops.

 

[Harlequin]

31 minutes ago, County of Yorkshire said:

Who’s going to buy Castles at £208 a throw? Surely most modellers have all they’re going to need by now?
 

I think this year’s range announcement is a straight admission that H see themselves as a manufacturer of tat toy merchandise (Beatles stuff) and overpriced exclusive stuff for collectors (endless diecast Dublo stuff). They have evidently withdrawn from the modellers market, and Accurascale, Rapido and Dapol have moved in to replace. I’m not complaining! 
 

CoY

 

I would buy a new Castle because second-hand modern DCC-ready loco-drive versions seem to be quite thin on the ground. (There are lots of older toolings and tender drive versions.)

 

However, I'm not going to buy any if they have glaring errors!

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Harlequin

[Harlequin]

2 minutes ago, Miss Prism said:

I don't see much point in trying to believe Hornby photoshops.

 

 

Exactly. We don't know if the mockup we are seeing is at all representative of the model. Could be some graphic designer's mistake(s).

 

[St Enodoc]

4 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Could be some graphic designer's mistake(s)

Surely not...

 

(and don't call me...)

[Miss Prism]

Note the original 4074 didn't have a lubricator pipe cover on the left-hand side. (Not sure if Hornby does or has ever done a Castle like that.)

 

Changing tack slightly, how many of the first ten Castles were outshopped with bogie brakes?  Or was it just the initial 4073?

 

[Clearwater]

15 minutes ago, Miss Prism said:

I don't see much point in trying to believe Hornby photoshops.

 

I can see your point.  I’ll send them an email later highlighting the errors.  I feel if they’re not pointed out, we’ll eventually get a “well no one gave us feedback” type response.

 

David 

[Miss Prism]

The Churchward 3500g tender is attractive behind a Castle, but the early Castles upgraded to the Collett 4000g very quickly.

[MrWolf]

4 hours ago, BWsTrains said:

 

Although I also bear many similar scars and know where you're coming from, that's a tad harsh I reckon. Why only the other day I met with a respected loco kit builder who was proudly sporting 2 (or more) Pecketts in his display frame and I'll 'fess up to having 2 myself, 1 more than I can reasonably justify on any grounds, but they are just such fine little locos.

 

The last releases of Terriers were pretty good as well, I've 2 of those with a shade more justification.

 

 

 

Why is it harsh? There isn't a Ford or a Nissan out there I'd want to go out and buy new either, does that make them bad cars or me a bad person? Of course not, they just don't make anything that appeals to me.

Whilst it must be nice to just go out and buy something on a whim for a three figure sum that you've no actual use for but you liked it anyway, not all of us can afford to do that.

In fact if it wasn't for the secondhand market, a lot of us wouldn't be able to pursue this hobby any more, given that less than twenty years ago I could pretty much buy a new loco every couple of weeks because they were priced at what they actually are, a motorised toy with the extra detail you'd expect from a good model kit, whereas now a lot of them cost what is to many people a week's wages or three month's disposable income.

I know that some will try to tell me how much better they are now,  but clearly they're not. Reading the endless disappointing results of people paying good money for new locos on here and finding that they're unreliable, badly assembled junk (just loosen the baseplate screws and it might run better) even after the third or fourth return to the seller convinces me that used is a better bet, the first owner had all the aggro. Besides, I don't mind dismantling and fixing something secondhand if it's reasonably priced.

Of course, none of that matters if you're just ticking off everything in the catalogue and putting it in a display case, or a drawer, which I think is the people Hornby are aiming at now, based on the latest releases.

 

 

[Denbridge]

3 hours ago, M.I.B said:

While the wait for a new RTR Saint continues...........Hornby bring out.............Castles again...........

 

I'm still a bit taken aback that after the completion of a new Saint at Didcot, nobody has released one in OO RTR.

Totally agree. The Churchward Saint is the most important development in the history of the UK steam locomotive of the 20th century. The benchmark upon which every design since can be traced. I find it inconceivable that aside from a rather poor 'toy' many years ago, it hasn't been represented rtr. 

[1466]

7 minutes ago, Denbridge said:

Totally agree. The Churchward Saint is the most important development in the history of the UK steam locomotive of the 20th century. The benchmark upon which every design since can be traced. I find it inconceivable that aside from a rather poor 'toy' many years ago, it hasn't been represented rtr. 

I couldn’t agree more . Given the mechanical compatibility between real and model engines , I’m baffled that Hornby haven’t scooped this up . Given that their R3170 Adderley Hall was once voted their best ever , consider the following. Chassis , motion

, motor and gearing the same . New drivers required and with clever tooling a straight frame and drop curved frame , with approximately mouldings for cab etc gives  huge variations of model and liveries .  And most of the tooling exists  !

I’d like 2 … are you watching Accurascale?

Similarly , I long for a Bird … City plus Bulldog Mr Bachman . It’s mostly there !

[Mallard60022]

2 hours ago, County of Yorkshire said:

Who’s going to buy Castles at £208 a throw? Surely most modellers have all they’re going to need by now?
 

I think this year’s range announcement is a straight admission that H see themselves as a manufacturer of tat toy merchandise (Beatles stuff) and overpriced exclusive stuff for collectors (endless diecast Dublo stuff). They have evidently withdrawn from the modellers market, and Accurascale, Rapido and Dapol have moved in to replace. I’m not complaining! 
 

CoY

Looks like it. 

 

2 hours ago, Harlequin said:

 

I would buy a new Castle because second-hand modern DCC-ready loco-drive versions seem to be quite thin on the ground. (There are lots of older toolings and tender drive versions.)

 

However, I'm not going to buy any if they have glaring errors!

I have a source where I could acquire around a dozen in one hit in two weeks time...if I had the dosh. All look like new and many DCC fitted already. OK fewer are GWR and I want BRWR but hey, they are out there sometimes.

Some poor modeller's dream collecton no doubt.

P

[Dunsignalling]

2 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

I don't see much point in trying to believe Hornby photoshops.

 

The reason why I stopped buying the catalogue and put the last few in last week's recycling.

[Ian Hargrave]

It is indeed mystifying.There has to be a reason for its languishing in the rubbish bin of rtr modelling. We have a scratchbuilt one in steam that’s been giving great pleasure to many enthusiasts for quite some time. Does someone know something we poor mortals don’t ?  Maybe as Saints the world over have found,waiting for divine intervention. Can anyone from Didcot enlighten us on the matter ? Put a smile on the face of this geriatric who ,perhaps is at least on ANTB anyway,is the survivor of those who saw them .

 

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2023 by Ian Hargrave
Deleting text

[Miss Prism]

Don't forget Didcot's 2999 (which is a wondrous thing) has a few but significant compromises in its construction.

 

[gwrrob]

Going back to the H announcement of the Macaw B and for completeness here is the page with the mini-poll run in 2021 by @BMacdermott I'm still looking for the RRP on this.

 

 

[Dunsignalling]

34 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

Going back to the H announcement of the Macaw B and for completeness here is the page with the mini-poll run in 2021 by @BMacdermott I'm still looking for the RRP on this.

 

 

Price of the Macaw on Hornby's website (which is presumably the RRP) is £26.49

 

John

[checkrail]

Just before Christmas I was about to order two Bachmann Macaws (the ones with the girder load), but events got in the way.  Glad they did, so I'll be having a couple of the Hornby offering.

[The Stationmaster]

18 hours ago, gwrrob said:

At least Mike @The Stationmaster didn’t miss anything by watching his quiz shows instead of The Hornby World program.

So I understand.  and of course the quiz show evening was also useful as the Good Doctor, my daughter, finds it useful practice preparing for University Challenge (assuming the team she is on manage to get past all the various auditions).  Last night they beat, by 150 points clear, the Uni's staff in their first (online) real practice contest.

 

And she was sitting with us to be suitably impressed amazed when I - unlike the team involved on the telly and her -  identified a Schottky Diode from its description.  A great pity that Paxo couldn't hear my answer.

[Ian Hargrave]

2 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Looks like it. 

 

I have a source where I could acquire around a dozen in one hit in two weeks time...if I had the dosh. All look like new and many DCC fitted already. OK fewer are GWR and I want BRWR but hey, they are out there sometimes.

Some poor modeller's dream collecton no doubt.

P

The last release I believe was BR( W) 5013 in 2017/8 . I “helped” with its release by loaning my copy of “The Red Dragon and Other Old Friends “ to Paul who was still then with H.. Every GW fan should have a copy. Motto “ Landore is where Castles come from “. 

[The Stationmaster]

5 hours ago, Miss Prism said:

Pic also on Rail Online

A shame they got the location wrong (and odd that David Maidment didn't notice it when doing the book although he might not have had the chance to check the captions to the pictures or what checks that were done took place in a hurry).

 

The location is actually Friars Jcn - easy to tell because of the house in teh background and the hint of the line to Park Royal visible in front of them.  Dead easy to tell that it isn';t Old Oak west Junction because apart fromthwe houses in the background the number of lines is very different and the goods line running to a spur instead of continuing parallel with the Down Main is also a clue.  And 4074 has just passed Friars Jcn Down Main Home Signal which is differet fron Old Oak West's Down Main Home Signal

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

It is indeed mystifying.There has to be a reason for its languishing in the rubbish bin of rtr modelling. We have a scratchbuilt one in steam that’s been giving great pleasure to many enthusiasts for quite some time. Does someone know something we poor mortals don’t ?  Maybe as Saints the world over have found,waiting for divine intervention. Can anyone from Didcot enlighten us on the matter ? Put a smile on the face of this geriatric who ,perhaps is at least on ANTB anyway,is the survivor of those who saw them .

 

 

 

 

Nobody from Didcot will say anything - they're very good at respecting confidences when folk show an interest in any of their various bits  & pieces especially the big ones on wheels.

 

I know 'something' (not a lot, in fact virtually nothing) but following various discreet enquiries at the Warley Show I've gone 10 steps back instead of one step forwards so I'm more in the dark than I was before I got there (or somebody was telling fibs - of course some people do tell fibs). 

[EHertsGER]

On 15/07/2021 at 04:01, BMacdermott said:

Results – GWR 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Poll No.5: Minks

 

Hello everyone

 

Many thanks to the 21 voters who took part. The number of votes to each item is shown in the left hand column and Comments Received are appended on a PDF as usual.

 

Please note that the results reflect the views of those who voted here and may not necessarily reflect those of the wider modelling community.

 

Although the two lengths of Mink A were the highest-polling, voters went for the Mink F as the focused choice.

 

High Polling

17        Mink A. 16ft

17        Mink A. 17ft 6in

 

Middle Polling

14        Mink C. 21ft. Ventilated

13        Mink B. 21ft. Non-ventilated

12        Mink F. 36ft. Bogie

 

Low Polling

11        Mink D. 28ft 6in

10        Mink. ‘Iron Mink’ 16ft.

10        Mink G. 30ft

 

If there was only enough plastic available to make just one of the above, which should it be?

8          Mink F. 36ft. Bogie

5          Mink A. 17ft 6in

3          Mink A. 16ft

2          ‘Iron Mink’

2          Mink G. 30ft

1          Mink D. 28ft 6in

0          Mink B and Mink C

 

We return to our normal Wednesday/Saturday/Sunday schedule from Wednesday 21 July when we will be running GWR 00 Rolling Stock Mini-Poll No.6: Freight Vehicles (exc. Vehicle Carriers & ‘Heavy Duty’). The Vehicle Carriers & ‘Heavy Duty’ types will follow the week after.

 

Brian

(Note: These are ‘informal Polls for fun’ on Rob’s thread only and neither RMweb nor The 00 Wishlist Poll Team are specifically involved, apart from me, John, Chris and Ian in our ‘personal capacities’.)

 

GWR Mini-Poll No.5 Minks Comments Received.pdf 221.92 kB · 10 downloads

Rumney Models will be releasing an etched kit for the Mink F later this year - likely July.

[Ian Hargrave]

2 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

The last release I believe was BR( W) 5013 in 2017/8 . I “helped” with its release by loaning my copy of “The Red Dragon and Other Old Friends “ to Paul who was still then with H.. Every GW fan should have a copy. Motto “ Landore is where Castles come from “. 

 
Discussion on the Castles reminded me that due to a temporary absence from civilisation,I had two bought several years ago which were still unrun.both of which use the now permanent coupling between loco and tender. First up was an impulse  eBay one at a cost of just over ( I think)  £100.R3237 NRM Special 4073. Finish and livery are excellent..no faded green here…and after an extended period of running in  copes smoothly and  quietly with 8 new Hornby Colletts. I’d forgotten what a cracking model this is

 

In terms of cost obviously things have moved on. We can’t deny that. But this is still a really good model . Next up will be 5013 in a few days to relive memories of a run with her in the mid 50’s on the up South Wales Pullman from Cardiff to Paddington.