EP samples of the CCT, LMS CCT, 12T fish van and SPV A vans....

[coachmann]

Hi Coach, all the photos I've seen have 16'' round buffers clipped top and bottom just like the Lanarkshire Models ones.... The Hornby ones look a bit odd to me.

 

Dave Franks.

Thanks. Had another look and you're right. It's an illusionarry thing on the photo I looked at, as the buffer looked to be rounded at the bottom (it is behind an adjacent buffer). I've always had a soft spot for non-passenger coaching stock.

[hmrspaul]

I think the fish vans could be a debate in their own right. Below E87500 they seem to have had LNER brake rigging. Above that they were fitted with BR rigging.

Axle boxes are usually quoted as being oil for below E87500 but many later rebuilt with roller bearings. The higher numbers I thought were built with roller bearings but then I find a picture at the GCR of a van numbered E87674 with oil boxes ad BR brake rigging. http://ukrailways1970tilltoday.me.uk/wagons_insul-fish_e87674_gcr.html

 

Confused? - you will be by the end of the saga.

That is on a heritage railway, not the real thing.

 

Paul

[BR(S)]

That is on a heritage railway, not the real thing.

 

Paul

 

That might also be why one of the fish vans has extra black on the solebar area, if someone from Hornby was working from this: http://www.flickr.com/photos/williamfj2/6035870922/

 

And did this one used to be white?!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/3866865275/

[TheSignalEngineer]

That is on a heritage railway, not the real thing.

 

Paul

I did wonder if it was a Bitza.

[Multiple identity account 2]

http://www.Hornby.com/shop/2013-range/wagons/r6638-br-12-ton-fish-van-blue-spot/

OUT NOW!!!

[cctransuk]

http://www.Hornby.com/shop/2013-range/wagons/r6638-br-12-ton-fish-van-blue-spot/

OUT NOW!!!

 

Not impressed - especially with the gap at the bottom of the body; presumably the bottom edge of the body is moulded with the floor / chassis.

 

Why?!?

 

I'll stick with the Parkside kit.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

[neal]

Saw both blue and white versions this afternoon,

 

Nice model, and the gap noted above is less noticeable in the flesh

 

However, the paint to the white model is thin, and the grey moulding colour grins through.  I guess that in real life these would not have stayed white for long, however it would have been nice to have been given the option to weather ourselves!

 

 

 

N

[rembrow]

Although not appearing in Hattons new releases, 3 versions are now available on their main site and on the Hornby site, which are the non 'a' suffix version of the fish van, the parcels conversion and the 3 wagon weathered 'blue spot' fish van set. Interestingly, these seem to be about 20 days ahead of the last revised release date of 12th December.

[aussiebrfan]

Although not appearing in Hattons new releases, 3 versions are now available on their main site and on the Hornby site, which are the non 'a' suffix version of the fish van, the parcels conversion and the 3 wagon weathered 'blue spot' fish van set. Interestingly, these seem to be about 20 days ahead of the last revised release date of 12th December.

 

Just had a notify email from Hattons to say 3 pack of fish vans is packed and being sent to Oz. I guess they are sending out pre-orders before announcing in new releases. The most recent newsletter didnt say anything.

[hmrspaul]

At least we are now sure which version of brake rigging and body they are producing, the prototype photo shown a couple of days ago on the Hornby site, and still on Hattons for the multibox set is incorrect (the later version - which I suspect many of  you wanted).

 

Pity after I had a go at Hornby last year about their epochs and dates that the white one is being shown as suitable for 1970s. OK a few were in lamentable white at that time, but it should show 1950s.

 

Paul Bartlett

[Southernman46]

Just looked at the Hattons photos of the "real thing"

 

Hmmm - "Choo-choo"    ???

 

(bit toy-like - not a great model)

[MrB]

I know what you mean-http://www.ehattons.com/60260/Hornby_R6624_BR_12_Ton_Fish_Van_3_Pack_Blue_Spot_New_tooling_for_2013/StockDetail.aspx

The sections of panelling, the gap along the bottom.

 

Roy

 

 

Just looked at the Hattons photos of the "real thing"

 

Hmmm - "Choo-choo"    ???

 

(bit toy-like - not a great model)

[micklner]

Probably why they are only £26 for three . Not my era may look better with a drop of glue n filler and a respray. The Bachmann LNER ones are miles ahead.

[jjnewitt]

Not my era may look better with a drop of glue n filler and a respray. The Bachmann LNER ones are miles ahead.

 

As are the Parkside kits. If you are going to get out the filler and paint you might as well get out the plastic cement at the same time and get a decent model... As well as the general cheap look of it I am not at all convinced by the roof on the Hornby model.

 

Justin 

[John B]

I was reminded of Triang-era models when looking at the Blue Spots.

 

Definitely not purchasing any, going with the Parkside option instead.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Received my triple pack, single fish van and SPV today.

5 wagons, 4 consecutive numbers, impressive Hornby.

 

Mike.

[45568]

Sold out of 3-packs at Hattons and Rails!!!!!!!! someone likes them!

Cheers,

Peter C.

[jimwal]

Picked up a fish van at Southend show. The roof is sharper radius than I believe it should be. The Parkside one looks right. Couplings droopy, visible joint at lower bodyside and one buffer head loose. At nearly 15 quid then definetly stick with Parkside!.

The van at Mangapps Railway has had roller bearings replaced by oil boxes. There is also a body of the later BR design on site, this would have had BR 8 shoe brake gear.

 

Jim

[dcroz]

Saw examples of both with weathering applied by Dirty Boy Weathering on Lord & Butler's stand at Warley - big improvement on the factory-release pristine versions, and seemed to make the bodyside gap less prominent.

[petee19]

Picked up a fish van at Southend show. The roof is sharper radius than I believe it should be. The Parkside one looks right. Couplings droopy, visible joint at lower bodyside and one buffer head loose. At nearly 15 quid then definetly stick with Parkside!.

The van at Mangapps Railway has had roller bearings replaced by oil boxes. There is also a body of the later BR design on site, this would have had BR 8 shoe brake gear.

 

 

Jim

 

I picked up a pack of 3 Blue Spot 's for £25,and one insulated for £8.50 at Warley yesterday,and for those prices I don't think they are that bad.

 

[31A]

I picked up a fish van for £9.00 from Model Railways Direct at Warley yesterday, having earlier seen them for £8.50 (I think) on Hereford Model Centre's stand - by the time I got back there, they had all gone!  I assumed this was approximately the 'going rate' for these wagons, following the earlier 'Hornby price reduction' announcement.

 

It also struck me that the roof radius looks slightly too sharp, but haven't been able to find a drawing to check.  There was a drawing published in Model Railway News Nov. 1968, but it only gives a side elevation!  I compared the model with the drawing of the LNER planked fish van (from which these seem to have been derived) in Tatlow's LNER Wagons, and against this the roof does indeed seem too sharply curved, albeit only slightly, but it isn't actually a drawing of this vehicle.

 

I think the join line at the bottom of the sides could be disguised by dismantling the wagon (which is very easy - two clips each side, at the foot of the vertical stanchions beside the doors), and painting the top of the floor white, as what you can see is mainly the black top of the floor moulding.  I'll try this later, and while I'm at it paint the insides of the headstocks black.  Having dismantled it, it can be seen that the doors are separate mouldings; not sure whether this lends itself to models with different door designs, if there were any?

 

I think it's quite difficult to make models of white wagons in pristine condition appear other than 'plasticky', and am sure some judicious weathering will improve the general appearance, as noted by dcroz above.

 

As per other recent Hornby models, the amount of separately applied detail does seem to be less than we've seen previously (e.g. Shark, GW Horsebox), but having said that there isn't really a lot more that could be added to what is after all a fairly plain design, and it seemed very reasonable for the price I paid.

[coachmann]

Any news on when the LMS CCT will be available?

[Fat Controller]

I picked up a fish van for £9.00 from Model Railways Direct at Warley yesterday, having earlier seen them for £8.50 (I think) on Hereford Model Centre's stand - by the time I got back there, they had all gone!  I assumed this was approximately the 'going rate' for these wagons, following the earlier 'Hornby price reduction' announcement.

 

It also struck me that the roof radius looks slightly too sharp, but haven't been able to find a drawing to check.  There was a drawing published in Model Railway News Nov. 1968, but it only gives a side elevation!  I compared the model with the drawing of the LNER planked fish van (from which these seem to have been derived) in Tatlow's LNER Wagons, and against this the roof does indeed seem too sharply curved, albeit only slightly, but it isn't actually a drawing of this vehicle.

 

I think the join line at the bottom of the sides could be disguised by dismantling the wagon (which is very easy - two clips each side, at the foot of the vertical stanchions beside the doors), and painting the top of the floor white, as what you can see is mainly the black top of the floor moulding.  I'll try this later, and while I'm at it paint the insides of the headstocks black.  Having dismantled it, it can be seen that the doors are separate mouldings; not sure whether this lends itself to models with different door designs, if there were any?

 

I think it's quite difficult to make models of white wagons in pristine condition appear other than 'plasticky', and am sure some judicious weathering will improve the general appearance, as noted by dcroz above.

 

As per other recent Hornby models, the amount of separately applied detail does seem to be less than we've seen previously (e.g. Shark, GW Horsebox), but having said that there isn't really a lot more that could be added to what is after all a fairly plain design, and it seemed very reasonable for the price I paid.

Is it possible that they got the roof curvature from the BR-designed wagon, which was the same height, but slightly narrower? There are dimensioned Weight Diagrams here, if someone would care to make a comparison:-

http://www.barrowmoremrg.co.uk/BRBDocuments/BRFreight1Issue.pdf

[Nimbus]

My pre-ordered 3-pack of Hornby Blue Spots arrived from a north-westerly direction yesterday. 

 

The technical quality of the mouldings is excellent, no sink marks, no tooling marks, and with very restrained detail, which needs oblique lighting to be appreciated. (I haven't had enough of that to take any decent photos, unfortunately.) The body is an assembly of 9 parts: Main body; buffer heads; coupling hooks; doors. The lamp brackets are integral. The chassis is a glued assembly of: Main moulding, with low-relief framing members moulded underneath; clasp brake mouldings; brake handles; brake cross-shaft. Standard Hornby couplings and metal wheelsets plug into this assembly. The decoration is very crisp and legible.

 

It didn't take long for one to succumb. Gentle flexing popped a couple of the uniting hooks, and thumbnails did the rest. 

 

Width (over corner angles) 33.42mm

Length (over corner angles) 84.08mm

Height (from Buffer Ctrs) 35.0mm

Roof Radius 25mm

Door Opening 19.82mm

Buffer Ctrs 22.0mm

 

Between Axleguards 23.50mm

Solebar Ctrs 25.95mm

Over Axleboxes 31.14mm

Brakeshoe Ctrs 18.33mm

Wheelbase 60.0mm

Axle Length 25.7mm

 

The axleboxes, the roller bearing type, based on those dimensions place the bearing centres around a scale 6'10", which is 4" greater than the traditional standard. So I'd guess the model's are around a scale 2" too prominent either side.

 

Compared with a Parkside kit, Hornby's body corner angles are slightly slimmer, but the detail and finish is otherwise indistinguishable. The dimensions diverge along the bottom edge of the side, where Hornby have incorporated this into the chassis moulding, and the roof curve. The Parkside roof is shallower at 35mm radius. (I wonder if the difference is due to something as apparently trivial as a typo?   ) The chassis are direct analogues, with the exception that Hornby's handbrake ratchets are about 2.5mm further outboard, indeed making it impossible for a scale shunter to grip the handle! Parkside provide oil and roller bearing axlebox options on their sprues. Given what I've said about the quality of the Hornby toolmaking, Parkside's result is deeply impressive.

 

Overall, definitely from the 'design clever' era, with much less added underfloor detail than Hornby's Van C. It strikes me as a successful trumping of the Hornby-Dublo model by Tri-ang, rather than a serious attempt by Hornby to compete with Bachmann's fish van, as judged from photos of the latter.

 

The Nim.

[hmrspaul]

The van at Mangapps Railway has had roller bearings replaced by oil boxes. There is also a body of the later BR design on site, this would have had BR 8 shoe brake gear.

 

Jim

Where they? If it is the type as modelled by Hornby with LNER brake rigging then plain oil boxes is correct, some were replaced by roller bearings later. Of the ones I photographed 4 had rollers and 5 plain.

 

Paul Bartlett