Hroth Posted May 13, 2014 Share Posted May 13, 2014 Oops. I feel a faint touch of ECML atmosphere creeping in. Better go and photograph a Bath-based Standard 5MT! The best antidote would be a well used, but cared for Manor gingerly crossing Barmouth Viaduct...... ;-) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 13, 2014 Author Share Posted May 13, 2014 Well, I can't put a pic of an 00 Standard 5MT 4-6-0 here, alas, it being of the dreaded Blue Box genre, so I will put it in the Bachmann price-increase thread. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 However, having started this thread I feel that perhaps it falls to me to offer an opinion as to which is the 'best ever' Hornby model, and I am going to plump for the 2000 model Merchant Navy. Criteria will vary of course, but for me this model marked a 'sea change' in RTR 00 quality for price; 5 pole motor, silent running, excellent detail, marvellous additional bits, great paintwork. Still looks good and still in production, or was until recently. Some might argue that Bachmann got in first with the WD 2-8-0 but that isn't Hornby. Later Hornby RTR BR steam might have been better, too, but they are better only in that specific area, detail. In that respect only I might give the Clan a win. So there you have it. This pic shows just how impressive this 2001 version of 35028 is, with a bit of my photo editing to help... but mostly it is just a great model. This early one has the sprung rear driving axle, don't ask it to haul more than 5 carriages around type 2/3 curves! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 15, 2014 Author Share Posted May 15, 2014 (edited) One thing I notice about the Hornby MN; the thickness of the boiler and deflector handrails and staunchions appears to have been reduced sometime around 2009 to similar to that on Light Pacifics... the illustration of 35010 in message 313 a page-ago shows thinner versions than 35028 above. As far as I know it was never mentioned by anyone, although I probably would have missed it if it was. Small point but we all have our 'things'. My other is valve-gear eccentric offset. And fat thick wheel profiles (which I try to ignore! or photoshop) Edited May 15, 2014 by robmcg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Belgian Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 Firdaussi was a pretty camera shy A3 and what photo's I found of her, show her very dirty Who were the Secondaussie and, of course, the First? (This is a thread stated by a Kiwi!!) JE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted May 19, 2014 Share Posted May 19, 2014 ... Later Hornby RTR BR steam might have been better, too, but they are better only in that specific area, detail... See, now that's where only loking at appearance in evaluation of a model falls down. From my operating perspective it has to be a robust and reliable runner too, and the first six years or so of Hornby's new from China' introductions were all mechanically flaky, and electrically shoddy. Main mechanical fault: poor motor mount, especially the combined worm cover and motor clamp. Mechanically weak, can lead to motor worm disengaging from the pinion. Main electrical fault: reliance on face contacts for conduction and the chassis block in the current path. Very prone to poor continuity and random shorts, a killer for DCC. Both can be fixed, but it shouldn't have been necessary to do so. (Compare to the Bach WD 2-8-0, very good build.) Hornby have fixed this, first sorted model was the Britannia. Rock solid motor mount, soldered on wire links from pick up strips to decoder socket, chassis block electrically isolated. Happily they have maintained this standard on steam model introductions since. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 19, 2014 Author Share Posted May 19, 2014 In the light of the above, it might have to be the Clan which is 'best ever' Hornby model. It's just that the prototype was so unloved! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) or this compromise perhaps, the erstwhile rebuilt Light Pacific, this with Hornby style detailing added with my editing, as well as other small touches... This purchased on Ebay a week ago for £100 new condition unmarked. Lovely. Edited May 20, 2014 by robmcg 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 (edited) or this compromise perhaps, the erstwhile rebuilt Light Pacific, this with Hornby style detailing added with my editing, as well as other small touches... This purchased on Ebay a week ago for £100 new condition unmarked. Lovely. 34036_portrait3_4ab_crop2_r800.jpg Rob, Lovely picture, did the cylinder draincock pipes come with the model, or have you made them/ sourced elsewhere? Many thanks, John. Edited May 20, 2014 by John Tomlinson Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 The cylinder draincock pipes come with Hornby Light Pacific accessory packs, included with the external brake rods, brake/heating hoses, 3-link coupling and front steps. Sometimes I fit all or some of these accessories, sometimes as in the above I photo-edit them. The Merchant Navy models have similar accessory packs but no drainpipes, but Light Pacific ones can be adapted. http://www.petersspares.com/Hornby-x9686-rebuilt-wc-bob-accessory-pack-brake-rodding.ir?cName=spares-Hornby-spares-all alas temporarily out of stock, it appears. Nearly all the engines I have bought have come with the packs, as they do when new. Cheers, Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Abel Posted May 20, 2014 Share Posted May 20, 2014 The cylinder draincock pipes come with Hornby Light Pacific accessory packs, included with the external brake rods, brake/heating hoses, 3-link coupling and front steps. Sometimes I fit all or some of these accessories, sometimes as in the above I photo-edit them. The Merchant Navy models have similar accessory packs but no drainpipes, but Light Pacific ones can be adapted. http://www.petersspares.com/Hornby-x9686-rebuilt-wc-bob-accessory-pack-brake-rodding.ir?cName=spares-Hornby-spares-all alas temporarily out of stock, it appears. Nearly all the engines I have bought have come with the packs, as they do when new. Cheers, Rob The nice Rebuilt spares/accessory pack are suffering the general "Hornby" fate it seems. I've been looking for those for a while now and Martin at Peters Spares says they have no idea/ETA from Hornby on new supplies. Same goes for a couple of other Hornby spares items I've been wanting and will have to wait for <sigh>. Don't have another rebuilt light pacific on the horizon unfortunately, but I most definately would want the pack to be in it for premium prices...was fobbed off once before by a seller listing VNMIB (specifically translated as "VERY NEW MINT IN BOX") then was surprised when I returned said item for no accessories amongst a couple of other more serious faults. A comment was made "if you wanted an accessory pack, you should buy a new one...", um, that's what was "advertised!! Oh well/sorry, slight digression, I've an R2586 Rebuilt 34053 Sir Keith Park that is new and I have the full accessory pack installed, and I have to say it's a great contender for Best Ever. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 20, 2014 Author Share Posted May 20, 2014 Yes Ian I noticed when looking at the Peters Spares Hornby Accessory Pack search list they had also sold out of front bogies for Merchant Navys , and I didn't see front bogies for WC/BoB , which may be better, given they have, I think, wheel guards at the front. (bought by those who fear the metal diseases of a few models?) Ebay may become a primary source for a lot of Hornby models. Actually I was wondering if the era of the very finely-detailed and fragile plastic 00 model might be over? Some so-called 'serious' modellers seem to prefer metal and kit or scratch-built, and the cost of models like the Bulleid Light Pacifics, Clan/Britannia, and other very well-detailed RTR models is increasing. I am just photographing a weathered 'Schools' today and its fragility is evident when inverting it to connect the 4-pin-plug is not for clumsy people! I don't mind though, they just look so damn brilliant. Food for thought though, will we ever see the likes of the 2007-2011 range of Hornby's best steam 00 models again? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted May 21, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2014 Hmmm, I wonder how much I could get for all the Bulleid Rebuilt LP cylinder drain-cocks I've got lurking in my spares box.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted May 21, 2014 Share Posted May 21, 2014 Inverting the models. I used to bin all packaging, but now keep a labelled example of the inner shaped pieces (whether foam or formed sheet) for each class, so that they can stand for work either way up in something which protects the detail. Shall we see the likes of the 'golden patch' models again? Of course we will. Possibly not at such keen prices, and probably no longer made in China from the medium term future. While there will always be those with a preference for a sheet metal body construction, that has always come at a very significant multiplier over plastic bodied RTR price; fine for those who choose to afford that. A quick glance at the product list of Golden Age will enable the differences to be appreciated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted May 21, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2014 The nice Rebuilt spares/accessory pack are suffering the general "Hornby" fate it seems. I've been looking for those for a while now and Martin at Peters Spares says they have no idea/ETA from Hornby on new supplies. Same goes for a couple of other Hornby spares items I've been wanting and will have to wait for <sigh>. Don't have another rebuilt light pacific on the horizon unfortunately, but I most definately would want the pack to be in it for premium prices...was fobbed off once before by a seller listing VNMIB (specifically translated as "VERY NEW MINT IN BOX") then was surprised when I returned said item for no accessories amongst a couple of other more serious faults. A comment was made "if you wanted an accessory pack, you should buy a new one...", um, that's what was "advertised!! Oh well/sorry, slight digression, I've an R2586 Rebuilt 34053 Sir Keith Park that is new and I have the full accessory pack installed, and I have to say it's a great contender for Best Ever. A great r-t-r model but like some of the early batches,prone to split gear tower and 3-legged dog running.Easily rectified quickly and cheaply. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted May 21, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2014 Hmmm, I wonder how much I could get for all the Bulleid Rebuilt LP cylinder drain-cocks I've got lurking in my spares box.... And there speaks the doyen of Bulleid afficionados....."Nobody Does It Better.......etc,etc " 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted May 21, 2014 Author Share Posted May 21, 2014 Hmmm, I wonder how much I could get for all the Bulleid Rebuilt LP cylinder drain-cocks I've got lurking in my spares box.... Actually they are not hard to make from fuse wire or copper wire, as some do for the different style on the SpamCans. When I say 'not hard to make', I am not saying I could do it easily! I'm sure there are some plastic versions in my spares box, more likely a single one for the wrong side! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted May 21, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 21, 2014 Actually they are not hard to make from fuse wire or copper wire, as some do for the different style on the SpamCans. When I say 'not hard to make', I am not saying I could do it easily! I'm sure there are some plastic versions in my spares box, more likely a single one for the wrong side! RT Models do some etched brass ones for the Spam-cans Also managed to pair up six pairs of drain-cocks out of my spares box, along with six sets of front steps 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 (edited) Moving well away from such as Bulleids, I made a pic yesterday of an unsung Hornby express loco of the 2000-onwards era, the 'Princess' class. These have a special place for me, after reading O S Nock's dramatic description of a run in c1934 with 6201 before it was made to steam well and both the driver and fireman worked very hard with a heavy fast overnight express... and having bought a new version of that engine, airmail packets from the UK are inexplicably slow/delayed at the moment so to pass the time I did this ... Hardly Hornby's 'best ever', and denigrated by many, but I still like the look of it from some angles which flatter it (as does a bit of judicious editing). typo edit Edited June 3, 2014 by robmcg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted June 3, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 3, 2014 Moving well away from such as Bulleids, I made a pic yesterday of an unsung Hornby express loco of the 2000-onwards era, the 'Princess' class. These have a special place for me, after reading O S Nock's dramatic description of a run in c1934 with 6201 before it was made to steam well and both the driver and fireman worked very hard with a heavy fast overnight express... and having bought a new version of that engine, airmail packets from the UK are inexplicably slow/delayed at the moment so to pass the time I did this ... Hardly Hornby's 'best ever', and denigrated by many, but I still like the look of it from some angles which flatter it (as does a bit of judicious editing). 6207_princess_portrait_3abc_crop2_r800.jpg typo edit Funnily enough I'm waiting for one these to arrive... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 Always interesting especially for weathering, LMS days it might have been rather clean but still had the general dirt of a couple of 400-mile runs on it, and by 1959 it might have had the noticeable oil stains around the wheels and motion so evident on the Coronations. Quite subtle but that oily muck around the drivers was more evident on them than, say, A4s. not sure why. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 (edited) not that LMS drivers would ever put on a show for the camera, even with 520 tons on and up-hill , Edited June 3, 2014 by robmcg 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 Moving well away from such as Bulleids, I made a pic yesterday of an unsung Hornby express loco of the 2000-onwards era, the 'Princess' class. These have a special place for me, after reading O S Nock's dramatic description of a run in c1934 with 6201 before it was made to steam well and both the driver and fireman worked very hard with a heavy fast overnight express... and having bought a new version of that engine, airmail packets from the UK are inexplicably slow/delayed at the moment so to pass the time I did this ... Hardly Hornby's 'best ever', and denigrated by many, but I still like the look of it from some angles which flatter it (as does a bit of judicious editing). 6207_princess_portrait_3abc_crop2_r800.jpg typo edit Nice pic of a Lizzie, you've probably got the classes best angle there. I've always thought they were "ugly" engines, the proportions never seemed quite right. Of course, given Staniers pedigree, a glance at a picture of GWR 111, The Great Bear, shows where he was coming from where Pacifics were concerned. There's a distinct air of overblown King/Bear about them. It wasn't just Triang/Hornby that got them wrong, I've a Lone Star 000 Princess pushalong that possibly looks even worse! OTOH, the pre-war O gauge Hornby model of the Princess Elizabeth was a beauty that did the best justice to the original. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted June 3, 2014 Author Share Posted June 3, 2014 We cannot have any suggestions of GWR 'Great Bear' 4-6-2s., good, or bad, when the GWR King took disproportionality to new extremes. Mind you, of you took a King and added a firebox suitable for Midland coal, and 400 mile runs, you'd end up with something like a Lizzie would you not? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted June 3, 2014 Share Posted June 3, 2014 (edited) I went for an interview at a commercial art studio in Colwyn Bay in 1962 and a Princess was standing in the station at the head of the 'Horse & Carriage' parcels train. It looked so impressive and vastly wider than your common and garden LMS 4-6-0. Little did I know at the time they were being withdrawn let alone being reprieved and put back into traffic for the summer before going for scrap. I would buy a good one but the Hornby isn't worth having a go at in my view. It is hard to tell from photos, but the driving wheels don't look to be bevel-rim type and that 10 ton tender also has the valance too. Edited June 3, 2014 by coachmann Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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