34theletterbetweenB&D Posted February 17, 2019 Share Posted February 17, 2019 On 14/02/2019 at 09:12, Robin Brasher said: Have you worked out which is the best Hornby model based on the replies to this topic? You have to allow for the fact that some models have been available long term, thus have had a lot of exposure, while the newer releases have had much less. Some sort of inverse time weighting is required for an accurate assessment. But more seriously, amongst the newer steam models, I believe a very strong case can be made for the B12/3. It is right up there for appearance with the longer established 'best executed models', and with an almost all metal loco body construction has plenty of weight in the right place for traction. In this latter respect I believe it may be the best RTR 4-6-0 yet produced, tractively outperforms any other of their 4-6-0's I have had the opportunity to test, including Arthurs, B1, B17, Castles, 7P, BR Std 4MT. Of course Hornby could easily go one better on this front with the internally capacious LN. We shall see. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 19, 2019 Author Share Posted February 19, 2019 I did just buy one of these. just to keep balance in things Hornby you know... 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted February 19, 2019 Share Posted February 19, 2019 The Brit for me still marks the point at which Hornby took full advantage of all the refinement offered by Sanda Kan's experience. Relatively small gains in their steam loco models since. Much of this good stuff was inside out of sight: really solid motor mount, in a heavyweight chassis block for excellent traction, all wired connections to pick-ups eliminating the live chassis block, a drawbar properly positioned in the dragboxes*, providing an option for scale separation of loco and tender, and a plug-in wired link to the tender pick ups. The Brits may have been brief rarities operating into and out of KX, but it is good to have a fine model to operate alongside its seniors from Doncaster. *Sadly this upgrade didn't last, and Hornby reverted to a simpler drawbar screwed to the chassis block undersides on later introductions. Still much superior to the ancient bouncy and bulky drawbar kludge, with wipers to make the electrical connections. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 21, 2019 Author Share Posted February 21, 2019 A couple of recent Hornby purchases. Although to be fair the NYC Hudson was made by Hornby Rivarossi about a hundred years ago... I just bought it at about half the price of the Duchess.. Unedited for once. And of course looking forward to this... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted February 21, 2019 Share Posted February 21, 2019 Duchess of Montrose is a stunner - would it be unnecessarily cruel to photograph the Hornby Dublo DoM alongside? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 22, 2019 Author Share Posted February 22, 2019 22 hours ago, Hroth said: Duchess of Montrose is a stunner - would it be unnecessarily cruel to photograph the Hornby Dublo DoM alongside? No. It would however to cruel to point out the cab droop. One of those things which once seen tends to overwhelm one's view of the model. RMweb has a number of specialist fault-finders who point these things out, for better or worse. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 When the LMS Princess Coronation was built at Crewe those folk over in the USA were building 4-6-4 steam engines to a somewhat more generous loading gauge and axle-load limit than the Duchess, and Rivarossi and others have made models of the New York Central Hudson. The last-built of these, the 1938 J3a class, were recorded producing 5,500 hp at 77mph, which by any standard is pretty good, and double the best of a Duchess. By US standards they weren't the heaviest or largest, but they did represent a magnificent achievement. Here is an enhanced pic of a Rivarossi J3a No.5442 at speed in an advertising-style setting. These engines hauled trains of 800-1,000 tons over the NY-Chicago line approx 1,000 miles in 16 hours. 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted February 23, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 23, 2019 On 17/02/2019 at 09:49, 34theletterbetweenB&D said: You have to allow for the fact that some models have been available long term, thus have had a lot of exposure, while the newer releases have had much less. Some sort of inverse time weighting is required for an accurate assessment. But more seriously, amongst the newer steam models, I believe a very strong case can be made for the B12/3. It is right up there for appearance with the longer established 'best executed models', and with an almost all metal loco body construction has plenty of weight in the right place for traction. In this latter respect I believe it may be the best RTR 4-6-0 yet produced, tractively outperforms any other of their 4-6-0's I have had the opportunity to test, including Arthurs, B1, B17, Castles, 7P, BR Std 4MT. Of course Hornby could easily go one better on this front with the internally capacious LN. We shall see. B12/3's are a joy to run and work on - bit's don't disappear into the carpet monster either - though sales wise they suffered from the curse of the black engine. Same with the D16/3's, however their haulage capacity was hampered by the bean counters at Hornby omitting the fly-wheel motor. Having upgraded one with a K1's motor - it transformed the loco, in both smoothness and haulage. 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 19 minutes ago, toboldlygo said: B12/3's are a joy to run and work on - bit's don't disappear into the carpet monster either - though sales wise they suffered from the curse of the black engine. Same with the D16/3's, however their haulage capacity was hampered by the bean counters at Hornby omitting the fly-wheel motor. Having upgraded one with a K1's motor - it transformed the loco, in both smoothness and haulage. I tend to forget the quality of the B1, B17, O1 and K1, the 'curse of the black engine' is apt, except of course for the B17. And this, of course, which you cannot give away... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted February 23, 2019 Share Posted February 23, 2019 2 hours ago, robmcg said: I tend to forget the quality of the B1, B17, O1 and K1, the 'curse of the black engine' is apt, except of course for the B17. And this, of course, which you cannot give away... Its a Thompson. If you like Gresley you HAVE to be against Thompson! (To misappropriate Thomas Hardy.) Actually, I suppose you really mean the livery... 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 23, 2019 Author Share Posted February 23, 2019 1 hour ago, Hroth said: Its a Thompson. If you like Gresley you HAVE to be against Thompson! (To misappropriate Thomas Hardy.) Actually, I suppose you really mean the livery... There is another option. 'The middle way'.... or, if strictly as Parliament is now, you resign on principle and , um, disappear.... Not a lot has changed since Hardy's day. The trains are a tad faster perhaps. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted February 27, 2019 Author Share Posted February 27, 2019 Not another Britannia..... Another astonishingly fine model from Hornby, in my opinion. Everyone in Australia and New Zealand who has anything to do with two world wars will have to buy one. 4 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted March 2, 2019 Share Posted March 2, 2019 Finally got back into the loft and had a bit of an SR running session. It occurred to me that the T9 is up there with Hornby's best models. Certainly runs very smoothly. This is one of the first batch that had a problem with the front bogie pivot lifting the leading drivers, solved by making the hole it passes through rather bigger... The PMV is actually Triang, repainted with railmatch paint and model master transfers. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted March 3, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2019 12 hours ago, railroadbill said: Finally got back into the loft and had a bit of an SR running session. It occurred to me that the T9 is up there with Hornby's best models. Certainly runs very smoothly. This is one of the first batch that had a problem with the front bogie pivot lifting the leading drivers, solved by making the hole it passes through rather bigger... The PMV is actually Triang, repainted with railmatch paint and model master transfers. Then you must be exceptionally fortunate not to have had issues with dodgy running....some of it due to its traction tyres......and corroded motor mounts.It really does look the part but after a couple of unhappy experiences,I’ll pass on this one sadly. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 19 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said: Then you must be exceptionally fortunate not to have had issues with dodgy running....some of it due to its traction tyres......and corroded motor mounts.It really does look the part but after a couple of unhappy experiences,I’ll pass on this one sadly. H'mm, so far so good. I must admit to not liking traction tyres. Motor mount seems alright so far, no sign of the dreaded mazak rot. As you say it does look the part, though. The most impressive part for me is the loco having pickups on every wheel. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 How about this one. Apart from the handrail knob angles, looks good to me. (and doesn't need traction tyres!). My one runs well. Rather satisfying passing the T9 going the other way.... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-BOAF Posted March 3, 2019 Share Posted March 3, 2019 On 27/02/2019 at 01:11, robmcg said: Not another Britannia..... Another astonishingly fine model from Hornby, in my opinion. Everyone in Australia and New Zealand who has anything to do with two world wars will have to buy one. Indeed, although the lopsided cabside lining on the 'as factory' (unedited) model is a shame. Good choice for name by Hornby for exactly the reason of the AUS/NZ market! And as I said above, great to see the other tender back again. Lining aside, it looks a veyr well made model. Have Hornby sorted the 'floating' centre driving wheel issue I wonder? Pics on Rails website looks good. Shade of green looks nice as well. Very atmospheric picture Rob! 2 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted March 3, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2019 Been quite busy... and here's another case of Swindonitis... And oops there's another Naval build blog coming... 4 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted March 3, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2019 As promised another Blog Entry is up... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Swindonitis my foot! its simply an adherence to the One True Way.... As for your Naval Gazing, its obviously a Ithengyow! 1 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-BOAF Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) On 19/02/2019 at 13:19, 34theletterbetweenB&D said: The Brit for me still marks the point at which Hornby took full advantage of all the refinement offered by Sanda Kan's experience. Relatively small gains in their steam loco models since. Much of this good stuff was inside out of sight: really solid motor mount, in a heavyweight chassis block for excellent traction, all wired connections to pick-ups eliminating the live chassis block, a drawbar properly positioned in the dragboxes*, providing an option for scale separation of loco and tender, and a plug-in wired link to the tender pick ups. The Brits may have been brief rarities operating into and out of KX, but it is good to have a fine model to operate alongside its seniors from Doncaster. *Sadly this upgrade didn't last, and Hornby reverted to a simpler drawbar screwed to the chassis block undersides on later introductions. Still much superior to the ancient bouncy and bulky drawbar kludge, with wipers to make the electrical connections. Looking at pictures of Anzac, the drawbar still runs through the tender dragbox into the loco chassis. Yes it is screwed on the latest models, but the location doesn't seem to have shifted compared to the earlier releases. Edited March 4, 2019 by G-BOAF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Just one thing, I was considering how the 56xx class always appears to be nose-heavy and my gaze passed over the coupling rods. Are they supposed to be upside down? Then again, its a blue-box product so its to be expected.... Ho-hum..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railroadbill Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 21 hours ago, Hroth said: Just one thing, I was considering how the 56xx class always appears to be nose-heavy and my gaze passed over the coupling rods. Are they supposed to be upside down? Then again, its a blue-box product so its to be expected.... Ho-hum..... It's odd that the GW which produced many well proportioned taper boiler locos should have managed to build something as ugly as the 56xx. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted March 5, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2019 11 minutes ago, railroadbill said: It's odd that the GW which produced many well proportioned taper boiler locos should have managed to build something as ugly as the 56xx. Having lived my early years cheek by jowl,so to speak,with them,I have to agree.They were ungainly but highly effective lumps.Ah well,handsome is as handsome does I suppose.Six on out of Queen Street to Abercynon..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted March 5, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2019 21 hours ago, Hroth said: Just one thing, I was considering how the 56xx class always appears to be nose-heavy and my gaze passed over the coupling rods. Are they supposed to be upside down? Then again, its a blue-box product so its to be expected.... Ho-hum..... Actually not a Blue-box product - it's Mainline one (so a split chassis) and the axles had split according to my client. The person who he got to replace them, put the wheels on the wrong-side - not me I may add. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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