Hornby Merchant Navy announced (formerly Facebook leak)

[GreenGiraffe22]

With regards to bogie derailment I. Am currently experiencing the same thing with my S15, before the detail pack it could make it around every single curve on my layout, even the tightest of radius, I've put the detail pack on and it can't even do radius 3. I've managed to get the steps off but I don't know how I'm going to remove the gold pipe work without snapping it, do Hornby do replacements for that sort of thing?

 

My Merchant Navy has the detail pack on and its bogie sometimes bounces off on one bit of my track where a curve leads into a straight but it's like, 1 in every 10 loops of the layout

 

Edit: managed to get S15 pipe work off in one piece, back to running beautifully. Shame I can't have it fitted but hey ho

Edited April 23, 2017 by GreenGiraffe22

[Ian Hargrave]

With regards to bogie derailment I. Am currently experiencing the same thing with my S15, before the detail pack it could make it around every single curve on my layout, even the tightest of radius, I've put the detail pack on and it can't even do radius 3. I've managed to get the steps off but I don't know how I'm going to remove the gold pipe work without snapping it, do Hornby do replacements for that sort of thing?

My Merchant Navy has the detail pack on and its bogie sometimes bounces off on one bit of my track where a curve leads into a straight but it's like, 1 in every 10 loops of the layout

Edit: managed to get S15 pipe work off in one piece, back to running beautifully. Shame I can't have it fitted but hey ho

That's a fault common to other Hornby models.The front steps foul the front bogie as sometimes do the pipes.Unless it unduly bothers you,don't even try.

[Oldddudders]

That's a fault common to other Hornby models.The front steps foul the front bogie as sometimes do the pipes.Unless it unduly bothers you,don't even try.

Indeed. Hornby meets the needs of both collector and operator by making these parts optional-fit. I admire that. And operators without model-radius curves may even get away with it. But most of us don't. Do the sound chips these days include the sound of the draincocks opening on restart?

[Hilux5972]

I had the same issue with the cylinder drain cocks on my A4 locos. Rather than remove them completely, I cut them down so they finished just behind the front Bogie wheel. Looks better than not having any at all, to me anyway.

[Dunsignalling]

That's a fault common to other Hornby models.The front steps foul the front bogie as sometimes do the pipes.Unless it unduly bothers you,don't even try.

It's not actually a fault, it's a fact of life, and the laws of geometry.

 

Draincocks and/or hefty front steps colliding with bogie wheels are inevitable consequences of putting models of big engines round curves a quarter of the radius they were designed / permitted to negotiate at walking pace on the prototype. Try it with the real thing and something far more unpleasant would happen.

 

Hornby used to fit front steps to the bogie and were criticised for it but, for most purchasers, other than the glass case brigade, it was better than nothing. 

 

John

Edited April 23, 2017 by Dunsignalling

[DoverPriory]

It's not actually a fault, it's a fact of life, and the laws of geometry.

 

Draincocks and/or hefty front steps colliding with bogie wheels are inevitable consequences of putting models of big engines round curves a quarter of the radius they were designed / permitted to negotiate at walking pace on the prototype. Try it with the real thing and something far more unpleasant would happen.

 

Hornby used to fit front steps to the bogie and were criticised for it but, for most purchasers, other than the glass case brigade, it was better than nothing. 

 

John

So we DO have to remove/modify the 'paraphernalia' either side of the front bogies to run the MN locos on Grade 2 curves which us small layout folk are forced to have. Thanks to Dunsignalling the situation is now clear to me. I no longer feel a 'leper' with poor quality track as I did when reading some of the earlier correspondece on this topic.

[GreenGiraffe22]

The front bogies aren't a problem on radius two for me, the problem on radius two is the loco catapults off the track between the fixed cab bogie and tender.

[bigherb]

So we DO have to remove/modify the 'paraphernalia' either side of the front bogies to run the MN locos on Grade 2 curves which us small layout folk are forced to have. Thanks to Dunsignalling the situation is now clear to me. I no longer feel a 'leper' with poor quality track as I did when reading some of the earlier correspondece on this topic.

That's why the instructions says under accessories "before permanently fitting confirm that the product will operate satisfactorily on your layout without interference".

[Robin Brasher]

I began to run in 'Clan Line' this morning for five minutes both ways. It ran very well on the main line at the Purbeck Model Railway Group's layout in the barn at Swanage. The minimum radius is 2'6" and there are no gradients.

'Clan Line' did not run so well when I shunted it into a siding with a second radius curve and some compensating flexible track. In the catalogue and in the instructions it does suggest that 'Clan Line' is suitable for Hornby 2nd radius 438mm track. In my experience 'Clan Line' and a number of new locomotives will not run on 2nd radius track which is why the minimum radius of the curves on the main line in our club layout is 2'6" and the points are Peco large radius. I have dismantled my own layout because I have not got the space for 2' 6" curves and I have found that a portable layout with large radius curves is too cumbersome to take to exhibitions and to club meetings in a small hatchback.

[AdamOrmorod]

The frog of the point in the last picture appears to be full of ballast, could this be the cause of the derailment?

[Robin Brasher]

The frog of the point in the last picture appears to be full of ballast, could this be the cause of the derailment?

Possibly. I have not ballasted this area and I did not notice the ballast on the frog.

[Oldddudders]

I weakened. Channel Packet called to me from the display case, begging to be bought. "Last one in stock!" said the proprietor. "Last one in the country, I suspect!" I replied. £160 plus a decoder. Bargain.

[BlackRat]

I'd say the broken and misaligned track wouldn't help much either.

 

Good running totally relies on well laid and maintained track, wether that's the prototype or model, whatever scale you model in.

 

Sharp deviations from points, broken and missing sleepers......none of it will help.

[Ian Hargrave]

I weakened. Channel Packet called to me from the display case, begging to be bought. "Last one in stock!" said the proprietor. "Last one in the country, I suspect!" I replied. £160 plus a decoder. Bargain.

Last man standing ? Hope not......JUST ENJOY.

[JSpencer]

001.JPGI began to run in 'Clan Line' this morning for five minutes both ways. It ran very well on the main line at the Purbeck Model Railway Group's layout in the barn at Swanage. The minimum radius is 2'6" and there are no gradients.002.JPG003.JPG003.JPG'Clan Line' did not run so well when I shunted it into a siding with a second radius curve and some compensating flexible track. In the catalogue and in the instructions it does suggest that 'Clan Line' is suitable for Hornby 2nd radius 438mm track. In my experience 'Clan Line' and a number of new locomotives will not run on 2nd radius track which is why the minimum radius of the curves on the main line in our club layout is 2'6" and the points are Peco large radius. I have dismantled my own layout because I have not got the space for 2' 6" curves and I have found that a portable layout with large radius curves is too cumbersome to take to exhibitions and to club meetings in a small hatchback.

Aside from the ballast in frog (which should be clean), it is a set track point. These points, while having and overall radias on 2nd, are actually like two small sections of first with a small straight in between.

[toboldlygo]

I weakened. Channel Packet called to me from the display case, begging to be bought. "Last one in stock!" said the proprietor. "Last one in the country, I suspect!" I replied. £160 plus a decoder. Bargain.

 

Welcome to the daft... sorry Dark-side my friend. 

[lochlongside]

Merchant Navy Footsteps query - would appreciate some advice.

 

I weakened. Channel Packet called to me from the display case, begging to be bought. "Last one in stock!" said the proprietor. "Last one in the country, I suspect!" I replied. £160 plus a decoder. Bargain.

 

It was out of my self-imposed timescale but then I found a penultimate R3436 BR Clan line at under £150 to partner my rebuilt version and I too cracked.

 

It runs very nicely indeed but I do have a query on footsteps.

 

Included in the box are two glue-on footstep sets which I initially assumed needed attaching to the front buffer housings. However on opening instructions - at picture 2 - it shows (facing forward) one on left front buffer, none on right front buffer and one on tender rear !! under right side buffer. Picture on box shows a set of steps on each of the front buffer housings and none on tender. Generic class photos tend to confirm this latter setup -needless to say I could not find this particular loco in this guise and the only original MN tender rear view I found had no buffer beam steps -  which is right?

[toboldlygo]

Merchant Navy Footsteps query - would appreciate some advice.

 

 

It was out of my self-imposed timescale but then I found a penultimate R3436 BR Clan line at under £150 to partner my rebuilt version and I too cracked.

 

It runs very nicely indeed but I do have a query on footsteps.

 

Included in the box are two glue-on footstep sets which I initially assumed needed attaching to the front buffer housings. However on opening instructions - at picture 2 - it shows (facing forward) one on left front buffer, none on right front buffer and one on tender rear !! under right side buffer. Picture on box shows a set of steps on each of the front buffer housings and none on tender. Generic class photos tend to confirm this latter setup -needless to say I could not find this particular loco in this guise and the only original MN tender rear view I found had no buffer beam steps -  which is right?

 

As built Channel Packet only had the steps on front left buffer and on the rear buffer beam.

[lochlongside]

As built Channel Packet only had the steps on front left buffer and on the rear buffer beam.

Ok - many thanks - that appears to align with the photos I have found -  Hornby instruction was probably just geared up to first in class

[DoverPriory]

Apropos the correspondence here concerning the performance of these models running around curves of varying radius how interesting it is to note that not one image of an original model MN in the latest edition of 'The Collector' , and I counted six in total, show the accoutrements around the front bogie that the model comes fitted with. Only the box that the models come in show the 'intact' version.

[John M Upton]

I thought they were a separately fitted part in the bits bag?

[Oldddudders]

I thought they were a separately fitted part in the bits bag?

And in that respect a discretionary item, as has been the case with several Hornby models over at least a decade. At least the brake rodding is now factory fitted, which is a first for a Southern pacific.

[Mallard60022]

My Clan Line had a quick outing on Peterborough North during this week. It did not fall off, however I have not fitted any of the extra bits yet. It also ran beautifully. I am very pleased with this excellent locomotive so thanks to Mr Muzz and Hornby for bothering for us. I shall enjoy this in the future.

Phil 

[bigherb]

I thought they were a separately fitted part in the bits bag?

Yep both mine came with the bits in a bag.

[John M Upton]

That is what I thought but the impression I get from some posters here is that theirs came with the parts already fitted which I find odd.