Hornby Princess Coronation Class (Duchess)

[Hilux5972]

I managed to find a brand new 46256 on my local auction site and purchased it today for $250 NZD. Probably the equivalent to £125-130. Very happy and looking forward to receiving it.

[Robin Brasher]

My Hornby R3642 'Duchess of Montrose' has arrived from Kernow. It is remarkable that I have received it within six days of Hornby announcing it in Hornby's catalogue. It will be interesting to compare it with my Hornby Dublo EDL12 which has given 64 years of faithful service.

 

 

One difference is the size of the boxes. You can probably fit two Hornby Dublo duchesses in one Hornby box. Hornby's packaging has improved recently and it is much easier to remove now. The Hornby Dublo model had a tube of Meccano oil in the box.

 

Hornby's boxes seem to be more yellow than red.

[robmcg]

I managed to find a brand new 46256 on my local auction site and purchased it today for $250 NZD. Probably the equivalent to £125-130. Very happy and looking forward to receiving it.

 

Lucky you.  <g>   I toyed with the idea of bidding but am happy with the one I bought just before the current model release.

 

Good buying at  NZ$250. Superb model.

[apollanaut]

Lucky you.  <g>   I toyed with the idea of bidding but am happy with the one I bought just before the current model release.

 

Good buying at  NZ$250. Superb model.

Agreed! My brother arrived in NZ from the UK in December for an extended holiday; just in time for my birthday on 21 December. I suspected that he’d bring the recent reissue of SWS for my birthday present (he shares my love of model railways and is a generous soul). What I didn’t know is that he’d arranged (at considerable expense) for Digitrains to fit the model with a Zimo sound decoder and high quality speaker!

 

I am absolutely delighted with this wonderful gift. Not only is the model an absolute stunner (one of Hornby’s best IMHO) but the sounds uploaded by Digitrains are the best I’ve heard in an 00 gauge steam loco! I’ll take some photos next time I visit my seaside property, where my layout is based, to share here.

[G-BOAF]

My Hornby R3642 'Duchess of Montrose' has arrived from Kernow. It is remarkable that I have received it within six days of Hornby announcing it in Hornby's catalogue. It will be interesting to compare it with my Hornby Dublo EDL12 which has given 64 years of faithful service.

 

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One difference is the size of the boxes. You can probably fit two Hornby Dublo duchesses in one Hornby box. Hornby's packaging has improved recently and it is much easier to remove now. The Hornby Dublo model had a tube of Meccano oil in the box.

 

Hornby's boxes seem to be more yellow than red.

any chance of a pic of the ACTUAL MODEL??? I don't get this obsession with posting boxes; that is the one image that is already available (via the Hornby website!)

[Hilux5972]

Lucky you. <g> I toyed with the idea of bidding but am happy with the one I bought just before the current model release.

 

Good buying at NZ$250. Superb model.

I wondered if you had spotted it. Most others I’ve seen for $350+ so very happy with this one. Should be with me tomorrow hopefully. Only coming from Tauranga to Timaru.

[Robin Brasher]

any chance of a pic of the ACTUAL MODEL??? I don't get this obsession with posting boxes; that is the one image that is already available (via the Hornby website!)

I ran in the 'Duchess of Montrose later in the evening. It ran very well.

 

[Gordonotron]

So I picked up a William Stanier version today and I will admit it's a beautiful model to say the least.

However while doing my usual of getting the decoder in (I know, I should DC them first to make sure but I didn't have my controller to hand). and then letting it read all the CV's so I can get it going right while looking at the bits in the bag and thinking about fitting brake gear.

 

Anyway, before I started that I gave it a quick run on the rolling road and it seems to have what I would say was a loud motor in it which is a much more audible scratching noise going backwards. Just seeing if anyone else has had this before I speak to the supplier?

[paul 27]

True, I hadn't registered that it was early emblem! (or am so used to seeing 46223 in early BR Green that the AWS and speedo issue didn't register).

Less tempting for me then. Especially given the price of spare wheels these days from Hornby (over £25; they used to be £10-15 which was justifiable as a means of changing to speedo fitted...)

Contemplating purchasing Duchess of Montrose but would have preferred in its final state, changing wheel set for speedo cable

 being the big problem any way round this, or wait for Hornby to bring out a later version and re name / number.

  I hope they will do another model of this in its final guise like the weathered version as previously done.

Edited January 17, 2019 by paul 27

[robmcg]

So I picked up a William Stanier version today and I will admit it's a beautiful model to say the least.

However while doing my usual of getting the decoder in (I know, I should DC them first to make sure but I didn't have my controller to hand). and then letting it read all the CV's so I can get it going right while looking at the bits in the bag and thinking about fitting brake gear.

 

Anyway, before I started that I gave it a quick run on the rolling road and it seems to have what I would say was a loud motor in it which is a much more audible scratching noise going backwards. Just seeing if anyone else has had this before I speak to the supplier?

 

Sadly I would advise replacement. These models should be nearly silent from new in either direction, and most are.

[Hilux5972]

My 46256 arrived just before work today. Haven’t had a chance to run her yet but will do so tonight. Hopefully trouble free

[robmcg]

I hope your Sir William is trouble free, if it's any help all 9 of the latest-tooling Duchesses I have bought have run fine, so the odds are good.

 

For fun today I turned an old pic of the weathered Duchess of Montrose (2004-8 tooling) into a version with aftermarket front wheels and latest-tooling bevelled driving wheels, liberties taken and all that, but the general effect of the more modern wheels is apparent. 

I think someone expressed a wish for a late crest new-tool version perhaps with weathering.

Will remove if requested.

 

 

 

But of course these are more perfect in crimson lake...

[Hilux5972]

She’s running superbly. Silent, smooth, powerful. This is my first Duchess and I’m sure to add a few more, Blue next hopefully. What did they run with? Any Pullman’s?

[Robin Brasher]

She’s running superbly. Silent, smooth, powerful. This is my first Duchess and I’m sure to add a few more, Blue next hopefully. What did they run with? Any Pullman’s?

Probably not Pullmans as some LMS coaches were better than Pullmans. 'The Power of the Duchesses' by David Jenkinson may help. Coronation Scot coaches for streamlined locos and occasionally conventional locos, Stanier coaches, Mk1 coaches, Great Western coaches for through workings from Penzance and goods trains towards the end of steam

[Brocp]

She’s running superbly. Silent, smooth, powerful. This is my first Duchess and I’m sure to add a few more, Blue next hopefully. What did they run with? Any Pullman’s?

Definently not Pullmans. LMS stock, MK1s, a GWR coach or two. But as it's your model mate run whatever you want behind it.

[Pete the Elaner]

She’s running superbly. Silent, smooth, powerful. This is my first Duchess and I’m sure to add a few more, Blue next hopefully. What did they run with? Any Pullman’s?

It depends on when you want to model them.

The blue streamliners were intended to haul the special blue Coronation Scot sets, but this only lasted about 2 years.

Most of their work remained on the WCML but like most things, they occasionally strayed. They would typically have hauled LMS coaches, then in their latter days, Mk1s.

As others have mentioned on here, there would have been some cross-country services in BR days then later on some goods services too.

The you had the loco exchange trials, so you could get away with running City of Bradford (I think) on the GW

[60800]

It depends on when you want to model them.

The blue streamliners were intended to haul the special blue Coronation Scot sets, but this only lasted about 2 years.

Most of their work remained on the WCML but like most things, they occasionally strayed. They would typically have hauled LMS coaches, then in their latter days, Mk1s.

As others have mentioned on here, there would have been some cross-country services in BR days then later on some goods services too.

Hopefully not too much of a thread drift, but is there any evidence (apart from 6229’s ventures being dragged from York to Shildon and back) of a streamlined Duchess venturing on / near the ECML, or Leeds for that fact?

 

Cheers,

60800

[Fairburn]

Hopefully not too much of a thread drift, but is there any evidence (apart from 6229’s ventures being dragged from York to Shildon and back) of a streamlined Duchess venturing on / near the ECML, or Leeds for that fact?

Cheers,

60800

Sure I’ve read somewhere, possibly Rowledge, that City of Leeds made it to Leeds City for its naming ceremony.

 

 

Ian

[60800]

Sure I’ve read somewhere, possibly Rowledge, that City of Leeds made it to Leeds City for its naming ceremony.

 

Ian

Hi Ian, thanks - it’s good enough for me as it means my planned area of operations for my layout is able to handle a streamlined coronation

 

For anyone else wanting to model 6220 from 6221, the nameplate is the same size as fox’s Coronation plates, so it’s an easy job;

 

 

Something i’ve just realised is that at some point 6220 had backing plates for the crests as shown on my 6220, but not when she was released to traffic. It appears that the backing plates were then removed and the crests mounted higher on the casing. When identities were swapped with 6229, it then gained the crests at the same position with no backing.

 

Cheers,

60800

Edited January 17, 2019 by 60800

[Robin Brasher]

Last night I was able to compare the Hornby 'Duchess of Montrose' with the Hornby Dublo version on the Wimborne Raiiway Society test track. The new Hornby Duchess ran much more smoothly and quietly and even the old Hornby Stanier coaches seemed more realistic in some ways than the Hornby Dublo coaches. When the Hornby Dublo 'Duchess of Montrose' and crimson and cream coaches came out in the 1950s they seemed like the last word. Then they were superior to the Tri-ang Princess and the plastic coaches but the wheel of fortune seems to have turned a full circle in the last 64 years. Apologies for the clutter but that is one of the hazards of running trains on a club layout. 

 

[brushman47544]

Thanks for the photo Robin.

 

How does the BR green on the new Duchess of Montrose compare to other recent releases from Hornby. If it's like the green on R3468 Rebuilt 603 Squadron, which I have and look ok, or more like the awful Kings?

[Jol Wilkinson]

The new Hornby Duchess ran much more smoothly and quietly and even the old Hornby Stanier coaches seemed more realistic in some ways than the Hornby Dublo coaches. 

Surprising given sixty odd years of model technology development. 

[Robin Brasher]

Thanks for the photo Robin.

 

How does the BR green on the new Duchess of Montrose compare to other recent releases from Hornby. If it's like the green on R3468 Rebuilt 603 Squadron, which I have and look ok, or more like the awful Kings?

The Duchess of Montrose is slightly more green

 

 

than the awful King

 

 

but I think Bachmann got the green shade right with their City of Truro

 

[Robin Brasher]

Surprising given sixty odd years of model technology development. 

Not sure that Hornby's efforts in the 1970s can be described as model technology development. The Hornby Dublo and Wrenn Duchesses were mechanically superior to Hornby's first Duchess of Sutherland produced in 1977. I have had to scrap this as the chassis bent. The Hornby Dublo coaches had flushed glaze windows in the 1940s yet Hornby are still producing LMS Coronation coaches with recessed windows. It is only recently that the Hornby locomotives have become better than Hornby Dublo locomotives. My Wrenn City of Liverpool may still be able to outperform my new Hornby Duchess of Montrose.

[Pete the Elaner]

Not sure that Hornby's efforts in the 1970s can be described as model technology development. The Hornby Dublo and Wrenn Duchesses were mechanically superior to Hornby's first Duchess of Sutherland produced in 1977. I have had to scrap this as the chassis bent. The Hornby Dublo coaches had flushed glaze windows in the 1940s yet Hornby are still producing LMS Coronation coaches with recessed windows. It is only recently that the Hornby locomotives have become better than Hornby Dublo locomotives. My Wrenn City of Liverpool may still be able to outperform my new Hornby Duchess of Montrose.

It depends on how you define improvement.

 

In business, many items & projects are judged not on quality, performance or reliability but purely on cost. The rest are a problem for someone else. This has been reflected with model railways.

 

Dublo was viewed as 'model railways for the rich'. The 1977 model was a lot more affordable than the old 3-rail one, so it brought the model to a larger market than before. 

& when did you last see a centre 3rd rail on Shap? The 3-rail model can hardly be viewed as superior in this respect.

Have you seen the haulage power of a Dublo loco? In those days it was normal to run a 3 coach train behind a pacific & they created so much drag that the loco simply couldn't pull much more. I won't use a Duchess for anything less than 8 coaches on my layout because it would look too short.

The glazing on old tinplate models may have been more flush but door seams, hinges & handles were nothing more than black lines printed on.

 

Models have been made more affordable because the market made this the way to go.

It is only relatively recently that modellers have expressed a desire for better quality & the emergence of more companies competing with better models.

This has driven the costs upwards, which prompted Hornby to introduce their Railroad range. This is a good thing because it allows Hornby to constantly assess whether quality is worth compromising on the grounds of cost.

 

Back to the comparison between new & old Duchesses, I would not like to fit a sound decoder & speaker to a 3 rail Montrose. My 2011 Montrose has one though