Hornby Dublo/Wrenn R1 tank

[Guest Belgian]

I'm currently, and very slowly, bringing a Hornby/Triang L1 4-4-0 back to life and closer to modern standards. I have found it to be almost correct in most of its dimensions, and can use a Hornby T9 chassis with the L1 superstructure.

 

As a result, and following the Bachmann C class' success, I am wondering if the old Dublo R1 0-6-0 tank has/had any major deviations from accuracy and whether anyone has attempted to bring one up to date successfully. Like the L1 it was an all-new model and thus there was no need to make the usual compromises that bedevilled models of that era whereby they were grossly distorted to fit on existing chassis.

 

If the R1 is a suitable basis for a model to modern standards, is there an r-t-r chassis which could be used?

 

Jeremy English

[Graham_Muz]

HI Jeremy

 

Both the good Captain Kernow and I have dabbled with updating this model. On the whole it is not that bad with a couple of slight dimensional compromises.

 

Being a Wrenn / Dublo chassis it uses 1/8 axles and is therefore a simple exchange for Romford or similar wheelsets and the gear on the axle is held with a grub screen rather the push fit on to splines as used by Hornby. Mainly Trains do a custom etch for the connecting rods.

Once the moulded handrails and pipework etc is carved off and replaced (shhh don.t mention Design Clever) its not a bad result. The only thing I have not tackled is the under boiler are which is still a vertical moulding, but one day I might do something about it.

 

 

 

[Guest Belgian]

Very nice Graham, it shows what a 'clever designer' can do!!! (or, rather, a clever modeller). I have happy memories which I am trying to recreate of an L1 and an R1 on my first model railway in the early 1960s and it was quite a pleasant surprise to realise that both were really quite accurate models for their time. I'm surprised that the modern Hornby haven't sought to reintroduce them in a modern format, although I suppose they could have 'moved up the list' as it were recently in view of the Bachmann C success.

 

Jeremy

[Graham_Muz]

I am yet to finish my L1s, so no pictures yet, as you say the loco body is pretty accurate and coupled to a proper Southern 3500 tender such as the Bachmann version or kit built it also makes a fine model.

The chassis on the L1 being a very early design is a plate type rather than a cast block and like the Wrenn chassis used 1/8 axles so again fitting scale wheels such as Romfords is a simple job and the plate frame chassis allows most modern motor gearbox assemblies to be easily dropped in (I have a Portescap in mine). Again replacing the old moulded handrails and pipework etc. lifts the model considerably.

[Guest Belgian]

I have found that a T9 chassis is an almost tailored fit into the L1 body Graham, and leaves the cab clear as well as providing almost-perfect drivers (6' 7" instead of 6' 8") and the correct driving wheelbase. The front of the chassis needs to be removed and the bogie replaced by a shorter one (I'm using a BR Standard one) but then mounted directly to the body (as per the 'Schools') so that the full wheelbase can be correct. By using a Hornby King Arthur 6 wheel tender the pickups become available and the T9 has leads already fitted to enable a DCC decoder to be fitted into the tender if required.

 

The T9 approach will also allow the 'aprons' under the boiler to be removed and the reverser on one side will disguise the small amount of chassis still visible and allow it to be hidden. And T9 chassis regularly come up on e-bay for less than the cost of buying a new set of Romford wheels

. . .

 

Jeremy

[Brit70053]

.

 

 I am wondering if the old Dublo R1 0-6-0 tank has/had any major deviations from accuracy . Like the L1 it was an all-new model and thus there was no need to make the usual compromises that bedevilled models of that era whereby they were grossly distorted to fit on existing chassis.

 

 

 

Jeremy English

 

Hi Jeremy,

 

                In response to your query about innacuracies on the R1, I'm pretty sure I once read (don't ask me where or when) that the 'bulges' atop the firebox, either side of the safety valve mounting,  were a compromise to accommodate the Hornby Dublo motor.

 

              I do stand to be corrected about this, but I'm sure someone on here will have a definitive answer or prototype photograph.

 

              Regards,

 

                             John

[Guest Belgian]

Hi Jeremy,

 

                In response to your query about innacuracies on the R1, I'm pretty sure I once read (don't ask me where or when) that the 'bulges' atop the firebox, either side of the safety valve mounting,  were a compromise to accommodate the Hornby Dublo motor.

 

              I do stand to be corrected about this, but I'm sure someone on here will have a definitive answer or prototype photograph.

 

              Regards,

 

                             John

Hmmm. I had never noticed those 'bumps' John, but have looked at prototype photos and they certainly weren't there on the real thing. So your point is 99% likely to be right!

 

Jeremy

[OFFTHE RAILS]

I also looked into improving the R1 some time ago, but in addition to the body inaccuracies already mentioned the coupled wheelbase is also quite wrong. Drawings of the R and R1 were published a few years ago in one of the magazines and this decided me to abandon the project.

Ian

[New Haven Neil]

I thought that was a new chassis for that model, which makes me wonder why they would make it incorrectly.  I don't suppose we'll ever know.

[Nick Holliday]

This subject came up on RMweb some time ago, so it might be worth checking out what was said there.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/20653-Hornby-dublo-r1/

 

Branchlines do an etched chassis kit, a by-product from their O class 0-6-0 I think, which has the correct wheelbase which means that the front splasher  may require adjustment.  They can also supply lost wax for the boiler fittings.

 

I like the way the extra bumps also appear in the "cast coal" replicas that swamped the market a few years ago.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Think you will find that Hornby-Dublo/Wrenn used the same 6 coupled chassis unit under the R1 as the N2,  incorrect for both models. Despite the fond claims seen through the mists of distant enchantment, they were a toy maker first and foremost too...

 

The body contains almost every compromise typical of steam bodies, such that Iain Rice used it for a thorough 'how to' demo of plastic RTR steam loco body modification technique in order to make it correct to mount on a scale dimensioned chassis. The largest elements of the original moulding that survive unaltered are the side tanks with those delightful flares on top; he does head the chapter detailing this work as 'Serious Surgery'. I wish I could tell you the title, but the copy I have was used as the reinforcement at the bottom of a baked beans box, in which was a heap of OO bought for a quid at a car boot. Missing its' covers and starting on page 3: were the writing style not distinctive enough he does name himself as 'Rice' in the third column of page 3. Fully worth the quid.

[Grovenor]

 

Think you will find that Hornby-Dublo/Wrenn used the same 6 coupled chassis unit under the R1 as the N2

That would imply that the N2 was given a new chassis to replace the original vertical armature version, not something i was aware of. The R1  chassis was certainly not used for any other model at the time it was introduced, HD may have had plans of course.

Keith

,

[Gilwell Park]

That would imply that the N2 was given a new chassis to replace the original vertical armature version, not something i was aware of. The R1  chassis was certainly not used for any other model at the time it was introduced, HD may have had plans of course.

Keith

,

I am not sure about the HD 2 rail N2 but the later Wrenn version did use the R1 chassis. As the 2 rail N2 was introduced some time after the general introduction of 2 rail it may have used the new chassis.

 

Roger.

[Captain Kernow]

Both the good Captain Kernow and I have dabbled with updating this model. On the whole it is not that bad with a couple of slight dimensional compromises.

 

Here are a couple of photos of my efforts, taken from the other thread. I decided (having previously built the Wills 'H' class 0-4-4T kit for someone, finishing it in lined BR black, that I liked SE&CR locos in that livery, so I eventually got round to trying it on my R1.

 

I fitted turned Romford driving wheels, put a curved section under the boiler and hollowed out the coal bunker.

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

I am not sure about the HD 2 rail N2 but the later Wrenn version did use the R1 chassis. As the 2 rail N2 was introduced some time after the general introduction of 2 rail it may have used the new chassis.

 

Roger.

 

My thoughts exactly - hence why was it so inaccurate for the R1, it's first use.  Odd.