adamvb

I would hold fire just for now. I tried the bar couplers that Hornby provided and they are too short to take into account the flex in the NEM pocket mounting when there is a full rake when pushing so the rear few coaches collide on corners. Reported it to technical at the end of August but not had any response/suggestion despite chasing. I gave up and purchased some of the Hunt new MK4 couplings at GETS on Sunday and so far I've had 4 pairs fail as the side wedges (that hold the coupling straight on corners) break off when the coaches are detached from one another (looks like because the magnets do not seperate straight when pulled apart), and some have lost their NEM legs and slid out in use. They seem more brittle and when I've removed the ones that have lost the wedges to replace them they have lost both feet when being pulled out of the NEM pocket - they seem a lot more brittle than the MK3 Sliding Door ones which were a similar design. I've emailed them yesterday about the initial problem, and again today with a video - will update when I hear back.

I've had speedy confirmation back that the image was an error taken when the coach had been fiddled with in testing - the coach has been made correctly and the image has now been updated - which is great news. Hopefully the errant FO's will be re-run in time, or redone if feedback is made to Hornby.

Genuinely can't answer that as I'm not Hornby - I don't know if the tooling is made up of multiple parts and they've fitted the ends at the wrong end be it a designer error giving the go ahead or a factory error - bare in mind the FOs all have vents in IC livery, at the wrong end that shouldn't exist, but in the GNER/LNER only some have them - if that error could be made then this could also be an error - will have to see what the reply is once its been looked into or when they arrive if it is imminent. Hopefully it is incorrect artwork - but it isn't when it comes to the FOs - they match the images on the Hornby listings.

Unfortunately not - the buffers and rubbing plate are mounted to the body and I believe the body is moulded as one piece so the blanked end would remain the wrong end. I've had an update to say that this is going to be checked, but also that the FOs will not be re-run/rectified as majority of purchasers are happy with the model (which doesn't take account of customers cancelling orders like you have). Hopefully more customers get in touch to give feedback and let Hornby know if they are unhappy.

Looks like it - in the LNER ones on R40150 (Coach M) has it - again at the other end (Kernow: https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/70111/R40150-Hornby-Mk4-Open-First-Coach-M-number-11412-LNER) On the GNER ones its just on R40165 (coach M) again, and also with it at little window end (Kernow: https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/70100/R40165-Hornby-Mk4-Open-First-Coach-M-number-11417-in-GNER-livery) I made Simon Kohler aware last week after speaking to the technical team who pushed me toward him, but I believe he is away from Hornby HQ at the moment. The big question will be have they mucked up Coach A - it looks like the buffers/TSOE end is at the "little window" end - but it shouldn't be (as mentioned by others before) - I've emailed about this but fear the image is of a production sample and it also hasn't been picked up....

Yep - got mine - but curiously the FO MK4s all seem to have roof vents (I thought these were only added later and even then only to one of the FOs in the set of 3 on a GNER/LNER formation and even then they were at the little window end and not this end) - but both coach G and H have one - anyone know any better?

Completely agree - looking at the old 90's swallow DVT it has much more underframe detail, the swallow on the front end, and weirdly on the new one the 3 holes to represent the horns on the lower bonnet - which are covered by a grill in real life (which is moulded on the old Hornby DVT), but not on the new one, and its not painted black in lieu of this. The panel at the top of the bonnet is really badly fitted (not flush as it should be and as per the old moulding), and they've used the wrong wiper arrangement (they should both be diagonal bottom left to top right on the pre-refurb DVT's - Hornby made a point of doing different toolings for the 91 to get this right but haven't on the DVT) . I genuinely don't understand how some elements of the model have regressed to below the detail of a 30 year old tooling.

I found it worked well until you have a full rake of 8-9 MK4s and a DVT when pushing - when doing that on 4th radius curves I get gangway collisons on the rear 2/3 coaches and have had to pop a dab of blacktack on the coupling centre bar to add a mm of distance to stop them colliding.

Oh no! I'm really sorry to see the images - thats not great. I've received one of the Locomotion D9002 models and mine has similar issues - one chain detached, both the mounting points on the body on that side are yellow and have lost all the black paint, two sets of under buffer steps missing (not in the box when carefully opened on a tray) and paint flaking off the cup like pieces on the front end in of the tail lights (not sure what these are), but the yellow paint is flaky and has come off one of them completely leaving just the yellow plastic part. I've also got a chip on the high intesity headlight casing in the yellow. I know that individually they are not massive issues, but its dissapointing with the high expectations that have been set that there are a few of them when the rest of the loco seems so well put together. I've fed back to Locomotion and they are sorting it for me which is great service from them (Stuart).

Oh no! 7 more have arrived for me today and 2 of them have the blemishes around the windows again which is unfortunate (mine are coach E and M - which are yours?). I did get a replacement for my first coach and it was blemish free, but it did take a few calls and a couple of weeks with Hornby CS - hopefully these will be resolved quicker!

Just to update on this - Hornby were very quick to reply and have checked all other stock and it appears mine may have been a production reject that was packed by mistake. The coaches will be back in stock with Hornby on Monday all being well now they have been checked and they will process a replacement. Mistakes happen and they've been quick to respond which is great, and with all the other images on here and Facebook it appears I was just genuinely unlucky/it was a mistake - will update when the replacement arrives.

Well the first MK4 has arrived (R40163 - GNER Coach K) - quite a few finish issues with the glazing and paint and what I assume are production tabs left intact on the bottom of the body - hopefully everyone elses are better!

Same here - just coach K (FO), but all the rest are saying summer rather than Spring.

I'm just writing a similar email to mention the wobble/running and the various livery errors (and cut short lower body at the front which I've just noticed...sigh). I tend to find mine don't deviate quite as much from the track as yours, but they do definitely wobble and "clack" on points to varying degrees. I've also noted they seem to exhibit this less in reverse weirdly...

I've tried removing the two underside bogie screws and running it without the bogie detail frame and that makes no difference to my 4.

They just managed to forget to paint the left and right window frames on the front in black (which is weird because they've shown it as black on the renders and the pre-production models and they've painted it on the GNER/LNER/ForTheFallen but not the IC - Swallow is just destined to be slightly wrong with Hornby - they forgot to paint the window frames black on the MK3 DVT last year too.

Just as an update to this - I've now tried with a LAIS DCC 860019 6 function and everything works perfectly. Not sure why the Dapol Imperium 3 causes the cab lights to flicker (accross multiple decoders and multiple 91s) - but this has solved the issue for me. Kernow are recommending the Imperium3 for the 91 so others might come accross the same issue - would be interesting to know!

I'm generally pleased with the model - although my first has had to go back due to a really blurry side print on one side. It does seem to have a fair bit of body roll over points and corners which is odd - but my biggest issue is decoders - I've tried 4 Function Gaugemaster decoders (and the cab lights didn't work). I've now moved to Dapol Imperium3's as suggested by Kernow, and these do allow the cab light to illuminate, but it flickers and dims as the loco pulls away, but don't go off which is weird. What decoders are other people using and how do your cab lights perform? Cheers, Adam

I succumbed and purchased one of the SFX IC Swallow examples (35-413SFX), but I've found that it has a rhythmic waddle to it (on both track and tested on rolling road) - I've had a replacement and its exactly the same. The irony is that I have a couple of the older 47s and they are the same to varying degrees, but I'd hoped the new tooling would have sorted these sorts of issues out - does anyone elses have a waddle or am I just unlucky on the two I've had?

Just to add my experience. Bought a loco last week, turned up with damage that wasn't listed and didn't appear to have happened in transit (scratches on the body and clouded windscreen) and signs of previous use (hair/fluff in the wheelsets). I let the retailer know and the response was in the same vain as BSG75 and Engineer143125s experiences. From the outset Bruno refused to cover the cost of return postage or provide a refund for the outbound postage citing his terms and conditions. He then called me and when we spoke the call turned into an opportunity for needless aggression, accusations and insults which led to me having to end the call. His tag line is "Quality without compromise" - both of which were not my experience! Luckily I had paid via PayPal and they took over the process and ensured I received my refund - all very needlessly unpleasant.

I received my coach packs on Monday, and I'm generally happy with them as the paint job seems a lot better than recent releases, but a couple of things I've noticed that it would be interesting to see if others have: Light bleed along the mid body join (especially in the TRBS) - noticeable in anything other than a bright room (dark picture used just to show more clearly as camera doesn't pick it up as well) And also, the ride height seems to vary a bit between some of the coaches: Do anyones elses seem to have these issues? I might have to get another TRBS

I've got one of each 91 and a rake of IC, GNER and LNER coaches on order. It's looking great - although the panel below the windscreen needs a bit of work as it bends upwards and the ends to my eyes. That and on the swallow one the white on the upper bonnet should go right down to the light cluster, but otherwise all good!

I'm struggling to find a pot of this to do a touch up on a Hornby IC DVT cab door - has anyone spotted them at any retailers of late (know it's a long shot!), or are there any close alternatives? Cheers, Adam

I'd just check with them that you have got one allocated - the website doesn't necessarilly show live availability on preorders - I was emailing with Chris earlier and he said they have allocated preorders and have a large list of people waiting on backup incase one becomes available.