Venator

Very pleased to have recieved my NSE Class 205. Well worth the wait

Ultimately, loco owners restore or work on their own locos, regardless of how 'common' they are. 'Another' austerity or west country is somebody's pride and joy. Yes, some locos are in a sad state but sadly we're not all millionaires and it takes time to raise money for restoration. Amazingly enough loco owning groups, where possible tend to pool resources especially when ordering expensive new components such as boilers. The IWR / K&ESR had this arrangement for two of their terriers a few years back.

Good things come to those that wait As with all models, it will turn up when it turns up, I tend not to pay much notice to the timescales!

Or some of us don't care because it's certainly much better than any attempt I could ever dream of doing with a kit. If you don't like a RTR model for whatever reason don't buy it.

Looks amazing with the lights. It surprises me that it doesn't come with interior lighting pre fitted given most Hornby EMUs seem to come with it fitted these days. However the 2BIL and 395 are recent exceptions to this rule. I think in this day and age interior lighting should be a given, I'd be willing to pay more for a unit with interior lighting.

Looks like a brilliant model. From a purely selfish point of view I'm a bit frustrated that the Connex version bumped the NSE version out of batch 1. Looking forward to getting one!

The Kent and East Sussex Railway is home to two 54ft birdcage brakes. Unlike the Isle of Wight ones they retain the birdcage section. I believe they were sold to the Longmoor Military Railway in the 40s. The centre coach was scrapped in the 50s. See link for more details: http://www.kesr.org.uk/stock-register/coaching-stock/14-stock/coaches/110-secr#60-61 I am very happy Bachmann have chosen to produce a Birdcage set, the SE&CR crimson lake ones will make an excellent match with their equally exquisite C Class.

Thanks Dave, I will mail model rail as you suggest. Awesome project, I've been waiting for this for year! I think it will be a success because most people in Rolvenden workshop will be buying one!! Venator

If Dapol release more variants then I'll keep buying! Maybe there's a chance Dapol would release one or both of the K&ESR's preserved USA Tanks? Certainly the K&ESR's have seen more use than the KWVR's and the Bluebell's put together!

As a working volunteer on the Kent and East Sussex Railway, I have overhauled one of these locos (65 Maunsell) and am seeing the other one (DS238 Wainwright) starting to get overhauled. Fantastic announcement!

Hello and welcome to my third blog posting. I have been making steady, if slow, progress with my layout. My efforts since Christmas have mainly been focused on the marshalling yard element of my model railway. The original layout (showed below) had plenty of sidings but I thought it was rather unimaginative and restrictive to operate. I had a major redesign and came up with a new track layout. This would allow more flexibility and be a bit more interesting to operate. Old Layout New Layout - overall view The new layout is connected to the lower level via my ramp which still needs properly connecting up. There's the island platform still to be built. The idea being that passenger trains "the branch shuttle" will use the road closest to the wall and trains for the yard will use the other line. Stock accesses the yard via a small reversing section with points. This makes shunting a large train into the yard more fun because it has to be broken into sections and then re marshalled once in the yard. Inefficient but fun! The Bulk sidings are shown here. This is where the longer trains are assembled and stored for distribution. The second photo shows the need for a backscene along the wall. Its on my list of things to do! The sidings then extend into the industrial complex. This is where shorter trains are shunted to collect products from the factory. The view here is from the ramp which connects the two levels of my layout. View of the Industrial buildings - made from Metcalfe Industrial Kits. Leading on from the industrial complex is another siding which connects to the Loco Shed, Carriage Shed and a couple of smaller storage sidings. Austerities waiting for duty A TPO being shunted into the carriage shed for repairs One of the smaller sidings next to the industrial site, shunting into this siding involves much reversing and point changing! There are still things to complete, a few low relief buildings are to be added, the island platform, and some scenery along the backwall. I also need to add a power feed to another couple of places allowing more than one loco to work at a time. In the next update I hope to have some progress on the lower level Thank you for reading and any comments are gratefully received. Venator

Simple solution - buy Bachmann models and take your custom exclusively to them. Nowhere is it compulsory for people to buy the 4VEP offering from Hornby. If its so inaccurate and unacceptable I suggest said people buy a kit (which look worse in my opinion, the MJK cab end is hideous). I (and many others) like the 4VEP and are pleased with it. I recently spoke to a retailer and they said the 4VEPs were rapidly disappearing. Traction tyres don't cause me any problems and the motor runs nicely, giving a realistic level of speed (if you wish to dispute that please see the video I posted on this thread earlier). I wanted an RTR NSE DC EMU suitable for my layout. I do not have the patience or will to go and build a rivet perfect 4VEP so I'm very happy Hornby have made a 4VEP. They've offered to correct the 1st class coach so the only thing I wasn't entirely happy about will be sorted. Again in terms of price - I remember the 4VEP price being around £160 when it was first announced, I eventually picked it up for £40 less. Prices can change and RRP isn't always what retailers sell at. Far from being a disgrace to modelling I think its a bold step into a new market from Hornby. None of the reviews I've read in numerous magazines seemed to think that either (though no doubt people think there's a media conspiracy there, so to justify their own views as true). I reiterate the point - don't like the 4VEP, don't buy / own one and leave those of us who are satisfied customers to enjoy them. I sincerely hope all this negativity doesn't mean Hornby won't make further potential models (such as the 4CIG).

Steve, I consider myself to be in the "NSE OK" Club in terms of the 4VEP. I have spoken to several other NSE VEP owners and they have similar experiences to mine. I'm thinking of purchasing another and getting it renumbered as I have had no problems with it. (I can then run 12 coach NSE EMU formations!) Venator

Hello and welcome once again to my blog, There has been much progress and some changes since my last entry in June. Since the last blog I have completed the following: Industrial building scenes (Metcalfe Brewery, Warehouse, Factory, Gatehouse, Boilerhouse) ​ Track Works on the lower level Siding Arrangement and layout on the 2nd level Wiring up of Gaugemaster Model Q controller Tunnel Portals Main Station Building The following is in progress: Platform buildings and ramps Tie in between 2nd and lower level Scenery and backdrops Extension of Carriage Shed My main change has been to switch the name of my station to Ashford International. I discovered that there were three or four rejected proposals for the rebuilding in the early 1990s, my station layout looked similar to one of those so I decided to model my local station instead of a false one. However for continuity I will continue on with the same blog. Hopefully I can update this blog more regularly in future, however progress tends to come in bursts rather than slow steady progress. I've posted some "scenic photos" beneath. Comments and thoughts are welcome on all of this blog. Venator

I had a thoroughly pleasant chat with Simon at Warley about the 4VEP. Before I even got started he did say that he wasn't happy with the solid partition in the 4VEP and he literally held his hands up and said they got it wrong. I myself am not entirely happy with the solid partition but at least Hornby have acknowledged the error. It's something I can live with and fix if I want to. Simon told me that the 4VEP had been extensively tested in Margate and they hadn't encountered any of the problems mentioned. This would back up my experience of the model at least (any doubts or confusion see the video I posted earlier in the thread). Overall it was an interesting, positive chat and one I enjoyed. Simon did actually thank me for having some kind words to say about the VEP! To say that Hornby shouldn't do any more DC EMUs is a bit selfish, if you don't feel they're up to your standards / too expensive then don't buy them! Don't deprive others (like myself) of those models. I'm very glad Hornby have done the much criticised 466 and VEP, otherwise I wouldn't have them and my portrayal of the Southeast's railways wouldn't be as good. Personally I would hope that Hornby do make more "slam door" EMUs because there's still so many gaps to fill in both the DC and AC areas. Venator

Hi SAC Martin: I'm really not sure as to why yours is performing as it is, similarly I'm sure you can't believe that mine performs as it does! Obviously that's not good if it can't traverse your R2 loop. It would be interesting to put your VEP on my loop! Hi Ceptic, I have a Gaugemaster Controller and it will traverse the crossover at about 30 - 35 on the controller. The power coach raises slightly as the wheels touch the plastic (again see video) but on that speed setting is has the momentum to get over it. Other locos I have have the same issue. When you up the speed is that on curves or straight sections? I have found that increasing the power too quickly can lead to derailing, so I gently up the speed until it hits about 60 - 65. Even my most robust units tend to derail on my loop on more than that speed. Hope this helps. Hi Steve, thank you for your thoughts. Clearly BJ models in King's Lynn is the place then! I was in King's Lynn when the VEP was released so I went there (though I've bought loads of stuff from there and never had any problems). In my view there may be some quality control issues but without having a range of models to look at I cannot properly judge. I'd have thought all the NSE VEPs were in the same batch though? Is there a way of identifying different batches / models? I wouldn't sell my 4VEP though, I've become far too attached to it! I do agree that it would put your mind at ease if you saw one running well around a sizeable layout and bought that specific model. Great to discuss with you, Venator. PennineMC, People are reporting their own individual problems and I'm merely saying that I have a 4VEP that works and doesn't suffer from many of the problems reported. Perhaps its an issue of quality control? As I said above, I'm unsure about that but it may be a logical starting point for meaningful discussion.

If you watch the video I posted on here you will see that the 4VEP running qualities aren't actually too bad. Radius 2 curves are no problem, multiple points connected into very sharp curves are no problem. It even travels over my settrack diamond when other locos / units stall on it. Watch the video, there's my proof!

I've had mine for over six weeks now, I haven't changed my mind. In fact quite the opposite, the more I run it the more I like it. Steve, here is my video: Apologies for the state of my layout, it's having a refurbishment at the moment and various things are on and off the board. As you can see the 4VEP has little issue with running round radius 2 curves, multiple sets of points and even goes over my diamond crossover (which other multiple units don't like).

PennineMC: If you had ready my first post you would know that I have been following this forum since the beginning of the thread. Bouncy bouncy made the point about people being shouted down. PennineMC, accusing others of being blinkered sounds like it to me! Metadyneman: You say this an oppurtunity to talk about the good and bad points of the 4VEP but I think this has degenerated into a purely making the bad points forum. I want to put a positive view in, to counter balance all of the negativity and its starting to feel like anything positive said about the 4VEP is offensive. No I didn't think that. I used the word professional to describe those accomplished at model railwaying. Again i will repeat that it may not have been the right word. However despite the apparently erroneous use of the word people seemed to know what i meant!

I think Bouncy Bouncy makes some very valid points, especially that this is rapidly degenerating into a "4VEP is poo forum". My aim was simply to voice that I (and others) consider the 4VEP to be a good model. Other than minor accuracy issues and people's dislike of traction tyres I don't see a convincing argument as to why this seen as a disaster model. People's experiences of their 4VEPs may be different than mine (particularly in terms of reliability and performance) but that suggests a quality control issue rather than a fundamental design flaw. SAC Martin: I haven't seen Hornby promoting the VEP as a "top range model", certainly they've stuck it in the "ordinary" category i.e not Railroad. I may be wrong but I didn't see a "superdetailed" sign on the box. Also, considering they priced a Class 60 at £103 recently I'd say £120 for a 4 coach EMU is a good price! The 395 was Hornby's flagship model and I paid a similar amount for the 4VEP as I did the 395 (so expected similar standards). Royaloak: There isn't a superior model from a different manufacturer because Bachmann have modelled a blue & grey / green 4CEP whilst Hornby are modeling an BR Blue / NSE liveried 4VEP. If Bachmann were to release a refurbished 4CEP in NSE livery I'd buy it. I'm enjoying the discussion, Venator

Perhaps professional was the wrong word but certainly there's a gulf in what I look for and some of you guys look for. I wouldn't even attempt some of those modifcations shown on RM Web because I'd probably destroy the model (nor do I feel the need). By all means criticise the 4VEP, it may well be valid. The point I'm making is that I don't feel the majority of modellers are that bothered by many of the "accuracy" issues there are. I'm certainly not! I guess it depends on how you judge a model as to whether its good or not. In my opinion the 4VEP is a good model and a very good representation of the real thing. Venator

PennineMC, I consider anybody who gets out a scale ruler to measure carriage heights / profiles to be a bit of a pro. Other "little" things such as the suspension links and colour of the lighting are something that I consider professional or "serious" railway modeller comments. Perhaps my standards are lower than those on RM web but I don't have any issues with the 4VEP, based on my own experience and running needs. My philiosohpy is "if it looks like the real thing that's good enough for me". Hence why I have models such as the Lima 92 and Heljan 33 which have been slated on this forum. UK_Steve: I can make a video of my 4VEP and EPB running round. I have a very, unrealistically steep, gradient which the 4VEP can get about 1/2 way up. I will attempt to do this at the weekend when I get a few minutes spare. Great suggestion!

I have read this forum with great interest and have gleaned much information. I am not a professional modeller and really only want something that looks vaguley like the real thing. I'm not bothered if the front end is a couple of mm too wide or narrow, nor am I bothered by slightly innacurate detailing or colours. Lots of the issues raised here I don't think the "ordinary" modeller like myself are actually too bothered about. I own an NSE 4VEP and have to say on the whole I'm happy with it. It runs round my 2nd radius loop (which includes x4 sets of points) with no problems and is a steady performer. I have also run it in tandem with a 2EPB and they run very well together. Whatever its percieved faults: I'm happy that Hornby did a NSE 4VEP because otherwise I wouldn't have one!

Hello and welcome to my blog. My Model railway combines my love of steam, industry, sectorisation and my local area (Kent). The model is split into two levels, each is different. The lower level is the passenger, modern side of things. I am modelling a fictional station called Singleton Central which is set around the late 1980s / early 1990s. This is "through station" although you can only leave one side! It has undergone a major rebuilding since the early days and I will complete it when time and other commitments allow. The second level is a marshalling yard and depot, with various industrial buildings and sidings. This is where my large collection of Hunslet Austerities (x15) shunt wagons and order trains to be taken away. Again this is a work in progress and pictures will be posted as I progress. I am very constrained by space (it's in two corners of my bedroom) so this is why I went for two levels and they are linked by a very steep incline. I understand it's not realistic but it's the only feasible way to provide a link between the two levels and eras! I hope you find this interesting and will watch this space as I slowly progress. Suggestions and comments are very welcome! Attached are some photos of the layout under construction, I must apologise for the debris scattered around. Venator