HOTTODDY

I have a dead MN chassis requiring just (!) a drive gear.The original one split causing an annoying jerk and ticking sound. Its with a friend who has tried in vain to find a replacement gear. Several months on and no luck so far. I don't suppose the same gear is used in other Hornby locos, unless you know differently? Tod

You wont get Rolls Royce performance (pun intended!) from Austin 7 products. Bin the Hornby point and using copperclad sleepers make live frog (DPDT switched) points as per tram/ dockside track. It would be possible to convert the Hornby, but I doubt the effort would be worth it and get the reliability you want, IMO. Tod

My second version arrived yesterday but not tested until today. Oh what a difference!! Not only the improvement to the front bogie, but the rear axle too The balance is on the drivers (where it should be) and a change of gearing(?) It is more spritely, taking me a bit by surprise on my short test track. Am I just lucky or did Oxford Rail take note of some of the negative reviews of the first one? I hope it was the latter and a lesson for the "big boys"- pay attention to your customers, we pay your wages!! Well done OR, keep it up and thank you.

I solved that problem by a simple mod allowing to the trailing axle to move upwards. A few strokes with a needle file did the job. The axle now behaves like the prototype in that the springs allow it to go UP as well as down! The two springs are very tiny and easily lost, so take great care. Tod.

Got mine today, a cracking smoothe runner and I must say how kind of you to rename your Sentinels after my "better half". I suppose I'm honour bound to do the same now!? Note to one's self- do not show picture of Heather to Heather!!

My first car was a 1950 Ford Prefect and I'm really surprised that it hasn't been done since the Popular has been around some years now. Look at most street photos of the period and both the Prefect and "Pop/Anglia" were very common. The 4-door E93E Prefect was built in the late 30s and the most notable difference between the pre and post war types was the headlights. They were mounted above the front "wings" pre war and fitted into the "wings" post war. There were van, pickup, "shooting brake" and taxi versions to name a few. Some were made in Australia and seen all over the world, so please, please Taff, let's see a good old "sit-up-and-beg" Prefect, before I fall off my perch or forget all about my lovely, first transport of delight and freedom of the road!!

Ordered the black BR version yesterday on behalf of my mate and apart from the green version, was informed that all the others are available to pre-order. Logic says to me that the green version needs consideration for an early second production run. The demand is obviously there! Tod

Thank you once again dibber 25. Really appreciate the service. I will duly pass on re- MR104 and phone number to my mate. I doubt it will be a single order! Tod

Thanks for the update. I shall look out for the next MR magazine, which hopefully will have the ordering details,( prices plus postage etc.) Tod

Does anyone have a good guestimate of when they will be available? I dont subscibe to MR so a current advert is not available to me. They do look fantastic, The Southern or USA livery would be my choice. The BR version suitable for a mate. Tod

A couple or so years ago, Hornby did 4491 Commonwealth of Australia and I think Great Snipe was out at the same time, but not sure which number Hornby used as two A4s were named "GS", but the first, 4495, was renamed after a month. I expect Hornby's version was 4462? I have 4491, but its damaged (my fault) tender body is being repaired/ painted as I write. My early attempt at producing an apple green A4 from a BR Mallard (singling the chimney and replacing the valences) came out OKish, but will be outshone by the expected new one due with the loco pack. I have six A4s now, including a Lilliput Mallard, but I may be tempted if another one comes my way!

Visiting Alton Models on Thursday. I bought a D16, (LNER version) and then Paul told me that the J50s were just in on Christmas Eve. After a good think about it and after a short walk to and from the Watercress station I couldn't pass by the shop. So, set about by vagabonds and thieves, I parted with more money than I intended!!! Good old plastic to the rescue!. Both locos tested in the shop and since, they are smoothe and quiet as they should be. Very nice, thank you Hornby and Alton Models, of course. Happy New Year folks, Tod

An apple green one for me, but please please PLEASE lets have the lettering on the tender level and in line with the cabside number, The B17 and the D16 both have them misaligned. So unnecessarily poor quality control at the assembly line, considering the prices we are expected to pay for shoddy goods!!

You missed out there. Almost 10 years ago Hornby released an A1 "Flying Fox with a GN tender, all in superb LNER livery, a 60th birthday present. A great runner too, though it spends most of its time on display in my show case, it is currently on duty on the layout. It looks the part with 8 Pullmans in tow! Tod

The reviews from you chaps in Oz is very helpful thanks, but the cabside number should be level with the LNER letters on the tender. Hornby did the same error with the B17. From the photos in RCTS vol.3C the evidence is clear to see. Doing a renumber job should be easy as they look to be too high on the cabside. Sorry if that is being picky, but it tells me that Hornby production lines don't have knowledgeable people in control, who know the detail of LNER locos as we do. At least the handrail knobs look correct. So perhaps someone took notice of the comments said here about the 700 and J15 errors.I didn't buy those, but I will be buying a D16, whenever that will be!? Happy modelling folks, Tod

Yep, on two counts. Wrong alignment of the handrail knobs and choice of LNER loco number of an early scrapped loco.The latter is just my preference, but the former is a DEFECT and should not have escaped from the factory like that. The 700 has the same DEFECT and examples of Book Law beggers belief!!! Where are Hornby's QC department? Obviously not doing their job! Why are we expected to accept to these errors and try to fix them ourselves. Buying a brand new car with door handles in the wrong place wouldn't be accepted and certainly a new owner wouldn't even consider replacing them. A DEFECT is a DEFECT pure and simple. Send it back to supplier or manufacturer and keep sending defective goods back until you get satisfaction. Its your CUSTOMER RIGHT . Its a pain I know, but I've done that and it works. Be factual and good mannered with the complaint and eventually you get there. For the prices we are expected to pay we should expect the quality of goods to justify it. I rest my case.........!

Sorry for delay to respond, but thanks for the info. I expect its too late to get one now as I'm sure all the first batches will have been sold, but it will be the late crest model which can be reverted to late LNER period,that I should go for. It has all the fittings rather than having to fit them to the basic model..I think I have convinced myself now.....? Tod

I'm still undecided on which one to buy as I model late LNER 1930s period. The LNER one with its existing number was scrapped in 1934 and has steam brake only, mixed traffic duties are required. The early crest version has vacuum brake. The later crest has both vacuum and Westinghouse brake. I haven't actually seen these models in the "flesh" , so the above is what I have gleaned from all your comments and photos/youtube etc. To get the result I want, (re-branding/numbering required with all three), I think the late crest fits the bill. Anyone who has that version, can you tell me if the the smokebox door number plate is a separate add on or is it moulded with the door? Changing the identity is not a problem, but removing a moulded on number plate (if it is) is quite tricky and would need very careful work. It's a bit early yet to get a spare smokebox door from the LNER model. So comments and advice please. Tod

I fully support he reading of Anthony Ford's books as they contain so much detail of individual cars, their history and lives, pre and post WW2. I would also recommend joining the Pullman Society where you will find like minded people sharing all Pullman news and historical data. There is some mis-infomation lurking in some older publications, so reading up of as many sources as you can, is a good idea. Tod

Just going back a bit to the front wheel issues, I did a minor mod to my P2. As I previously stated there is no vertical movement of the main wheel axles. I removed the keeper plate secured with 5 small screws and saw a visible half-moon shape at the edge of the plate at each axle position. Using this as a guide, I carefully filed a round groove across the top of the plate at the leading driver position.This will allow the axle to move downwards. It is essential to support the keeper plate to protect the brake shoe/hangers, as the plastic is very hard and requires a bit of pressure using a round needle file to form the required groove. Reassembled, track testing, static at first on perfectly flat surface, I lifted the front end of the loco to see the front drivers fall very slightly, perhaps by about 1/2-1mm. Happy with that I ran the loco normally on my layout and encountered no problems so far. I could have filed the groove more, but the general rules of "a layout is only a good as its track" and "horses for courses", tells me that tortuous curves and rough uneven track is not a natural habitat for a large loco with a long wheelbase. RA9 was its limitations full size, equally applicable (with some model allowances) to this magnificent beast! This was really just a relatively simple exercise to see what can be done and as far as I'm concerned, it worked for me. If you think it it will benefit your loco, then try it, but don't go mad or you may cause other issues. If in doubt, leave it alone and make the track suit your loco.

I've just bought mine at the REC show at Woking. I was with a colleague helping him out on his trade stand and nearby was a chap with lots of temptations (of the railway kind!) of which were several P2s. At the end of the Saturday there was just one left. First thing Sunday morning it grabbed my cheque book out of my pocket and paid for it before I could change my mind!! The kind gentlemen of "Loddon Road" gave it a good test run, despite their allegiance to all things Southern/GWR. The P2 impressed them, so it had to be good. Back home i found, as you stated, that the front drivers are somewhat sensitive, a very good tool for finding track defects.!!? When I build locos these days I always compensate the chassis with a beam system. I am surprised that there is little or no vertical axle play, which will cause the front wheels to lift over the slightest "hump". I'm a bit reluctant to jepardise the warranty by modding anything, but if the problem occurs elsewhere on my layout, short of relaying a hundred yards or so of track, some form of compensation may have to happen. Surprisingly it did negotiate a Peco small radius (24") point going forward, but not backwards against the tender's closer draglink setting. My track is code 100 insulfrog, 3ft minimum radii except the aforementioned point. So I have tested it on code 75 (SMP) and Peco 100 for anyone who wants to know. Yes it is a bit fussy, but on good (level) track it runs very well and as importantly, it is BEAUTIFUL!!! Tod