GrumpyPenguin

"How long is a poece of string ?".

4 x 2 is large enough to hone your skills & not too big to be dunting.

If you are not happy with the results then start again, leaning from mistakes.

It may be an idea to design it so that it could be part of a later and larger layout should time & space become available.

Most importantly - enjoy your layout.

2 hours ago, cctransuk said:

Anyway - we're not part of Europe (any more).

But we are not completly out of it either.

1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

 

OK - please name the N gauge models that have had working, removeable lights.

 

CJI.

Not required in Europe, anyway the point was refering to the size oif the lamps - thesedays using tiny LEDs.

9 hours ago, JaymzHatstand said:

 And @Corbs has certainly done a good job of improving the lamps, though they are still oversized, that has been countered somewhat.

Maybe, they are oversized to compensate for the wheels being too close together.............

(Sorry, could not resist that one).

11 hours ago, IOW O2 said:

Don't be so patronising.  

 

Have read entire thread.  The point was what was obtainable for lighting in N gauge years ago by another manufacturer.

I'm afraid that there are many UK modellers who hate being reminded of how far ahead European manufacturers were (& probably still are) of UK offerings.

I fully expect that if European locomotives used any form of headcodes that the manufactures would be able to do it.

14 hours ago, IOW O2 said:

If Fleischmann could put working lights on my N gauge German 2-10-0, 45 years ago, seems odd Hornby have gone for O gauge size.  Ooh, perhaps they were aiming at the toy market, so kids could ogle at them lit up.

True, however, don't forget with European practice it was usually a question of all on or all off.

FWIW Fleischmann & other manufactures used one tiny bulb/lamp/globe & a form of light tube (albeit square) to channel the light source to the actual light.

8 minutes ago, steve1 said:

Not many of these about.

 

steve

 

 

A friend has one & usually returns to it with a note asking for "first dibbs" when he decides to sell it.

21 minutes ago, Downer said:

Agree it looks the part in many ways, but you still need a fireman who needs to be a champion long jumper to reach the tender.

Lets hope the track is not too rough or he may loose too much coal through the gap or even worse fall through it.

1 hour ago, SulzerPeak said:

If your going to knock someone being helpful because of their choice of language it helps if you can spell🤪

My speeling is usually pritty good bit sometimes I miss a tiepo !

Thank you four pointing it out.

1 hour ago, zr2498 said:

Same for me. DPD delivery today instead of Monday.

I kept the Caprotti order in place, and cancelled the other two as the Caprotti is first time RTR.

 

So far:

Well packaged, and no parts detached. A few photos included. Ran smoothly out of the box with good crawl. This is before running in. Round the curves OK, bearing in mind not less than 30" raduius on the layout. Only time will tell of the connector gives trouble?

 

 

 

 

Cab steps need straightening up but apart from that the other detail seems fine.

 

 

 

The lamps are clearly too large, but that rectification will come later. On turning lights off there is some light bleed from around the lamps and from the other lamp brackets. If they are to be kept on then the area of the lens needs to be reduced and the light dimmed.

 

 

 

Overall, pleased that I did stick with this one. Sound fitting might be from one of the alternative B5 sounds from Locoman.

Are the cab steps supposed to be vertical ?

26 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

They're at it again - reaching out!!

 

What's wrong with 'contact'?

 

CJI.

At least we agree on something - yet another ghastly "Americanism" creeping in.

"Reaching ouy" is something you do when drowning !

5 hours ago, ColinB said:

Unfortunately I get the opinion Hornby has the "British Leyland" attitude.

I did think about that way of looking at it but that would have opened another can of worms.

11 hours ago, melmerby said:

78 last Sunday. Likewise no where near flexible enough to do much under the layout stuff.

I'm off for a back Xray in two weeks time due to an ongoing problem. I had a prolapse ("slipped disc") 30 odd years ago and my back has never been right since.

Good luck with thye back issue.

12 hours ago, melmerby said:

How did they fail?

I bought two to try and they were OK but noisy compared to a Tortoise but both failed after about a year, both stuck at the ends and wouldn't move without some persausion.

I replaced them with Tortoises which have worked flawlessly. (which they need to be as they are completely unreachable without some layout dismantling☹️.)

Same with mine - they were noisy too, one more than the other.

11 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

I don't excuse anything; I am simply realistic - unlike you!

 

You seem to be very good at telling us all what we should do - but we make up our own minds, thank you.

 

CJI.

I'm not telling anyone what to do, I'm just suggesting what can be done to help improve the situation (as are a few other people).

Enjoy your substandard/budget models & have a pleasant weekend.

9 hours ago, Bon Accord said:

 

This notion of continental quality is a straw man argument.

We don't need continental quality from Hornby.

We just need Accurascale or Rapido quality.

Those companies - plus Bachmann - for the most part generally seem to be able to achieve what seems impossible for Margate and within either the same pricing bracket or cheaper.

How is this wizardry possible?

 

Over the past few years the number of Hornby locos I've returned as defective/damaged must be into double figures, off the top of my head: A2/2, A3, A4 (Dublo), BR 2MT, Clan, J36, plus a Rocket pack. In the same time period I've only had to return one blue box loco and that was a 40 whose DCC chip fried itself the first time it had power applied.

As it happens Hornby are quite capable of producing European quality, after all, there are a few European brands in the group.

I have a number of "Hornby era" european locomotives & rolling stock on my fleet - it is well up to the standards of Roco & every single item has worked correctly out of the box & in service.

Maybe (dare I say it) there are far too many modellers of UK outline that are too tight fisted to pay for quality.

10 hours ago, JeremyC said:

Some people are making quality comparisons between the new Hornby Black 5 and Continental models so I thought I'd compare the two.

Roco 230 F 607, SNCF (4-6-0) 449.90 Euros (£383.51)from Roco. Model is DC analogue. 

https://www.roco.cc/ren/products/locomotives/steam-locomotives/71385-steam-locomotive-230-f-607-sncf.html

Hornby Black 5 DC analogue (DCC ready) £229.99 from Hornby

https://uk.Hornby.com/products/lms-stanier-5mt-black-5-4-6-0-5200-era-3-r30224

So perhaps if we want Continental quality we need to pay continental prices.

A good comparison between the Black 5 and the P38.

However, based on those prices I would rather have 3 European quality models than 5 Hornby quality models.

Another aspect is that spare parts are generally available from the European brands although the lead times can be a while.

13 hours ago, cctransuk said:

So your contention that Hornby would produce better models if all faulty ones were returned is not a realistic option - right?

Only because people are far too prepared to accept sub-standard goods.

Please stop making excuses for poor build/quality in pursuit of cheaper prices.

12 hours ago, melmerby said:

How does this timber stay in place?😄

 

Picture from Rails

They are similar to European wagons they should have stakes (8 each side) & straps to hold the timber in place.

9 hours ago, kevinlms said:

And swearing!

Forgot that one !

5 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

They also test 100% after assembly and before packaging at the factory to check they run.

That's reassuring to know - does the same go for Hornby ?

6 hours ago, cctransuk said:

 

The company ethos at Hornby's contractor would seem to be "It'll do"! 🤣

 

Time to get a grip, Hornby! 🤔

 

CJI.

Oh that's OK really because;

"If you want that particular loco, and there isn't one from another producer, it IS 'take it or leave it' !

(wonder who said that ?).

8 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

We don't know the age or fitness level of the OP but I can state that working under the baseboard becomes increasingly unattractive as the years pass. At almost 76 I am lucky that I can still sit on the floor - or even squat for a few minutes - to do tasks, but it induces some temporary aches, and I don't even have signs of arthritis, unlike many my age, although I do have osteoporosis. 

 

So I endorse kevinlms's recommendation to ensure all possible preparation for motor installation is done at an early stage. 

As someone with virtually the same miles on the clock I completly agree.

Years ago, I used to envy people that could do acrobactics - thesedays I envy people who can get up from the floor without grabbing onto furniture &/or grunting/wheezing.

7 hours ago, kevinlms said:

So be careful with a complex track plan, about laying all the track, WITHOUT making provision for a/ installing your choice of point motors and b/ providing the required pre-wiring, thus making it practical to connect up the wiring to your preferred method of operation.

If you want to start track laying before you choose your point motor type you could cut away the basebord to allow for installation later. The hole could be covered with a strong thin membrane.

53 minutes ago, Bernard Lamb said:

You might be prepared to pay the (very large) cost for that sort of QC, but the vast majority of people will not.

I certainly am prepared to pay more, probably around 30% more (based on UK/European prices).

I would rather have a smaller "fleet" that worked out of the box & did not fall apart when used.

Quite simply, no matter how much I wanted a particular model I would rather send it back and face the prspect of doing without.