robmcg

Forgive me for exhuming this subject from the depths of the past, but may I ask whether there was any definitive resolution to the issue of GWR-era Castles? With some posts found as a result of search in this forum saying that there were production problems including possible cyano glue effects of paint-stripping, as well as those listed above, did anyone receive models which were in fact ok? Was there ever any statement from Hornby about the alleged problems? I know a post-war Hawksworth tender version is planned, but a GWR-era Collett version would be nice. Thanks, Rob

I see that Kernows have couple of BR Castles for sale, so all may not be lost...

Very nice slidebars, rods, external brakerods, and sand pipes too.

I found several RM threads under 'Alexandria Palace' but none had pics of a compound... can you be more specific? Perhaps I am just blind...

I'd go for something in that area too. The ballasting in the photo would never be acceptable in a model..

Thankyou for that reply, I admit I had not chased very many on-line sellers, perhaps I will do so. I was wondering about demand generally for some models recently, since I sell some of my models after photographing them and have had a considerable fall-off in sales on our NZ online auction site Trademe (NZ only... low volume international parcels are quite expensive to arrange), with a new BR 7007 'Great Western' still unsold after 12 weeks at an equivalent of UK 75 Pounds, lovely illustrations, 100% good feedback rating etc... I don't draw any conclusions about this, as in my experience selling is a strange thing generally. I guess I am also interested in the apparent lack of Castles from the post-war era with their many detail differences in steam pipes, cylinder housings and lubricators, as well as really wanting a 'Star' and/or Castles rebuilt from Stars... now there is a type of locomotive which really DOES show the art of locomotive building! Rob

Is it just me or are ordinary everyday single chimney Castles hard to find in shops these days.... let alone early crest Collett tender versions? Rob

A lovely review, thankyou, and I fully understand the sentiments expressed... the photos are actually very nice. It's also very nice to be reminded of the history of the loco. When I have had a smokebox 'dart' or handles fall off I too have had trouble replacing them. Good luck! Last time it happened to me was with Hornby's new LNER B1 and they had broken off in the plastic packaging, and fell on my tile floor twice before being cornered and glued back on. Everything in the house had to stop until the tiny part was re-captured! typo edit

It is reassuring to know now that history is written by astute scholars with rigorous discipline, especially in matters GWR. Thankyou. Rob. p.s. What is this place called 'Swindon'? Oi've nivver 'eard of it mesself.

Oh, there is always great beauty in hand-built, or well-modified, or even simply enhanced models. My own efforts at enhancing ? pictures stems from my limited ability in actual modelling. Hand-built models always have an extra dimension of beauty. Which is not to denigrate the fine standards of production modelling now displayed by Hornby's B1. Rob

Wow! Who would have believed this standard of modelling from an RTR at around a hundred quid a few years ago? With very talented assembly of factory detailing and lovely weathering .... I especially like the first photo. With the pleasures of this particular Hornby model, the B1, in mind, I repaired a broken smokebox handle from the box, replaced a windscreen, and made this photo of an LNER version, with suitable rather clean Gresley non-gangway stock approaching a super-elevated curve at speed, the engine having just whistled to the photographer.

Fantastic work, very nice indeed. I don't think you'd get that quality from a factory for less than a King's Ransom. Rob

Similar but not identical to Bachmann Branchline 00. Clear plastic moulding slides out of clear plastic sleeve, hinged at one end etc... , engine-tender permanently connected, sit in moulding, with various thin plastic pieces in pressure-points . Rectangular clear plastic container then fits into cardboard box, with the Hornby cardboard sleeve outer box and full Hornby picture of the loco. The end is in red and yellow instead of red and white, to differentiate it from previous packaging? Detail packs are inside plastic sleeve box, taped down, above the engine, instructions and other bits underneath sleeve. Works very well but not sure about fit of engine when details are on.

I agree that the brass frames are fractionally brighter than would ever have occurred in BR or LNER days, perhaps because of the painting of the frames on the model ends up with high contrast colour looking a little too prominent. In looking at photos of prototype pristine-condition locos., as in ex-works but in service, the frames were visibly a bit brighter than no brass at all, but not by much. I guess Hornby had to paint them to look like brass or some buyers may have said, "Where are the brass window frames"? Rob

Also on the subject of desgn and quality control, I received an LNER B1 1040 'Roedeer' a few days ago and the fireman's side windshield was loose in the plastic packaging insert, perhaps not enough glue on assembly, and this was moderately easy to replace in position with glue and tweezers. More tricky was the smokebox door handles which had broken off forming a very flimsy uneven 'V' shape pair of handles, the pin part which presumably inserts into the centre of the smokebox door had sheared off, probably because the plastic insert here has plastic stick-on pieces and inserting or removing the loco from its position in the plastic cradle is a threat to the flimsy door handles . The handles were so small and light they could be held even by surface tension on the fingertips, and handling with tweezers was tricky because too much grip was inclined to make them fly away to parts unknown. Mine disappeared twice and were rediscovered by extended serch of environs (clean workbench, tile floor, search-lamp) and have been replaced with a small blob of polystyrene administered by capilliary tube, and a very lucky placement of handles via tweezers, just in the 'window-of-opportunity' of 10 secs to 40 secs such a method provides. They even sit correctly, much to my amazement. The latter repair I deemed essential because it is so important to the appearance of the model. I toyed with the idea of returning the model to the retailer in Liverpool, who has always been most obilging, but that would cost me 20 Pounds in postage, give-or-take, as I live in NZ. I am very pleased with myself for successfully repairing the model, but wonder how often people do come across such problems with new RTR steam locos. I buy quite a few and perhaps 10%, maybe 20% have minor, usually repairable issues, straight (and gently) out of the box. I have found Bachmann to have a similar error-rate. I am not complaining so much as curious as to whether others have problems. I cannot see an easy answer to assembly quality, especially given the extremely fine detail involved, so really my post here is just a comment. Rob

Hi David, I use a Canon A620 point and shoot camera, average indirect daylight near a window (with curtains to vary the light) and an ordinary desk lamp in various angles and delayed release until I like a basic picture, then modify the picture quite a lot with Paint Shop Pro 6... quite an old program, painting my own sky etc... I have a 6' x 18" board with 4 ballasted tracks as a basic diorama, this stores behind the desk usually. edit: The smoke is a mix of painting with mouse and paint tools, and fragments of copy-paste smoke from mostly my own photos from the 1960s. (New Zealand Railways heavy steam) Someday I will build nearer-scale bullhead track and do the ballasting better! Cheers, Robbie

Thankyou David, We do seem to have posted our pictures more-or-less simultaneously. I agree with all your comments about the model. All the best, Robbie

Apart from the unfortunate handrail (maybe not located well in staunchions and/or either end, or poorly assembled?) the drooping cab floor appears not to have been entirely fixed of the Rails of Sheffield sample. I received my 'Happy Knight' late BR from Hattons a couple of days ago and it is an impressive model, no problems with handrails, nor cab floor on mine. Sorry I haven't fitted etched nameplates. With various A1s and A2s I have bought, the cab floor has been noticeably 'out' on more than half, so there is a degree of luck.

I don't think Garratts were ever boring. We had a few here in the 1930s and they had 3-cylinders at each end and suffocated crews in our many tunnels... quickly rebuilt as ordinary? 4-6-2s which were under-boilered 3-cylinder monstrosities. Any DCC sound for LMS Garratts, at a guess, could be made up from randomised engines with soft exhaust going in and out of sync. With poor valve timing for entertainment... I have pre-ordered a heavily weathered early BR version, but wonder if lightly weathered would leave more latitude for me to 'improve' it. Rob

The two new versions at Hattons are early crest BR Brunswick green 60534 'Irish Elegance' without multi-valve regulator and with single chimney, and late crest BR Brunswick green 60533 'Happy Knight' with multi-valve regulator and double chimney. Apple green 60528 'Tudor Minstrel' with British Railways lettering and single chimney is still available, as is the wooden-boxed 60532 'Blue Peter' with late crest and multi-valve regulator and double chimney. LNER Apple green 526 'Sugar Palm' with flat profile double chimney is listed as available sometime? , I'm not sure about the regulator on this model, presumably not the external-rod style. Rob

Two new versions now at Hattons. Looks to me as if the BR late crest version at least may have an acceptable running plate below the cab? Level, I mean...

lovely For what it's worth, here is the Hornby B1 in much-modified photo and below it the weathered Bachmann equivalent..

Thankyou Coach, I knew there was something authentic about my recent purchases! In this case a football special..

Hi Coach, in the same spirit of fear you hinted at in the Hornby 2012 speculation thread, Hornby may, and I sincerely hope do not, attempt to sell models of the Bulleid Co-Co. There are some things in British engineering history better left buried! Rob