Jump to content
 

New Hornby Rocket


CF MRC
 Share

Recommended Posts

4 minutes ago, Mel_H said:

 

I wonder how much potential (i.e. sales) there is for early railways? Following Rocket (which I understand never worked on the L&M for that long in its original form) then Lion  would be a good one - not least as it spans many eras and doubtless has a following. Given that no-one really thought that 009 would take off so, maybe, just maybe? Or, a really long shot would be GWR broad gauge RTR (never happen in my lifetime). Ah, such wishful thinking

Not just early railways, Rocket for example can be run on layouts subject to an appropriate lengthy siding or bay platform being available up to the present day so expanding its sales somewhat although it really needs an open coach and its a pity Hornby have not tooled one up.

 

1 hour ago, gc4946 said:

I somehow scraped together enough money years ago to buy an unboxed 1984 Hornby version of the loco and a Triang carriage.

Even with clean wheels, pickups and and track the Rocket still ran jerkily; I was also apprehensive how long the motor would last as it was an unique design so I rarely ran it, the loco and carriage were sold on.

The old Triang/Hornby Rocket had a split chassis - wonder how this one will pick up. I did remotorise mine with a small Mashima motor, added pick ups to the tender wheels and fitted it with a TCS M1 decoder only to find out the wheels meant it would not negotiate modern Peco Code 100 points; back in the 1980s such points had wider clearances and posed no problems.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

This looks like it could be an interesting addition to my collection as a heritage train for S&P. Apart from a wagon or two I don't think there's anything else from Hornby's announcements that my wallet moths would be willing to come out for :)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

If the model is accurate in the bodywork, then a conversion to P4 or EM FS would really make the engine ‘look right’ wrt to the wheels and the boiler; it would appear more ‘planted’. The traction in P4 would also be rather better as there would be less sideways slop between wheel and rail.  The front wheels on Rocket are very characteristic and would benefit from a carefully modelled representation.  I feel a project coming on...

 

Lion would also be a no-brainer, for all sorts of reasons.

 

Tim

  • Like 1
  • Agree 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Mel_H said:

 

I wonder how much potential (i.e. sales) there is for early railways? Following Rocket (which I understand never worked on the L&M for that long in its original form) then Lion  would be a good one - not least as it spans many eras and doubtless has a following. Given that no-one really thought that 009 would take off so, maybe, just maybe? Or, a really long shot would be GWR broad gauge RTR (never happen in my lifetime). Ah, such wishful thinking

 

I think probably the majority of sales are going to people who want this train purely for the novelty (as opposed to Novelty) value. With that in mind, I think the right early locomotive could sell very well. Lion, as you say, would be a good choice, particularly if you could do it in Thunderbolt livery.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
32 minutes ago, HonestTom said:

 

I think probably the majority of sales are going to people who want this train purely for the novelty (as opposed to Novelty) value. With that in mind, I think the right early locomotive could sell very well. Lion, as you say, would be a good choice, particularly if you could do it in Thunderbolt livery.

 

I do tend to agree re Rocket sales.  In the froth we seem to forgret that Bachmann have had a range of nominally H0 era 1 models for many years and although these seem to have sold there has been no plethora of era 1 layouts.  Ditto the Trix/Maerklin Adler set.  

 

In my case I put my order down in part to nostalgia of a kind.   The Triang Rocket was on my Xmas list but obviously I was not a good enough boy; so now I am going to get one - good or bad (that's me not the model).

Link to post
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

 

I do tend to agree re Rocket sales.  In the froth we seem to forgret that Bachmann have had a range of nominally H0 era 1 models for many years and although these seem to have sold there has been no plethora of era 1 layouts.  Ditto the Trix/Maerklin Adler set.  

 

In my case I put my order down in part to nostalgia of a kind.   The Triang Rocket was on my Xmas list but obviously I was not a good enough boy; so now I am going to get one - good or bad (that's me not the model).

But the Bachmann ones are USA models & not UK models 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

These aren't just Era 1. They possibly aren't really suitable for era 1 as it was constantly rebuilt during it's lifetime.

 

I would imagine it's based on the 1979 replica which was based on the 1929 replica. The carriages are the ones built in 1930 for the centenary, they even have the same names.

 

More apt running with an APT or LNER 10000 Hush Hush than on an 1830s layout I'm afraid.

 

 

Jason

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, CF MRC said:

If the model is accurate in the bodywork, then a conversion to P4 or EM FS would really make the engine ‘look right’ wrt to the wheels and the boiler; it would appear more ‘planted’. The traction in P4 would also be rather better as there would be less sideways slop between wheel and rail.  The front wheels on Rocket are very characteristic and would benefit from a carefully modelled representation.  I feel a project coming on...

 

Lion would also be a no-brainer, for all sorts of reasons.

 

Tim

This crossed my mind too, but have they had to compromise the basic dimensions to fit between 00 wheels? The firebox and boiler might have been narrowed to fit so it might look odd in P4.

 

Mark

Link to post
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, Mark said:

This crossed my mind too, but have they had to compromise the basic dimensions to fit between 00 wheels? The firebox and boiler might have been narrowed to fit so it might look odd in P4.

 

Mark

I don’t have any dimensions but is it possible this model is to 3.5mm scale to keep the proportions looking right?

 

Mark

Link to post
Share on other sites

24 minutes ago, Andy Hayter said:

True, but my point still stands.  Where are the era 1 layouts?

 

 

Also many of the early prototypes had similarities making them bashable.

Hi Andy,

 

My era 1 layout hasn't been built due to a lack of RTR locomotives or chassis that would be suitable for conversion, I know my limits when it comes to building chassis !  As far a stock goes I would happily scratch build carriages and trucks, possibly even have some drawings converted to CAD and 3d printed.

 

You make an interesting point in that quite a lot of the early locomotives were 'bashable'. The Rocket chassis could perhaps be tweaked and used for the late Northumbrian types, and the Planet types perhaps utilise a reversed Rocket mechanism. Locomotion, Sans Pereil and various Edward Bury types were of the 0-4-0 wheel arrangement with different sizes and styles of wheels, I'm sure wheel bases could be accommodated in a reasonable fashion.

With regard tenders from what I have found out the tenders for Rocket and Sans Pereil are thought to have been built by the same carriage makers in Liverpool but I can't find out the name of the builder. Some of the Rocket type tenders had a rectangular iron tank rather than the wooden barrel and may be easily converted.

 

Gibbo.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
13 minutes ago, Mark said:

I don’t have any dimensions but is it possible this model is to 3.5mm scale to keep the proportions looking right?

 

Mark

The un-lagged boiler on the surviving Rocket is 3’4” diameter, so with lagging, just within the back to back measurement of 14.4mm for OO.  It has been stated elsewhere that the model is to 4mm scale.  Frames and front stays would probably need widening / replacing to look correct at the wider gauge, but looking at the photos already published, I think that the Hornby little end, big end  & crossheads could be accommodated in the wider gauge. 


The NRM publish a definitive book on the engine: “The Engineering and History of Rocket” (ISBN 1-900747-18-9). Of course, the model is a copy of the replica Rockets that were made in the 1920s.  The original definitely has quite a bit of grandfather’s axe about it. 
 

Tim

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

8 minutes ago, CF MRC said:

The original definitely has quite a bit of grandfather’s axe about it. 
 

Tim

Hi Tim,

 

All locomotives are a lot more like Grandfather's axe than most folk realise, the other thing is nothing is standard, not even BR Standards are standard !!!

 

I spent 18 years at Riley's in Bury and in that time I would suggest that several hundred tons of worn out locomotive parts went into the scrap. All manner of stuff from washout plugs to whole tender tanks, from fire-bars to clack valve seats, and from sections of boiler to sections of main frame plate, springs tyres axles you name it we chucked it in the scrap skip. Old cab floors - lighting up wood.

 

It was all replaced with shiny new metal so nothing to worry about unless you are bothered that the angle iron came from China, the tyres form South Africa, the copper bar from India and the steel plate was from Ukraine.

 

Gibbo.

  • Like 2
  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, mozzer models said:

But the Bachmann ones are USA models & not UK models 

 

1 hour ago, Andy Hayter said:

True, but my point still stands.  Where are the era 1 layouts?

 

In the USA? :unknw_mini:

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
2 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

 

I do tend to agree re Rocket sales.  In the froth we seem to forgret that Bachmann have had a range of nominally H0 era 1 models for many years and although these seem to have sold there has been no plethora of era 1 layouts.  Ditto the Trix/Maerklin Adler set.  

 

In my case I put my order down in part to nostalgia of a kind.   The Triang Rocket was on my Xmas list but obviously I was not a good enough boy; so now I am going to get one - good or bad (that's me not the model).

Problem is they are all unique examples that wouldn't be seen together so you are instantly into freelance modelling ;) There are now some nice 3D prints appearing on Shapeways that do allow other stock to be made easily that will go with this.

Quite a lot of options here on Newmans Miniatures page

https://www.shapeways.com/shops/newman-miniatures?section=00+Models&s=0

 

  • Like 1
  • Informative/Useful 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...