Jump to content
 

Gaugemaster Fordhampton Structures OO/4mm scale


gwrrob
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Gold

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM403&style=&strType=

 

Its been brought to my attention that a 'new' range of kits are available from Gaugemaster.They come in new boxes but appear to be the old in the tooth Hornby kits rebranded.I'm interested in the footbridge but has anyone bought from the range and therefore comment on their quality particularly the plastic used.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Dunster station building with an option for brick walls, and relocated from West Somerset to the South Downs, and a rather green Great Westernish signal box! The station building comes up rather nicely with embossed Plasticard overlays though, as I built it decades ago.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM403&style=&strType=

 

Its been brought to my attention that a 'new' range of kits are available from Gaugemaster.They come in new boxes but appear to be the old in the tooth Hornby kits rebranded.I'm interested in the footbridge but has anyone bought from the range and therefore comment on their quality particularly the plastic used.

 

The footbridge and SB are definitely ex-Hornby, I destroyed both as a (smaller younger) kid. 

 

Too long ago to remember the quality I'm afraid.

Edited by Tim Dubya
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

This is what I did to the station building. Built per the kit, but covered in embossed Plasticard rather than the paper overlay. It wasn't quite finished in this September 1982 photo, and still isn't! If I've still got all the bits, like the canopy, I may finish it one day and use it on a new layout!

 

post-7091-0-00394000-1421858126.jpg

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I built the footbridge as a callow youth, and it went together very easily. Makes for a good model.

 

As designed it's for use at track level, back when I built it, it was necessary to the steps / side panels down if you wanted a platform level bridge.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Very nice and just what I'm after. Was it easy to reduce the height by cutting the panels.

 

When I compared the kit with the Radley station footbridge drawings I realized that the roof supports for the steps and the bridge itself are too far apart. To reduce the overall height of the bridge, I removed two of the four side panels, and cut back the steps. I then removed the upper part of the middle of the three remaining roof supports from each of the side panels. Finally, I added two new roof supports to each of the shortened side panels. On the bridge section, I removed the two middle roof supports and replaced them with four new supports.

 

David

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=GM403&style=&strType=

 

Its been brought to my attention that a 'new' range of kits are available from Gaugemaster.They come in new boxes but appear to be the old in the tooth Hornby kits rebranded.I'm interested in the footbridge but has anyone bought from the range and therefore comment on their quality particularly the plastic used.

I have just built a larger signalbox from two of the 1990 version of the Hornby kit - suitably painted and with a little extra detailing, this has gone together easily and neatly to create a lovely model, larger than the out-of-the-box kit.  Assuming that the Gaugemaster kits use similar plastics (depends on what the moulds will accept I guess), then these kits are fine.  They're not up to the latest Ratio/Wills standards but then they're cheaper and of differing prototypes.  I also have a small collection of the footbridge kits awaiting completion of some platforms on which to mount them!  Good luck!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Just having a look through my subs copy of august model rail that arrived this morning and i notice gaugemaster are advertising some 'coming soon' fordhampton structures

 

again the old Hornby products such as the 60s house kit but of interest is the 'GM406 locomotive depot' which is the old Hornby HST servicing shed, they were quite highly sought after a few years back via ebay etc, they can be adapted and detailed quite cheaply and simply

 

The rrp is £19.99 which is not too bad compared to some of the prices on ebay for the Hornby example

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
  • 11 months later...

The Gaugemaster GM403 Fordhampton footbridge is the old Hornby R481, the moulds for which must now belong to either Gaugemaster or Faller judging by the printing on the box.  The footbridge was based on the one still existing at Hagley on the Droitwich to Birmingham and Wolverhampton (old Oxford, Worcester and Wolverhampton) route.

 

For reference, the Hornby predecessors for the models released by Gaugemaster so far are as follows:

  • GM401 Fordhampton station was Hornby R418 Dunster station,
  • GM402 Fordhampton signal box was from Hornby R421 signal box and level crossing kit,
  • GM403 Fordhampton footbridge was Hornby B481 GWR Hagley footbridge,
  • GM404 Fordhampton level crossing was from Hornby R421 signal box and level crossing kit,
  • GM405 Fordhampton 60's estate house was Hornby R275 modern house,
  • GM406 Fordhampton locomotive shed was Hornby R282 HST loco shed,
  • GM407 Fordhampton carriage platforms was Hornby R417 coach sidings platform
  • GM408 Fordhampton village store and pub was Hornby R487 post office.  Both come/came complete with phone box! 

My reference source for the Hornby numbers is the Hornby 43rd. edition of their catalogue (1997) with the exception of R487 that does not appear till the 48th edition of the catalogue in 2002.  My memory tells me that many of these Hornby kits went way back further than the oldest Hornby catalogue I still have, 1997.  I remember kitbashing two of the GWR wooden signal boxes into a larger box way back in the early 1980's.  As for the Hornby R8003 water tower, it goes back to at least the mid 1970's and the (very) red brick bridge and viaduct that are still in the Hornby Railroad range go back, I believe, to Tri-ang days in the 1960's. 

Edited by Mark.....
Link to post
Share on other sites

My memory tells me that many of these Hornby kits went way back further than the oldest Hornby catalogue I still have, 1997.

I started building my first EM layout in 1975, and used the Dunster station building kit. I don't know when I built it, but it must have been sometime in the late 70s. Or rather when I started building it, as it's not finished yet!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

Picture shamelessly pinched from that big place up north...

 

post-17811-0-81168400-1488886364.jpg

 

It looks like your Class 60 will poke out of one end.

Link to post
Share on other sites

I have just built a larger signalbox from two of the 1990 version of the Hornby kit - suitably painted and with a little extra detailing, this has gone together easily and neatly to create a lovely model, larger than the out-of-the-box kit. Assuming that the Gaugemaster kits use similar plastics (depends on what the moulds will accept I guess), then these kits are fine. They're not up to the latest Ratio/Wills standards but then they're cheaper and of differing prototypes. I also have a small collection of the footbridge kits awaiting completion of some platforms on which to mount them! Good luck!

I have two of these kits to do precisely the same for Stourhampton North. If you have any hints / tips / regrets / photos of yours I would be very grateful to see.

Link to post
Share on other sites

As for the Hornby R8003 water tower, it goes back to at least the mid 1970's and the (very) red brick bridge and viaduct that are still in the Hornby Railroad range go back, I believe, to Tri-ang days in the 1960's. 

Definitely not Tri-ang. For a while (1964 -1977) the range was without a water tower (water cranes were produced thoughout). What is now R8003 was introduced (with brick finish) as R505 in 1978.

Edited by BernardTPM
Link to post
Share on other sites

The brick finish was fine. I had almost a full set of the buildings as a youngster. Station, signal box, engine shed, water tower, etc.

 

But I wasn't very impressed with the stone effect that came later on in the 1980s. Always seemed a bit garish to me.

 

https://picclick.co.uk/Hornby-water-tower-with-ladder-112296223011.html

 

 

 

 

Jason

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

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...