Hornby 2018 Announcement

[Kestrel]

I've been comparing prices of some of the new releases, ie Hornby/Hattons/Rails of Sheffield and the differences are shown below. Rails are £51.50 cheaper than Hatton's for this little lot. The debate is whether to pay more by driving 25 miles each way to Hatton's to pick them up, thereby insuring I get them in one piece or order from Rails and gamble on them not being thrown around in the mail and broken or at worst, stolen as driving to Sheffield is out of the question.

R3544 B12 LNER green £160.99/£136.00/£124.50
R3529 J15 £127.99/£108.00/£99.50
R3621 J36 £139.99/£112.00/£107.50
R3630 A4 Woodcock £169.99/£136.00/£129.50
R4826-R4830 Teak coaches £49.99/£42.00/£38.50
R6833/6833A LNER Toads £21.99/£19.00/£17.50

NB. words of warning, on https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/shop/new-f ... age/4.html? R6833A is described as being a BR Toad B whilst on the Hatton's and Rails websites, it is down as an LNER Toad.

If the photos of the coaches on the Hornby website are anything to go by, there is vertical graining on the lower door panels, AGAIN !!!! https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/shop/new-f ... age/3.html? There are also NO SMOKING signs on the windows.

[2512silverfox]

I confirm that the grain on the LNER Teaks is in the wrong direction on all doors, which just goes to show that the design staff ignore these posts!

I would also add that the tender wheels on Woodcock should be black as for all eight wheel tenders except the Garter Blue and Silver A4s.

[Atlantic 3279]

Are they simply using old "stock" image renditions for the coaches? The new production may have the graining the right way, or if the graining method has been cheapened and applied by the same sort of outfit that produced the Thompson suburbans then it might be horrible.

I've noticed that on some items Rails' price-cutting has been earlier and more aggressive than Hattons' in recent months. Does that make it better for the customer or does it suggest that Rails are struggling? Hattons' prices may match the Rails offer in due course. I have a long-remembered bitter experience with Rails and have, whenever possible, order from elsewhere for many years now.

[Kestrel]

I would also add that the tender wheels on Woodcock should be black as for all eight wheel tenders except the Garter Blue and Silver A4s.

At least it's easy to paint the wheels.

Are they simply using old "stock" image renditions for the coaches? The new production may have the graining the right way, or if the graining method has been cheapened and applied by the same sort of outfit that produced the Thompson suburbans then it might be horrible.

The images shown on the Hornby website show the new running numbers but they could have been added to old pics by the graphics department. I've e-mailed Hornby about the teaks and toads and will ring them on Monday to see if anything can be done.

I've noticed that on some items Rails' price-cutting has been earlier and more aggressive than Hattons' in recent months. Does that make it better for the customer or does it suggest that Rails are struggling? Hattons' prices may match the Rails offer in due course. I have a long-remembered bitter experience with Rails and have, whenever possible, order from elsewhere for many years now.

I'm in a driveable distance from Hattons' if anything's wrong but too far away from Sheffield.

[Atlantic 3279]

I've never had a problem with Hattons.

[65447]

I've never had a problem with Hattons.

I have, over the Hornby B1 released about 3-4 years ago with several smaller parts broken off, loose or trapped in the join between the two halves of the internal clear moulded box liner.

Hatton's had sold out and left it to me to sort with Hornby, which in itself was another performance.

[Atlantic 3279]

Interesting to know. Maybe I've just been lucky, rather than dealing with a wonderful supplier?

[Kestrel]

I spoke to a chap at Hornby's 'Technical Dept' today and told him that the graining on the teaks was wrong. He said the photos on the website were 'pre-production photos' and the graining 'might be corrected' by the time production has started. So I said " 'Might' is not good enough, it needs changing otherwise no one will buy them." He agreed and said he'd pass the message on. I also raised the question as to whether R6833A Toad was BR as on the Hornby website or LNER as retailers had listed it. No answer to that one.

I've also e-mailed them via their website but not had a reply to that.

[exile]

Kestral
unless Rails are guaranteeing those prices I would be cautious. I have seen estimated price "promises" that have had to be revised in the light of actual prices from the manufacturer - not specifically a Rails issue lest anyone think this is a dig at them.

I suspect all of these firms are guessing until they get confirmed purchase prices from the manufacturers.

[Nova]

over on Twitter Hornby has posted some prototype images of the Toad B and E, keep in mind that they are high resolution 3D prints before people start getting into a frenzy over moulded handrails and the like




I'm no expert but they do look damn good and even if Hornby did suffer from some colossal lapse of judgment and produced them with moulded handrails they would still look miles better than the bachmann and triang equivalents

[teaky]

I have been advised that the green A4 Woodcock which I pre-ordered is on its way to me. So if anyone is interested, they are in stock in the UK now.

I bought mine from Derails who seem to be competitive on price, especially since at the time of ordering I got free p&p.
[url]http://www.derails.co.uk/index.php?rout ... d=2304[url]

[teaky]

A4 Woodcock received. Very nice. Nicely detailed and lovely paint job and lining.

I have not examined it in detail yet but there are a couple of things I've noticed. Looking side on there is daylight visible between the back of the tender and the corridor connection. You really have to be at the correct angle to see this as the gap is only a fraction of a millimetre. The fall-plate seems to be stuck at about 45 degrees - quite a challenge for the fireman! I'll have to take a closer look at some point.

I am unable to test the running at the moment but the loco was tested prior to dispatch so it should be OK.

The tender appears to be correct for the 1930s.

[mick b]

Tender might need the rear screw under the coupling tightening. Fall plate should bend down (carefully).

[Dave]

Got mine this afternoon from Monkbar Modelshop, just called in by chance and was told delivery was expected in half an hour, so called back, at first glance all seems ok, no gaps.

[teaky]

Tender might need the rear screw under the coupling tightening. Fall plate should bend down (carefully).

Thanks Mick.

Fall plate - Sorted. Thanks. With the tender uncoupled I was able to get at the fall plate and bend it as you suggested.

For the corridor connector: I expect that would be the solution if the gap was horizontal but this is the vertical join between the back of the tender and the corridor connector.

However, putting what you said to good use, I removed the coupling to reveal the screw and removed the tender top. I then prised away the corridor connector which is attached in the factory using four small lugs and spots of glue (you can see the other end of the lugs on the inside of the tender top. The problem was caused by the corridor connector not being fully seated before the glue dried. I ended up scraping glue residue from the corridor connector and tender body then re-drilling the holes. Inevitably the lugs broke off during removal but there was just enough of each one left sticking out from the corridor connector to act as location points and to ensure the corridor connector went back on squarely. I brushed some solvent onto the back of the corridor connector pushed it firmly back in place and secured it with an elastic band and a small clamp. No gap visible. The snag now is that having given the solvent time to dry it hasn't held things together. I only had DL-Limonene in stock and it looks like I need something slightly more aggressive. I'll get it sorted at some point. At least I know the corridor connector now seats correctly. Any recommendations regarding adhesive for this task?

The final problem is caused by my clumsiness. Please can you tell me what this is and where have I knocked it off from? It is about a centimetre long.

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