Hornby Grange Class 'Llanfair Grange'
I'd been wanting one of these since they were introduced, so when I got one, I was amazed!
I run DCC, so I took the body off to fit the small Hornby decoder. This was the first, and main problem I encountered. The wires got tangled, and a screw went missing. When I tried to put the body back on, it wouldn't slide down properly, and was very stiff. No need for that screw then. However, I did manage to find a replacement from my out-of-service 14XX (not the one featured on the site).
After the fiasco, I put her on the small section of my track I'd taken down for Christmas. As soon as I programmed her address, I started her off. She ran beautifully, and was easily able to manage all my stock, before running in. Slow running is brilliant, and she also has a pretty good top speed.
She also looks the part too. I don't want to sound a rivet counter, but I had a few pictures of Granges in a book of mine, so I thought I'd check how well Hornby had done her detail. They have passed with flying coulor, and earns a place on ANY layout! Hornby have also done a brilliant cab interior, although she wasn't provided with a crew. If you think her coal looks a bit plastic, you can take out the Hornby coal, and can put in your own.
The one bad point is the front coupler. Hornby supply a normal coupler round the front, but the link coupler will hit the normal coupler going around corners unless you have it in just the right position. If you're thinking of using the front coupler, take it off when not in use.
All in all, a fantastic locomotive. Just be careful if you're going to put in a DCC chip, and be patient. It will be well worth the effort!
Hornby Turntable
Many of my new layout ideas had included a turntable, and that includes my final one. With the £80 I had for Christmas, I set out to buy one.
I run DCC, so saved my last loco decoder to fit into the table. I followed the instructions on the Hornby site, but I had cut the plugs of the brown and black wires almost at the plug, which made the wires harder to solder. Just make sure you cut the so a couple of centimetres or so remain.
I programmed the turntable to adress 59 on my Select, and turned it. It turned for a couple of seconds, then stopped, then started, then stopped. This is normal. It's aligning itself to the track outlets.
All in all, a very good product, with the only flaws being of my causing. Buy one and turn your trains!
Hornby R2686A Black 5 No 44781
For those of you not aware of this engine's status, she and sister engine 44871 worked the last steam train on BR before the steam ban, the '15 Guinea Special'. The duo worked the train on the return from Carisle to Manchester Victoria, where fellow Black 5 took the train back to Liverpool Lime Street. This model however, is worth a little more than fifteen guineas-in fact, it's closer to 95 guineas (at the RRP of £100).
The loco is packed in the standard Hornby box, but with a lovely little sleeve around the outside providing information on the loco, as is normal on new Hornby releases. It also includes a 'Certificate of Authentication', telling me my model is 843 out of 1004. However, once you've opened the box, you find the locomotive is packed in that old fashioned style of packaging with a couple of holes in the back, rather than their newer two-part packaging where you can simply lift the engine, rather than struggle to give enough force without damaging the side. I would have thought delicate engines like the Black 5 would have this newer packaging, but never mind.
Looking at it, the detail is simply fantastic all over, even on the tender, which for a tender, is nice and heavy-no tender derailments in reverse for this thing! The cab interior is also quite detailed. Whilst not up to the standard of the new Standard 4's cab, for example, it is still a realistic place. Additional detail is also fantastic-the steps on the front being my favorite. Rather than provide just one hole to stick them in, you can adjust them however you want, making little visual difference. Another thing about the detail is how sturdy it all feels-nothing feels like it's just about to fall off-even the cab footplate has managed to stay on for once! One thing that is missing, however are cylinder drain cocks-quite noticable when compared to the real thing.
After running in on DC, i decided to instal the chip I had also been given. The body is simple to get off, maybe a little stiff, but that's probably more me. DCC installation is simple, with the number one hole being clearly marked. However, when I tried to get the body back on, it took several attempts, and it just didn't look right when I did. I did, after a quarter of an hour's struggle, manage to get the body back on properly.
First run on DCC was fantastic. The engine was slow and quiet, and ultra smooth, smoother than my newer Grange! She managed a six coach train with ease around the layout, and not one stutter over that large line of points in my sidings. However, she cannot run on first radius curves. My King and Grange, also not reccomended for 1st radius, can manage to get onto that one section outside by point, but on that section, the Black 5 begins to slip sligthly.
The Black 5's, along with the 9F's, in real life have been cited as perhaps the closest thing to perfect there has ever been in steam locomotive design, and the model follows suit! I really to reccomend one to anyone, even to D&E modellers-why not have a preserved express train? She's no doubt the best engine I've had on Camborne Parkway to date.I'll rate it 9.5/10-the DCC installation problems were more than likely my fault, but it's a real shame about that box.
Bachmann 31-476 G2 No 9449
After receiving my pay from Kernow today, I managed to buy a couple of things, and I decided to treat myself-one of the new Super D's.
First things first, packaging. The loco is packed in Bachmann's new style of boxs. Some dislike them due to the amount of space wasted, but I like it-much more simple to remove than the older packaging, less chance of breaking that one detail that makes or breaks the loco. She's an impressive beast, a slightly unusual sight compared to all the larger 4-6-0/4-6-2 abd 0-6-0 tender engine's we're used to. Detail is amazing, paticularly the opening smokebox door that Bachmann is including on all their new toolings. However, don't look inside-there is no detail inside. Despite this, I love the feature-look out for it in future Camborne Parkway videos. You do have to glue the guard irons and vacuum pipes on though.
I gave the engine the usual running in on DC, where she proved to be a quiet and smooth runner. I then decided to install DCC. No instructions are included as to how to take the tender body off. Underneath the tender, there are three main screws-two silver ones at the back, and a black one near the front. DO NOT UNDO THE BLACK ONE FULLY! This is the screw that allows you to ajust the loco and tender distance. Only undo the two silver screws at the back to tke the tender body off. I took all three screws out, which meant half an hour scrabling around undoing everything trying to put the black screw back in. Those using 8-pin Hornby decoders will need to purchase a 21-8 pin adapter to allow the decoder to plug in.
When she started running on Camborne Parkway, she proved to be a smooth and quiet machine, whilst also being storng, handling a six coach train with ease. The loco with an open smokebox door looks fabulous at the shed area, maybe I'll have to buy a pack of cleaner figures to pose inside the smokebox. The engine only has six pick ups on the loco, but it still managed to pass over my straight of points with no problems at very slow speed. She can even manage first radius-just.
This has proven to be a fine little loco, adding another of those 'mddle of the range' locos missing from most layouts, and the first example of an LNWR loco in RTR. I'll give it 8.5/10-Bachmann need to sort out instructions as to how to remove the tender body, but that's only a small niggle in the long term.
Hornby R2665 and R2783: 0-4-0's
Got these through the post thanks to the 'free gift' offer when Hornby realised I hadn't renewed my Hornby Collector's Club Magazine thing, a Blue Pullman shunter, and a 101 class 328. And then I thought that it was a bit weird that in all my travels of the web, I had NEVER seen a review of a Hornby 0-4-0. Well, here we go...
The historical bit-first up, the Class 06. This class of 10 locomotives was built for use on the Scottish Region of BR, by Andrew Barclay. Only one locomotive still survives-06003, currently owned by Harry Needle Railroad Company. The GWR 101, on the other hand, has no survivors. There was only one built at Swindon, in 1902, the only 0-4-0T built there in standard gauge. It's possible that the loco never even left Swindon, and it was withdrawn in 1911.
First off, the packaging. These models still use the boxs with holes in the back, which normally annoys me, but as these are older less detailed models, with no fine details to break, it's OK this time. Looking at the models themselves, the paint finish is up to the usual high standards of Hornby. Which helps to distract from the lack of detail compared to modern models. The 101 has moulded hand rails, whilst the Class 06 only has non-moulded handrails down the side of the body. Unsuprising really, as the mouldings are extremlly old-I remember seeing the 06 in a late 80's catalouge! Does anybody know when these moulds were created? Onto a slightly more 'rivet counter' point, sorry about this, but both chassis use the same chassis-one or both bodies must be inaccurate for the chassis. But who cares about that!?
Performance. The two models were run as analouge engines on my Select unit. Both started at a high speed, no slow crawling motors here. Also, both stalled on some of my points, and neither could haul a 5 coach train without slipping, although the 101 was a lot more slippy than the 06, which is also very slightly slower. The 0-4-0 chassis doesn't exactly look a joy to convert to DCC either, with lots of soldering around the chassis according to the Hornby DCC fitting guide.
So, the models are not the best runners, haulers, or detailed. Normally, this would result in a very low mark. But...
THEY'RE SO MUCH FUN!
Honestly, could you really ignore these two for long? They're such a joy to run around the layout, and the wide array of liveries mean you're not likely to come across two that are exactly the same. However I have-I've already got the 101, but I've found some replacement number plates-lovely cheap project! 8.5 or 9/10-fun on four wheels!
ViTrains Class 37/4
The Historical Bit
The British Rail Class 37 was built between 1960-1965 as a new locomotive intended to haul both heavy freight and passenger trains, the latter resulting in the Western Region trying to modify the class for 100mph running. Their low axle loading and power have resulted in some examples still being in use today. The 37/4 sub-class was the batch that were fitted with Electric Train Heating (ETH) in the 1980s, and it is this sub-class that my model represents.
The Model
Looks
Comparing my model to a photo of the real 37417 I found on the internet, ViTrains seem to have captured the look and feel of the locomotive really well. There are only two little things I have spotted in the comparison-the first is that the horns on the real things are lower than on the model, though I probably haven't pushed them in far enough, and on my model, underneath the nameplate is a small plate featuring the first railway locomotive in the world, the Pen-y-darren. Unfortunatly, this can't be seen on the real locomotive, but maybe my model is of 37417 as she was a couple of years ago or something. This are small little things, however, that in my opinion, do not detract from the whole feel of the model. Detail is extrodinary-I promise never to call diesels plain-old-boxes-on-wheels again! However, you have to fit most of the bufferbeam detail yourself, as well as the snowplows, lamp irons (I think that's what they're called) and pipes on the nose of the locomotive. If you're a fine modeller, this will not be a problem, but if you are like me, with all the skills of a rotting boxing glove, then this will take time, and a reasonable amount of glue. If all of this is fitted, then it prevents the loco going round corners with coaches properly. In theory. Detail that you don't fit is fantastic, with my favorite being the fan in the roof. However, unlike recent Hornby models I have heard about, the fan doesn't move. Pity.
Performance
First off, haulage power. And all I can say is excellent! The loco is very heavy, which provides plenty of traction, and it shows-the model is able to start a 11 coach train on a curved point with absolutly no problems whatsoever. The weighty chassis also means the locomotive doesn't exactly derail easily. Pointwork facing the wrong way proved no problem for this beast, unlike some smaller locomotives. Points do not present a problem power-wise either. 'Richard Trevithick' was able to pass over my long line of 6 points at a crawl with no stalling or stopping. Electrical pick-ups are visable on 8 of the 12 wheels, and it all works splendidly. The motor is quiet, but when audible, sounds lovely. I almost wich it was louder, as to my ears, it sounds a fair bit like a diesel.
Features
Really, all this model has is directional lighting and an 8-pin decoder socket. Word of advise, if you're going to install a decoder, do it before you install the pipes on the nose, they go down under the buffers and back again, which meant for me hurridly pulling them out again hoping I hadn't damaged my lovely model. Instead of a DCC blanking pin, ViTrains have instaled two small bits of metal that do the same job, but they're a real pain to get out! Still, there's plenty of room for a decoder. As for the lighting, this can be switched on and off by the decoder when not needed. However, I had a lot of fun driving this loco about in the dark, constantly changing direction to watch the lights switch over. During the day, the lighting looks fine, if a little bright, but at night, there is some slight light bleeding through the grills on the nose due to the white. The red lights do not suffer this problem-in fact these look perfect. If only the white lights shone at the same level as the red lights. Overall, though, the lights seem fine to me.
Conclusion
Although there have been a few small problems along the way, overall the locomotive is a brilliant peice of engineering. It represents the Class 37's well, in terms of both performance and looks. I would reccomend one of these locos to anyone who needs one. I'm giving it... 8.5/10.
Bachmann 8750 Class
The Historical Bit
The Great Western standard shunting loco was the 57XX class. These were divided into three types-the 57XX, 8750 and 97XX sub-classes. The 8750s are the same locomotives as the 57XXs, with a few detail alterations, most notably, the shape of the cab and windows. The class totalled 863, the second largest British class, and when combined with the similar 64XX and 74XX classes, made up over half of the Great Western fleet.
The Model
Looks
Look-wise, the engine looks very good. Overall, the locomotive matches well to it's real life counterpart, and is streets ahead of the old 8750 class, manufactured by Triang, like the sort OldTom has got. There is finly produced detail over and under the tanks, and the locomotive is covered in handrails, notably on the bunker. The cab has good moulded detail, but it's no King Arthur. This is probably a good thing, as the only control you can clearly see when it's running is the handbrake-thing, which is the only painted control. Also notable is the brake rodding, which makes you realise just how far away this is from cheap Hornby 0-6-0's. the paint job is also well applied. Granted, unlined black isn't the hardest livery to produce in the world, but details such as the emblem, and the power/route classification circle is crisply applied. Very good!
Performance
The 8750 is a shunting locomotive, so slow running is require. Fortunatly, the model is capable of running smoothly and slowly. Pick-ups on all six wheels ensure any stalling over points is extremley rare. She's also quite powerful-she could handle an eight coach train without slipping, so as well as a branch engine and a shunting loco, it can also be used as a station pilot, hauling long trains around as main line engines are turned, and other stuff.
Features
The 8750 is not overly laden with features, just NEM pockets for the couplers and a DCC socket, which is good news for me!
The Conclusion
This is one fantastic loco, and I'd reccomend one to anyone, even if you don'y model the GWR or the WR-maybe it worked an inter-regional train or something? It's also remarkable value for money-I got mine for £40, which is good for an engine of this quality and remarkable when you consider the inferior 2721 class is sold for the same price! I'm giving it 9.5/10, it's just so good!