[S&D Stephen]

I see that Hornby have opted for a fixed pony truck on the Britannia and the WC loco Plymouth. The fixed truck has a flangless wheel set. What a great shame. This idea is going nowhere Hornby the Pony truck should swing and the wheels should be flanged.

I don't buy the idea that more detail can be incorporated by having it fixed.

Sorry but you have lost sales of locos to me for this ridiculous idea.

Grrrr

I wanted to buy some West Countries too.

Happy modelling, Stephen.

 

[ozwarrior]

Stephen are you really not going to buy because of that?

I run my A3 down at the club where modellers of all the worlds manufacturers are and they've nothing but praise for it. None of them know about this feature because they can't see it.

With any feature there will be those who approve and those who don't. I personally don't mind at all.

 

[edzmen]

I don't see what all the hoo-har is about either.
IMO the fixed pony truck improves the running of the locos on tighter radius curves, when combined with flangeless wheels. Besides, you can hardly see the difference when the model is stationary!
I have a Bachmann Peppercorn A1, with a fixed truck and flanged wheels, and it was forever derailing on points. In the end I had to remove the whole axle to get it running right. Now there's just a gap where the pony wheels should be - hardly realistic!

I think its good that Hornby give the option of flangeless wheels on the pony truck.
Far better flangeless/fixed truck and running right, than flanged and missing wheels/running badly!

I agree with ozwarrior, that its a bit extreme to stop buying a loco just because of a fixed truck [which are much better detailed since getting 'fixed']. And especially when [at least in the case of the Britannia], these are the most detailed British 00 models yet produced!

Fixed pony trucks are becoming standard with 00 manufacturers now, so in my view its a case of put-up, or go back to earlier Hornby models which are lacking in other, more pressing areas of detail...

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (ozwarrior @ 26 Dec 2006, 22:34) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Stephen are you really not going to buy because of that?

I run my A3 down at the club where modellers of all the worlds manufacturers are and they've nothing but praise for it. None of them know about this feature because they can't see it.

With any feature there will be those who approve and those who don't. I personally don't mind at all.

Is this what you call "dinosaur stuff" (your quote) then ?

BTW - how many coaches will it pull on a 1 : 50 ?

 

[rb277170]

I can see the point of a fixed truck on the Gresleys, maybe even the Brit but why the West Countries? The Merchant Navy had a perfectly acceptable truck (I don't remember any complaints at the time it was introduced) so why have the fixed truck in the WC,BoB?

In fairness it also puts me off- and even Chris Leigh in Model Rail is not sure!

Russell

 

[dwilson9]

The Hornby A1/A3/A4 works well with a fixed rear truck as the Cartazzi frames on the real things are indeed fixed. And Hornby kindly gave us the option of a flanged or flangeless wheel by including both in the box. The Britannia however is different! The real thing moves, however slightly, the wheel is more visible, and the model looks ridiculous with its rear end hanging out on a sharp curve (anything less than 3', really) with no movement of the truck and a flangeless wheel. The loonies have taken over the asylum at Hornby as far as I'm concerned - and they've not even included a flanged wheel in the box to give the option. It's bad enough having to take the model apart to get DCC into it apart from re-engineering the rear truck as well, an exercise made even more objectionable by the high-ish cost in the first place.

Next they'll go back to moulded-on handrails cos someone whinged that the separate ones are too flimsy! Come on Hornby, see sense!

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (dwilson9 @ 30 Dec 2006, 15:40) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Next they'll go back to moulded-on handrails cos someone whinged that the separate ones are too flimsy! Come on Hornby, see sense!

& maybe flangless centre driving wheels !

 

[Brian Considine]

Thinking about the flangeless pony truck issue, although it's far too late now as the current models are in production could the moulding have been made a little wider to allow for some sideways movement of the axel to allow a flanged wheel to be used ?

Would this also help the P4/18mm modellers ?

If this idea is a non starter (for future models) then please feel free to shoot it down !

 

[edzmen]

QUOTE (dwilson9 @ 30 Dec 2006, 15:40) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It's bad enough having to take the model apart to get DCC into it...

In my experience [and im a novice at this sort of thing], the Brit is no harder to remove the body from, than a Hornby A3 or A4. Putting it back together is a sinch too, provided the decoder fits.

I cant see what the problem is? Especially as all Hornby express locos, after the King Arthur, will have factory fitted decoders anyway - which is slightly dissapointing, in my own view. I quite like pulling them appart.

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (edzmen @ 30 Dec 2006, 22:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I cant see what the problem is? Especially as all Hornby express locos, after the King Arthur, will have factory fitted decoders anyway - which is slightly dissapointing, in my own view. I quite like pulling them appart.

It would be very helpful if more information about the decoder to be fitted as standard was known - the currently available one would have to be replaced anyway by a fair amount of modellers.

 

[dwilson9]

QUOTE (edzmen @ 30 Dec 2006, 22:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>In my experience [and im a novice at this sort of thing], the Brit is no harder to remove the body from, than a Hornby A3 or A4. Putting it back together is a sinch too, provided the decoder fits.

The review on MRF and elsewhere would seem to suggest otherwise, if you include the total time to dis-assemble without breaking anything, properly fitting a decoder and re-assembling. To be honest, I doubt it's really much of a job but I don't have the time needed! And unless Hornby fits a top of the line decoder to its "DCC fitted" fleet many people who care about such things will still have to take models apart. I'd rather they spend the money on a decent pony truck, and etched smoke deflectors and nameplates - the Bachmann 9F includes both of the latter (well, Evening Star, anyway) and looks much the better for it.

I applaud Hornby for the strides they've made over the last few years since they outsourced their design and manufacture, but in world terms they're still a tiddler compared to Bachmann/Kader and others. This surely limits their ability to take up and offer the latest technology and achieve good pricing?