Hornby Merchant Navy

3923 Views 15 Replies 9 Participants Last post by bumpkin, Oct 18, 2012

pcc4199

Discussion Starter · Sep 28, 2005

Hi, new member here.

Any reason as to why Hornby put these seams on the sides of the boiler on this model?

Andy

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

Gary

· #2 · Sep 29, 2005 (Edited by Moderator)

Hi Andy

By coincidence I spoke with Hornby today on another private matter and I mentioned your observation.

Its down to the Hornby model design team. Given that a loco has certain details and the boiler has a certain shape, at the planning stage the model design team decide the best way of replicating the loco in miniture allowing for the production issues with molds. This was considered the best solution for the production of this particular model.

There is a story that starts with a then youthful Dave Stone (Hornby Chief Designer for the Merchant Navy) on the Hornby website which gives you an insight into the thinking that goes into the design of a model :-

http://www.hornby.com/pages/nws_det_press....t_currentPage=1

Dave Stone of Hornby was very proud of the Merchant Navy and he is sadly missed by all at Hornby, having passed away last year after a short illness.

Happy modelling
Gary

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nzpaul

· #3 · Sep 30, 2005

a similar construction method was used on the 1998 super detail A3's, I believe the idea was to reduce the amount of tooling required to produce the different types of boilers (dome position specifically). Why the idea was adopted for the MN is for someone else to answer but it is unfortunately ugly, thankfully the method is no longer in fashion as the new Black Fives & Duchesses etc don't suffer from the same thing.

Gary

· #4 · Sep 30, 2005 (Edited by Moderator)

Is "ugly" the right word to use? As a Bulleid fan I am offended!

Hopefully it relates to your view of the mold line and not the overall appearance of the model from normal viewing distances. I'll let you off if this is the case.

Every model has to have a mold line or lines somewhere. This is unavoidable due to the manufacturing process. I personally thought, when I first saw the model, it was great not to have a mold line across the most prominant part of the loco, the top of the boiler. But this is all subjective.

Hornby have listened to customer feedback and made minor modifications to the body over the years since introduction.

Happy modelling
Gary

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pcc4199

Discussion Starter · #5 · Sep 30, 2005

Thanks for the replies. To my eye, these moulding seams distract from what is a superb model. Should have put it on top of the boiler, bit easier to weather/disguise at this position.

Andy

nzpaul

· #6 · Oct 2, 2005

I'm wandering of topic just a little here

. Absolutely no offence intended at all re ugly & Merchant Navy in the same sentence. Although I'm an LNER biased modeller I did buy a MN simply because it did set a new & very high standard, not only for Hornby by for the whole industry, and it's also the model that single handedly rescued Hornby from a very uncertain future. If I remember rightly somthing like 20,000 units sold in the first 6 month after release, so, jolly good model really, shame about the ugly mould lines.

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Guy Clark

· #7 · Oct 16, 2012

Let us be somewhat realistic here. We should remember that the first Hornby Merchant Navy release 'Clan Line' marked an impressive upward turn in the quality of Locomotives that were produced. Something that remains evident to this day. I have the ACE Train Pack which includes Merchant Navy 'United States Line' a superb Locomotive if there ever was one mould line or not. I do notice on my 2011 release of the DCC Ready Merchant Navy 'Lamport and Holt Line' this matter has been addressed however the overall appearance of the locomotive has not changed from the original for those without magnifying glasses except the lack of the speedo cable on the later release, I am led to believe it is so on the prototype. The same level of high quality and impressive haulage capabilities remains in both early and latest releases.
Furthermore let us not complain too much as at least the Merchant Navy can be handled without the fear of things breaking off as is the case with the Britannia's and Clans.
Overall Hornby are doing a fine job with Steam Locomotives and perhaps should leave Diesels and Electric Locomotives to Bachmann and Heljan who fill that part of the market with outstanding products.

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7113

· #8 · Oct 16, 2012

Does this qualify for the oldest resurrected thread award? seven years on....

Regards

Guy Clark

· #9 · Oct 16, 2012

Indeed the thread is from 2005 but it needed bringing up to date as much has happened since then.

Guy Clark

· #10 · Oct 17, 2012

QUOTE (Guy Clark @ 16 Oct 2012, 23:10) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Let us be somewhat realistic here. We should remember that the first Hornby Merchant Navy release 'Clan Line' marked an impressive upward turn in the quality of Locomotives that were produced. Something that remains evident to this day. I have the ACE Train Pack which includes Merchant Navy 'United States Line' a superb Locomotive if there ever was one mould line or not. I do notice on my 2011 release of the DCC Ready Merchant Navy 'Lamport and Holt Line' this matter has been addressed however the overall appearance of the locomotive has not changed from the original for those without magnifying glasses except the lack of the speedo cable on the later release, I am led to believe it is so on the prototype. The same level of high quality and impressive haulage capabilities remains in both early and latest releases.
Furthermore let us not complain too much as at least the Merchant Navy can be handled without the fear of things breaking off as is the case with the Britannia's and Clans.
Overall Hornby are doing a fine job with Steam Locomotives and perhaps should leave Diesels and Electric Locomotives to Bachmann and Heljan who fill that part of the market with outstanding products.

Correction in the ACE Train Pack 'Holland America Line'

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D1566

· #11 · Oct 17, 2012

Coincidentally I just bought a Hornby MN (35012) The mold lines don't bother me too much, must be my eyesight!!

What a nightmare trying to fit a DCC decoder in the loco though!!! Don't think I will bother with sound ...

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Jack P

· #12 · Oct 17, 2012

QUOTE (D1566 @ 17 Oct 2012, 23:23) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Coincidentally I just bought a Hornby MN (35012) The mold lines don't bother me too much, must be my eyesight!!

What a nightmare trying to fit a DCC decoder in the loco though!!! Don't think I will bother with sound ...

Could settle for this? Light pacific Crewkerne

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Bulleidboy100

· #13 · Oct 17, 2012

I think beauty is in the eye of the beholder - I have all of the Hornby Merchant Navy Class models produced since 2000, they are fantastic models. I just wish they would not duplicate models when there are still fifty per cent of the class still to be modelled. Lamport and Holt Line was reproduced with a 6000gallon tender, and now Holland Afrika Line with sound is due anytime, surely they could have used other names in the class?

7113

· #14 · Oct 17, 2012

NRM collection of 35029 anybody?

Regards

Bulleidboy100

· #15 · Oct 17, 2012

QUOTE (7113 @ 17 Oct 2012, 21:10) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>NRM collection of 35029 anybody?

Regards
There's about six on that well known auction site at the moment - must be Ellerman Lines flag week!

bumpkin

· #16 · Oct 18, 2012

QUOTE (7113 @ 17 Oct 2012, 22:10) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>NRM collection of 35029 anybody?

Regards
As currently diplayed?

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