[papamikepapa]

You'll need a small philips screwdriver to take the box mountings off, neat idea to save the loco getting damaged in transit.
Initial thoughts are
a/ It looks like one
b/ The weight is very good, Hornby appear to have made the weight out of depleted uranium.
c/ Runs superbly
d/ Finish is very good, it'd be nice to have etched plates to place over the printed ones though.
e/ A quick scan against dimensions seems ok and shapes against pics again look good.
f/ Tender is from the Black Five, which is a few years old now and doesn't have quite the finesse of the loco, but theres one or two easy fixes to sort that. It certainly doesn't detract from the overall model.
g/ Well worth the money Hornby raises the bar again.

Some more pictures here
http://greengoscalerail.fotopic.net/c1341120.html

 

[Richard Johnson]

Thanks for posting that...

Is front buffer beam detail / screw link etc provided?

Are the front steps provided? I have my fingers crossed as they are sorely neededto fill that gap! No disaster if not, as I do have some Brassmasters ones tucked away

Is the rest of the loco brake gear provided? It looks a bit open underneath without it.

It seems somehow less sharp / precise and the colour and lining looks a bit less in quality than the pre-release photos I have on my desktop - or is that just the exposure?

The Lubrucators look much coarser than the pre-production images too - Damn!

I'm an LMS modeller so have to ask... Which is correct - the single heavy orange boiler bands on the production loco or the two fine orange bands with black in the centre as per the pre-production photographs?

Tender ex the B5 is not bad really, but it will also benefit from the Brassmasters detail kit and new axleboxes etc, as hornby does them a wee bit too shallow in profile - they should be meatier.

Overall though, proportions look not too bad at all - but it certainly screams for a bit of TLC on the far too bright detail & something like frame overlays to get rid of the open look around the front end bogie plus perhaps replacement of the standard Hornbyross pop valves with some from Markits, followed by a closing up of tender and loco

Richard

(and yes, I'm fussy - but it does look like the proportions are OK, as its going to be a good basis for a very nice model)

(Before anyone gets on their high horse about my criticisms the questions are about the loco, and are NOT implied criticism of those who like to run things as they are out of the box - Each to his own - I just prefer to add a little of myself to each loco I have, and I intend to have a couple of these!)

You'll need a small philips screwdriver to take the box mountings off, neat idea to save the loco getting damaged in transit.
Initial thoughts are

 

[dwb]

So the models are available? Have I missed an announcement or what?
I'm due a present so I think it might just be one of these.

QUOTE Is the rest of the loco brake gear provided? It looks a bit open underneath without it.
My guess is yes because I am sure I can see the holes the rigging fits into.

David

 

[5696Arethusa]

The Scot looks good but I have to say the weathering job you've done on Robin Hood is about the best I've seen and is the first time I've thought that the "Flying flangeless" pony wheels look wrong. But that may be because that is such a lifelike staging of the model.

 

[papamikepapa]

Richard, I've not yet had the opportunity to look in detail at the extras, but off the top of my head the steps, brakegear, pipes, screwlink, are all in there. The colour is possibly a bit light in the pics, so that I could show the detail under the running plate, taken in mid day high sun, so lots of shadow in the originals!

The boiler bands do have a black centre line, the pics here don't show it but it's there, honest!

Yup the tender as I mentioned could do with a little breathing on, but I suspect unlike Richard and myself the model as stands is perectly good for 99% of modellers/collectors. In summary its a superb loco as is and even better if you want to take it that little bit further.

5696, thanks, '38' was particularly pleasing in how it turned out. It was an early release so didn't have the flanged option.

dwb, they hit the shops late in the week, only seen the early crest so far.

 

[Mike Parkes]

QUOTE (papamikepapa @ 15 Sep 2007, 21:21) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The boiler bands do have a black centre line, the pics here don't show it but it's there, honest!

Rails have a photo which shows them well - the third photo is a close up of the boiler
http://railsofsheffield.com/br-rebuilt-roy...--JJJA7427.aspx

 

[dwb]

QUOTE dwb, they hit the shops late in the week, only seen the early crest so far.
Thanks! That's the one for me, provided these are the ones /without/ the DCC decoder fitted.

David

 

[neil_s_wood]

Well with a name like that I had better order one right away.

 

[Richard Johnson]

You said.....Richard, I've not yet had the opportunity to look in detail at the extras, but off the top of my head the steps, brakegear, pipes, screwlink, are all in there. The colour is possibly a bit light in the pics, so that I could show the detail under the running plate, taken in mid day high sun, so lots of shadow in the originals!

*** Fantastic: I love building loco's but each Brassmasters kit is 100+ hours of work and I only have so many hours to live, and three lifetimes of loco's wanted, so I'm always very happy to see a good job done by B or H.

Brassmasters do their tender kits separately by the way - worth every cent of their high prices as they really are accurate!

Now all I'll need are the promises of a newly tooled unrebuilt Patriot, a good job by bachmann on the Jubilee and by H on the G2a and I'll be happy for a while. Still desperately want to see a totally retooled compound, a 4F, a 3F anda 2P though - Pleeeease Hornby and Bachmann!

Richard

 

[dwb]

QUOTE Still desperately want to see a totally retooled compound, a 4F, a 3F anda 2P though - Pleeeease Hornby and Bachmann!

I'll second that

David

 

[10001]

QUOTE (dwb @ 16 Sep 2007, 11:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I'll second that

David

RE retooled compound ; 4F; 3F; 2P;
That would be nice. But better if they were the ex Midland locos .
10001

 

[Richard Johnson]

You said: "But better if they were the ex Midland locos"

100% agree as thats my primary modelling period, but I've not got my fingers crossed for that and anyway... its easy enough to backdate them as long as they are basically accurate, unlike the current crop!

Having said that, it'd be nice indeed to have Midland domes and chimneys...and the choice of RHD or LHD perhaps, but the chances are remote - and as of either brand doing a Johnson or Deeley tender are pretty slim probably ...unfortunately...

and I can't believe left off my biggest wish - an outdide framed Kirtley 0-6-0 tender loco - they soldiered on forever and were a loco with real character... I'd happily dump the 4F for that one - I have several of the very nice Brassmasters ones anyway

Richard