[Babz]

Received my W1 Today by DPD at no extra cost and it is unbroken. Although from my own experience DPD have never damaged or lost any models from UK or Eu. Will give it a run on Rolling road this afternoon.
It does look really nice in the Dark Grey.
Babs

 

[34C]

Be careful running the original water tube boiler versions of the W1 on a layout with platforms or other structure close to the track, as it is well over scale width. A slow speed test under observation wherever it is to operate would be a good plan.

For reasons known only to Hornby the cylinders are set too wide (unnecessarily, their Gresley pacifics have them correctly positioned) which in turn means the width over the valvegear is too great, and this prototype had the very awkward feature of the front footsteps to rear of the cylinders, and thus over the valve gear. This feature was never going to be possible at scale width in a RTR OO model, but having the model's cylinders and valvegear unnecessarily wide compounds the problem.

Hopefully Hornby haven't boobed in like fashion on the rebuilt W1, or the front end proportions won't be right, and while we no longer have this loco to look at, the A4 has the very same front end styling....

 

[Babz]

My W1 Runs very nicely very Smooth. Now in the process of ordering a Zimo Sound Decoder to install. Now the million Dollar Question is can I install a smoke Generator or is this not possible. Babs

 

[34C]

... can I install a smoke Generator or is this not possible...

Once upon a time Hornby interior construction was very predictable, but no longer; so it is a matter of exploration with the body off the mechanism. I have yet to see anyone showing what the interior of their new W1 purchase looks like. You would hope that this relatively capacious body shell would present some usable internal volume...

 

[cbrooks122000]

Once upon a time Hornby interior construction was very predictable, but no longer; so it is a matter of exploration with the body off the mechanism. I have yet to see anyone showing what the interior of their new W1 purchase looks like. You would hope that this relatively capacious body shell would present some usable internal volume...

I think it is based on the Merchant Navy/ Princess mechanism. If you look at Sam's video he has it in bits. I am not brave enough to take mine apart, perhaps one day.

 

[Babz]

34C & Cbrooks Thank you for your reply. At the moment I am not brave enough Either. I will be able to do the decoder which is in the Tender Decoder already ordered maybe in the New Year.
Babs

 

[kristopher1805]

well being Hornby it will doubtlessly be fitted with an 8 pin in which case mine when I get around to having one on shed will get a DCCC 8 pin nano as these are guaranteed to fit anything pretty much, are widely available, have a good warranty and works well with Z21, who knows maybe Hornby will come out with a 17 pin new socket - more sales as a result.

 

[butler-henderson]

Hornby have indicated that the mid driving wheel steps on future production of the "Hush-Hush" will be supplied for the user to fit if clearances allow. Another self defeating idea as how do you know clearances allow without testing them in place

 

[kristopher1805]

I watched the Sam's trains video and this is a bit worrisome, clearly some associated quality issues which for something so expensive is not acceptable, hope Hornby fix this asap because this could start the snowball on failing quality, thinking more about it I might still be tempted and renumber 10000 as 60000 it might work that way as a neverwasser but I want to hear some good reports coming out.

 

[butler-henderson]

Duff locos are unfortunately a fact of mass production with minimal testing and checking. What Sam should do is that any sane person would do and return it for a replacement. Instead the clown proceeds to review the thing and then criticises it - the Bachmann ROD 2-8-0 was a classic example of his stupidity - broken tender coupling.

 

[Babz]

Kristopher 1805 & Butler- Henderson. I watched Sam's video I was horrified and that was before mine arrived.
It did arrive intact not very well packed compared to the German arrivals.
On the rolling Road it performed quite well so I set up my radius 2 test track on the dining table Piko 100 ballasted track it performed flawlessly no issues and very quiet indeed so orderd zimo sound decoder with sound on board. I am no expert but I was expecting a few horrors as per Sam's video. Maybe I got Lucky who knows. Babs

 

[34C]

I see that the first of the BR liveried W1 (as rebuilt with a conventional boiler) are now with retailers. It looks generally right, no excess width evident.

 

[kristopher1805]

Yep I see this and want one however I note it is a top heavy price I think £241 beer tokens which is a bit of a cough, guess I'll wait until I see one with some discount.

 

[kristopher1805]

Yep see my thread elsewhere but I got mine for £217 plus pennies. which is a bit more realistic I think it is an A4 plus a bit so it should be nearer to £190 in my view but it is too new to expect anything less than £199 and even that would be a rare find, the Yarrow boiler earlier version has less curb appeal so being radically different from everything else in the looks department, anyway it runs well but as the 203rd loco on my ipad it has clogged up the sytem and I have to clear off 10 or so locos to get the system to work again.

 

[kristopher1805]

Anyway with the Z21 fixed I got down to running some trains and principle amongst these was the W1 and this then set the pace, at a scale speed of about 70 miles/hour it ran circuits for over an hour without fault, maybe the nicest out of the box performance I ever had, cannot say the same about the coach couplings but the loco was truly excellent, the A2/2 worked the opposite main line and this too was running very well, so it looks like a good 'un

 

[kristopher1805]

Yer Tiz; crossing the Queen Alexandra Bridge over the River Brack

http://imgur.com/7eu5lua

 

[34C]

I availed myself of the late crest version which other than the tender crest is as Kristopher1805's model in appearance. Definitely looks right, and everything I have measured is accurate; and the livery is good for a cleaned loco in service sometime after a works repaint. Coal in the tender and a light dusting of track dirt and exhaust in the right places and that's a good looking model.

...maybe the nicest out of the box performance I ever had...

A decent sized flywheel in the driveline with what looks like Hornby's standard 'black can' motor X4026 delivers this. Immediately good on resistance controller DC, and in went a Lenz standard decoder and the drive is all it should be. Traction is adequate for a dozen coaches; because I need mine to reliably restart a full train all standing on a gradient, mine has an extra 150g of lead inside. (Ample space inside to arrange this so that the model still balances on the centre coupled wheel.)

Really pleasant surprise, Hornby have made a better job of the cast rear frames under the cab compared to their earlier arrangements on the A1/A3/A4 and Brit. No extensive carving required to fit the flanged wheelsets, just clearance for the tops of the flanges, and it would then run easily down to 30" minimum radius which is fine for my layout. (That's where the good news ends, it made the loco really noisy when running - rattle, rattle, rattle - but half a glass is better than none. Future project: chop out the axle mountings and make a 6' wb bogie to take the rear carrying wheels, which will then run silently.)

Had to fiddle with the front bogie to obtain upward travel, filed down the boss on the bogie top so it can now rise relative to the coupled wheels about 0.5mm. Took the ballast out of the tender, eased pick up 'brakes' away from tender wheelbacks, and made a replacement drawbar to bring the loco and tender to correct overall wheelbase. As ever 'closing up' loco and tender to scale really makes the most of an already good model; fall plate lies on the tender step and the cab doors fill the side gap.

Lastly, one oddity. Normally Hornby are good on NEM coupler pocket position, but the tender pocket is further inboard than standard relative to the buffers. As is needs a Kadee #20 for reliable magnetic uncoupling, fixing the buffers retracted on both tender and coupled on vehicle as appropriate would probably enable #18 or 19 to be used, owner experimentation to determine what's required on their layout.

 

[DonnyRailMan]

I have just ordered my W1 R 3979 having viewed Sams Trains video of the 2nd W1 he received from Hornby.
The first one he sent back as it was a bad runner. The 2nd W1 he received was R 3979 so that's why I took the plunge having seen that review from Sam of Sams Train.I did think about one of the rebuilt versions but having eight A4s thought better of it . All being well I would order the W1 R 3 8 4 2 in L N E R Green .

Instagram severncrescentrailway

 

[34C]

...Sams Trains video of the 2nd W1 he received from Hornby. The first one he sent back as it was a bad runner...

Was there an attempt to find out why the first was a bad runner? Much of the mechanism design is based on what has been seen in earlier pacifics, such as your A4's; now improved by a superior motor mount design and better wiring arrangements. These are very simple mechanisms and it is always possible to determine just what isn't working as it should, down to component level: (I wouldn't for example expect a reviewer to open a can motor, 'motor not working, no circuit' is adequate.)

(What finally finished any prospect of my making further purchases of UK model railway magazines getting on 20 years past was a review which reported that the loco stopped working, with no attempt to determine why. This after several previous reviews all similarly lacking in any penetration. No more money from me for such feeble stuff... A comparison to the reviewing of HO in German and North American mags reveals how it should be done.)

 

[DonnyRailMan]

No he just go a full refund from them no apology from them..