QUOTE (smiley @ 17 May 2007, 18:17)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>I agree with the last comment that if your just looking from above the locomtive and a normal side view you dont really notice that the pony truck is fixed or that they are non flangless wheels. At the end of the day it just i hobbey, not everything has to be perfect or can be perfect ,we all want extra detail on the locomotive so you have to make compromises in other areas to.
We should not be critsing hornby for this because in my eye it a great idea, you get a beter looking locomotive and a lot more pony truck detail.
We can all rember hornby last A4 pacfic effort with the gap underneath the ponytruck and the poor detailing on it, i ask you how DAFT did that look.
Smiley
Yes re the A4, so daft I never bought one, but I bought a Bachmann A4. However, I wasn't really impressed with that, and it gave way to the A1. However, returning to the trailing bogie, what put me on my soap box was the fact that the wheel as well as the chassis left the track upon reversing on a medium peco point. Therefore, I asked the model shop to find me a solution, as I didn't have the tools, etc. The point that I feel that I have demonstrated is that there was no need to have this fixed trailing bogie, particularly when the real thing didn't. The modified loco has a working trailing bogie which keeps the wheels on the track (admittedly the body work goes out of gauge, but that has to be accepted as I don't have enough room for 48" radius track and I have to work with 24 - 30" radius and the medium/express type peco points)I do accept that compromises have to be accepted, but for a simple design feature such as this I think Hornby threw out the baby with the bath water. It won't stop me buying their products or having a view either. The unquestionable brand loyalty I have come across makes me wonder - surely it must be in the interests of anybody interested in this Hobby by raising doubts and making suggestions for future products where felt necessary. If criticising Hornby is thought to be a bad thing, then why make reference to the A4, as this is illogical, is it not. Personally I am looking forward to the Scots and the Maunsells and the point motor accessories, not to mention some changes in future releases of the Class 31's (I hope).
Yes, it is still a hobby and a useful release after a day with computer systems (still on one doing this stuff
)
'Nuff said, will wait till I have done the same on the WC/BoB and show that it can be done again!
Happy modelling