Hornby Princess Coronation Class (Duchess)

[robmcg]

Also on a brighter note, as I await my third new model 6221, here is an older version with a dose of paintshop editing....

 

 

or on Shap bank..  this one a recent-version  and missing handrails fixed with editing, as well as heaps of other small changes.

 

 

 

cheers.

 

pictures edited, will remove if required.

 

 

 

[robmcg]

Well, my THIRD 6221 arrived very gently on the doorstep this morning...     and I was hopeful of a normal result,  and being a wee tad pessimistic I photographed every stage of the opening of the package...  paper, outer cardboard box, two layers of bubble-wrap, factory box, ALL done over a clean tray on my lap, in turn over a clean tile floor.

 

 

 

 

 

Carefully removing the clear plastic sleeve I saw this...

 

 

yes, a handrail...

 

 

so small and light it sticks to almost anything by surface tension.

 

Alas the other was not just loose but also not visible. I am thinking of dismembering the box folds...   I searched and examined the sleeve and housing exhaustively, carefully, and with a clear head in excellent light.  Nothing, but some tiny bits of dust.

 

here it is with a clearer pic,  it is a lot smaller than it looks.

 

 

alternatively use the existing one as a guide and fashion another from thin fuse wire?

 

It looks simply terrible.  Or am I going nuts?

 

 

In the meantime I'll use a photo from this angle,  it runs well 'straight from the box'

 

 

   It might seem a simple job to fix this unfortunate error   as many here say, 'we are all modellers after all',  but it's beyond my skills,   my brother is more adept and is visiting this weekend.  He is familiar with the job, his one bought a month ago had one handrail in the sleeve box, on the sheet of plastic...   it is not an easy job, there are no proper drillings in the front despite appearances,  no wonder 4 out of 4 of this model air-freighted to NZ (in our experience) have handrails loose or missing.

 

I really don't feel like sending a third model of 6221 back to a retailer....  I wonder if fuse wire will work, does it come in suitable diameter?   I guess I could tell Hornby, too, if they don't know about it.  I'm trying not to be overly critical, just pointing out what appears to be a very common issue.

 

Talk about a pennyworth of tar...      

Edited July 10, 2019 by robmcg

[Rshakes3]

Hi Rob, I`ve been following this trail for along time now & I too had the same issue with my DoH. Having read the earlier posts I was fully prepared for this to happen but while the missing hand rail was still in the box I managed to lose it on the floor somewhere – clux!

However I was able to use a 200 OHM resistor wire bent around a small set of needle nose pliers to replace it. I also used a 0.5mm drill bit to carefully open out the hole.

With a little bit of Super Glue applied to the inside the replacement is perfect.  So easy job if you take your time.

[robmcg]

Thanks for that Rshakes3, absolutely the kind of thing I needed.

 

Is 200 Ohm wire the same as fuse wire?  which comes as I recall in amp-ratings?  Is 200 ohm wire easily obtainable?

 

I do have some small pliers and have been devising in my head ways to make wire or a staple perhaps? conform to the desired dimensions. Good to know that 0.5mm is a good size to open out the holes too.

 

Thanks mightily!

Edited July 10, 2019 by robmcg
typo

[robmcg]

At least I have my photo-editing to make it all look good...    will remove if required.

 

 

But I still want to fix the hand rails and details on the model!

Edited July 10, 2019 by robmcg

[atom3624]

Hi Rob, I had a Heljan DP2 Class 50 prototype, Deltic lookalike last year with a similar-sized handrail missing on arrival.

 

I made one and fitted it using modellers needle-nosed pliers, trial fitting, then the tiniest dab of glue to hold - fitted perfectly, looked great ... then the vendor found and sent the original anyway FoC!

 

With your editing skills, you've obviously got a fine eye for things, so I'm certain you can do it.

 

Al.

[Hilux5972]

4 hours ago, atom3624 said:

Hi Rob, I had a Heljan DP2 Class 50 prototype, Deltic lookalike last year with a similar-sized handrail missing on arrival.

 

I made one and fitted it using modellers needle-nosed pliers, trial fitting, then the tiniest dab of glue to hold - fitted perfectly, looked great ... then the vendor found and sent the original anyway FoC!

 

With your editing skills, you've obviously got a fine eye for things, so I'm certain you can do it.

 

Al.

Yes it may look simple, but physically as he had said many times he isn’t able to do it. It’s not my place to say why but I’m sure you can understand that people may have disabilities that prevent them doing stuff like that. 

[atom3624]

Totally understand.

 

Al.

[robmcg]

Yes it is a cause of frustration but people are very good.

 

I have long held the view that nearly everyone has issues of various kinds, like having to work for a living, so living in a wheelchair with only one good hand drinking tea, well, what can you say as you smile at the commoners, eh wot? 

 

Two of my brothers are visiting this week for an occasional 'ceremonial fish and chip evening', and one has already done the handrail on a blue Coronation he bought recently, so he claims good experience in this particular aspect of purchasing and fixing RTR models.

 

Actually I get some pleasure from dealing with RTR models even with only my rather inept left hand and a numb club or claw right hand ...  I devise ways to open such as Heljan Garratts and place them on a diorama, it puts a new meaning on the sometimes mocked practice of 'box , opening'.

 

Similarly inverting a School class or Clan to attach and remove Satan's Plug can be quite interesting, time-consuming, but usually successful. a tray, bubble wrap, or packaging insert, the removal tool,  all should be simple.  The danger is to dwell on what I used to be able to do pre-injury, that's when frustration can hurt. 

 

Onwards and upwards!

 

I do have a very enjoyable hobby, buying, collecting and photographing RTR, this forum is excellent btw   so thanks to all who enjoy things too.

 

A nice pic to finish perhaps..  in the context of another thread about gloss vs matt..

 

 

I bought this years ago and think it needs to be toned down,  

 

to something like this...

 

 

but being fussy, I last night bought a factory pristine version.

 

Why?   To practice my box-opening skills of course! 

 

thankyou Hattons,  £86 + £6.50 priority air to NZ  can't say fairer than that, guv'nor.

 

 

cheers

edit;

 

actually maybe there is a place for the glossy finish, as per the Hornby LNER set R3500?  with P2, Woolwinder, Firdaussi, and Osprey.

 

and my 46252

 

 

slightly edited, mostly just tone and contrast and so on.

 

And there is the NRM Hamilton too...

 

cheers

 

p.s. my grandfather was a top link driver in the 1930s and used to adopt similar pose for photos,  not LMS though, it was New Zealand Railways and A class compound 4-6-2s were his favourites.

 

Edited July 11, 2019 by robmcg

[atom3624]

I think your limited modelling skills Rob are because you've always got that cuppa in your good hand!!

 

I'm sure you'll get the 6221 sorted with your brother and it'll look fine.

 

Al.

[robmcg]

1 minute ago, atom3624 said:

I think your limited modelling skills Rob are because you've always got that cuppa in your good hand!!

 

I'm sure you'll get the 6221 sorted with your brother and it'll look fine.

 

Al.

 

Thanks Al,

 

Actually I have been surprised by the relative absence of 2002-2014 Duchesses on the s/h market.  When the new version 46256 came out and sold-out quickly I thought that as the more mainstream numbers arrived then the older ones might be sold, but no.

 

I see that Atholl and the 2nd run 46256 are not selling out, I have no idea of the numbers produced, but the previous versions are quite nice models and some here have done excellent detailing and such as close coupling and light weathering,  I think they are still very nice models and had hoped the market for the older ones might be a buyers' market but no such luck.

[Rshakes3]

20 hours ago, robmcg said:

Thanks for that Rshakes3, absolutely the kind of thing I needed.

 

Is 200 Ohm wire the same as fuse wire?  which comes as I recall in amp-ratings?  Is 200 ohm wire easily obtainable?

 

I do have some small pliers and have been devising in my head ways to make wire or a staple perhaps? conform to the desired dimensions. Good to know that 0.5mm is a good size to open out the holes too.

 

Thanks mightily!

Hi Rob - now I`m not too sure how 'thick' your fuse wire is but the 200/220 OHM resistors I used here were from a pack purchased from JayCar which is over in NZ - and I only use them for 12 v DC work and I think they were only 1 amp. I just happened to have an unused one on the work bench and the wire looked pretty close to the handrail - perfect match in the end.    

[adb968008]

12 hours ago, robmcg said:

 

Thanks Al,

 

Actually I have been surprised by the relative absence of 2002-2014 Duchesses on the s/h market.  When the new version 46256 came out and sold-out quickly I thought that as the more mainstream numbers arrived then the older ones might be sold, but no.

 

I see that Atholl and the 2nd run 46256 are not selling out, I have no idea of the numbers produced, but the previous versions are quite nice models and some here have done excellent detailing and such as close coupling and light weathering,  I think they are still very nice models and had hoped the market for the older ones might be a buyers' market but no such luck.

I can’t speak for other people, but whilst the new Duchess is very nice, the old ones aren’t bad and live nicely alongside them.

 

I decided to stick for the time being, but I did buy 6231, 46256, 46235 and 46229, I’ve no plans to buy any subsequent ones.

 

I’m on the fence over the Princess, 61xx, Terriers too, I now need to be convinced that an upgrade is actually worthwhile... ive seen the 61xx up close, it’s very nice, but i’m going to hold, Terriers.. I want to see quantity first.. ive got 12 of them to replace and they won’t sit nicely with the new one... so that’s an expensive log on the waterfall waiting to drop.

 

[Brocp]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

I can’t speak for other people, but whilst the new Duchess is very nice, the old ones aren’t bad and live nicely alongside them.

 

I decided to stick for the time being, but I did buy 6231, 46256, 46235 and 46229, I’ve no plans to buy any subsequent ones.

 

I’m on the fence over the Princess, 61xx, Terriers too, I now need to be convinced that an upgrade is actually worthwhile... ive seen the 61xx up close, it’s very nice, but i’m going to hold, Terriers.. I want to see quantity first.. ive got 12 of them to replace and they won’t sit nicely with the new one... so that’s an expensive log on the waterfall waiting to drop.

 

The Princess certainly will be much, much better than the old, quite poor and inaccurate tooling. 

[MikeParkin65]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

I can’t speak for other people, but whilst the new Duchess is very nice, the old ones aren’t bad and live nicely alongside them.

 

I decided to stick for the time being, but I did buy 6231, 46256, 46235 and 46229, I’ve no plans to buy any subsequent ones.

 

I’m on the fence over the Princess, 61xx, Terriers too, I now need to be convinced that an upgrade is actually worthwhile... ive seen the 61xx up close, it’s very nice, but i’m going to hold, Terriers.. I want to see quantity first.. ive got 12 of them to replace and they won’t sit nicely with the new one... so that’s an expensive log on the waterfall waiting to drop.

 

I think the new Duchess is over priced at £180+. Its a definite upgrade on the old model but as we have said the old model isn't at all bad and responds well to detailing. Given that it has been in production for 15 or more years a lot of us have already invested a lot of time in making them into the models we want. Plus they are good smooth and reliable runners from the Sanda Kan era whereas recent experience of new Hornby models has been more variable. 

[adb968008]

Old amongst the new

[atom3624]

Very nice collection.

 

No extra detail?

I can't help it - as soon as I get a locomotive, the detail pack's opened and on go 'the bits'!!

 

I know many don't as they may 'move them on' in the future and most prefer to receive a locomotive 'untouched'.

 

Al.

[MikeParkin65]

25 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

Very nice collection.

 

No extra detail?

I can't help it - as soon as I get a locomotive, the detail pack's opened and on go 'the bits'!!

 

I know many don't as they may 'move them on' in the future and most prefer to receive a locomotive 'untouched'.

 

Al.

Yes - at the minimum the front coupling and vacuum pipe for the front end. For Duchesses removing the plastic nameplate and replacing with an etched give the model a much more refined look. For the earlier model I also apply the etched numberplate because of the compressed and too small font used by Hornby - thats something much improved on the new model.

[adb968008]

36 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

Very nice collection.

 

No extra detail?

I can't help it - as soon as I get a locomotive, the detail pack's opened and on go 'the bits'!!

 

I know many don't as they may 'move them on' in the future and most prefer to receive a locomotive 'untouched'.

 

Al.

Someday, right now i’d settle for just spare time to play with them !

 

I’m in dilemma at the moment, my little one has grown an interest in the hobby in a big way, but modern image, and ive kind of gone along with the ride... to accommodate that, I may need a 1955 modernisation plan of my own, as Ive quite an oversize collection as it is.

[atom3624]

No such thing as 'oversize', just 'growing interest' is appropriate I reckon!!

 

Al.

[adb968008]

10 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

No such thing as 'oversize', just 'growing interest' is appropriate I reckon!!

 

Al.

I’ll suggest that to my wife when she next comments on my waistline.

[robmcg]

18 hours ago, Rshakes3 said:

Hi Rob - now I`m not too sure how 'thick' your fuse wire is but the 200/220 OHM resistors I used here were from a pack purchased from JayCar which is over in NZ - and I only use them for 12 v DC work and I think they were only 1 amp. I just happened to have an unused one on the work bench and the wire looked pretty close to the handrail - perfect match in the end.    

 

My brother checked his 6221 front top handrails and wire and finds that 240 Volt 10 Amp fuse wire looks identical, we shall know next week sometime.

 

Do UK houses ever have fuses or are they all overload switches these days?  Until 2011 my house had old-style fuses, but I sold it after the big earthquake in Christchurch.  And moved to equally earthquake-prone Wellington, which is my true home anyway.  I don't remember when I last bought such wire, it used to be in electrical shops but I don't think they exist any more!

 

What's happening to the world?

 

p.s, thank you for thrashing Australia.  Now we can have a proper cricket match in the true spirit of the game.

[atom3624]

The match also gave me great pleasure, having visited Oz several times, and having worked alongside and had several Australian 'we're better than you' wind-up colleagues!!

 

Roy's 3 sixes in a row, particularly that 3rd one were superb.

 

NO, HE WAS NOT OUT!

Never mind, let's keep our heads, and get the job done on Sunday!!

 

Al.

[robmcg]

We from NZ could upset 50 million Britons   chicken feed after upsetting the lives of about a billion Indians..    but maybe we will be kind.

 

Moving quickly along, I found a good Duchess 46243 for sale yesterday and bought it, 2010 release, might be one of the later SK manufactured ones?  Late BR red  solid rear truck etc.  Odd how Hornby organised production runs, lots of red late crest versions around 2010-on and also around 2004-5 as well, including the elusive 46238.

 

With a 46252 in BR lined black arriving soon, I may have to take 'balancing' medication in the form of Gresley's A4s...

 

ah the burdens! 

 

Did this yesterday too..

 

 

and this today...

 

 

repeated the A4 from 'best of' thread.  apologies, will remove if required,

 

...but my oath don't Hornby make lovely models!

 

Edited July 12, 2019 by robmcg

[atom3624]

Excellent models.

 

I had forgotten your location Rob!!

 

May the best win, etc.

 

Have you photoshopped those cylinder draincocks on the A4 else if 'actual', where did you get them from?

 

Al.