I currently only have one Hornby loco but she is defiantly one of my, if not the, best.

The detail on her is exquisite, cab doors open and motor is quiet. 

She runs so very smoothly and deals with all of my points, at very very low speeds, with out so much as a stutter. I have added a couple of videos of her running in this post.

I enjoy shunting and use my sidings as a kind of 'Inglenook' she is perfect for this. If any one is considering buying one of these new tooling shunters then I can highly recommend that you do!

John :)


 

 



https://youtu.be/1CJKeeEN7LI

Very nice, what couplings do you have on youir wagons John,? they appear to be very close coupled.

[user=31]sparky[/user] wrote:

Very nice, what couplings do you have on youir wagons John,? they appear to be very close coupled.

Hi Sparky, thank you. Has Terry said I have a thread about my couplings, have a look here http://yourmodelrailway.net/view_topic.php?id=15329&forum_id=12

John :)

Looks like a pretty decent model John - and it runs well too which is a bonus.

Does it come with the crew or did you add that ?

Hi John,

Very nice. That seems a very funny place to site the signal cabin (in the middle of a cutting with a tunnel hiding the station), most were placed so that the signals controlling the station and or turnouts the cabin controlled were visible.
Nigel

Petermac, no figure is an extra. I just lazily pushed him into the opening door for this shot lol. She now has a driver inside  :mrgreen:

Nigel, it is not ideal and I did put one on the platform but I preferred the look of this one in this position plus I wanted to add a little garden with bean poles etc, a lot of branch line signal boxes had these close to the box.

They are, indeed, very good models, and benefit from a little detailing and weathering as you have done, John. I have a track workman wedged into the door on one, acting as a shunter getting a lift in the cab.

Incidentally, have you looked at the superb cab interior detailing on the Hornby model? It would really benefit from having cab lighting fitted, something I may tackle in the future.

I have several of the Hornby 08 and 09 models, and the only problem I have had was with one dropping a coupling rod when the retaining screw fell out. I have never found that screw (it's somewhere in the tunnels, I think). A 12BA screw has fixed the problem, although it is not as elegant as the Hornby original.

Two of my 08s have sound fitted: one with the original Hornby ESU LokSound decoder reblown with better sounds from legomanbiffo (Ian Bishop), and the other with Paul Chetter sounds on a Zimo decoder from Digitrains.

I have bought a few second-hand Hornby and Bachmann 08/09 models, and both have a weakness with the bonnet-side handrails getting distorted or damaged. The Bachmann models have slightly less detail than Hornby's, particularly inside the cab, and only have moulded radiator slats rather than Hornby's separate items, but that is reflected in the Bachmann models generally being slightly cheaper to buy as well. In my experience, they run as smoothly and quietly as the Hornby ones, but I still prefer the Hornby model (just!) over the Bachmann one.

[user=2094]Western Way[/user] wrote:

Petermac, no figure is an extra. I just lazily pushed him into the opening door for this shot lol. She now has a driver inside  :mrgreen:

Nigel, it is not ideal and I did put one on the platform but I preferred the look of this one in this position plus I wanted to add a little garden with bean poles etc, a lot of branch line signal boxes had these close to the box.

Hi John,

Rhubarb was the preferred crop.

Signalmen liked to visually check where possible, and especially in a station with turnouts, whether the signal was doing what it was supposed to. Sight lines were very important, and every measure was taken to ensure the arms throughout the station were visible from the cabin windows. Bridge in the way? The cabin could be 4 stories high to get a sight line over the bridge parapet. Or built on the bridge. Dark wall on a tunnel entrance - big whitewash rectangle behind the arm. Turnouts out in the countryside would have their own signal box.

Cabins were frequently moved around to maintain site lines when new track was laid.

Nigel

Do you think a small box on the platform would be over kill or a good Idea Nigel? It would be an easy solution for me  :)

SRman. I would like to add lights to the cab too, I enjoy operating my lay out in the dark and currently do not use the shunter or any of my non light equipped loco's. I am running DC.

Hi John,

The Ratio platform/ground signal box cabin kit #503or the Wills kit 44-074 are nice and quick builds that are small enough to go on the end of at ground level. Basically a shed with windows covering some ground lever frames. Only occupied when some points needed throwing.

Nigel

Hi John these 08 shunters are my favourite locos and your is really smooth thanks for sharing.

Thanks Kev.

I use mine a lot, she is always the 'Go To' engine for my shunting games  :)