LCDR Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 I agree the 9F with loco drive is firmly in the RailRoad range however I suggest that it is more than adequate in the level of detail, and because the only 9F that really matters is a black one the lining issue isn't a problem. Actually the lining on my Railroad Evening Star is perfectly adequate. A single chimney version would be nice, as this was the more numerous version, these were 92001 to 92019, 92030 to 92078, 92080 to 92164, 92168 to 92177 and 92179 to 92182. I don't think this was ever incorporated in the tender drive version, (despite some of them carrying single chimney version numbers) but I stand to be corrected. Sarah,The Railroad version of the Schools is a nice model with acceptable livery and despite being an 4-4-0 pulls very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 Hi LC&DR. Some of the China made tender drive 9f locos were indeed fitted with a single chimney. The tooling was modified to have the chimney as a separate part, either single or double. In the same way, a different tender top, with high sides (BR something!) was tooled up, being more common than the Narrow Coal Space ( BR something else!) as used on Evening Star and, not accurately, on the Britannia models from the exhaust steam sound period through to the tender drive models!The original Tri-ang Railways Britannia tender was more accurate for Britannia. I also agree that the Hornby 9f is ok in the details.Since the tooling modifications, and the new wheels, valve gear and coupling/ connecting rods, and other small improvements, it's a good loco. We have a couple, a black one with the high sided tender, and I think a single chimney (I will have to check!) And an Evening Star. Both are the "Super Detail" main range bodies mounted on Railroad Evening Star chassis...one has a TTS sound decoder fitted, with a sugar cube speaker in the smokebox under the drilled out chimney! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ73 Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 @ J. B. :- Oh I thought some thing looked different!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnnyGee Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 I own Hornby Thomas & Friends R9684 Murdoch, which uses the Hornby RailRoad Class 9F tooling and the detail on him is excellent. It's amazing that it is a RailRoad model to be honest with you. The Hornby RailRoad range models are supposed to be have less detail and are supposed to be less delicate, but I doubt there's mich difference detail wise to the Hornby standard range Class 9F tooling and the RailRoad model. I expect there is a difference, but it can't be much, I am sure. GNR-Gorodn-4 (HF)Look after it they go for silly money these days, around £300!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWR-Gordon-4 Posted January 29, 2020 Share Posted January 29, 2020 I do look after him. I bought it when it was released in 2011, ofr under £80.00. That's like 80p compred what the model is worth today. I have seen auction on eBay go fro £400.00 - £600.00, so there's a lot of desperate people to get their hands on a Hornby Murdoch. GNR-Gordon-4 (HF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazy Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 i do love the 9fs I have a two one black 9f railroad which I went for over the Bachmann one reason was cost! Half the price and the other I thought it would go better with the crosti. once running on the track they look the busines. detail wise yes the Bachman dose have it but still you could have two Hornby ones for the same price. If you can be iinclined the front bogie can be replaced with a brassmaster bogie but I can't be bothered. has for which is more accurate well nether. The 9f driving wheels make it impossible. The rear two wheels are so close that with oo gauge flanges they don't fit. the choice is undersized wheels or move the wheels apart. And Hornby and Bachmann chose a different method. a single chimney 9f just might have to be got. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NWR-Gordon-4 Posted January 30, 2020 Share Posted January 30, 2020 I love Class 9F's aswell, fazy. They are strong looking and very nice looking. GNR-Gordon-4 (HF) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 I am sure not everyone will agree with me BUT I consider the pinnacle of modern steam locomotive design in the UK was - For Express Passenger work - the Bulleid Merchant Navy 35000 series, as rebuilt by Jarvis in 1956 onwards to conventional arrangement with 3 seperate sets of Walscherts valve gear and with air smoothed casing removed. For Mixed Traffic - the Riddles 5MT 73000 series 4-6-0 with Walscherts valve gear For Goods Traffic - the Riddles 9F 92000 series 2-10-0 with double chimney. These were the latest version of the type, which performed excellently and economically. The Merchant Navy class were poor until BR rebuilt them transforming them from troublesome and unreliable to fast, powerful and dependable at one stroke. The BR Standard 5MT was the natural successor to the Stanier Black 5 incorporating modern engineering, and the 9Fs were unique, strong, versatile and reliable. All of these would have survived into the 1980s in front line service if the 1955 modernisation plan and Beeching cuts had not occured. One wonders what might have superceded them if Britain had remained faithful to steam traction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fazy Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 I'm a diehard LMS fan but I would have to pritey much have to agree with you LC, but I wonder why you think the rebuilt MN are better then the 7MT which I do love. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulver Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 I have to agree with LC on his choice of Express passenget loco. Although not a Southern fan, I have always seen them as the best looking locomotives and B.R. really did a great job on them.Rod Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 The rebuilt MN was pretty much a new locomotive when they left Eastleigh after rebuilding. Although the Southern main line was not really intended high speed running the MN was recorded on many occasions reaching and exceeding 100 mph, and the Summer holiday trains to the South Coast and the West were not particularly light weight. They were 8P so in the same league as the Duchesses, Gresley Pacifics and Kings, but were much more modern, taking advantages of post War developments. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 I can understand there's a lot of 'mechanical sympathy' potentially involved, but looking at mainline Heritage operations, the videos most impressing me are generally of Tornado, the A4 60009 (Union of South Africa - to be 'permanently retired this year' - and 35028 and 35018 - 2 rebuilt MN's. Looking at un-rebuilt preserved locomotives, only the light pacifics are seen, and smoke visibility is an obvious and major issue I think. Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted January 31, 2020 Share Posted January 31, 2020 All of the MN class were rebuilt. I did hear that there was a project to re-rebuild one into original condition though... The WC and BoB classes were not all rebuilt, as the project finished early... There was so much wastage with the political fallout, modernisation plans being chopped and changed before completion... The "pilot scheme" to test diesel types before putting in large orders was a good idea ....derailed by a change inflicted by politics! It was a good idea at the time to rely on steam, pending electrification, as both the steam locos, and power stations then burnt British coal, not expensive oil, that prior to the North Sea oil exploitation, had to be imported, using then scarce foreign currency... That's enough for now! 😉 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCDR Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 There are so many MNs preserved 'unrebuilding' of one of them seems eminently sensible especially if it would be necessary to dismantle it to restore it. However it won't be an easy task, and one wonders how much can be obtained 'off the shelf' and how much will need to be made from scratch. It might be a great opportunity to produce a further modification and change the unreliable chain driven valve gear for a rotary valve gear like Capprotti. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 That could have been an alternative "rebuild" option...I don't know if that was originally considered... Also retaining the Air Smoothed casing, which was at one time considered, it seems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atom3624 Posted February 1, 2020 Share Posted February 1, 2020 There are quite a lot of MN's considered heritage, operational or not currently, which for me is nice - since a young lad, apart from Stanier's works, the rebuilt MN's were an instant hit - without knowing how they performed. Apart from the number, the story is similar to that of the Coronations - imagine Hamilton or even a 'from scratch' 6220 herself built up from scratch!! They're doing it for the P2, why not? Air-smoothed Bulleid's certainly had the look, but as we all know just didn't 'work' - rebuilds solved that, and just as the Coronations, air-smoothed or rebuilt - look great! Al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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