R3821 Evening Star Centenary edition

[Chrissaf]

I am interested in upgrading my old Triang Hornby tender drive Evening Star. Could anyone tell me if this forthcoming model is in the detailed range or the Railroad range? I noticed that Hornby have finally put back the copper piping which has just been black plastic for a few years now.

 

Thanks

[Modelnut19]

While it probably has a better finish, fundamentally I think it is similar to the model you already have in terms of detailing. I see it has already sold out at Hornby so I should hurry up if you do want to get one. I have a Railroad version and, while the motor is now in the loco rather than the tender, it is fundmentally similar to the original.

[JeremiahBunyan]

As of 2016 onwards the Hornby British Railways 2-10-0 9F has received many upgrades. They are as follows:-

 

- Loco drive with a 5-pole motor

 

- Flush glazing

 

- Sprung buffers

 

- NEM couplings

 

- 8-pin DCC socket

 

- Profiled wheels

 

- New tender chassis

 

- Finer coupling rods

 

Honestly, it's as good as a brand new loco, it's only current link to the original one would be the moulded pipework on the boiler.

[Spireblade]

The strange thing is that my original Triang Hornby version is the best detailed of them all. It's a shame that the old Ringfield tender drive isn't up to a DCC conversion. 

[atom3624]

I remember when the 1st tender driven ES came out, me still a teenager.

It was pretty good, certainly at the time - elder brother purchased the black non-ES version (92200?).

Fantastic at the time, Googling photos online, it's obvious Hornby haven't stood still - wheels, windows, handrails, etc ... but the basic moulding appears the same.

 

It's much refined since the original, but is still a little 'clunky' in places.

 

Al.

[ColinB]

You can do a DCC upgrade to a ringfield motor based one, I did it recently to an A4. The big issue for me was the pickups, on the early ringfield types the loco gets its power, one side from the loco the other side off the tender. If you do as I did, put pickups in both so it gets power from all the wheels on loco and tender, then they run very much better. The only other issue you run into is by putting extra pickups in the loco, you increase the loco drag, which may have the effect of the loco sliding on the track when pushed by the tender.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The very first Evening Star models had an all wheel drive tender, with pick up from both sides of the locomotive driving wheels.

 

The tender was permanently connected to the loco, and two wires took the power from the locomotive to the tender.

 

The following version introduced the split pick up between the locomotive and tender, and the pin on the tender engaging with two brass wipers on the locomotive drawbar.

 

This allowed the tender to be disconnected from the locomotive without s tool kit! 😉

 

I think that the old bodies can be fitted to the newer Railroad loco drive DCC ready chassis.

 

Certainly, the later China made Tender Drive models, which, on the Green Evening Star have better lining and lettering, etc. details, can be swapped over.

 

We have done this with both an Evening Star, and a plain black one, with the high sided BR something tender...

 

The old chassis, fitted with the Railroad bodies, were sold on..

 

[Spireblade]

Interesting Sarah. Very interesting! 

If that can be done then my problem is solved. 

[YattonPete]

The new Centenary Evening Star is an improved Railroad version - much better paint finish & lining, plus of course the special packaging and replica plaque. One word of advice if you get one and want to convert to DCC - the instructions are WRONG - there is no need to open the main body of the loco and there is no DCCsocket at the front of the loco.