Missing Classes of Diesels.

[Tony57]

In view that Hornby are releasing new Mark 1 and Mark 2 coaches, my wish is that they also re-release a number classes of diesels that they used to make ideally with ringfield motors in the railroad range.

 

The engines I would like to see are,-

Class

 

37 in both 2 BR Green and BR Blue with rub on number transfers

Class 47 in 2 tone green, BR Blue and intercity swallow with rub on number transfers

Class 52 in Maroon, Green and BR blue with rub on number transfers and names.

 

What other classes

 

are needed to pull the mark 1's and 2's.

[trainlover23]

37s were not in two tone green

[LCDR]

The 37, 47 and 52 are all in current production by other makers too. There are only a very few BR diesel types not freely available although the right livery may not be instantly obtainable. All significant BR diesel types are, or have recently been in

 

production. The Railway Magazine has often featured articles with pictures of all the liveries applied to a particular class and there can be up to one hundred variations.

 

I think that rather than diesels there now needs to be some of the missing electric

 

locomotives, not least the 70 (both body shapes), 71, 74, 81, 82, 83, and 84 classes, introduced. My personal preference would be the 71 which hauled such famous trains as the 'Golden Arrow' and the 'Night Ferry'.

 

 

[Tony57]

Hi LC&DR

 

I am aware that the engines I named are made by others, but Hornby made them when I brought my 8 class 47s, (4 green 4 Blue), to be honest its the ringfield motored ones I am more interested in, not the 150 hours throw away motored ones.

 

mine are 20+ years old and still running ok. I would happerly buy 8 more if they are the less detailed railroad standard but ringfield powered.

 

I also support your list of early electric locos and add the class 76 and 77 ( I know they have been commissioned

 

by a retailer from the Danish Company).

 

Lets suggest Class 71 for 3rd rail, Class 81 for overhead powered.

 

Tony

 

 

[Fazy]

None of my b team's locomotives have ever needed a new motor and some are way past 500 hours and are still as good as new. Getting on for ten years.

[LCDR]

I don't think Hornby will be making many 'Ringfield' motored diesels in future, they all seem to be fitted with 'can' motors nowadays Even the ex Lima ones are appearing in the Railroad range with 'cans'.

 

Personally I grew up with the old Triang

 

diesels and electrics with the 'early' motor bogie with an open framed armature, and if well maintained these can still give excellent service. I have a few of the Triang EM2 (77) and Brush 2 (31) type with this style of power plant and they still run extremely

 

well. The 4 wheel bogies as used in the Transcontinental locos, the early EMU and diesel railcar as well as the dock shunter make them some of the most reliable locos I have.

 

I have had reliability issues with the 'Ringfield' drives from a number of

 

manufacturers, however the new can driven motor bogies seem very powerful and (so far) have proved reliable, so I cannot speak ill of them. Only time will tell of course.

 

The Class 71 and Class 81 would both be personal choices for new non-steam models.

 

I have a couple of the Triang/Hornby 81s and converted a Hornby Hymec (35) to an 81 many years ago, a remarkably easy conversion surprisingly, but a new one would not go amiss.

 

Tony57 said:

 

Hi LC&DR

 

I am aware that the engines I

 

named are made by others, but Hornby made them when I brought my 8 class 47s, (4 green 4 Blue), to be honest its the ringfield motored ones I am more interested in, not the 150 hours throw away motored ones. mine are 20+ years old and still running ok. I would

 

happerly buy 8 more if they are the less detailed railroad standard but ringfield powered.

 

I also support your list of early electric locos and add the class 76 and 77 ( I know they have been commissioned by a retailer from the Danish Company).

 

Lets

 

suggest Class 71 for 3rd rail, Class 81 for overhead powered.

 

Tony

 

[LCDR]

This last weekend I went to my son's house and he got out all his 'blue' diesels we used to use in the 1980s.  There were Hornby 25 (two motor bogies), 37s, 47s & 58, Lima 20, 33, & 50s, Airfix 31s, Jouef 40s, and Mainline 45s & 56s. All ran beautifully although some had lost traction tyres it hardly affected haulage power, the Lima 20 being a remarkably powerful locomotive. They had all been sitting in the attic since 1994.

Many of these still turn up at Toyfairs, and are a very good example of the reliability of the models of that era.