LTSR_NSE

Very happy to see the forum back! grinning Would like to express gratitude to all the people working hard to get the new site & forum running smoothly... I have first hand experience of how thankless tech support can feel at times.

There doesn’t appear to be a service sheet available for the (newest version) Railroad HST (R3608, R1230) - I believe this is an ex Lima tooling. Is anyone able to provide appropriate part numbers (or suggest an alternative model’s service sheet)? (i.e. one that uses the same parts & lists them!) Specifically I am seeking info regarding the motor-bogie (motor, gears etc.) and the pickups for both motor & unpowered bogies. I have been offered a previously-owned example (that is accurately described as a temperamental runner & priced accordingly). However I obviously wish to know the availability of spare parts before committing myself! N.B. I emailed Hornby customer services requesting this info a few days ago, (but understandably with Covid) - I haven’t received & am not expecting, a quick response from them!

Obviously with a brand new model the usual disclaimer/steps need to be considered first (i.e. seeking advice, repair, or replacement from the retailer/manufacturer). However for anyone who finds this impractical (and is willing to risk voiding their warranty)... 😮 My Princess Elizabeth (from Centenary Rovex train set) arrived running smoothly & silently in reverse, however going forwards it sounded like the gearbox was made of gravel !! 🤐 I therefore used the enclosed maintenance instructions to (extremely carefully): unscrew & remove the plastic body from the metal chassis.check whether the motor was correctly seated in its retaining bracket (mine was)unscrew & remove the worm-gear cover plateun-clip the motor from its retaining bracket & remove the (in my case, incorrectly seated) plastic driveshaft from the motor’s flywheel I then re-assembled everything correctly, after which it has run smoothly, silently and beautifully ever since! 😆 Please treat the above with due care & consideration - I don’t recommend anyone to attempt any repairs of a brand new model. I am simply posting this as information for those that (a) already have experience of repairing locomotives or (b) are actually unable to use the recommended approach.

Looking at online sources - class 91 originally pulled mk3 coaches (whilst the mk4s were being built). However the mk3 DVT is only compatible with mk3 coaches & mk4 DVT is only compatible with mk4 coaches.

I’m forced to question whether Hornby gets less profit from sales to retailers, than from direct customer sales. That would explain why (especially with limited editions) they are able to have pre & post release allocation available to order from their own website - whilst simultaneously reducing retailer allocations. The alternative (that they are simply snubbing guaranteed retailer sales, in order to have spare stock availability on their own website) doesn’t appear to make economic sense!

I wonder if Hornby will release the Coca Cola wagons (currently exclusive to the train sets) as separate items in future? Specifically some ‘Diet Coke’ tankers would go very nicely with my existing rake of Coca Cola tankers. Alternatively, I guess I could look at the retailers that splits sets... 😉

100% agreed. I certainly would find it impossible to resist! 😆

@GNR-Gordon-4 The product @Margate-Richmond is referring to is R60032.

I am sure the latest Rocket train pack will prove to be every bit as popular as the ones last year (considering quite how quickly they sold out!) Fingers crossed that Hornby repeat their extremely successful strategy, and make the L&MR Mail Coach available separately, so owners of the existing sets can also appreciate it! 😉 Hopefully this develops into a healthy market for early era models & will result in an expanding range. 😆

@bobby B - since you are obviously more interested in getting your model to run (rather than prototypical aesthetics) a possible suggestion could be to get a spare shorter A3/A4 bogie, but then swap the wheels & axles for the smaller Duchess ones.

@Jimyjames - according to your Wiki link 60077 is “The White Knight” 😀

To answer your original question regarding whether a motor upgrade is available: according to the part no. (x8830) the motor on their latest DCC version is still the same Type 7 one. However Hornby did upgrade the pickups to make contact with the back surface of the wheels, (like all their modern releases) which will have improved the reliability of running.

The relevant service sheets for the 2 dual motor versions are: http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/pdf/Hornby%20Service%20Sheets/No.141%20Class%20142%20Pacer%20Twin%20Railbus.pdf (driven wheel pickups only) http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/pdf/Hornby%20Service%20Sheets/No.141A%20Class%20142%20Pacer%20Twin%20Railbus.pdf (all wheel pickups) In both cases the pickups touch the same surface of the wheels that touch the tracks, therefore are extremely unforgiving of any dirt, and require spotlessly clean track and wheels to run reliably. If your version doesn’t already have pickups to all wheels, I strongly recommend this as your first upgrade. If you wish a simple method to add an electrical connection between the 2 units I would recommend ‘googling’ 2-wire JST connectors.

The Class 142 ‘pacer’ models have had 3 main versions. The first version used an open frame ‘Type 7 Motor’ in each unit but the pickups for each motor only made contact with 2 wheels (1 per rail). The second version used the same motors but had pickups to all wheels. The third version only had a motor in one unit and a pair of traction tyres on the driven wheels, however it then had pickups connected to all the non-driven wheels. It would be useful to know which version you have - but the first thing to check/ensure in all cases, is that all wheels & pickups are clean and making good contact.

Updating @TATICMOOR ’s excellent lists: ANNUAL WAGONS: 2017 20T Tanker R6798 2018 HEA Hopper Wagon R6880 2019 20 Ton Brake Van R6931 2020 Covered Van Centenary R6986 OTHERS TO NOTE: 2020 7 Plank Red: Hornby Visitor Centre 10 Year Anniversary Wagon R60007 CHRISTMAS WAGONS: 2017 Christmas Plank Wagon (Green) R6825 2018 Christmas Plank Wagon (Yellow) R6889 2019 Christmas Plank Wagon (Red) R6932 2020 Christmas Plank Wagon (Blue) R6988

3 beautiful L&M cattle wagons - er I mean ‘3rd class open carriages’... to go with Centenary Rocket. It was brilliant of Hornby to price them so competitively, to offset the high price of the Rocket set. I really hope the absence of Limited Edition branding on them, indicates Hornby’s intention to produce another batch next year, for all those who had their orders cancelled! 2020 has been an amazing year by Hornby - not only producing a locomotive I never believed I’d get a chance to own, but also additional suitable rolling stock, never previously produced. 😆

I have the R8203 ‘Live Steam’ version (with non-live rollers). To be able to test 0-4-0s & 0-6-0s, I purchased a couple of the R8212 (live) roller pairs and then threaded some solid-core flex through the conductive holes in the roller clamps. For simplicity I soldered the flex to the ends of the rails - however they could be soldered to the track connection wiring (within the hollow aluminium block) if a more discreet solution is preferable.

I placed my order with a different retailer, they also have emailed customers warning that their allocation/order has been reduced by Hornby. However they deliberately undersold their original allocation/order expecting this situation & therefore still expect to be able to fulfill all customer orders. Fingers crossed Hornby don’t suddenly find another bunch they’ve sold twice! Bit worrying for all retailers if this becomes an increasing Hornby habit... 🤔

@Jimyjames Whilst you have a lowmac with a crate, you obviously don’t possess the one in ”The Wanderer” - since your crate isn’t yellow & you admit you have yours for several years. It is therefore a little unwise to argue over the exact attachment method used in this particular set. Your advice/warning that the crate might be glued, is indeed very helpful to prospective buyers - but you cannot state that it definitely is - since you don’t actually know if Hornby are still using the same attachment method!

My request is not entirely without precedent... Hornby previously released a B12 in this livery - R1089 “The Anglian”. 😉 On a related note (since Hornby will probably agree with PP!) - does anyone know of a company that offers a professional re-livery service? (should I wish to commit an act of heresy on one of the existing black ones!) 😆

It would be amazing if Hornby would release a BR Standard Class 4 2-6-4T in BR Express Blue livery. I accept this would technically be a Neverwazz... however surely the suburban workhorse deserves to be seen in BR's prettiest livery at least once? (albeit if only in model form) 😉 Also request for a class 310/312 in toothpaste... however since so many have already suggested this - I'm simply adding a vote!

I have the Hornby Live Steam version (unpowered rollers) - it was going for a song on eBay. I also purchased a couple of pairs of the Live rollers and wired them up myself. I can test all types of OO locomotive for less than half the price of all the Live rolling roads that I could find. 😉

Hornby don’t appear to have made a service sheet available for the latest railroad class 43 HST (R3608 R1230 - ex Lima body). They have produced a maintenance sheet for it though. The only service sheets currently available are for the old ringfield & super-detailed versions. (Apologies if this is not relevant to this thread.)

I would like to side with @Jimyjames and say that these look both interesting & fun. Definitely a more ‘railroad’ than premium range, but excellent for introducing people to the concepts of both steampunk & customisation. I’d never previously considered either, but as an ardent supporter of rule 1, this will be changing! 😀 Laurie Calvert (the designer of this range) has even stated that the absence of fine detail was a deliberate choice: • so that younger hands could enjoy them - without immediate disintegration. • so that older hands had a beginning - with plenty of space & scope available for personalisation. The railroad range (and second-hand market) can then be used as a blank canvas for further endeavours. My username gives away my age and therefore I hadn’t previously heard of Bassett Lowke - however thanks to this range, I researched its origin and have now learned a little more model railway history! 😀

Is this loco brand new, second hand or been in your possession (working correctly) previously? If new or especially if second hand - does it have a dcc chip fitted? I purchased a second hand loco (with an unadvertised dcc chip) that would only travel in one direction & at a couple of set speeds on my dc layout. However since replacing chip with a blanking plug it works perfectly.