Thank you Hornby!

[nwsailboat]

I just wanted to say, "Thank you Hornby" in producing Live Steam!  I was lucky enough to pick up a Mallard set and 2 other loco's.  I have been enjoying them since 2004!

[NWR-Gordon-4]

Welcome to the Hornby Forum, nwsailboat.  😀

 

This a bit of an odd post, thanking Hornby for something they discontinued in about 2004, or 2005.

 

At least somebody enjoy's it though. I believe it wasn't very popular. Most likely becuase of how much each set costed and due to how complicated it was to run a Live Steam locomotive.

 

GNR-Gordon-4

[walkingthedog]

I think it's a very thoughtful post thanking Hornby for 13 years of enjoyment. Nice one NWS. 

 

I don't think it was unpopular but not ideal to run on an ordinary layout. Maybe I'm wrong. I had a go at Ali Pally and thouroughly enjoyed it.

[malB]

Indeed I've had both versions since new, i.e an A4 Mallard in Blue with the skirt and an A3 Flying Scotsman in Apple Green [both lettered LNER]. Granted I've bearly run either over the years, not because I don't like them [as I do like them]. But down to the compatiblity issues, as the Live steamers run at 17 volts, rather than 12 of the rest of my models.

[Go_West]

It's all been said the controllability the voltage the cost the water and oil on track and layouts but that's steam there's nothing more enjoyable than filling an engine with water and steam oil and letting it boil and seeing the safety valve lift and then what happens on the engines first run how it performs and how much power it will produce for with out the right understanding and input from the driver the results can be good or bad and as in real life a good crew will get the best from there engine. I know of drivers that were retrained for electrics and diesel who said "all you do is open the power lever and it goes no skill in that" and as I have both live steam and electric the same goes with the electric you turn the knob and it goes.

i believe that if the bug bites then you do get the sense of achievement when driving live steam dispite is down side but then is that not why steam was scrapped as it was labour intensive to operate and dirty. Yes I love the models that Hornby produced and have most of them and have built one or two to my own design which run just like the real thing my West Country slips on starts and inclines my W clas goses like a bullet as the original did keeping up with the electrics of its day, in fact I am thinking of my next engine a GWR tank as I'm short of goods engines but what ever your into with your model railway and what ever gauge have fun.

ken

[PlanesTV]

It really is a shame that Hornby Live Steam didn't catch on but the clue is on ebay where most used ones are described as "run once" or "test run only".

What put people off?

The answer is terrifying to learn. THE INSTRUCTION BOOK IS WRONG.

Almost all new owners will crash their precious and expensive models if you follow the instructions and will blame non-existent faults or flawed technology.

The reality is they are far more fun than 12v once mastered and that can be done in 10 minutes with the right instructions.

There was so much development potential in OO Live Steam. It could have dominated the hobby today.

Adrian Campbell, Chairman, OO Live Steam Club.

[Go_West]

I haven't read the Hornby hand book for running live steam but then if it gives the running wrong most would make adjustments to suit them selves on running. An old engineer once told me "we all make mistakes in not why do they put rubbers on the end of pencils "

even the live steam club made mistakes as I would email the club on giving out wrong information and get bits change.

so those that are without sin cast the first stone?

ken

[Nictor]

This was sadly yet again a victim of British ingenuity not being carried forward and developed. The danger is that in an age of increasing miniaturisation and developing technology someone else will look at what Hornby did and then add in those forward developments and we will have OO gauge DCC controlled live steam compatible with electric DCC. Great, but almost certainly no longer British developed.  The fact that it was not compatible with existing stuff was an easily foreseeable product killer. Turned a great idea into a 'one-off' wonder!