Hi, I've just obtained a Hornby R2599M The Royal Wessex train pack in a swop session. I was a little dismayed to say the lest with the coaches, which seemed to me little different from the Triang 1962 (SR Green 1963) versions that I remembered from my childhood trainsets. I had a CKD maroon Mk 1 which I built when I was 10 or 11 yrears old. The green Royal Wessex coaches are only a little up-dated since, with a poor attempt at flush glazing and moulded on the bogies large tension lock couplings, and steel wheels. But the main construction with detachable sides and the two brass screws that attach the roof are all of 1962 Triang vintage. Now I'm not sure when R2599M was released I estimate it was probably around 2007, if anyone knows for sure please let me know, and likewise the date when Hornby stopped using this method of construction for their Mk 1's. I'm a reborn railway modeller who's been at it for the past 8 years, modelling BR (SR) and (WR) rail of the late 1950's to mid 1960's, and up to now have exclusively used Bachmann Mk 1's which in my opinion are lovely detailed models, so I was unaware of the 40 odd year legacy of the Hornby Mk 1's. Anyway I've modified the Hornby versions and fitted them with Symoba close coupling mechanisms with roco couplers, changed the bogie frames for Bachmann versions but retaind the Hornby wheels which are a smaller diameter than the Bachmann ones, this keeps the coach at a similar buffer height to the Bachmann coaches and kit built 63' Bulleids. With Hornby's other excellent coaches such as the Maunsells and Bulleid shorty's along with Hawksworth and recent Collet coaches, the Wessex coaches came as a bit of a shock!, however the rebuit MN pacific is a fine addition to others in my stock. Cheers, Eve
Hornby have a history of introducing new coaching stock while continuing to put the older models in the sets. They did similar with the teaks and pullman coaches. I guess its more economical and some sets are aimed at beginners who maybe aren't so bothered but it has often put me off buying them.
Thanks for this Paul, that does make sense, it being a way of offloading old stock on to unsuspecting new comers to the hobby - which is unhelpful in the long run not mention ethics or morals. I've only had 2 train packs previous to this, just the coaches of the southern suburban pack because I knew they were modern Maunsells, and the Bournmouth Belle set with Brittania Alfred the great and three 12 wheel pullmans with lighting. If the release date of the Royal Wessex is 2006 as Jim says, then these are much later packs, hopefully Hornby having regained some morals and ethics. Cheers, Eve
Cheers Jim, thanks for that, that makes the basic design of the wessex coaches at the time of release as 44 years old! Be interesting to know if Hornby have finally given up on this vintage design................ Cheers, Eve
