P2 update

[Manxman1831]

I shouldn't worry too much about the flangeless rear wheels - these have been a feature on most China-made pacifics for some time now, regardless of whether they are right or not (see LMS, BR models for comparisons). As long as the rear driving wheels are not flangeless, it shouldn't look to odd going round curves.

[Atlantic 3279]

A very interesting find Mick.

1. No evidence I can see that it would require "serious model engineering" to introduce proper bearings, contrary to alarmist remarks elesewhwere.

2. I must have a look at the feasibility of putting in the "quality" 5-pole can motor in lieu of the 3 pole cheapie with flywheel.

OF COURSE, THE PUBLICATION OF THE SHEET DOESN'T ACTUALLY PROVE THAT WE WILL DEFINITELY GET SOME LOCOS, NOR THAT ANY DELIVERIES ARE IMMINENT. IT COULD A BE BIT LIKE THE END OF CERTAIN "BULLSEYE" QUIZ/DARTS SHOWS, IN WHICH CONTESTANTS HAD MISSED THE BIG PRIZE, BUT PARAPHRASED TO SUIT OUR CIRCUMSTANCES: "LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE MODELS YOU WOULD HAVE HAD"

[mick b]

Graeme

Point 1 a definate interest/must do conversion if viable. Surprised no one has done the same for the D of G chassis.

Point 2 will wait a see how it goes !! WHEN I see one

If you look at the K1 service sheet the driver bearings appears to have returned. At least someone at Hornby has listened to the criticisms.

[Woodcock29]

Hi Everyone

Something I noticed on the K1 sheet is that Hornby have reverted to a more conventional pony truck arrangement - hooray! But the P2 still has the poor arrangement used in recent times.

Woodcock29

[Atlantic 3279]

I can soon get rid of that if necessary......

[S.A.C. Martin]

RE Point 1, I think it depends on the design of the chassis block on the P2.

DoG's chassis block has mazak, square shaped axle boxes in which the plain axles run within without bearings. In order to fit Hornby's standard brass bearings, for instance, as used on the L1/B1 etc, you're looking at removing an awful lot of material above the actual axle box to make bearings fit, when in reality it would probably end up easier and with a much better overall finish to have built and fitted a whole new chassis under the DoG body shell anyway.

It's a pity as the flywheel drive on the 2012 Railroad Scotsman and Tornado has proven rather excellent in my experience.

So probably not "serious model engineering" but a right faff at the end of the day to make a model run reasonably well. That being said, I saw a DoG at a club the other week and compared it with my DoG's running capability. You would not have thought they were running the same chassis. Clearly I got a PiG where others have much better quality. Just one of those things, though I would say from my experience that Hornby chassis with the brass bearings are normally closer in running performance, model to model. You know what you're getting.

[Saint Johnstoun]

My D of G runs OK but is noisier than the 5 pole jobs and is certainly not quite as good a runner as the equivalent Britannia and Clan! I'm waiting for the cylinders and valve gear to hopefully come as spares as they could have uses elsewhere!

[mick b]

Hi All
Tried to find the P2 review that Tony Wright did for BRM YouTube channel tonight, seems to have disappeared. Do they take down their reviews after a while? They still have some fairly old layout tour type videos, so anyone have idea what might have happened to it?

Cheers
Paul

Reason has now become clear. The P2 Video is on a DVD see attached re next months BRM Magazine. I beleieve Tony Wright has some LNER realeted article(s) as well in this issue.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... mper-pack/

[Atlantic 3279]

As the Daily Telegraph this week reported that Barclays have decided to allow Hornby to considerably increase its borrowings and reschedule its debt repayments, do we think the firm might now manage to start delivering some goods, such as the eagerly awaited P2s?
There was mention of it costing Hornby £600,000 to disengage from its troubled relationship with a factory in China, but no indication of how that money had been spent.

[nzpaul]

Thanks for that Mick. I thought they might have taken the video down as it had become something of an embarrassment to BRM or Hornby, having allegedly reviewed the first production model which it's now obvious it wasn't. Bit of a bugger that they have removed it from you tube though, it was quite well done, even if it was a complete tease.

Cheers
Paul

[Bill Bedford]

As the Daily Telegraph this week reported that Barclays have decided to allow Hornby to considerably increase its borrowings and reschedule its debt repayments, do we think the firm might now manage to start delivering some goods, such as the eagerly awaited P2s?
There was mention of it costing Hornby £600,000 to disengage from its troubled relationship with a factory in China, but no indication of how that money had been spent.

This was widely reported back in April:

Hornby declared that its foreign exchange movements linked to its separation from Sanda Kan, would have removed a further £200,000 off its bottom line, adding to the £1 million hit predicted in January.
A partial cause of this is due to the effect of currency movements on £600,000 in cash that Hornby was holding to pay Sanda Kan for tools, parts and products that had not yet been delivered or returned.
Due to the fact that Sanda Kan was in temporary possession of Hornby’s assets, the British firm had little option by to buy itself out of its contract with the Chinese firm.
A Hornby spokesperson revealed that the company would lose £1.2 million when it posts full-year results in June, up from a predicted £1 million loss in January. However they did say that Hornby expects to break even on an underlying basis.
Hornby does not expect to suffer further losses due to its supply chain problems.

[mick b]

The £1 million predicted loss is now £4.5 million ooooops. Along with warehouse being moved , perhaps trying to sell all or part of Margate to cover some of the losses. Sadly unless Hornby get is itself gear asap that will be the end.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index. ... june-2014/

Fingers crossed on the P2 first

[Saint Johnstoun]

Beware what you read from figures - the accountants can present these in various ways in order to minimise taxation and in some cases claw back previously paid tax!

[Pebbles]

I have no idea whether or not Hornby hold the freehold on it's Margate site but, with its immediate proximity to the Westwood shopping centres and residential developments (when we were in Thanet last April we got lost!), the site must be quite valuable. With this consideration there can be no justification in retaining the warehouse at its current site. Whether there would be a historical reason to retain a "Margate" identity is another separate matter, but this need only be the visitors centre. I cannot believe that Hornby's bank would not continue financing the company without firm knowledge and assurance of what could be reclaimed in the event of the company failing.

[Horsetan]

My D of G runs OK but is noisier than the 5 pole jobs and is certainly not quite as good a runner as the equivalent Britannia and Clan! I'm waiting for the cylinders and valve gear to hopefully come as spares as they could have uses elsewhere!

Cylinders and valve gear have been available as spares for some time.