HORNBY R4377 DEVON BELLE OBSERVATION CAR

[mick]

HORNBY R4377

DEVON BELLE PULLMAN OBSERVATION CAR

Having purchased the Hornby Devon Belle Observation Car as soon as it was released, in common with the majority of my collection it has been kept in its box since the day it was received and was only opened in order to take these accompanying photographs.

I have to say that it is a splendid and unique model and its quality of construction and fine detail fully justifies the slightly higher than average price for similar coaches. It's one of those items that you really must have even if it doesn't come close to your specific modelling interests. It's enough to make anyone want to start collecting model railway items for display purposes alone.

Will I ever get round to actually using it? Well, I'm not sure that I would feel at ease running it at the tail end of a train around the garden layout but I would certainly consider it as part of an interesting rake for my under construction indoor layout.

I've felt less than happy with some of Hornby's recent locomotive offerings but there's no denying that they have the edge when it comes to manufacturing some superb items of passenger rolling stock.

[cleanerg6e]

G'day Mick I too have a Devon Belle Observation Car and with all the Hornby Pullmans I've found that their locos had trouble pulling more than 5 mainly due to the pickups on the axles for the lighting. Over here we don't get a twilight like you do and I can only see the lights in operation for about 10 minutes. After that it's dark and you can only see the lights and nothing else. So I disconnected the pickups from the axle and now a Bullied Pacific will haul 10.

Roy.

[mick]

 

cleanerg6e said:

G'day Mick I too have a Devon Belle Observation Car and with all the Hornby Pullmans I've found that their locos had trouble pulling more than 5 mainly due to the pickups on the axles for the lighting. Over here we don't get a twilight like you do and I can only see the lights in operation for about 10 minutes. After that it's dark and you can only see the lights and nothing else. So I disconnected the pickups from the axle and now a Bullied Pacific will haul 10.

Roy.

Hmmm, have to be honest and say that I've never really tried a longish rake of Hornby's 'lighted' Pullmans due to the fact that they have to be taken from their boxes and replaced again after a session and I didn't want to damage the boxes through too much use. I note there are better options for bogie pickup available that create much less friction but not sure I'd want to go to that much trouble. As you say, the lights are a nice option but not really of much use during daylight hours. I've had a decent rake of Bachmann MK1 Pullmans running without any noticeable problems - not sure if they use the same type of pickup?

[cleanerg6e]

I have no experience of the Bachmann MK1 Pullmans. But when first released I inquired as to the price of the Golden Age Models Pullman observation car and almost had a heart attack. They wanted for just one observation car in OO 295 pounds. Yes and although a beautiful model in every way I could justify the expense.

[mick]

 

cleanerg6e said:

I have no experience of the Bachmann MK1 Pullmans. But when first released I inquired as to the price of the Golden Age Models Pullman observation car and almost had a heart attack. They wanted for just one observation car in OO 295 pounds. Yes and although a beautiful model in every way I could justify the expense.

I'm assuming there should be a 'not' in there somewhere - possibly between the 'could' and the 'justify'?

I think you would have to be a 'real' enthusiast to go spending that kind of money on a single coach no matter what the standard of craftsmanship. I'm a bit concerned with the £30 odd I spent on the Hornby version when it's my intention to send it running round the garden.

[cleanerg6e]

Your right about the 'not' it should have been in there. The bloke at Golden Age acted over the phone like a used car salesman, saying that I should order right away as they will soon run out of stock as many people had ordered already. I know that the exchange rate is good at the moment but NOT that good. 1 aussie dollar buys 63p.

[mick]

I've seen photos of the Golden Age models and they are really nice but for me the Hornby version offers all that I need at a more realistic and certainly more affordable price.

Golden Age do have a very nice selection of other coaches that I wish were available in RTR form from the likes of Hornby or Bachmann etc. The LNER Coronation coaches and the LMS/LNER Royal Train coaches look stunning and would surely be popular in a mainstream RTR release form. I could never justify £300-£400 per coach for the Golden Age versions let alone afford it!

[cleanerg6e]

 

mick said:

I could never justify £300-£400 per coach for the Golden Age versions let alone afford it!

Your right about the price of Golden Age Pullmans or anything else from them. I think if you were to buy models from them you'd only buy them to put those models in display cases. If you were to run anything from them it would break your heart not to mention your bank balance if they were to derail and that caused damage to them.

For me that's not what models of railway stock are about. You by them to run them, but you shouldn't have to pay outlandish prices for them.

Roy.