Class 47 Northern Belle

[dubdee1000]

The attractive Northern Belle Class 47 has reached the shops :

http://www.modelzone.co.uk/hornby-northern-belle-class-47.html?utm_google=googleps&gclid=CPyopajdobYCFUfMtAodxjkAUw

Yours for £60. Look carefully at you'll see that this is not the Lima version, but the much older Hornby version

See the evidence here: (pic from Hattons site)

R3153_1045647_Qty1_1.jpg (65.89 KiB) Viewed 2098 times

http://www.ehattons.com/51221/Hornby_R3153_Class_47_diesel_47862_in_Northern_Belle_Pullman_livery_Railroad_range/StockDetail.aspx


Ringfield motor, massive tension lock coupling, those bogies, debate on the accuracy of the livery and on whether it is dcc ready or not. Granted, Hattons have a closer to realistic price, but have Hornby completely lost the plot? £60 :

[Bigmet]

Never forget, Hornby have a large trainset market base; people with layouts laid with R1 curves, and all the stock with the big coupling. The Bachmann, Heljan and Vi-Trains alternatives are all better as models, but not as compatible with such a layout as this Hornby 47 will be. I know one dealer who would tell you that this is still the product format of choice for over half his regular customers, and he will likely have ordered a shed load.

[dubdee1000]

But for these criteria, would not the ex-Lima model have been a better release?

[thebritfarmer]

Just doesn't make any sense to me. The railroad 31 was just released and that has NEM pockets and is only £44.

[hairyhandedfool]

The ex-Lima 47 is the main range item (and I believe you will get the ex-Lima 47 in the Northern Belle train pack), but this loco is in the Railroad range and as such is the Railroad (old Hornby) 47, but I think hornby are very much in dreamland if they think people will pay £60 (or even £48 if they go to Hattons) for that when other, better, 47s are around for similar money. I think this was a bad idea from Hornby, the ex-Lima model put in the main range for a similar price tag is much more likely to sell, given what is supposed to be in the train pack.

[krusty]

My Heljan 47 was only £47 from Hattons, ok so it's a little tubby, but it also has a near silent modern center drive chassis, nice detail, fantastic performance and a lot more to boot! Hornby are stretching it a bit calling this a new model, I had a blue one of these things about 20 years ago. I paid about £12 for it.

[martin_l_jones]

It's a real worry to have to pay £60 for this item, it looks dated, probably a poor runner in terms of haulage and the body and shell mouldings look tired and dated..

Bachmann 47's have been going for the same price discounted, admittedly not this livery if it's what you are after.

However a decent Class 60, 66, 57, loco now from the Bachmann and Hornby range is near to £110...

[linuxyeti]

And yet another reason not to purchase Hornby .... A customer lost, pretty much now for at least 2 years.

[0121modeller]

They'de have been better using the Lima class 47 moulding as it was fairly accurate, the 1 major feature that let the lima model down was the area between the battery boxes & moulded cab handrails, but thats easily modified.

[Metadyneman]

Never forget, Hornby have a large trainset market base; people with layouts laid with R1 curves, and all the stock with the big coupling. The Bachmann, Heljan and Vi-Trains alternatives are all better as models, but not as compatible with such a layout as this Hornby 47 will be. I know one dealer who would tell you that this is still the product format of choice for over half his regular customers, and he will likely have ordered a shed load.

I still have to disagree here. This dreadful neanderthal design for a loco should have been consigned to the history books years ago. It is less than second rate even as a railroad model. Why the hell didn't they use the ex-Lima mouldings and the much newer Limby mechanisms which will still go round R1 curves and has big toy couplings but looks far better and would appeal both to the less experienced modeller and the toy brigade alike.

I was going to buy one of these but Hornby can forget it now if they are going to churn out rubbish like this!

[krusty]

Seems it being heavily discounted already!
http://www.modelrailwayloft.co.uk/hornb ... ss-47.html

[thebritfarmer]

Looks like the 47 that comes with the train pack will be the Limby version. Wonder why 2 different models?

[GWR_fan]

Take a closer look at the Model Railway Loft photograph - to me that looks like a Lima body and drive.

Tim

[GWR_fan]

I had another look in expanded mode and the Model Railway Loft photograph is definately NOT a Hornby model portrayed!!!! But then we are not purchasing the photograph. Maybe a prerelease publicity photograph and not actual production.

Tim

[Bufferstop]

Never forget that Hornby, that was Triang-Hornby that was Triang has always had blinkered vision towards the shortcomings of their products when compared to those that have come to them via mergers and acquisitions. Just after taking over the Hornby Dublo range they set to and designed a new improved range of signals, which failed to come up to the scale standards of the HD models which they got for free (that's assuming what they were buying was the name)