R2880 Railroad 9F

[Bigmet]

When the locos are looked at side by side it is 'interesting'. The Bachmann has pretty much all the detail that can be got onto a mass produced 4mm RTR model, the Hornby looks rather plain in comparison, especially below the footplate. That alone swings it for me: I once put a handbuilt set of brake gear and other detail on a 9F chassis, and it was tear your hair out 'difficult', there's just so little room to work in. The glazing on the Hornby and the general execution of the cab is noticeably clumsier. Check a few photos of the real thing as you look around and two things become apparent on the Hornby, the cylinders stick out too far outboard (easily correctable), and the coupled wheelbase is actually slightly too long, though this is well disguised. You would have to bin the chassis to correct that. Then there are the tenders. Hornby's still has the clutter of the old motor frame blocking daylight through the underframe, and is an older and clunkier moulding. But that is not the worst of it. Hornby have never offered the commonest tender type that ran behind 9Fs, the BR1F. They run equally well.

So to summarise: for a higher price a very good model, for the lower price a good runner that looks like a 9F at a distance but is well short on detail, accuracy and choice of variants. Pays yer money, takes yer choice.

[Metadyneman]

... and what Bigmet said too!

[Phipps]

Bigmet's analysis is spot on,despite me having to confess that I don't own a Bachmann 9F,so I couldn't comment
I guess it's a slightly closer comparison to that of the two Deltics that both firms have on the market.I would love the Bachy 9F,but the RR version suits me enough with regards what I want,which in this case is it's hauling capabilites & the fact that I didn't want a highly-detailed engine either(as Metadyne rightly mentions).I was always going to give mine new identities & would've been annoyed with myself if I made a fudge of a model worth up to £100,so I'm happy to have two for the same price as one that I'd be too wary of using if it got damaged.....
But Bigmet's point about different tenders is a VERY valid one & it is a pity there's no BR1F or 1C tender variant

[Bushey Troughs]

http://www.goldenarrow.me.uk/products.htm

BR1F High capacity (as fitted to 9F, 5MT, & 1 4MT).... (£13.50).
BR1B/C/D/E/K High sided. (Builds any of these variants) .....(£16).

He even does a resin body kit for the "Crosti" 9F.

[Metadyneman]

I always thought the Crosti 9Fs (or Crusties as I call them ) were a particularly ugly development of a rather nice loco.

[Bushey Troughs]

I always thought the Crosti 9Fs (or Crusties as I call them ) were a particularly ugly development of a rather nice loco.

Dammed un British looking locomotive, but some people must like them Chris Meacher has sold a few resin bodies. I don't think I'll be converting my Bachmann or my two Railroad 9Fs any time soon. How would you go about fitting a smoke unit to an 00 Crosti? and wouldn't that look weird.........

[bike2steam]

I always thought the Crosti 9Fs (or Crusties as I call them ) were a particularly ugly development of a rather nice loco.

Dammed un British looking locomotive, but some people must like them Chris Meacher has sold a few resin bodies. I don't think I'll be converting my Bachmann or my two Railroad 9Fs any time soon. How would you go about fitting a smoke unit to an 00 Crosti? and wouldn't that look weird.........

Unless it's a latter rebuild to conventional running, I have a 20 year old former Crownline kit updated recently with a Hornby chassis change to the new loco driven 'Railroad' example, at least it looks better than a Hornby 'Charlie'.

[saslord]

Test Post - Please ignore

[saslord]

test post please ignore

[Peterm]

Totally ignored.

[Phipps]

Some pictures of my four Railroad 9Fs that have been requested in another post.I thought they would be better here than under the A4 section.Sorry if the light appears to vary,but I'm not much of a David Bailey......
Front to back we have.....92203 "Black Prince",92220 "Evening Star",92221 "Northern Star" & 92099 with an incorrect tender





Of the four,only Evening Star hasn't been altered in some way.The other 3 were originally R2880s but two have had nameplates added,the other has a whole new body-swap,but the wrong type of tender.....
Two nearest are still in preservation,"99" was scrapped as was 92221,but I'm using artistic licence to include these two & that there was never actually a Northern Star engine,so it's a fictitious engine..............

[NNR.76079]

Some pictures of my four Railroad 9Fs that have been requested in another post.I thought they would be better here than under the A4 section.Sorry if the light appears to vary,but I'm not much of a David Bailey......
Front to back we have.....92203 "Black Prince",92220 "Evening Star",92221 "Northern Star" & 92099 with an incorrect tender





Of the four,only Evening Star hasn't been altered in some way.The other 3 were originally R2880s but two have had nameplates added,the other has a whole new body-swap,but the wrong type of tender.....
Two nearest are still in preservation,"99" was scrapped as was 92221,but I'm using artistic licence to include these two & that there was never actually a Northern Star engine,so it's a fictitious engine..............

Absoultely Brilliant Phipps

[Metadyneman]

The Hornby one is a fitting modernised transformation of it's original 1970's tender driven cousin. I have a Hornby Evening star and a Bachmann 9F and they both perform regularly on the layout and both look good even when standing side by side. i'm not a rivet counter and never will be but the shape of the 9F has been captured well in both versions.

[Roger (RJ)]

Can anyone tell me where the decoder (Hornby) fits in the railroad 9F? I've just got one and it looks a bit tight.

[Phipps]

It's definately in the locomotive section Roger,but as to exactly where inside my memory escapes me.I did a body-swap for 92099 & I can't remember if it's at the smokebox or firebox end.I think it's the smoke box end..........