Newer green Mallard?

[End2end]

Does anyone know if there ever was a newer green Mallard made after the Hornby R.309?
I know of the newer DCC fitted/ready blue version but I want a green one.
Thanks
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[Bigmet]

Not a clue, but examples of double chimney A4s with corridor tender in BR green have been produced since the current A4 was introduced; and from that point it's only a matter of numbers, nameplates, plaques and shed plate to make any of the class operating with that feature combination, such as Mallard.

[RFS]

Try Hornby's R3522 - http://www.hattons.co.uk/250815/Hornby_ ... etail.aspx

Fairly easy to renumber I would have thought.

Or there's Bachmann's version on Ebay - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-TMC ... Sw~9BZsVli

[D605Eagle]

£130 for an old split chassis Bachmann A4? OUCH!

There was the Hornby Railroad R2784X a few years back, much newer than R309.
clicky

[End2end]

Thanks for the replies so far members.
Renumbering is a skill beyond me and not one I think I will be pursuing.

Although I'd rather have a higher detailed version, I didn't know of the Hornby Railroad R2784X which seems the cheapest route to owning one, so I have a couple of questions.

Does anyone know what DCC chip is factory installed? I take it it's a Hornby one?
How easy it is to change the DCC chip? Hardwired or socket etc?
Is it "slipt chassis"
Is it tender driven?
Does anyone have a picture of the inside?
Is there space for, and would I be advised to add more weight?
Are there any known recurrent foibles/problems with this model?

And finally, but a long way off....Is it possible to add a correct sound chip and speaker inside even if it is third party rather than Hornby?
Thanks
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[Bigmet]

The Railroad model. It's a curate's egg.

Good: Hornby's current loco drive mechanism inside, current loco body moulding.

Not so good: loco body is lacking glazing among other detail, rods and gear are off the previous model. Fixable with parts, if you can find them.

Poor: the tender is the old inaccurate one size fits all motor drive shell, with an overweight and draggy motor frame inside.

The decoder will be Hornby's basic 8 pin job, in my experience the mechanism will out perform it. But easy to change to something better.

There is ample room inside the body moulding for more weight, and the mechanism is well up to it. I have my Hornby A4's weighted to 600g to give the model the full on pulling power this class possessed.

Foibles and problems.
Front bufferbeam is a separate part and clumsy owners seem to knock it off with some regularity. Cements back in place easily.
In common with all the recently tooled Hornby models with a leading bogie, it does a lot better with a soft spring; Hornby draw a spring on most diagrams but never it seems actually fit one! Also the bogie bracket has to be correctly positioned, sometimes needs up/down adjustment - a little bending.
The motor mount is Hornby's old ratgher marginal design, don't disturb it if working.
The earlier productions have the chassis block live and a flaky electrical connection to the driving wheel pick ups one side as a result. I fit an insulated soldered on wire connection to make the chassis block isolated from the track. The other wiring is Hornby's usual mess. I rip it all out and start again...
The horrible flangeless rear truck wheelset is a major blot, can cause short circuits if your track is bumpy around pointwork. Leave the wheelset out if this proves a problem, or replace with flanged (fairly major mod and 30" minimum radius is required).

The tender is amply roomy to take a sound decoder and speaker, once the redundant cast metal motor frame is cut down or replaced.

If you can find one and don't mind it not being 'Mallard': go for the main range model. Worth it for the glazing and other detail, and the superior tender. The most recent I have is 'Woodcock' 60029 BR late crest R2535, same configuration as Mallard

[End2end]

Ouch. That all seems far too complicated for a new modellor with no experience of such things.
I'll have a look at the main range ones.
Thanks Bigmet.
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[Bigmet]

Ah, then honesty compels me to mention that the foibles and problems apply to both the Railroad and the main range models equally, they are in the loco elements common to both models...

But both should work 'out of the box', and if they don't it's return to retailer. Just well to be aware that there are some weaknesses - and actually many of them apply to other models too.

[End2end]

Where's my bargepole.
Thanks Bigmet. You've saved me cash and a whole load of stress.
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[D605Eagle]

To answer your questions, it is loco driven, the DCC chip is in a socket, there should be a blanking plug included in the packaging to take it out, however the loco will work on DC with the DCC chip fitted. You should be able to run it straight out the box. You can fit extra weight to it easily if you find it too light footed.

[End2end]

I may have the money to buy an A4 soon so I just wanted to bring this back to the fore and widen my search criteria to not just the Mallard but other available A4's.

So does anyone know what models are currently available on the market from manufacturers with the the following features?
Dark green livery without LNER on the loco or tender
Viewable wheels rather than skirted??. Not sure if that's the correct term
Well detailed including all windows glazed - Not Hornby's Railroad range
DCC or DCC ready
Not tender driven
Can negotiate R2 peco setrack curves and points
Possibility to easily add sound
Reliable

I think that covers it.
Thanks
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[Bigmet]

Now I am slightly keen on A4's and have a few (cough). Let's deal with a few details first.

...Dark green livery without LNER on the loco or tender
Viewable wheels rather than skirted??. Not sure if that's the correct term...

The dark green livery is BR, so no LNER on the tender, and also the wheels on show because the valances had been removed during WWII for easier valve gear and other maintenance well before BR was formed.

...DCC or DCC ready
Not tender driven
Can negotiate R2 peco setrack curves and points
Possibility to easily add sound...

It's a big choice between Bachmann and Hornby, the currently produced models from both will fulfil all that. If you buy DCC ready/fitted/sound, you will only get the current versions, which means you avoid earlier tender drive and split chassis productions.

...Reliable...

Hornby's mechanism has an excellent motor, but the construction is slightly compromised by some older features, I have had to modify mine to get the reliability I want - it is achievable - and worth it for the general visual qualities of the model which I will outline below. (Hornby may have improved on some of these aspects in the ten years since my last purchase.)
Bachmann mechanism, has the edge for construction and has a superior rear truck arrangement.

Now straight up, considered for accuracy of appearance as models it's the Hornby, no contest. Best rendition of the difficult loco body form, glazing much superior, more choice of the tender variations. The Bachmann model is based on 1960s tooling from Trix, fortunately it was a very good tooling so still looks decent, but it is well behind the Hornby overall.

Now the most important aspect, that you have not even mentioned for consideration! The double chimney or 'Kylchap exhaust' looks way better than the single chimney. Four were built new with double chimneys including Mallard, and all were fitted with double chimneys in the BR period. Your choice (but go double).

Now the weakness in all this. I have no clue what's currently on offer...

[End2end]

Thanks for the reply Bigmet.

I have had to modify mine to get the reliability I want

This turns me off a loco immediatly as I just don't have the skill nor the confidence to make it work.
After some long hunting around, and also because according to Hatton's it is DCC ready and sound equippable (meaning not tender driven...hopefully) I eventually bought a new Bachmann 31-965 60021 'WILD SWAN' A4 in BR green for £115 last night. It is single chimney but it covers
https://www.hattons.co.uk/373120/bachma ... etail.aspx
Can anyone share any experiences with this model?
Thanks
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[Bigmet]

Not that specific model, but with a couple of the first versions released with this mechanism which I had to test, run-in and fit with decoders for friends. Good mechanism in Bach's usual style, no trouble at all, a good decoder deals with the motor being a three pole type (used Lenz Standard).

There's still room for improvement in A4s. The combination of Bach's current loco mechanism equipped with Hornby's five pole motor, and Hornby's current loco body and tender, would be better yet than either model.