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Bachmann vs Hornby GWR pannier tanks

Well, I'd like a GWR pannier plus a couple of choclate and cream or
maybe GWR brown coaches to go with ti, ca 1945048. Or else early BR, ca
1948-54.
What for? I want to run them under the Christmas tree, along with nice
little half-timbered cottages and a Cotswold stone station with a cream
awning over the platform. And snow, of course.
Anyhow, the websites indicate that both Bachmann and Hornby have
suitable 0-6-0T locos and coaches.
Would you give me your opinions and recommendations, please.
Thanks.
wolf k.
Reply to
Wolf K
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Don't get the Hornby pannier tank. It's more than 30 years old dating to before they started producing decent models.
The Hornby B-set coaches are also old but they were originally from Airfix and the kind of models that caused Hornby to improve their own. They're still good, with flush windows, separate roof ventilators etc.
The Bachmann pannier's body goes back almost to the same era as the B-set. But it originated with Mainline whose detail was far better than Hornby. It has an up to date chassis.
Reply to
Christopher A. Lee
Converseley, if you want something that can keep going after the cat's been sick on it and the baby's dunked it in juice, and something that won't shed detail bits when the stack of gifts falls onto it, get the Hornby model.
PhilD
Reply to
phildeaves
wrote
Judging by the number of failures we've had recently with Hornby products, I wouldn't necessarily agree with that.
The latest issue is with class 31 diesels where the metal chassis appears to be disintigrating.
John,
Reply to
John Turner
Model, but it will be used for only a couple of weeks or so, then packed away for next year.
John, e-mail me off line please, to wekirch at-sign sympatico fullstop ca. I lost your e-mail address (along with a pile of other stuff) during a major virus infection episode.
thanks,
wolf k.
Reply to
Wolf K
My experience is that Hornby stuff is extremely rugged. However, I don't have much *really* modern (as in production date, not prototype) stuff, so perhaps things have changed of late.
PhilD
Reply to
phildeaves
Do you have info to suggest its not just limited to some of a batch of class 31's ?
Cheers, Simon
Reply to
simon
"simon" wrote
One customer bought three, all three failed.
Not sure how widespread the problem is, but it looks like poor quality mazak - an issue Hornby have had problems with since the 1930s. It shouldn't be happening in the 21st century.
John.
Reply to
John Turner
Presumably much the same problem as Bachmann had with the early batch of 'N' class locos that developed banana footplates :-/ . It will be interesting to see how widespread this problem is.
Reply to
airsmoothed
wrote
Not come across that issue, but I guess similar problems are always going to arise with outsourced manufacture, unless those commissioning the work keep a tight control over production, and specifiy very clearly what materials are going to be used in the manufacturing process.
John.
Reply to
John Turner
"simon" wrote
Who knows Simon? Hornby claim it's not a widespread problem, but I find it odd that one customer has had three out of three locos fail. I've not checked my own class 31 as yet, but it will be investigated very soon.
John.
Reply to
John Turner
Yes indeed,although my day job has nowt to do with model railways I do have a lot of dealings with Chinese suppliers and specifying EXACTLY what you require in terms of raw materials and processes is definately step #1. Whether Hornby, Bachmann et al. have sufficient commercial leverage with their suppliers to be so strict I know not.
Reply to
airsmoothed
Ah, am not expressing myself very well - meant is it just class 31's or have other locos classes been reported as well ?
Cheers, Simon
Reply to
simon
"simon" wrote
Ah, right!
The 'problem' is potentially great(er) in the class 31s because the thickness of the chassis (at the point of failure) has been reduced to an absolute minimum to accomodate the (gimmicky) opening cab doors. We're talking about a chassis thickness at the point of failure of maybe 3mm.
I've no idea whether a poor quality mazak mix is likely to produce long term failure in other locos utilising the same alloy, but I doubt anyone could put their hand on their heart and say it won't happen.
John.
Reply to
John Turner
Since 1981.
"Bachmann Industries is a Bermuda registered Chinese owned company, globally head quartered in Hong Kong; specialising in model railroading.
"Founded and with its North American headquarters based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bachmann is today part of the Kader group, who model products are made at a Chinese Government joint-venture plant in Dongguan, China. Bachmann's brand is the largest seller, in terms of volume, of model trains in the world."
formatting link
Reply to
MartinS
Yes I know Bachmann is part of Kader, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the UK design team have 100% control of what happens on the production line several thousand smiles away.
Reply to
airsmoothed

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