My layout is dual period - 1936 and 1956. I have one Hornby Black 5 for the
1936 period and would like another.The one I have is R2257, No 5055. This represents a Vulcan Foundry built engine and is quite accurate. It has a vertical throatplate boiler, a tall chimney and external pipes to the clack valves.
Now I want another early Black 5. I would like some differences to my current engine. Hornby also make R2323, No 5000. All of their other Black 5s are sloping throatplate engines. I can see that R2323 correctly has the shorter chimney. Being a Crewe built engine, it *should* have the pipes to the clack valves hidden within the boiler clothing, but I can't see if this is so on any pictures of the model. This would be ideal as it is would be noticeably different from the current engine. However, if Hornby have simply renumbered R2257 and the external pipes are still there, it would mean a fair amount of surgery to remove them and an almost total repaint to hide the surgery. In this case, it would be worth my while saving a few quid and buying R2257 rather than the more expensive R2323.
Can anyone advise me on the state of the feed pipes on R2323?
-- Enzo
I wear the cheese. It does not wear me.