Hi Jenny. I was really pleased to see your review. I have to say that I now (retired) fall into the modeller with a tight budget category. Also my modelling skills are severly lacking and I'm more than surprised if my trains actually go from one end of my layout to the other without faultering. I think the only thing I would miss are the directional lights mainly because they inform me which way the loco will travel when I ramp up the power. I quite like just watching the trains run round and the super detailed models, at super detailed prices, are somewhat wasted on me. Great to see another budget friendly loco hitting the market. Ray
Hornby get - often justified - bad press. But they have to be applauded for their interest in this end of the market. These models tend to be fitted with excellent mechanisms and what is almost a "free" decoder. The other plus is that there's very few parts that will fall off/break whilst using or servicing them. And using the "3 foot test", they look absolutely fine on the majority of layouts. As you say, upgrading them is pretty easy too.
Had mine on order from the announcement, I was thrilled when it arrives last week with the new decoder. Very happy with the model for the price. Runs well and looks great in green, I wanted the white window surrounds!
I have this model and its very good for the price. The sound is great and the livery is very good. I have added flush glazing and the model looks excellent. It has a good weight as well. In all worth getting. One thing I would like to see on Railroad Plus is basic directional lighting, it wouldn't add much to the cost. I have "Ballymoss" now as well, the other Deltic release in this batch.
Hi Jenny. I bought one of the first Accurascale Deltics, but have never taken it out of the box. Long story. I know the Hornby Deltic is not to the same standard, but I'm keen to get a TXS decoder and like you have said, it’s a cheap model to practice upgrading :) Keep-up the excellent work
Good Morning Jenny. I saw your review a couple of hours after I had ordered the Class 55 from Hornby, and I felt happy that I had made the right decision. I would like to know whether it is safe to use the LCE Power Cab for control, as Hornby is trying to encourage the use of the HM7000 Bluetooth App? I agree with one of your followers it's good to see Hornby bringing out more affordable trains. I am 80 next year and have just started an OO Railway layout so I need to keep an eye on the budget. Thank you for your reviews, they are very helpful.
Ordered one as soon as I saw your video title, at that price it was an easy decision. I have an Accurascale Deltic but it caused so many problems running on the layout with all the derailments and shorts over points that it is an expensive paperweight at the moment.
Brings to mind here in the US with the Athearn "Blue box" models of the 1970s and 80s where I had a lot of fun improving the detailing to my taste. 😁 This Deltic would be a lot of fun to add lighting and flush glazing and cab interior and crew figures to. And then file down the molded on half-horns in front of windshields to replace with free standing details. And then do a dark wash on the roof openings. Were I modeling UK trains this would indeed be a loco I'd want buy and enjoy. 👍
I am a fan of Railroad and EFE models and not just because of price. High detail on a working model makes it fragile and also increases the probability of QC failures. One can draw a parallel between highly detailed but fragile display models from the likes of Tamiya and less detailed but more robust wargaming models from Games Workshop designed to withstand constant handling. Nice video.
Hiya , Jennifer, how are you?, thank you for showing this , i have a slightly older tooling dcc bachman class 55 and it looks very close to this I realy love the deltic, and class 40's, as they bring happy childhood memories, of taking rail journeys from leeds , in the early 80's , especially when they had mark2, d, e and f aircon stock , or the compartment mark2 and mark 1 coaches , of course wed always hope for a hst , but it was also a pleasure to take a trip on the deltic, which when the hsts arrived , would see the deltic and class 40 to cross country services, visiting family in wales , one question which shop did you use to buy it please
This is a brilliant model!!! So scared to use my super detailed models of the same loco, as they keep depositing bits on the track! Will definitely be adding this loco to my fleet! My score came out at 45.5, which I believe to be a more accurate estimate of where this model sits! Thanks for the review!
An Interesting review, now I bought 2 Accurascale Deltics which of course is a beautifully detailed by comparison with the Hornby Deltic but I had a number of Issues with the Accurascale Deltic and got rid, I think the Accurascale Deltic possibly crosses the border between detail and practicality of an RTR model. Specfic issues for me were the bogie chains which I know Accurascale are supposed to be addressing on there next run, also the plastic on the nose steps is too brittle needs to be a more pliable plastic. I am ordering the revised version but if doesnt address my issues it wont be around long. As far Lima/Hornby 55 goes it wasn't one of the best Lima models the 47 was much better, and i'm not sure a good paint job covers really covers the short comings but it will certainly be more practical like an RTR model should probably be, the biggest issue is not upgrading the couplings but if you can get it with sound for a reasonable price it may be worth considering.
This is the old Lima model. Origonaly to be released as an HO model. Later changed to OO but bogies left in HO. Lima Class 50 also had the wrong HO bogies.
Hi Jenny -great review of the Hornby Deltic BUT a RRP of around £110 for what is basically a crude Lima 1970,s HO scale model and moulding is really quite a "rip-off" and certainly doesnt represent a "budget " model or even value for money for me ! (even if it has sound fitted !) even with the extras added it is only realistically worth about £50-£55 - so personally ,for the extra, i would much rather wait, save my money and then buy a far,far superior top-notch" bells and whistles" Accurascale Deltic !
Somewhere, the person who bodged together the original Lima model with HO bogies is high fiving themselves.....definely an impressive model for a younger person though, as there is pretty much nothing to break.
Granted, I'm not a Brit modeling British trains, but since learning of the Class 55 Deltic in a library book here in the US in the 1970s I have really liked them. ➡ In all those decades, right now, yes, right now, is the first time I've realized that at some point on the calendar a number of the real deal Deltics had those triangular cab side windows filled in, welded over. Noticed them solid on the model, went to play in Google image search, and to borrow another phrase, Lo, and behold ...
Hi Jenny, great video thanks. Can you run this Railroad Plus Class 55 on DC straight out of the box or do you need to replace the decoder with a blanking plate?
Good morning Jen!! Although I’m interested in this locomotive, I am actually a steam fanatic!! The Class 55 is one of the few diesel locomotives I like a little bit, it isn’t a locomotive that was often used in the Southern Railway/Region.
Yes, the recessed glazing diminishes the face. Perhaps replace with inexpensive SE Finecast flushglaze windows (for the Lima model)? These may require a bit of filing around the window openings to make fit but worth it. Some weathering would reduce the plasticky look - fit brake pipes and paint the red buffer beam black!
The detail / proportions of this model are too basic for my liking, though that's not to say I want it taken off the market or anything; that would be silly. Even so, I'd prefer to get either the Bachmann or Accurascale Class 55 if I can ever find one, preferably in the same livery as my model of DP2 (BR two-tone green with small yellow panels).
Great review again, and you get a lot for your money. Too bad about the tension locks, but it's a very nice sound fitted model. I might buy one for my little brother and recuperate the decoder for myself. Any idea if, in these harder times, Railroad is a popular choice for modellers?
I think a lot of people poopoo the railroad range but it's cheap, runs well and looks good. Granted it's not going to look as good up close as an Accurascale one say, but I'd rather it have less detail while still looking good at normal layout distance than have the motor give up after a few months.
Yes, I have 2 of the Lima versions and the differences are noticeable when they're placed side by side with the later Bachmann & Accurascale offerings. But when running along on their own they look fine.
Quick note for that portion of Earth which insists on being non-metric; box end label "Minimum Radius 438mm" translates to approximately 17 and 1/4 inches. Or put another way, it can take common 18in radius HO train set curves. As always, though, to borrow a line from a 20th century auto advert, Wider is better, when laying track on which to run your trains. Especially with long 6 axle locomotives such as this one. (talking minimum radius brings to mind working in a hobby shop 20 years ago and more recently on the internet - there is an astonishing percentage of people who insist on finding out the minimum radius a locomotive is rated for and then several months later return to inquire as to why they have nothing but trouble when attempting to run fifty car trains around those minimum radius curves)
Have Hornby missed a great opportunity? How much would it cost just to have a normal DC Class 55? A bit more than 50.00 pounds maybe and how many would they sell? That a beginner's Locomotive, just like we had when we were 5 years or more. A lot better than some cartoon looking train set. Martin. (Thailand)
I think Hornby's Railroad range are good value for money for what they are and are ideally for children, those who prefer something robust or are on a budget. However my one major criticism is why they put some old tooling models in the Railroad range and others in the main range at huge prices. There's absolutely no logic to it. Here are some examples of what I mean: 1) The 8f which is an old tooling plastic model with very basic detailing, but has a ridiculous RRP of £250.Even half that would be too much, it really should be under £100 tops. For just £3 more you could get a new 9f with a diecast boiler, firebox glow, 21 pin TXS decoder and painted crew!🤔 There's no comparison between the two models and yet they're priced the same. I can only assume whoever priced the model was on drugs. Or thinks we are.😬 2) Two other models that shouldn't be in the main range are the 4f 0-6-0 which I believe is an old Airfix tooling and the 4-4-0 2P another ancient and very basic tooling. Both of these are a bit more reasonable at an RRP of £140, but are still over priced and should really be Railroad models. In contrast the 3f 0-6-0T Jinty has, quite rightly, been put into the Railroad range and retails for a much more sensible £80. The other two are no better in quality so again where's the logic?🙄 To be fair Bachmann aren't any better. They do re-releases of old tooled models for silly prices too.
