OO 281, Hornby ‘Ultimate’ Black 5 Troubles 

I looked at Sam's Trains RU-vid review of this new locomotive a few days ago. He had what appeared to be the same problem as you have with your purchase and is also sending it back for a refund. I just can't bring myself to buy any new off the shelf locomotives mainly due to the cost and am happy buying old Triang and Hornby ones and doing any work to get them running again. Far less detailed than modern locomotives but simple and robust! PS. always enjoy your videos and the variety of subjects.

I'll stick with my fleet of six Hornby Silver Seal R.859 Black 5's. 50 years old and faultless.

Taking it back is absolutely the right thing to do. For what its worth a bit of electrical paint on the contacts may have worked. Its the stuff you can use to repair rear windscreen elements on cars. Although your video reinforces my prejudices I have no joy in it. Modern locos are expensive and unreliable although they can be better when they work. I had new Bachmann 20 & 37 where the motors rattle around as not secured to the body. A bit of cardboard fixes the problem but in dismantling the locos I damaged the wiring so a new circuit board for the 20 and some soldering for the 37. We need to resist the urge to fix things for ourselves except where there is nothing to lose.

Long live Japan.They know how to manufacture value for money,reliable model railways!!

I have said I before and I will say it again. I think Hornby understands that if it wants to to survive it needs to create high spec models. I am happy to pay high prices for high spec, but I expect high quality. I just got one of the Dublo Scotsman models in, and while she is stunning from a detail standpoint the glue was horrid. I would not be surprised if I could get a positive ID of the fingerprint on the front. Fortunately, the two examples of the new loco tender connection I have are working fine for the moment, but as to the longevity, that remains to be seen.

trouble is over the last 10 years, the manufacturers have crossed the line between producing a robust working locomotive with decent quality control, and a super detailed scale model that isn't really meant to be used. Every time there is a new model, I wait a week or so to see the youtubers that are either getting a broken model through damage done to the flimsy detailing in the post, are just faulty or have an inherent design fault. given the small % of youtubers who make up the total buyers, the actual amount of customers getting these faults must be astronomical, but a fair amount of them then try and fix the problems themselves! Sorry but for that price I want a properly working undamaged model that won't have parts snap off if I forget to pick it up right so I will continue to give Hornby's tat a miss.

Great video and very sad to hear of your troubles. I recently got the very latest hush hush with the same connection. Lots of little faults and decoration issues, the connection seems very fragile and motion was very tight out ofvthe box. It took some serious running in, extra oiling and a gentle loosen of the crank pins before it performed well 😢 - hornby are just so hit and miss these days

Good review, but such a shame that Hornby’s quality has gone so downhill…. As a Canadian who likes British Steam locomotives most of my orders come from Nigel at British Model Trains, and seeing as Hornby no longer seem to be supporting the Canadian market I have come to the conclusion that we all might as well just give up with Hornby. Other manufacturers like Bachmann, Rapido, Dapol and Oxford make fantastic models for much more reasonable prices, and they seem to care more about getting products to customers. For me, and I’m guessing yo as well, it is not at all economical to order direct from British retailers such as Rails, Kernow and Gaugemaster.

Hi, great video. Unfortunately, you seem to have had the same problem as RU-vidr Sams Trains.

Hornby need to employ some professional engineers. Robustness of design, ease of maintenance, failure analysis are just a few of the elements used in well managed projects. Hornby are trying to get ahead of the competition by added gimmicks without keeping to the fundamentals.

Shame really as a Black 5 is something I really would like to add to my layout. But so many have had issues with this loco I wonder how it every got through the Hornby testing department or maybe they don't have one!

Sounds like a lottery if you get one that works

I have seen several reviews of this loco, with a number of issues, regarding running, raised. One resorted to swapping the tender to achieve running the loco, albeit the tender used was branded to the LNER. So I suspect the fault lies with one half of the connection between loco and tender, but which half? I think your suggestion of returning for a refund will result in some happiness, whereas a replacement loco may prove to suffer with the same, or yet another problem to compound your disappointment.

I just watched your video, and I'm sorry you received a lemon. I live south of you (quite a bit) in Florida, and I have also delt with Nigel at British Model Trains. He is a very good businessman, and I have only good things to say about him and his store. I hope that the Hornby situation doesn't drive him out of business, seeing that Britannia Models in British Columbia is closing up.

Absolutely scandalous for a new locomotive whatever its RRP. Why, how ? What are Hornby doing ?

wonder how long it will be before the ones that do run fail?

I have the 20 year old super detailed loco driven model. Runs great, looks great, couples close, and bits don’t fall off…..no way I would pay 200 for this….

The same issue as both the first and second of Sam’s Trains models *and* as Little Wicket. Such shoddy workmanship - and all three of theirs ended up with another problem when a pin was shed from one of the con-rods as well. Like you, I’m in Canada and won’t be touching any new Hornby stuff with a barge pole any more. I’ve just sent back a new Hornby 14xx that doesn’t work either. Such shoddy workmanship and poor quality control could see them go under.

Genuinely sucks to see since this engine was really hyped up and had some interesting features (the working positional lamps are a first to me), but in typical Hornby fashion they completely fumbled the bag. I really wonder if they have a proper QC department anymore or if they're just getting unpaid interns to "check" the models for flaws, because the amount of issues with this ranging from simple glue misting to actual electrical faults is incredible in all the wrong ways. Perhaps that's on me for still having hope in Hornby, because I do think when they get an engine right (Like Lion or the Peckett range) they do indeed get it right, it's just a shame this engine wasn't one of them.

I’m in Canada as well (west coast). We lost our Hornby retailer as well last year. I’ve contacted the Hornby mothership and they have no answer other than online ordering from the UK. I do that through a uk retailer

It is such a shame that Hornby quality control is non existent, I was going to purchase one, but now a big no.

Sorry to here your woes with this model...I'm one of the lucky ones as my version works perfectly, and its one beautiful unit that I'm very pleased with. I just think its fair to point out there are good ones out there. Everyone seems to be slating Hornby, and understandably so, but I think its the chinese factory cutting corners rather than any inherent design fault, and they have well and truly dropped Hornby in the mire.

Mine had no issues at all

I have seen other videos of this model and the main problem does seem to be the connecter between loco and tender. One RU-vidr did find the problem and it was the tender connecter. The two outer connections were not touching the train connector and he was just able to push down the connectors with a small screwdriver, the model worked perfectly, but how long this would last I have no idea. In another video, the loco had glue marks everywhere and even the lamps had been glued in place. Hornby's lack of quality control sticks again. I hope you do get a replacement and that all will be fine. Martin. (Thailand)

I am on my second one and it has exactly the same issues with the connector. I can’t even run it in I’m so disappointed as it’s such a stunning looking loco. No choice but to send it back

Hi, the packaging is very good, such a shame the contents are as good.

I wanted to buy one but, as I already have the previous model, I striked out this model from my list after having seen people with problem with this model, and an underwhelming quality to price ratio (minimal die cast part, no flywheel, botched finish) and decided to stick with my old one.

I'd just get a refund and it you got a replacement you could still have the same problem with it, i have a couple of Hornby black5s from the 70s and they are robust and reliable

I don't like saying this but Hornby are getting worse. Models are expensive and have major problems or don't work . If the company carries on like this they will go bust. So Hornby needs to sort them selves out . And pretty dam quick.

I like your chimes in the back ground .

I recon there is a solder dry joint somewhere, much Chinese electrics are mass produced and use a dip solder method.. I collect RC trucks / excavators too, and some of the soldering is just appalling, with wires dropping off, left right and centre..these are not cheap either, some costing twice as much as you Hornby steamer..

I would never have stumped-up the cash for this but it's still a shame.

OK every review I've seen of these things has had some kind of fault it won't move all it will do is turn on the light, RU-vidr by the name of sams trains had to use a different tender all together to make the thing work. I'm sorry but Hornby need to fix this to make money, Wonders if they even tested it at the factory

Because their seems to be many problems, they need to do a recall on the item.

Thanks for sharing

Mine is sitting with Hornby for an assessment.

another video of the new black 5 failing. and its supposed to be their ultimate black 5. i feel bad for you getting a naff one.

Very sad to hear your disappointment, you waited so long to get the order in, and living outside the UK it's extra expensive, I live just live across the pond in Belgium and it cost me a fortune, but being a fan, It's all fine the extra and the hustle if it runs like you would expected to be, and there is no excuse at all why it shouldn't be running, specially considering the high prices you pay now theses days. But it's unbelievable that something basic, as a wheel pick up and a connection plug, doesn't work. That's in my view a very big design fault, and for a company with that a long experience in model trains is a very big disgrace. And If Hornby would be decent, what they should do, is their utter best to get you a good running model, express delivered, asp., without going over the middleman, as it's their fault, they are the producer, they are responsible, or if you doubt that it ever would work, a refund you. But it's not only Hornby, I also had a similar problem with Bachmann… If I where you, I wouldn't give up on the model, there is always that car build on a blue Monday. But you should insist, that all these problems go on their expenses and be handled asp.…

Obviously this new coupling system has not been factory tested properly.

sadly with any company manufacturing in 2024... 'new' is doublespeak for cheap, nasty, disposable