Are the Hornby J50s the best value tank locomotives on the market?

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If you like the look of this locomotive and fancy one for yourself, here are some links to help you out:
BR Black with late crest: bit.ly/2xxkQBu
LNER Black: bit.ly/2xr1pdo
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[@mike59317]

Hi Jenny, a nice look at these locos. I bought No 14 just over a year ago and I am very happy with it, your video is good to show the other liveries available.

[@JenniferEKirk]

Michael Hill thanks!

[@ciaranburke3243]

Lovely little locos👍

[@BrockwellLanemodelrailway]

I'd love to see Hornby do some bright freelance industrial liveries for these J50s . Even if there were non in private use, a little colour to match the pecketts and J94s might just make them big sellers.

[@JenniferEKirk]

Brockwell Lane they probably don’t fancy the moaning that would come from the rivet counters!

[@manthony1956]

Hi, Jenny! I hope you and Zoey are well. Beautiful model at a great price and I do not model British Railways (though I do have a four-coupled Airfix static loco, and old Trix three rail Swiss crocodile, and of course Bachmann Hogwarts Express). I think that there is a hobby shop in Chicago (800 miles) that has these. I always tell others, it's my railroad. i run it my way. BBC America showed police action for those violating the quarantine. I know it is a pandemic, but i think George Orwell would be beside himself. Be well.

[@JenniferEKirk]

manthony1956 thanks!

[@BoaFilmsPlc]

Hi Jenny, I bought the BR version for £54 from Kernow Models in Guildford. Didn't work too well on DC, but dead shorted on DCC. Found after removing the baseplate that one of the pick ups was twisted & when I inserted a certain screw in the baseplate, dead short. However, after leaving that one screw out it runs incredibly well. To save losing weight I fitted a TCS DP2X UK chip.

[@JenniferEKirk]

Boa Films good price. They fit standard 8 pin decoders without needing to take any of the weights out. Mine are fitted with the Hotnby decoders.

[@BoaFilmsPlc]

@@JenniferEKirk I had a TCS going spare (I do US modelling too) so the design is set up for UK models. I'm not overly impressed with Hornby decoders, much prefer either Lenz or Sound, normally ESU.

[@anglingsteve]

Hi Jenny a good little loco I have managed to get one for £ 64.50

[@donharsh5469]

Awesome 👍 cool 😎 locomotives I like them 👍😍 Jenny nice video watching now awesome 👍 cool 😎

[@JenniferEKirk]

Don Harsh thanks!

[@jamesgilbart148]

Curious loco - looks like a real freight workhorse! What was the reason for the sloping side tanks? - improved visibility from the cab? The SR Z class had similar sloping but shorter tanks.

[@JenniferEKirk]

James Gilbart it was for better visibility when shunting.

[@jamesgilbart148]

@@JenniferEKirk Thanks - that explanation makes sense.

[@martinpattison4018]

As I am modelling The East Coast Main Line I should at least buy one of them. I have only been put off by the way the tanks look on the sides of the boiler, but that was the way they were designed and built by the LNER. I think it will be the later of the two LNER that I will buy when things get back to normal. (If there ever was anything normal) Martin (Thailand.)

[@lesbird2074]

The sloping tank tops were intended to improve forward vision while shunting

[@anglingsteve]

I bought the locomotive from timetunnel models.

[@peterbudd1803]

Do these have NEM couplings ?

[@JenniferEKirk]

Peter Budd yes, NEM pockets are standard for all new Hornby models.

[@peterbudd1803]

@@JenniferEKirk Thanks

[@TheTrainMaster15]

Now if it was in Gill Sans BR Green then it would be the best value for money :P

[@MrDavil43]

I well remember these locos from my north London childhood, several of them based at Hornsey MPD, but never saw one in green livery. In fact, mostly they were so filthy they could have been any colour underneath the grot. My own model has been similarly treated and is a mobile mound of coal dust, ash and rust, the cab side number being almost unreadable...

[@JenniferEKirk]

I don’t think they ever got green in BR or LNER days.

[@TheTrainMaster15]

Jennifer E. Kirk I’m fairly certain they did. It was like a LNER to BR transitional livery. It basically looked like an LNER apple green with BR Gill Sans text on the side tanks.

[@emmakirk9194]

Looks amazing what are the best point motors you recommend? Hope you are staying safe at this terrible time.

[@JenniferEKirk]

emma kirk thanks! I use Peco PL-10 motors. They are simple, cheap and reliable.

[@Bittern19]

Hello

[@pauljohnson8341]

Don't need a decoder record train sounds on your phone no and use a blue tooth mini speaker no will ever know

[@GameHammerCG]

That’s a fun way to get a wide variety of sounds onto a layout. Nice idea.

[@MoosesWorkshop]

Agree!