Hornby S&DR Locomotion No.1 | Prepare to be Amazed & Frustrated 😯 🤬

[@markweightman3805]

Hi Rob,, Just a few tips...hope you don't mind.. 1)clean the wheels - makes a difference, I found mine had a film of grime from the manufacturing process... 2)spray contact cleaner onto the spring pickups..too much oil in there from the factory 3)Run it in for about 2-3 hours to really bed in those spring pickups. 4) Any era 1 rolling stock from Hornby requires tweezers to connect them - same for Rocket . Accurascale Chaldrons are a breeze fairly obviously, so I've glued one of their magnetic couplings to a hornby coach for attaching Locomotion. All of the above maked a huge difference to mine, and its brilliant...not infallible, but very good. Zimo decoder also fitted to mine without much bother... Persevere its worth it. Must admit none of the above should be necessary but I would tend to blame the factory for dirty wheels and excess of oil. Hornby also need to ditch their couplings in favour of magnetic ones. Best of luck 🤞

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Tips always welcome. That all sounds good. I may switch to a Zimo sound decoder if there's a locomotion no 1 profile available.

[@markweightman3805]

I believe one of the independent suppliers has a Rocket sound profile...maybe a Lion/Tiger one may also suffice..?

[@ianturvey3894]

The part that you refer to as possibly a gauge, is probably the counter weight for the safety valve. The two taps on the back of the boiler were the precursor to a water gauge.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

I think someone has confirmed this is a mechanical boiler pressure adjustment device with a weight/arm. Incredible that they could build these machines without gauges.

[@dannyvanstraelen3273]

The best advice I've seen so far for dcc, is to get rid of the build in speaker, as sound will be a wasted effort that never will run without getting frustrated on it, and simply use that space to build in a stay alive. The biggest problem is that your only using 50% of the wheels available due to that spring pickup. As for the chain couplings, and I've done this with all my Era 1 loco's that Hornby made so far, on the tender's coupling hook a glued in a tiny pin head strong magnet to it. instead of using these horrible plastic chain couplings, I used stainless steal chain that fits in the wagon's or coach hooks, and these will magnetically connect to the tender. And of course you can do this to every wagon, one side chain, the other a pinhead magnet. It works really fine, and a nok when you couple, is enough for the chain to connect. You can go even further in this if you want to, by building in a strong electro magnet under your rail. Once under power, the field of the electro magnet will be stronger than the pinhead magnet on the hook, and you got an automatic uncoupling system.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

All good suggestions. I might swap the speaker for a stay alive. Definitely more useful.

[@TATICMOOR]

Nice looking model, Rob, but as you said, the electrics are naff. I would rewire it with finer cable and then try to fit a DCC Concepts mini pick-up wiper blade module. Another thing I'd do is replace the couplings with the fine Chadron magnetic couplers with a bit of modification to attach them between the loco #1 and its era stock.

[@jeffreysmith156]

I have only run my DCC ready version a couple of times and it runs okay over my points (after initially being a bit hesitant straight out of the box). It is a very delicate model and so I regard it as something very extravagant for special occasions. The fitting of DCC chips is indeed not one for the less skilled but not clumsy, once they have found one. For me it is not something I ever intend to do.

[@gordonhanning476]

I gave my opinion on this model a few weeks ago. I also found the couplings are abysmal I actually broke one and had to glue it back together apart from that I thought that model is quite good but very delicate. Stay safe mate

[@DoubleX8620]

I am planning to get this model from the German supplier of Hornby stock when it comes out in three or four months. I am a bit nervous about DCC fitting it, especially since I heard a lot about the struggles of a sound decoder. I am a ESU operator. All my sound decoders are ESU and I will acquire a new ESU controller soon. Probably a Loksound 5 micro decoder with the Adler sound profile as a Japanese youtuber recommended. Apparently it should fit, but what I would suggest is if you fit a sound decoder, put a piece of insulating tape onto the bottom of the speaker just in case it drops onto the decoder and blows it up. Lastly, about the couplings. I have 7 era 1 wagons from Hornby and while it's fiddly, it's not like utter garbage I think. Once coupled, it works great for me. I use tome tweezers to get the coupling in place and park the entire train on a siding so I don't have to do it again. Though I agree it would have been better if there were a magnetic solution like Accurascale has done. When I get this locomotive, I'll fit the magnetic chain, as once fitted, I am afraid to break the loop which holds the coupling in place. It's a beautiful loco in detail, but running wise, I'm curious how mine runs when I eventually get it. Great review 👍👍

[@stevejh6630]

Fair assessment I think. Although mine ran ok-ish on DC, other than motor hum before launching off at rapid rate (even after running in). Think a 5 pole motor or coreless would have been better. I've heard many say axle/spring contacts can be an issue with intermittent running. Best suggestion I heard was some contact cleaner, as axle can be greasy/oily. Yet to fit DCC chip and I'm wary at the moment while waiting for courage to appear. 😊

[@D402DDS]

Fitted a dapol decoder to mine. Didn't have any issues.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Good to know. An Imperium?

[@RG-Models86]

Great video, Rob 👍. Mine came just before Christmas, and I'm really happy with it. Having heard of the headaches with chipping this for DCC, I decided to keep it analogue. Now I just need some cauldron wagons to go with it.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Any issues with the pick ups/stalling? I could see my face in the rails after I cleaned it and it still wasn't very happy going round.

[@RG-Models86]

@LittleWicketRailway so far, no issues (touch wood and whistle) 😆.

[@nigeljones3972]

Thanks for a great review. I do wonder given your recent video about the Hornby financials if they have missed a trick. Had they produced a non motorised static version I think this would fly off the shelves as part of Rail 200. I think many non modellers would buy this and Rocket as a display model. Even the general public. Given their desire to expand their market. This would be an easy win. A fair price would be £80-£100 and I think people would pay it. Not everyone wants to run it on a model railway and Hornby need to think about another market of non motorised display models in my opinion. Thanks again for the video.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Interesting idea

[@IronHorseRailways]

I reviewed this a few weeks back, I'm glad to see that you've more or less echoed my opinion with regards to the dcc fitting fiasco, and the poor pick-up and tender design - Beautiful paper weight... I did manage to fit a stay alive to mine, but it doesn't make much of a difference, because the pics ups are so poor the stay alive is more or less constantly working... eventually, they run dry and it cuts out.... I love Locomotion 1, but hate how it runs.... :( Take care mate, hopefully see you soon at a show or two...

[@LittleWicketRailway]

@@IronHorseRailways glad it wasn't just me. It's pure magic for the brief period it runs. I think it could easily be upgraded and re-released. In two minds about trying to fit a stay alive.

[@markweightman3805]

You can mitigate the poor pickups by cleaning the wheels and spray contact cleaner on the spring pickups...both shouldn't be required, but I've found too much grime for manufacturing on the wheels and too much oil on the axles...easy fix to improve a less than ideal design choice...best of luck..🤞

[@LittleWicketRailway]

@markweightman3805 thanks for the tip 👍🏼 I'll give this a go.

[@cbrooks122000]

That is interesting you came to the same conclusion as I did. I fitted the Zimo decoder which fitted easily the only issue, was the amount of force needed to click it and any Next 18 decoder in. On any other model no problem but this one is so fragile that it makes it difficult. Hornby have always been terrible on anything electrical like routing wires and DCC location. I compare them with Bachmann and Bachmann spend much more effort on it. I couldn't understand why it kept stopping until I found out about the pickups from another video. In the end I thought nice looking loco but useless for running.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Apparently if you can find a way to push the PCB up from underneath at the same time as pushing down on the decoder.then it goes in easier. Someone has also suggested removing the speaker and using the space for a stay alive.

[@ChadwickModelRailway]

Hi Rob, many thanks for the honest review. I had my fingers burned with the original rocket! Regards Charlie.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks Charlie. I've got Rocket, been a while since I ran it, but I'm sure it ran better than this. Both beautiful models.

[@paulsharpe3794]

Hi there what you describe as a gauge is actually the weight of the boiler pressure release. The bigger the weight is or the longer the arm the higher the boiler pressure

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Thanks for the info. I thought it might be something like that. Incredible they could make these locos without any gauges. Apparently the explosion was caused by the driver tying a valve down? Would that be this or was there another safety pressure valve?

[@paulsharpe3794]

@LittleWicketRailway hi there that's it there weren't meany heath and safety rools so they only have one safety valve

[@stuartburton1167]

Could you try and fit pick ups to a wagon or coach and hard wire it to the tender. At the very least you could get rid of that horrible plastic coupling chain. If I was to do the extra wagon I would try and fit compensated axles so all four wheels have the best chance of picking up

[@stuartburton1167]

Just had a thought as well as pick ups you could fit a stay alive in the wagon and cover it with a coal load. After all Locomotions job was pulling coal

[@user-cd7oj9ih3q]

Nice review, and I have to say I agree absolutely. After running it in with DC, I fitted a Zimo MS591N18 (preloaded with Stephenson's rocket sound profile) - without any trouble actually - and let it go with high hopes. It's great.....but stalls all the time on both points and track that other locos handle without a blemish. I'm afraid I don't want to spend 2 hours cleaning my track to spotless before running a single loco. So, do I fit a stay-alive now like Iron-Horse with even more investment, or does it sit on the shelf as a rarely-run ornament? Please, Hornby, fix the contacts!

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Sounds like Zimo is the decoder to go for. At least I'm not alone with the running issues. Need to watch Iron Horses stay alive fitting video.

[@jonathanlake6053]

Maybe Hornby should have produced this as analogue only with a decent stay alive,mine runs at 50% with no issues across insulfrog points anything less is a different story, I did clean all the excess oils from the factory on the inside wheels & pick ups on the axles before running.It will hopefully improve at slower speeds once I have run it in fully,I did manage to snap the rear lantern on the tender when it fell off during its first 3 laps of running in.The coupling system does not appear to be very robust for any wagons to be attached in the future.

[@drevo50]

I salute Hornby for even attempting to retail something this complex. Mine ran well out of the box; after a couple of circuits a secondary link came loose; easy enough to clip back together. I feel the model won't survive much use due to its fragility, mine will be for display purposes only.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Agrees, full marks for ambition. A few tweaks and it's a 5* model.

[@A-Lovely-Bit-of-Kit]

I've always assumed that the 'gauge' is a weight on the pressure release valve.

[@derekloudon8731]

I received mine just before Christmas and I was quite excited. Due to many reasons I haven’t yet had a chance to run it but I am now a little concerned that this purchase might turn out to be unsatisfactory. Has Hornby let us down again!

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Fingers crossed yours runs well. If it does then I'm sure you'll love it. It's beautiful and the moving parts are incredible (when they decide to move).

[@fatwalletboy2]

Hornby are good at forgetting about decoder space. Class 87 is another and thats huge by comparision to No.1

[@LittleWicketRailway]

The class 87 decoder socket ripped the speaker socket off the decoder when I put the body back on 😒

[@cedarcam]

I think it would of been possible to have a split axle with a wound spring pick up on all wheels. Shame it is not a good runner after paying so much. I would be very frustrated and glad I did not order one just to stay on display. It does look a lovely model apart from that.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Exactly. The gears are already on the axels which would keep the contacts apart.

[@Bobs1Models]

Hi there I fitted a Loksound 5 micro to my Locomotion and had the same problem of it not seating properly then I noticed that when I pressed down o the decoder the board fitted to the tender flexed down at the same time so to fix this I pressed the decoder down from the top and pressed up on the board from underneath Problem solved Bob

[@LittleWicketRailway]

This might be the problem. I thought it was the solder pads for the speakers, but it could well be that the PCB was flexing away. I'll give this technique a go.

[@bluebellModelrailway]

I disagree with pickup issue... the loco which you didn't mention is only 49grams... to add other pickups like wipers would be difficult... how the model is, no way of hiding them and also easy to damage. If you add wipers to the tender... I am sure many would complain the wheels don't turn on the tender... As we don't know the motor in this... for me a simpler solution would have been to add a flywheel... which would also add a small amount of weight. End of the day its a compromise. This model does require a lot of running in more than the 30 minutes a few hours maybe.

[@damianinCanadaTT-OO]

Interesting review. Mine is in the post so I’ve gathered lots of information across a number of reviews. It seems a stay alive would have been more useful than a speaker! I don’t think your opinion is harsh at all. I know it was a complex design but if you can’t make it useable then you might as well not try

[@LittleWicketRailway]

I wonder if Hornby have ever even thought about fitting a stay alive as standard or if that is inconceivable for them. I think it'd be fine if they added a couple of extra pickups.

[@lukejackson8741]

I’m very disappointed with mine, it looks fantastic but after spending days trying to get a screwdriver that fitted in the deep socket to get the screw out to fit the decoder, which was also very difficult to fit once in, I had to expand the hole around the screw with a drill, and with that exposed pick up it’s very difficult and concerning, but once all that was done, onto the rolling road… and mine has a bent crank causing the whole thing to warp and stall when broke, day 8 waiting for customer service to reply to get it repaired… curiously mine doesn’t have any name plates… not sure if that’s an issue with my example or if because it’s the club exclusive this is deliberate, including a speaker when no one does a sound decoder small enough is an interesting choice, I’d much I’d rather had a stay alive, but maybe in indication that 2025 May see a smaller HM7000?

[@LittleWicketRailway]

I hope you get it sorted. Presumably you're in the members club, so I would have thought you'd get priority customer service. I imagine they've been pretty busy over Christmas/New Year though.

[@lukejackson8741]

@ yeah, I like the club, got a lord president P2 for £199 instead of £240 for the normal one (at the time) but sadly no additional support The shops give you 15% off but still leaves some models out of reach where as I’ve saved up enough points to pre-order the new DP1 for £190 which brings it right into my price range where as without the points I’d have no chance of affording it

[@FormallyknownasE100]

I think I will give them a pass on the decoder side of things provided there are decoders in the market that will support this, especially since they have managed to fit in a speaker as well. The prototype is simply too small! I don't imagine this will be released in TT:120 anytime soon! The 87 is completely different and totally agree that this unacceptable when it comes to newer and larger models. The era1 couplings are rubbish. Magnetic couplings make so much more sense and credit to them for at least including it for the Accurascale Chaldrons. Just need Accurascale to release a batch of S&DR ones beyond the locomotion exclusive.

[@Alpha-oo8]

I have to wonder if hornbys reasoning behind the pickup design is something to do with them trying to cause less drag on the wheels, due to the nature of the motion? No idea if that’s actually the case, I’m just trying to see if I can identify their logic. You’d think there would be a better solution…

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Possibly. Do they create significantly less drag than wipers? Could they not have done double springs on a split axel?

[@Alpha-oo8]

@@LittleWicketRailway honestly, I don’t know, I don’t claim to understand Hornby logic, all I can do is speculate

[@rorz101uk]

I think your being a bit harsh about hornby, they have done a great job making locomotion. You got to remember not very one works a hornby are not enthusiast or railway modeller, it just a job. It’s the first time that hornby have used those type of pickups and they must have tested them until they are happy with them? I don’t think hornby wanted you to see the wiper pick up on a model like this? I think if you keep running model it will get better. You need to ask yourself where would you put the decoder socket? I wouldn’t have put the decoder in the loco, it’s got a 3 pole motor, I’m sure it says if you want this servicing you will need to send it to hornby. the tender is probably the right place, maybe they could have used an E24/Next28 interface?

[@Planestrains-d5e]

You think, then, that charging £190 (from Hornby) for a model that doesn’t work properly is okay? The pick-up design is not particularly good and a *lot* of reviewers are saying the same thing. Even if it’s ’just a job’, surely quality at the design stages should be expected. And perhaps it should have been offered as a DC only model? For the prices that are being charged, those excuses aren’t good enough.

[@rorz101uk]

@@Planestrains-d5e that’s because I don’t always buy from the manufacturer. £185 is a lot of money. But you always try to get the model as cheap as you can from trade. If the model isn’t working consistently then send it back for a new one or get it repaired by Hornby. I think there are a lot of modeller that actually won’t run it and it will be in a display case or shelf. Currently I’ve ran mine in, runs perfectly and is now in its box until I want to run it again.

[@lukejackson8741]

Hornby uses these pick ups on their TT range

[@user-zs1km5wu1r]

i have dispraxia, this seems to be beyond what I can manage with dcc at 00.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

It's probably not you, it's more likely that the model design causing problems. If you have a local model shop then maybe they can help you out. All the best.

[@davidcook380]

Great Video , But a bit harsh in my opinion

[@LittleWicketRailway]

I try to be objective. It looks beautiful and when it moves it's lovely, but it runs terribly and that sucks all the enjoyment out of it. No point having a moving model if it doesn't run well. Hornby must have been aware it might not run well and they had options on how to make it more reliable, but chose not to do them. The DCC thing is more of an irritation.

[@timyoung7788]

Would it be possible to remove the speaker and wiring, feeing up space for a stay alive? Zimos usually have solder pads for their tiny stay alive modules.

[@LittleWicketRailway]

You probably could, but I wouldn't feel too comfortable taking a soldering iron to this.

[@Pearson4472]

Hi rob, I had a few running issues with mine, I cleaned the wheels with a track rubber so they we’re shining, put a drop of oil on every moving part of motion and then got a cotton but with inox mx3 on and put it on the wheels, just from personal experience with tack cleaning with IPA, I switched to electrical contact cleaner and Inox mx3 after best thing I ever did! Really have no running problems now. This video might help, thanks Elliot kzbin.info/www/bejne/iYSyhpamo99ohsksi=G-Mp_hMm3MCbgf54

[@Jimyjames73]

Hiya - I don't need to be amazed b/c A) I've already seen the Review by Sam's Trains & Pauls Railway Models plus I already own one thanks!!! A good review any way!!! 🙂🚂🚂🚂

[@LittleWicketRailway]

Does yours run ok?

[@brucewoods9377]

Not a very impressive performance. Not my kettle of fish. Pickups are an issue and the couplings are a joke. Hornby really let the side down with this pile of junk. (Impressive scale mechanism, but that’s all)