Hornby Dublo

Hi all please can someone answer a question for me. What was the last loco to be built for Hornby Dublo 3RD rail track system and which year did it come out.


Thanks

 

Believe it was W/C class 34042 Dorchester - Autumn 1961

I had one for Xmas that year.

http://www.hrca.net/hornby_dublo_history.html

 

Just looked it up in Michael Foster's book and the West Country it is, in October 1961. I had a suspicion that it was the notorious Metrovick diesel but this had appeared in May.

 

I have a 2 rail version of Dorchester (the Wrenn model), It still out performs modern day locos by a country mile.

My dad also has most of his old 3 rail stock and it is great to look through it and realise how far models have come along since then.

 

Was there a lot of anger out there when Hornby pulled the plug on their three rail track system or had most people already converted over to the two rail system? Were there any other companies out there at the time doing locos and rolling stock for the three rail system?

Thanks

 

I don't think there was anger as such: I think most people realised that three-rail had had its day and was bound to be superceded. There was still a lot of it about - still is - but the old timplate vehicles were being replaced by the plastic Super Detail stuff. The original three-rail / timplate stock had been excellent in its day, and the Super Detailed stuff carried on that tradition. The mouldings might not be up to modern standards, but in the late 50s / early 60s thay could match anything being produced anywhere else. But three-rail track, acceptable with tinplate, was now really shown up so just didn't fit.

The problem was that Mecanno then went from an extremely simple three-rail system to a very complex system of two-rail with live point Vs. From being able to chuck three-rail on the carpet and expect it to work - and work well - they went to a system which demanded a fair understanding of electrical principles, which few children and not many more fathers had. The two-rail system was plagued with problems caused by the lack of of technical know-how, giving it a reputation for unreliability. Three-rail, however unrealistic (and I'm not convinced the two-rail track was a massive improvement here), was very reliable. By the time a simpler (Simplex) system was introduced, the damage was done and many had defected to Triang.

There were other problems with two-rail locos, particularly diesel outline. The three-rail ones worked well with plenty of wheels in rail contact to provide a current return, despite fitting rubber traction tyres. But two-rail depended on all wheels making contact, not possible through the rubber tyres. Poor running generally, particularly through points, resulted.

Hornby Dublo HAD to go two-rail; there's no doubt about that, but the way they went was wrong and ultimately led to its demise. Many of us did stick with three-rail - indeed still do. My own collection still sees regular use. It's as reliable today as it always was, and yes, it is laid on the carpet!

As to the power of those old motors, it's amazing! The 8F (non-ring field) often draws 30 timplate minerals and brake through the 15" curves, It was only during a power cut when I tried to move this raft by hand that I realised just how much tractive effort was needed!

 

I don't think there were too many outlets for anger in those days - not like today.

But there were people who would convert 3 rail stock to two rail, I stil have a few somewhere.

 

Thanks everyone for the info.
:smt023