BRAND NEW HORNBY 9F Powers Very Long, Heavy Freight Train.

How many wagons?!?

This is the newly tooled ‪@HornbyModelRailways‬ Riddles 9F currently hitting the shops and they’ve knocked it out the park! 💥

From initial impressions, the bar has just been raised yet again with the level of detail, accuracy and quality of OO Gauge Ready to Run models.

Even the packaging has been upgraded for this release with a large, tough box and extra foam padding inside to protect all those separately fitted details.

There are several stand out features I’ve noticed so far including the impressive injector pipe work beneath the fireman sides cab, the fine profile of the smoke deflectors and the plethora of cab detail. This particular example even has the mechanical stoker fitted in the cab, a device trialled on 92165 - 92167 from new to deliver coal from the tender into the firebox quicker than a fireman and therefore fulfill the steam raising potential of the excellent 9F boiler.

The detail pack now includes a specially designed driver and fireman figures (a very welcome bonus), sturdy front steps, screw link coupling, AWS deflector plate and fine cylinder drain cocks.

Imagine how good it will look with typically heavy weathering to suit those grimy wagons! 💨 💨 💨 💨 💨

Oh and the Hornby 9F’s have a 21pin decoder socket - as far as I’m aware this is a first on a Hornby steam locomotive. Unfortunately I didn't have a suitable decoder to fit, so the speed control and therefore syncing of the sound effects to the wheels isn't as precise as I would like, but hopefully this provides you with a good view of this brand new model.

As you can see it has the haulage capability of the real locos.

More videos of this fine freight loco to come!