Hornby Gauge RailRoad LNER BR Mallard Class A4 Locomotive

The quality of these models has seriously dropped. I bought this Mallard for a Christmas present and it was broken inside the box! Maybe says me right for not opening it and checking it but I shouldn’t have to do for the kind of money that we are talking here! The most minute mechanism has broken and rendered the locomotive useless. I have initiated a replacement but on Christmas morning that doesn’t leave me in a very good place with regard to my son! Who is now very upset. Hornby need to address the quality control because it has become terrible. This Isn’t the first time this has happened!

I bought this knowing it was a railroad budget model, therefore I did not expect it to be as well detailed or accessorised as a more expensive model. It runs really well and is quiet with little or no motor noise. Anyone buying this expecting a display quality model needs to shake their head. Maybe they would expect to pay a mini price for a porche, so to judge it by that criteria is wrong. Very pleased and it doesn't look bad at all on the track where the detail isn't that noticeable anyway.

Firstly I must stress that that I wanted this as a static display model to replace a plastic one that I already had. I did this with the Flying Scotsman and there was a marked difference in detail and quality between the Hornby and the Plastic Model which it was meant to replace, as you would expect. However in the case of The Mallard the opposite turned out to be true.I checked photographs of Mallard on-line n order to make sure that the difference in the details for which I returned the Hornby Model were accurate.For one thing the numbers on the engine and the tender are supposed to have a drop shadow in red, but on the Hornby model they are just plain gold with no drop shadow.On every image of Mallard and on my plastic static model there is an oval brass plate under the number on the side of the cab. There is also a brass coloured round feature on the boiler, both of which are on the plastic model. On the Hornby neither are there.Also in the the front of the tender on the plastic model there are two flexible hoses with valve Gear on the top of them, on the Hornby Model there seems to be nothing there at all but balck moulding.As for the colour between both, there seems to be no discernible difference.I have therefore, reluctantly as I expected more, decided to return the Hornby and bought a second hand Hornby R077 LNER 4-6-2 instead which has all the aesthetic features but I doubt the hoses are there on that model either. It will still look more realistic to the pictures and video I've found that the model being sold here.

Beautifully made replica of the Mallard steam engine. Unfortunately one of the coupling rods was striking the engine casing thus creating a most annoying click......hence the four stars. At the price paid, I would expect Hornby quality control to have picked this up. Shame as Hornby products are overall on the expensive side.

A good looking loco runs extremely well

This engine has exceeded our expectations. Many of the larger engines seem to struggle on our track but this flies around and is good at staying on the rails

The Millard soon as you say the name people just wanna see it a lovely looking train

Fantastic detail in this model - even down to sprung buffers. Runs smoothly and very good at low speeds. Great value.