Four-metres of model: Hornby’s ambitious APT-P project
Tilt, lights and advanced electronics are some of the features of the brand-new Hornby ‘OO’ gauge APT-P model collection. Comprising of an extensive bank of tools allowing complete 14-car trains to be modelled, has Hornby hit the mark with its model of the most powerful train ever to operate on British Rail?
First impressions
IMMEDIATELY upon unboxing the
APT-P models which were announced in Hornby’s centenary year, the first impression is that Hornby has finally nailed InterCity executive livery, particularly the light grey colour.
Supplied in card packaging with lift-out sleeves, the APT-P models are quite secure for transport, but one wonders if something a little more exciting could have been done with the packaging for what is Hornby’s current prestige model, together with a booklet containing the information printed on the exterior sleeve instead of a basic instruction leaflet. What is good to see is the lack of plastic packaging and in the case of both train packs, none had experienced any damage during transit in their boxes.
A pair of train packs were released in early 2022 to join the add-on trailer packs and the additional Non-Driving Motor vehicles which were first released in 2021. The add-on trailer packs extend the train packs to make up authentic seven-car plus seven-car formations equalling 14 in total length, which equals about four-metres of model.
Unless one has a large layout, running the trains in shortened formation is quite acceptable and indeed, the prototypes were operated in various lengths during testing. It certainly was challenging enough to demonstrate the impressive length of the brand-new APT-P in the studio.
Five-car train pack
Nos. 370003 and 370004 are presented in the five-car train pack (R3873) decorated in an early version of InterCity APT livery with a white cantrail stripe and minimal black applied to the driving cab windows. The Non-Driving Motor (NDM) vehicle No. Sc 49003 City of Derby is motorised allowing the five-car train to be operated straight from the box.
Seven-car train pack
The pack comprising of No. 370001 and No. 370002 includes the APT-U development vehicle No. Sc 48204 which was withdrawn from No. 370004. It was rebuilt as an evaluation vehicle to test the non-articulated APT-U concept which was decided upon when difficulties with the APT-P meant that the planned introduction date for APT-S would be missed. The development vehicle was used in APT formations for dynamic testing, coupled to an NDM. Placing the APT-U development car aside, the pack contains six standard vehicles of which two are NDMs (one of which is motorised); two are Driving trailer Seconds (DTS) and two are Trailer Brake Firsts (TBF).
The applied livery is a later version of InterCity APT livery with an orange safety stripe applied to the NDMs together with the driving cabs. A black mask was applied around the front cab windows which gave the train a completely different appearance. The legend ‘InterCity APT’ is also applied on the front of the train.
Notably, there is an important detail difference between the two train packs. The NDMs in the seven-car pack are equipped with a Brecknell Willis pantograph, while the earlier five-car version has a Stone-Faiveley design.
Add-on trailer packs
Trailer packs for both train sets are offered to allow the trains to be extended with the appropriate vehicles, correctly numbered. Each one consists of a pair of trailers of the same type with the appropriate running numbers. The TS trailer pack for No. 370001 and No. 370002 has one TS trailer numbered for each. The same applies to the TF, catering vehicles and the TU. The information needed to accurately build up the trains is printed on the box of both five- and seven-car train packs.
Each train pack needs four add-on trailer packs to make them up to 14 cars plus an NDM for the five-car pack. This leaves the APT-U development vehicle as a spare.
Overall shape
Hornby has achieved an excellent result with the shape of the vehicles, including its unique cross-profile which is required for the clearance envelope when the train tilts into curves.
The wedge-shaped cab fronts and lifting nose cones of the DTS are well proportioned, along with the curve of the roof profile and shape of the inner ends.
A notable seam is present along the length of the trailers where the upper body is separated from the under body. Where this join could be hidden is difficult to say, so its location along a paint line is the best option, although it could have been a little closer in fit. It is along this line where some slight distortion in the bodyshell could be observed when individual vehicles are observed from a low angle. No dimpling or sink marks were observed in the roof of any vehicle.
Fitted out with tinted flush glazing, which does not give any indication of the thickness of the bodyshell moulding, the models have the sleek, smooth exterior of the full-size trains. Moulding of the NDM vehicles is complex with their pantograph wells and recesses for the pantograph framing which extends down through the body to the bogies. This was a design feature of the full-size trains intended to keep the pans level when the train was tilting, ensuring consistent contact with the overhead wires.
Moulded detail
The APT-P bodyshell is very smooth, even with the fine ribbing present on the roof, which is subtly modelled. In fact, ‘subtle’ is an appropriate word for all of the moulded detail which is scant, except along the curved lower sections of the under body. The driver’s, passenger and guard’s compartment door seam lines are subtle – not too deep. Door handles are present on the cab doors, while the grilles behind the cabs are refined in appearance. Under body panel hatches are also neatly moulded with fine detail.
Interior detail
All of the vehicles are fitted out with seats and tables moulded in plastic. While the interior colour differs depending on the vehicle, only one colour of plastic is used in each. The fitting out of the APT-U development vehicle with its unique seating layout and instrumentation is impressive. Additional colours have been used to pick out the banks of instruments and computers which are clearly seen when the interior lighting is powered.
On the subject of interior lighting, all of the trailers are fitted with a row of warm white LEDs in the ceiling which illuminates the interiors well. A capacitor is incorporated in the circuit to prevent light flicker during operation and it is a meaty one too, being quite large. When the models are dark, the capacitor in each trailer is not visible. When the lights are switched on, they are clearly seen at one end – a little more care in locating them or sourcing smaller caps could have been taken.
NDM performance
One powered NDM is supplied with each train pack and they are fitted with a four axle drive linked to a motor and flywheels through gear towers and drive shafts. On testing, the models ran slightly noisily for a while on a rolling road until they seemed to settle in. Each one was examined for excess lubrication and also checked for any sign of warm components on the circuit board. There have been reports of drive shafts coming loose in the body with the resulting loss of power and additional noise from the mechanism. Remedying this is not difficult, but requires removal of the pantograph assembly and bodyshell, along with some careful manoeuvring of parts to effect a repair.
The bogies are clipped into the chassis frame rather than attached with screws. Additional clips applied to the end of the bogie frames work on the under body to create the tilting action. Part of the tilt action is through the loose fit of the bodyshell to the chassis which is a little disconcerting when first encountered.
Pantographs
The first serious comment on the model comes with the pantographs which are composed of injection moulded plastic. The Brecknell Willis would not remain raised for very long, although the Stone-Faiveley model was better sprung. Posing one Brecknell Willis pantograph resulted in the arm assembly becoming detached from the frame, all too easily. Whille some of the excessively sprung pantographs fitted to other electric locomotive and multiple unit models, including some European-outline models, are far from desirable, those fitted to the APT are too soft for posing without having to make modifications to them. Work remains to be done in this area of electric traction modelling – there is currently no mainstream model of UK electric traction where the pantograph is just right.
Decoders, lights and pick-ups
Three decoders are required for the APT-P model: one each for the DTS to power the running lights and one for the powered NDM. Fitting is simplified through the provision of a panel in the underside of the vehicles which is easily unscrewed to reveal an eight-pin DCC interface socket. The recess is designed for the Hornby decoder – there being enough room for one and its plug. The lack of space rules out many other types and care is needed when choosing an alternative decoder for size and wiring. Pack the decoder recess of the NDM too much and the tilt action can be affected. One option is to remove the body and feed the decoder wires through the underframe to attach it to the top of the chassis frame.
Pick-ups are simple sprung wiper pick-ups working on the rear face of the wheels. All of the illuminated vehicles are equipped in addition to the powered NDM. Each individual car rolls reasonably well, but the accumulated drag when additional trailer packs are inserted in the train soon begins to show. One powered NDM is capable of propelling a 14-vehicle set on the level but struggles on any form of incline.
Furthermore, the pick-up friction on the rear of the wheel gives off a highpitched noise – they literally sing, which is very annoying. It is fair to say that a model at this price point should have been fitted with a more sophisticated split-axle current collection system and metal pinpoint axle bearings.
The running lights are very effective, as is the interior lighting, which is supported by the aforementioned capacitors. Little or no sign of light leakage is apparent and the interior lighting is consistent in all of the passenger vehicles; the seemingly differing light shades being a result of the interior colour rather than the LEDs. There is no method for switching the interior lighting off.
Bogies, wheels and couplings
Blackened metal wheel sets with pinpoint axles are fitted throughout the train. The axle pinpoints ride directly in the bogie frame plastic and show about 1mm of side play. There is some drag apparent in some wheel sets and during testing, a couple were found to be more than 14.5mm in the back-toback measurement, something which became apparent when the model derailed on proprietary track during testing. Bogies were also inspected for distortion, which can cause vehicles to sit out of alignment with each other, although nothing was found.
The articulated bogies are fitted with a simple but effective ball-andsocket coupling arrangement which allow smooth tilting of the train. Nonarticulated bogies such as those fitted to the NDMs and adjacent vehicles have slim push-fit couplings which are effective, but awkward to use. A simple magnetic coupling could have been devised for these bogies. No close coupling cams are fitted, which has allowed the correct end profile of the NDM bodies to be modelled below the floor line. The ball side of the ball and socket coupling used on the articulated bogies is screwed in place instead of being integrally moulded which is a thoughtful design. If one is broken for any reason, replacement is easier as a result.
Paint accuracy and application
As mentioned earlier, the models exhibit an excellent livery application overall and the colours are consistent over all of the vehicles. Colour shades are accurate and smoothly applied, along with good quality printing for the InterCity APT legends on the NDMs and lining over the top of the driving vehicle cabs. Some slight overlapping of colours can be seen here and there, and there is a slight mismatch of width where curves meet tangents. The finish has a slight sheen to it, which is fine, scaling InterCity APT livery down nicely. The individually numbered trailers are also a very nice touch allowing authentic trains to be assembled.
Overall impressions
Assembly quality is good, with only a couple of windows observed as being incorrectly seated in one or two trailers. Fine details are well-applied, including the grille on the roof of the driving cabs (it does allow a view of some interior components though) along with NDM roof details which is fitted out with individual insulators, bus bar and grille.
What has turned out to be a good set of models could be really pushed into the great category with some improvements. The interior capacitors could be relocated so they are not visible when passenger cars are illuminated. Using capacitors for flickerfree lighting is a good move, but we don’t want to see them!
More space is needed for decoder fitting. Decoders are very much a personal choice and the dedicated space is too small for a lot of suitable decoders plus harness wires. A NEXT18 socket might be better for the model for its compact size and would provide the flexibility to add sound to the models.
Current collection should have left the old fashioned wiper pick-up behind long ago for such high-end models, especially when all of the vehicles are equipped. Split-axle and end-of-axle current collection which doubles as low friction metal bearings for the pinpoints would bring a marked improvement in performance, given that pick-ups are fitted to all of the passenger vehicles. Pantographs need attention so they can be posed or sprung gently into place without fear that they will fall apart. Non-articulated bogie couplings should be redesigned with magnets for ease of use, too.
Without doubt, the APT-P character is beautifully distilled into this collection of ‘OO’ gauge models.
It is a highly ambitious project: the engineering challenges must have been fun to work through to produce a reliable tilt system which was not too complex for economical production, not to mention the large number of tools required.
Does it represent value for money? Well, if you want an APT-P as a signature train for a given layout theme, then yes, it does. It certainly fills a lot of track compared to similarly priced models such as the Bachmann 4-BEP and Western Pullman set and it is eye-grabbing, too.