Azuma bi-mode Celebrating Scotland

An East Coast theme is running through the Hornby D&E range for 2022, with Class 91s, Mk.4 stock, Azuma, Lumo and Trans-Pennine Express Hitachi EMUs all set for release in the coming months. The LNER Azuma Class 800 bi-mode units appeared in the first months of 2022, with celebrity No. 800104 being the latest to arrive.

HORNBY’S LNER Azuma models are sharp and well constructed, creating a very positive impression from unboxing to placing on the layout for testing.

The attractive pale grey and bright red livery scheme sits well on the model which has a strange combination of an aerodynamic front of a high-speed train, combined with the bolted-on appearance of equipment normally associated with suburban trains – neatly encapsulated in plastic.

That sums up the Hitachi Class

800 series of trains. Unlike the APT, which is sleek and almost minimalist in appearance, the Class 800/1 (together with its sisters) has equipment attached to the exterior of the vehicle bodyshells including roof modules; tanks hung under the end vestibules and various electrical boxes attached to either side of the inner gangways.

All of the features of the Class

800 are present and neatly applied, from the detachable nose cone to the roof and inner end fittings which are far from profiled for the slipstream of a high-speed train. Yet, the Class 800-series trains perform well on the East Coast Main Line and are noted for their acceleration when working on electric traction.

Celebrating Scotland

Only one LNER Class 800 bi-mode multiple unit has been named and that is No. 800/1 No. 800104 Celebrating Scotland which received its special vinyls in August 2019 for the launch of Azuma trains from Scotland. The train operated the Flying Scotsman service from Edinburgh Waverley to London King’s Cross. It depicts a tartan design together with a stylised Saltire applied to DPTF No. 819104, covering the blanked-over windows where the kitchen is located. The tartan is LNER’s own design produced by Houston Kiltmakers of Paisley with a combination of colours covering the routes operated by LNER: Blue for Scotland; red for England; white for Yorkshire and purple for the heather of Scottish hills.

Hornby announced a five-car train pack for No. 800104 in December 2019, coinciding with the launch of Azuma trains on the Inverness-King’s Cross Highland Chieftain service on the damp morning of December 10, 2019 which featured No. 800104. Since then, it has worked alongside other bi-mode units on the LNER fleet to extend ECML services beyond the wires to Aberdeen, Inverness, Hull and Harrogate using the under floor diesel engines fitted to five of the nine cars.

Five-car train set

The Class 800/1 train pack (R3827) consists of five cars instead of the full nine–car formation of Class 800/1 trains. The shortened set is composed of DPTF No. 819104; MF No. 818104; MS No. 815104; MS 813104 and DPTS No. 811104. It is hoped that an add-on pack of the four missing cars will be offered for this train in the future, something which Hornby plans for its new Class 801/2 train pack (R3965).

Driving cars

The Hitachi IEP train design is not new to the Hornby catalogue, with models of GWR and test units being released in the past. Nonetheless, it should be noted that the Class 800 is perhaps one of the best models in Hornby’s train pack collection at the time of writing; the flowing lines of the driving cab front are well created in plastic, including the shape of the cab front with its gentle curve and the large single pane windscreen. Along the sides of the driving cars, the windows are correctly sized and spaced. The flat roof is correctly recessed and fitted with roof modules and a pantograph at the inner end, all of which are neatly assembled and finished.

The cab doors are worthy of note, having the distinctive recess around the frame and to accommodate the hand rails. The deep, squared-off cut-out for the cab door handle is also correctly modelled.

There are a lot of curves on the front of the driving cars, around the nose cone and down to the fairing too, all of which match the full size trains well. The nose cone can be unclipped to reveal a cosmetic Dellner coupling along with the structure within the nose area of the cab front. This area is well modelled and offers the ambitious modeller the chance to build in a working coupling arrangement for coupling two five-car Class 800/2s together.

Pantographs

One pantograph is applied to each driving car, located at the inner ends alongside a wealth of supporting detail

in the form of insulators and cabling. The modelling of this area is accurately carried out and convincing. The pantograph itself is very finely moulded from plastic and is not designed to collect power. It is posable but not sprung. Both examples on the review model refused to remain in the raised position during testing, requiring a little modification. When operated on a layout without OHLE, the pans will stay in the lowered position without difficulty.

Inner cars

The distinctly Japanese design of the train shows in the centre cars too with their flat roofs and somewhat utilitarian design with modules and equipment bolted to the exterior including roof and underframe at the vestibule ends. The shape of the cars is accurate, down to the window openings which do not have any form of frame applied to them at all, adding to the austere appearance of the trains beyond the profiled cab fronts. ‘Flush’ glazing is fitted as tinted units and commendably, it does not sit absolutely flat with the sides, but is rebated slightly in the same manner as the full size trains. This adds to

the model’s character along with the underframe sections which have the correct gap between the covers and the lower edge of the body.

Interior detail

Each coach features subtle interior lighting with an LED light at each seating bay, neatly illuminating the single colour moulded interiors. A stay-alive system is incorporated and this is hidden in the vestibule ends where there is sufficient space to tuck it out of sight. The deeply tinted glazing prevents too much of a view of the interior detailing, but it is neatly fitted nonetheless.

Decoders, running lights and pick-ups

Two decoders are required for the model, one fitted to each of the two driving cars to operate the running lights and in the case of the DPTF vehicle, the drive mechanism. Both decoders should be programmed with the same address and the train tested to see that the correct head and tail light positions are displayed for the chosen direction of travel.

The nose cone detaches easily to reveal the cosmetic Dellner coupling located behind it. Note the accurately modelled cut-in around the cab door along with hand rail and door handle recesses.

Power is transmitted to the driving vehicle using conventional wiper pickups which work on all eight wheels. Similar pick-ups are fitted to the inner cars for interior lighting, applied to one bogie only to reduce drag, the stay alive circuit being relied upon to prevent flicker-free lighting in both DCC and analogue control. No power connectors are fitted to the inner couplings.

Bogies, wheels and couplings

When the model was first placed on a layout for testing, the train was checked for rolling resistance after it was observed that the bogies of the inner cars have inside bearings instead of pinpoint wheel sets. They were found to offer some resistance over what one would expect if they were fitted with conventional axles and bearings. Nonetheless, the drive fitted to the DPTF together with its weight is more than a match for four unpowered cars and will manage eight without difficulty should Hornby produce a four car addon pack for No. 800104 (hint, hint).

The bogies are well detailed with good layering of the various features. They rotated freely in all cases and would allow operation of the train through second radius curves with ease. It is worth noting that the scale 26-metre long cars with the overhang at the vestibule ends will appear a little strange when run round second radius curves compared to shorter passenger coaches. Broad curves suit the model far better, at least aesthetically.

The wheels were found to be well modelled with brake disc detail applied to the outer faces and also smooth rolling with no hint of eccentricity in any of them. No squeaks or rasping noises were observed from the current pick-up strips as they ran against the rear of the wheels.

Couplings within the train are simple swallowtail clips which engage in an adjacent coupling box. They are mounted to close coupling cams, although when coupled together, a gap of about 3mm remained between the coaches on straight track.

The inner couplings could be easily upgraded for future releases of the model. Rare earth magnet technology could be used instead of clips making removal of the train from a layout so much easier to do and could reduce the bulkiness of the couplings themselves.

Performance

The four-axle drive is very well concealed in the DPTF vehicle, aided by the blanked off windows where the kitchen is located. It is a quiet and smooth mechanism with excellent slow control and a high top end speed capable of taking the train off the track when entering second radius curves. DCC-users have the option of using decoder settings to bring the operating speed down to a more manageable level. When operated as a five-car set, the train worked well on both directions and showed no hesitancy or a desire to derail when operated with the unpowered driving car leading.

Paint accuracy and application

Notably, when the model was coupled together on level track, the five cars all aligned with each other perfectly, with the red band along the window line and other linear features lining up neatly. It adds up to a well-produced and finished model with excellent colours, smooth lining and sharp printing. Finishing of all components is consistent and fittings are all securely applied to the model.

The tartan vinyl alongside the toned red band are beautifully printed with a lot of the fine detail apparent on the full-size train showing well on the model.

In closing, Hornby has made an excellent job of the Hitachi Class 800-series trains and the model of

LNER No. 800104 adds to their appeal. Fans of the Hitachi family have Lumo, TPE and another LNER Azuma to collect

this year. If the lovely livery application and finishing of the review model is anything to go by, the ECML modeller has a lot to look forward to.

 Hornby’s new Class 800/1 No. 800104 is a shortened version of the only named Azuma operated by LNER. The full-size train consists of nine cars. GAUGE 4mm:1ft

 Both the complex curves making up the cab fronts, together with the flowing livery elements, give the model a refined appearance. Printing is sharp and livery colours nicely matched to the full-size trains.

↑ The inner end of the driving car is equipped with a pantograph and associated wiring and insulators. ↑ Car No. 818104 which is a First Class vehicle (MF). Note the flat roof and ‘bolted on’ roof components which are in contrast to the streamlined fronts of the driving cars.

↑ Whether you are a fan of the Hitachi IEP trains or not, they translate into impressive-looking models in any scale.

↑ The scale of the model is impressive, with a beautifully applied livery adding to its appeal.

→ Printed detail includes the red window line band and markings for coach letters and destination screens. This train seems to be off-route though (EustonCarlisle?).

 Coach H is MS car No. 815104. Note the recessed sliding doors, slight rebate to the windows which is correct and the amount of equipment hanging from the vestibule end of the vehicle – all neatly and consistently applied to the model.

↑

£ Produced by Hornby Hobbies Ltd. www.hornby.com RRP £434.49 ← Out on the layout for testing – operation is smooth and the lighting has just the right level of brightness. Some light leakage from around the cab doors can be observed in low light conditions.

↑ Head-on shot of the cab front minus nose cone to reveal the cosmetic Dellner coupling.

↑ Inner couplings are fitted to close coupling cams which work smoothly and with little slack in them. Note the well-detailed bogies and the inner frame wheel bearings which are not ideal.

↑ Inner end of a driving car showing the vestibule gangway, the doors and jumper cable boxes.

← The single line crossing move between No. 800102 and a ScotRail Turbostar bound for Aberdeen produced an opportunity to take some useful detail images from the station footbridge, particularly of the pantograph well of DPTF No. 819102.

↑ The sad derailment of 1T08 at Carmont on August 12, 2020 following torrential rain and land slips, caused trains to be diverted via the Aberdeen-Inverness line for many months, including two stranded Class 800/1 sets which ran empty to Leeds Neville Hill after a path could be found for them. No. 800113 passes Delnies (Kildrummie) on the last leg to Inverness on August 20, 2020, producing a rare visit of the type on the Aberdeen-Inverness line.

↑ Class 800/1 units soon settled into Aberdeen and Inverness to London services, becoming part of the daily Highland railway scene. No. 800104 shows an unintended livery variation when photographed departing Kingussie with the Up Highland Chieftain on September 17, 2020.

↑ No. 800104 Celebrating Scotland departs Aviemore with the Inverness-King’s Cross Highland Chieftain service on September 26, 2020.

↑ Another serious land slip near Stonehaven closed the Aberdeen-Dundee line for a second time early in 2021, once again stranding a Class 800/1 in Aberdeen. No. 800102 traversed the Aberdeen-Inverness line on a truly dreich January day, pausing in Nairn to cross with an Inverness-Aberdeen service. The rain did not deter this hardy Highland photographer, with this image being recorded on January 20, 2021.

↑ What passes for a little Scottish Highland atmosphere greeted the train crew of the first Azuma service from Inverness to King’s Cross on December 10, 2019. Modern life in the Highlands is far from this tourist display, but it was fun to watch nonetheless.

↑ Azuma launch day for the Highland Chieftain service at Inverness on December 10, 2019. No. 800104 stands in the rain prior to departure and a speech by LNER’s MD David Horne.

↑ More roof detail to contrast with the Hornby model.

↑ Car No. 817102 showing the inner end detail and bogie. Rain spots were starting to show on the camera lens at this point and the rain was bouncing off the platforms.