Hornby 4Vep

If you know your Veps one does not have to look closely to notice other things amiss. Contrary to some published reviews I do not think the cab front looks right. Measuring against scale drawings and scaling against head-on photographs of Vep and Cig fronts, the corridor connection is too narrow causing the cab windows to be too inward and thus the side pillars overwidth by about 0.8mm. Furthermore the corridor connection protrudes too far.

(below) Compare the cab front of 3417 on the left with Hornby's model on the right.

On the unpowered bogies the damper suspension has been moulded the wrong way round. As these bogies do no have couplers or pickups attached they can easily can be rotated through 180 degrees by first removing them, however on the leading and trailing pickup bogies the guard irons will have to be relocated (so it is NOT merely a case of the bogies being fitted the wrong way round). Incidentally, the artwork on the boxes show the dampers correctly orientated.

(below) Compare the corresponding B5 bogies on the TSOs of 3417 and Hornby's model.

Whilst on the topic of bogies, the brake shoes are not moulded in line with the wheels and the flanges on the wheels are approaching miniature pizza-cutter dimensions. On the DTCOs the brake rigging stops short of the bogies at last vertical support so it does not look attached, whereas on a Bachmann model it is extended into the bogies' arc of swing.

My only significant criticism of Bachman's 2EPB model is that the luggage racks, which are the most visible aspect of the interior from the outside, are not modelled, but on Hornby's Vep they commendably are. The supports are moulded as part of the seats but the racks themselves are part of the ceiling moulding and there is a noticeable gap between them, which again is not so visible on units with curtains. The cars are close coupled by a body mounted system which also connects the electrics for the lighting from the pickups on the MBSO, but there is no getting away from the fact that these are fiddly to connect and disconnect. I found it easiest to assemble the four cars whilst on their roofs and then carefully to rotate the whole formation through 180 degrees and onto the track. At least this handed system ensures correct orientation of the cars, provided you also use the correct DTCO on each end. I note on Bachmann's new Class 350 Desiro each car is numbered underneath to assist with assembling the formation correctly.

To put this appraisal into perspective, by any modelling standards to date these are two good models. However, they are good, followed by a "but....". In my opinion these design decisions and lapses result in this model - overall - not reaching the very high standards set by Bachmann's 4Ceps and 2EPBs, or even their own Class 395 Javelins. My fear is that should these models not sell well because of this Hornby will think the Southern EMU market is not worth pursuing further. Our message, as customers, has to be that we will buy well designed and constructed accurate models in viable quantities. I desperately hope Hornby will correct the shortcomings before releasing further versions because, for both Hornby and Southern Electric modellers, I want for this model to succeed - and for Cigs, Reps and TCs to follow.