Written by Richard Grigg, Photos by Gwion Rhys Davies

Introduction

The B2 class Peckett evolved from the previous B1 class which had had it's genesis from an earlier design by engineering firm Fox, Walker & Co. who were bought out in 1880 by Peckett & Sons Ltd.

Between 1905 and 1931 forty members of the class were built to work in various industrial settings, mainly collieries, steelworks and dockside railways. The B2s survived well into the mid 1970s, where they were mostly seen working in NCB (National Coal Board) collieries.

Today three B2s have survived into preservation, one of which (works no:- 1426) is right here in Swansea and can currently be seen, at the time of writing this review, at the Swansea Museum's Llandore Collections Centre.

In this review we will be taking a closer look at the latest industrial model to come from Hornby in the form of Peckett B2 class 'Ryhope Colliery' in NCB blue (R3695).

Also available:

R3693:- Peckett B2 'Sherwood Colliery' Co Ltd. No:- 4 'Sherwood'
R3694:- Peckett B2 Associated Portland Cement 'Westminster'

RRP:- £109.99 or £129.99 (DCC fitted)

DCC fitted models are denoted by the 'X' suffix added to the end of the product code.

Packaging

The model comes in the now very familiar packing we're all use to from Hornby. The loco is encased in the traditional 'block of ice' which is then placed in a sturdy cardboard box with a card sleeve over the whole assembly. Also enclosed is the helpful care and maintenance leaflet. No accessory bag is enclosed as we'll soon see why in the following section of the review.

Detail

Just like the W4 Peckett before it, every square inch of the B2 is brimming with detail.

Moulded detail includes:

Banding on the boiler
Rivets on the cab roof, saddle tank, all 4 sides of the cab, both buffer beams and the front and sides of the smoke box.
Separately fitted details include:
Handrails on the front and sides of the saddle tank
Smoke box dart handles
Unsprung metal buffers and cosmetic coupling hooks
Flushed glazing on the front and rear of the cab
Metal whistle on top of the cab (This is a major improvement on the fragile plastic whistle on the class W4)
Sandbox linkage and copper pipework on both sides
Reverser linkage
Realistic coal load

Inside the cab the detailing is just as impressive. The back head sports moulded rivets and portrays the fire doors in the closed position. The gauge glasses are also moulded but are picked out in gold and silver paint. The coal bunker hatch is also depicted at the rear of the cab, this time in the open position with a small amount of coal spilling out onto the floor.

Separately fitted details include the regulator, reverser, handbrake, copper pipework and valve wheels. A single steam pressure gauge is also present although it's been left blank, however it's high location in the cab means it's not noticeable unless you have your eye right in the cab.

Leaf spring suspension can be seen just peering below the boiler while the high level of detail continues below the running board with the finely intricate and sturdy looking valve gear. Also present are the sanding gear pipes, brake blocks and pipework for the cylinder draincocks.

Livery Application

The NCB deep blue is presented accurately and the white lining on the saddle tank and cab is clear and sharp. This is also the case for the lettering on the saddle tank and the builders plates on the cab sides, the latter of which is so cleanly applied that it's perfectly legible along with the 'Ryhope Colliery' wording below it.

Contrasting the blue livery is the wasp striping on the cab steps as well as the red buffer beams, the linkage below the saddle tank and the traction rods.

Special Features

The model is built to accept a 6-pin DCC decoder that fits into a pair of side jaws at the front of the motor housing. Usually DCC installation in a model like this would not be a problem however a look at the care/maintenance leaflet reveals that the mounting jaws are cast in metal which could potentially cause a problem with the decoder.

Hornby recommend insulating the decoder with insulation tape to avoid any problems however I wonder if this could have been avoided if a decoder mounting bracket had been moulded from plastic instead of metal and screwed or carefully glued to the motor housing.

Performance

The model is fitted with a 3-pole skew wound motor and after the initial run-in period ran smoothly and quietly. Like the W4 Peckett there appears to be no flywheel incorporated due to the small size however it doesn't seem to hinder the performance of the loco in any way.

Tractive effort is aided by the die-cast metal chassis and saddle tank giving the model adequate weight to handle prototypical trains. The ratio of the gearing also allows for a fluid smooth slow speed performance even when running the model on DC analogue.

Final Thoughts

When they were first released the W4 Pecketts set the bar pretty high and the B2s have just raised it even higher again. With the high build quality, crisp clear decals and smooth running this is yet further proof that Hornby are going from strength to strength in the year where it really counts.

The DCC installation could have been made easier with plastic mounting jaws as opposed to the metal ones used but this is a small drop in the ocean of what is a top quality model that industrial modellers are going to want in their collection.

Once again pre-orders resulted in these models selling out long before they even got to the shelves of model shops and no doubt next year will see more B2s in new and striking colours schemes, not to mention that we may possibly get to see a third class of Peckett shunter announced.