JeremyKarl

Agree. I note that as with the previous batch, Hornby no longer make the Sleeping Car that was part of the original batch of Gresley coaches (R4174/A/B/C). It makes me wonder if they lost the tooling for this coach or if they just didn't sell well enough to justify further productions of them? It would be nice to see some other variations of these Gresley coaches to match these ones in future. JK

Many thanks for the pictures. These coaches really do look fantastic. I am looking forward to getting my ones soon (once my trunk is shipped in the near future). JK

SR ones in olive green must be imminent 😀 I have just been charged for my 4 pack set H4-46Pack-701L. Jeremy p.s. Just been charged for LBSCR ones too 😁😁

Hopefully timed to include the next batch of Genesis Coaches (LBSCR, SR, LNER) 😀

I just been charged for 2 items (H4-6BT-901AL and H4-6BT-901C) which will be put in my trunk until I'm ready to have them shipped. So I assume that some are now here in the UK? 😀 Jeremy

Perhaps I missed it, but will they have sprung buffers? (It's a feature I love on Hornby coaches and one reason I dislike Bachmann ones.) The other features are fantastic - 5* - and I am looking forward to these as I have wanted quality Mk1 coaches of any sort for some time. JK

Was the 3rd (and 2nd) radius limitation ever mentioned by Rails of Sheffield on their order page? I was rather attracted to E2001 as an example of a late crest loco in black, but I am seriously put off buying one if it won't run on 2nd radius curves, which seem to be a de facto standard in the OO world of model railways.

Received today by email from Hattons:

Good point! Agree with you that I probably have in that case But even in the absence of a cardboard box due to the current shortage, I would used plenty of bubble wrap around the item first and then used "brown paper and string" (well perhaps not the string ) as a flat-pack type envelope is sort of hinting that the item can be squashed a bit without any harm. It always seems a pity to me that one can't easily return the unspoilt cardboard boxes back to the retailers rather than take them to the tip (en masse) for "recycling". (I used to recycle black sacks full of polystyrene chips to one auctioneer of Dublo items years ago as I had so many.) JK

The coach may not be damaged but the box certainly was. Unbelievable that a retailer packaged the item(s) so badly Hope I never buy a model railway product from that retailer

Hornby has just sent out a second email re the new Engine Shed - and after several attempt all I get is a 502 error too!

I had the same issue when trying to reset my password as per their email. First time it crashed with unexpected error, so the site is clearly still buggy. (I had to repeat the whole operation and it worked the second time, but I would have probably given up for a while had it crashed a second time.) I would hesitate to buy at the moment as I can see my basket filling up and then all being lost at some crucial stage of the transaction. For my online shopping, I'll stick with Hattons, Rails, Derails, Burevalley, Kernow, et al. (other excellent model shops available) for now. Jeremy

The new web site seems a bit glitchy (see screenshot), so perhaps early days, and I also find it rather slow. Rather than updating the web site, surely updating the hardware would have been more in order. Personally, I would have said that the key to a successful on-line retail shop is to use a fast web server so that customers don't get bored and browse elsewhere. A minor point, but I also noted that a single style sheet has been applied to all old editions of the Engine Shed, which has the advantage of making them appear with the same typographical style and headers, but is to the detriment of some older pages (though perhaps this is not important). Just my initial reaction...

Many thanks. A very helpful comment as there was no indication of any discount in my local Tesco's until I got to the self-checkout. Nothing even shows on the hand scanner until one checks out. So one has to know about the discount. I noted that the Hornby catalogue was only in the section where the 2 for 1 magazines are often found in my local store and not with the railway magazines, which is where I had been looking for the last few days in the large Tesco's in Horsham. The February edition of the Hornby magazine could be found both with the usual railway magazines and next to the Hornby Catalogue so it may pay to peruse the shelves carefully in some stores! Jeremy

For a 2020 review, I found it very thin, especially compared to previous annual reviews, e.g. the future Coronation Scot coaches were omitted despite all the development work mentioned in previous editions. In particular, previous annual review editions have reviewed all of the major releases in the year reviewed, starting with the January releases first: apart from the Centenary releases in this one, which seems to be mentioned rather briefly at the end, there is very little mention of any of the other releases for 2020. So, I found this edition of the Engine Shed somewhat dull and very flat. I appreciate that Hornby doesn't want to spoil the excitement of the 2021 announcements in January so I didn't expect to see mention of any future releases in this edition. But not even a teaser to whet the appetite? Just my initial and personal reaction to it, Jeremy

It seems I spoke too soon My final SE&CR one arrived with the smokebox dart and handrail above missing. I found the detached smokebox dart but not the handrail. I am puzzled as to how it could have broken off given that the ice cube packaging doesn't appear to put any force onto the front of the loco. Pity as I would happily have reattached the smokebox dart as the rest of it looks fine but I don't fancy replacing the broken off handrail, so this one will have to go back The footplate looks fine and I adore the lining on these locomotives - and again what an exquisite chimney!

My one arrived today and I can see no fault with the running plate (I took a ruler to it). So very happy with it so far though I have still to test it's running capabilities and to add a DCC chip. So 3 out of 4 terriers from Rails ok so far but perhaps I am lucky. Who knows... I have to say that the copper-topped chimney is a real delight though I wonder how long it will stay the colour of freshly-turned/polished copper. I assume that any touch from ones fingers and it will change shade like an old penny. A thin-coat of lacquer may keep it shiny though? Just wondering... Jeremy p.s. I have still to receive my SE Terrier - Rails are still awaiting more stock I was told.

But the "Simon Says Forum" is still on the Hornby web site, which is definitely less useful without the original blog! I would argue that the blogs are relevant for those interested in the history of Hornby (even though it is a personal view). Having found the blogs again, I enjoyed reading a few of them for a second time. Not only are some of the blogs are missing, but some of the archived ones have the illustrations missing too (though a few can be tracked down still on the Hornby web site). I guess the blogs could have disappeared due to website modernisation/update/etc. Although, Simon always made clear that the articles were a personal view, it is also possible that they didn't fit in with the current corporate image. Alas, material disappears from a lot of websites but that is just the nature of the medium of the internet: one can create a new image and lose the old one Jeremy

But they are archived! Try using the Wayback Machine, e.g. see https://web.archive.org/web/20151023005225/https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/simonsays Jeremy

I like the subtle difference in the livery crests of the 1st class and 2nd/3rd class coaches (which I believe is correct)

"Before": https://images.hattons.co.uk/products/R6911A_3463295_Qty1_3.jpg and "after" image: https://images.hattons.co.uk/products/R6911B_20200825_3546791_Qty1_3.jpg on Hattons web site, so definitely looks darker now

Barry, I decided to pre-order 25+ of these coaches (in various southern-based liveries) and so I went for the packs to save money. Normally, I am cautious but, as £36 per coach with lighting is a lot cheaper than Bachmann's birdcage coaches without it, I decided that I didn't want to risk them selling out (or the price to rise in the New Year). Personally, I am sure they will be better than the Stove-R (which I bought bought somewhat ambivalently). If the middle axis of the 6-wheeler coaches is problematic, so be it - they will at least look superb on display in a siding. Also, I admit that I didn't order all at once, having added to my original order twice as I have seen CAD and livery developments. Just my personal view - other's may take a wait and see approach. Jeremy

I really like this shade ("bright lake") as I found the later colours used on the Bachmann coaches somewhat dull, especially on the unlined wellington brown coaches.

There seems to a minor typo ("Bonns Road" ) on the front of the No.20 bus in the image on the Hornby shop web site: https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/Hornby-centenary-bristol-lodekka-bus-Hornby-100-liverpool-no-20.html They seem like a nice idea ... Jeremy p.s Image not uploaded as I don't wish to break any copyright rules

Each carriage is about 18g and the loco and tender with a Hornby DCC chip in the barrel comes in at 45g. (I would give a more precise value but I only have a balance weighing to nearest 1g at home.) I've ordered a "wagon" style coach already - any idea of the weight? I've no idea how much this little loco can pull. Jeremy