mwrob

My best guesses would be: GWR 111 'The Great Bear' - following on from other experimental steam locomotives (W1, Turbomotive) New Tool Caledonian Single - there seems to be an appetite for pre-grouping Scottish locos (Rail/Bach CR 828, Rapido HR Jones Goods) and Hornby are protective of locos that they have made in the past. S&DR Locomotion No.1 - this is less likely but I expect a new loco for the Rocket range and Locomotion makes sense with the upcoming bicentenary of the S&DR, although maybe they'll wait for the 2024 announcements. Another Peckett/Industrial steam loco - maybe a Manning Wardle, the 0-4-0 the SECR used would make sense. Another Ruston/Sentinel/Industrial IC loco - Not sure what to expect here, but there’s sure to be something. A fireless or battery loco - bit more of a wildcard but I think Hornby will want to keep things interesting. 009 Narrow Gauge - this is more wishlisting but Hornby have shown willingness to enter new scales, so you never know. 00n3 is more likely as it uses TT gauge track.

Highland Railway locomotives were originally green until William Stroudley took over as locomotive superintendent and developed his Improved Engine Green colour and applied it to passenger engines. Stroudley left for the LBSCR in 1870, at which point David Jones took over and continued applying a slight variation on the Stroudley livery until 1884. The livery that replaced it is the one seen on the earliest Jones Goods that Rapido are offering, similar to what came before but with an apple green in place of the yellow/ochre of improved engine green. While the yellow currently applied to 103 is an accurate Highland livery, it's discontinuation predates the locomotive's construction by 10 years. As such, it is very unlikely that any of the locomotives of this class wore yellow in service.

I'd been expecting to see the Big Goods turn up for a while now but for some reason didn't expect Rapido to choose it, I'm certainly not disappointed though. I'll definitely be picking one of these up, probably the Drummond green livery. One livery that does seem missing is one of the variations of plain green applied between 1902 and 1922, but I'm sure it'd be an option in a later batch if there was enough intrest. Would also love to see more Highland locos RTR but I won't be getting my hopes up too soon, given this is the only preserved example.

While I'm sure Hornby took advice on this, it feels to me like it's something they think they can get away with, rather than Hornby being in the right. As I understand it, the 'Thunderbolt' livery applied to Lion was solely for the filming of The Titfield Thunderbolt and that livery design would likely be part of the intellectual property. This is where I think Hornby might have gone too far. I can see them getting away with Lion, a flat wagon with a coach body and a brake van, but not the exact replica they've decided to produce. Another way of looking at it, Hornby could make a model of an LB&SCR E2 just fine. But sell it in blue with a number 1 on the side and HIT Entertainment are going to have something to say about it.

I'm guessing something inspired by a Metropolitan A class with bulky condensing apparatus. Although the Cambrian did convert some second hand ones to tender locos so maybe both?

If you look at the rest of the list of items though, "SQUARE WATER TOWER (45243)" could possibly be the water tower at Dolgoch. And even if Skarloey isn't a detainled 009 model it will be useful for it's chassis, but I still think it's a less detailed version of an 009 model yet to be annouced on March 2nd along with the rest of the 2015/16 range.

My thinking is that it might be a so far unanounced 009 model converted for Thomas use in the USA. But I might be wrong.

Is there any chance of aything 009 from DJM?