Hornby Junior

[Legend]

Sorry , aside from the similarity of sets I just don't see a Marklin/Hornby tie up. As to Hornby getting the licence to G scale Thomas I think we are off in the realms of fantasy here. The position is clear . Hornby have licence for Thomas OO in UK. Bachmann have the licence elsewhere and the licence for large scale models. Why would that change ?

 

This Hornby Junior set is developed as a lower cost trainset than even the Hornby Stalwart of 0-4-0 plus three wagons . It's needed to get a presence in the big toy stores . If you look at Smyths or Toys r Us there is no Hornby . That's why it's needed . However I am lamenting the lack of functionality and ability to be extended.

[HonestTom]

I wonder if Hornby are relying on the brand to sell these? Whatever else you can say about them, the Hornby name has excellent brand recognition, to the extent that it's probably the only model railway company that the average British non-enthusiast can name. Perhaps the idea is that the non-enthusiast parent with a train-mad pre-schooler will pick the company they recognise.

[cal.n]

 

It can run on 16.5mm track and watching the video, it looks like it is fine gauge-wise with tunnels, bridges and platforms etc.

 

I assume the wheels are then fully plastic and there is no risk of a short when using alongside other stock.

 

I can't see the advantage with making it compatible with proper stuff because it will only cause confusion about powering it and mixing with rail-powered stock.

 

P4 anyone?

[phil-b259]

I can't see the advantage with making it compatible with proper stuff because it will only cause confusion about powering it and mixing with rail-powered stock.

 

 

There are two advantages

 

(i) It allows the youngster to run 'their' train on a layout owned by an older person and furnished with 'proper' Hornby stuff

(ii) Upgrading can be a two stage process - buying proper Hornby track which the Junior range can run on, then adding Railroad range stuff to enhance the collection at a later date.

 

Markin's 'My World' may be a more comprehensive set of products but if ( as I'm led to believe is the case) its design requires a wholesale 'chuck out and replace' then even just on cost grounds it does not necessarily encourage youngsters to progress into proper railway modellers. True such a product range can make lots of money and also gain a significant presence in 'Toy' shops / departments - but in that sense its no different from Brio, or Tomy or Lego trains, where companies have no interest in prolonged involvement beyond the stated age range.

Edited July 10, 2017 by phil-b259

[cal.n]

Upgrading can be a two stage process - buying proper Hornby track which the Junior range can run on, then adding Railroad range stuff to enhance the collection at a later date..

I can see the advantages of the progression system into a proper Hornby train set and beyond. But if it's advertised as being compatible with standard a '00' layout, it will have to be fine with all Hornby infrastructure, like tight train set loading gauges, signals and curved platforms could be an issue looking at the large coach overhang.

 

Or am I taking this a little bit too seriously?

[JSpencer]

I can see the advantages of the progression system into a proper Hornby train set and beyond. But if it's advertised as being compatible with standard a '00' layout, it will have to be fine with all Hornby infrastructure, like tight train set loading gauges, signals and curved platforms could be an issue looking at the large coach overhang.

Or am I taking this a little bit too seriously?

Nah, not serious enough yet. It is when you start talking about how fine the BW panto is on this toy that you then need to worry.

[Coryton]

Markin's 'My World' may be a more comprehensive set of products but if ( as I'm led to believe is the case) its design requires a wholesale 'chuck out and replace' then even just on cost grounds it does not necessarily encourage youngsters to progress into proper railway modellers. True such a product range can make lots of money and also gain a significant presence in 'Toy' shops / departments - but in that sense its no different from Brio, or Tomy or Lego trains, where companies have no interest in prolonged involvement beyond the stated age range.

 

I think you have been mislead.

 

The My World 'toy' trains (the brand also includes "Railroad" style models) run on 00/H0 track.

 

In fact the first sets came with regular Marklin (expensive) integral ballast track even though metal tracks (and the power-transferring clip-together joints) aren't required.

 

Presumably the sets sold enough that it was worth tooling up separate track, because now they are sold with track with moulded plastic rails. However, this track still connects to the regular Marklin track, and the trains will also happily run on Hornby/Peco/etc. track.

 

In fact Marklin make the point that the trains can run on "Dad's" model railway.

 

They even sell an adaptor truck with a chunky toddler-proof magnetic coupling on one end and a regular coupling on the other.

 

Where the Hornby set seems to have an advantage in terms of moving up is that it looks a lot more realistic than the Marklin sets, which are chunky, less realistic models designed to be robust and survive ham-fisted treatment, being trod on etc. - and they do. (But despite this they are of recognisable prototypes, though perhaps not to many UK children). 

 

On the other hand, the Hornby set doesn't seem to be remote controlled which makes it less useful on a real layout.

 

And I wonder what they were testing, given that this seems to be an existing Italian outline set re-badged for the UK market?

[MGR Hooper!]

I'm not sure if anyone knows about this or not, but incase you don't, the "Hornby Junior" range is now being released under the Jouef brand. Most may know about that, however they seem to be expanding the range also. See the links below.

Jouef Junior train set:-
https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/shop/brands/jouef-h0-1-87/jouef-h0-1-87-jouef-junior-le-rapido.html

Additional wagons in the Jouef Junior range:-
https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/shop/brands/jouef-h0-1-87/jouef-junior-h0-1-87-tank-wagon-2-axles-yellow-and-red-livery.html

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/shop/brands/jouef-h0-1-87/jouef-junior-h0-1-87-refrigerated-wagon-interfrigo-blue-livery.html

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/shop/brands/jouef-h0-1-87/jouef-junior-h0-1-87-railway-crane.html

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/shop/brands/jouef-h0-1-87/jouef-junior-h0-1-87-flat-wagon-with-2-containers.html

[Hroth]

The wagons will look a bit odd being pulled by a streamlined "Express".  Perhaps a "Junior" diesel shunter is due?

[Coryton]

The wagons will look a bit odd being pulled by a streamlined "Express".  Perhaps a "Junior" diesel shunter is due?

 

It will be a bit of a challenge as the "Express" train doesn't seem to have any couplings at the ends.

 

I wonder if Hornby are relying on the brand to sell these? Whatever else you can say about them, the Hornby name has excellent brand recognition, to the extent that it's probably the only model railway company that the average British non-enthusiast can name. Perhaps the idea is that the non-enthusiast parent with a train-mad pre-schooler will pick the company they recognise.

 

Picking up on an older comment, the Hornby name doesn't seem to have much brand recognition with children today. OK it's the parents that matter, but I do wonder how well known it is to most parents of young children nowadays.

[sjrixon]

My son got this for Christmas from a relative. It's quite nice and good fun, but as others have stated a little limiting for small children. 

 

The track clips together, but you have to keep it flat or the clips get broken. Well guess what, some clips are broken. He also can't build the track without help.

 

Railing a 00 loco isn't easy, we all know that. So I have to build the track and rail the loco.

 

The worst part is the switch on top of the loco. You have to push quite hard to get it to latch on, but the switch turns the loco on before the latch engages. This means the loco turns on before it's latched. He, therefore, holds the loco to get it to latch, normally meaning the loco just pushes the track along the floor! 

 

I think I'm going to get a small sheet of ply and drop some code 100 track onto it, then he can quickly get it out. Means I can also add some extras to it as we grow. 

 

It's good fun and a nice start but really doesn't feel like it's been through much play testing with real children. 

[No Decorum]

My son got this for Christmas from a relative. It's quite nice and good fun, but as others have stated a little limiting for small children. 

 

The track clips together, but you have to keep it flat or the clips get broken. Well guess what, some clips are broken. He also can't build the track without help.

 

Railing a 00 loco isn't easy, we all know that. So I have to build the track and rail the loco.

 

The worst part is the switch on top of the loco. You have to push quite hard to get it to latch on, but the switch turns the loco on before the latch engages. This means the loco turns on before it's latched. He, therefore, holds the loco to get it to latch, normally meaning the loco just pushes the track along the floor! 

 

I think I'm going to get a small sheet of ply and drop some code 100 track onto it, then he can quickly get it out. Means I can also add some extras to it as we grow. 

 

It's good fun and a nice start but really doesn't feel like it's been through much play testing with real children. 

 

I’d agree with all that. At the very least, a railer should have been included. Because of the frustration, my grandson started running it across the floor. A much better idea would have been to include an on-off switch on the track which flips a switch on the powered vehicle. That is far from a new idea.

[Coryton]

I’d agree with all that. At the very least, a railer should have been included. Because of the frustration, my grandson started running it across the floor. A much better idea would have been to include an on-off switch on the track which flips a switch on the powered vehicle. That is far from a new idea.

 

I'm not convinced that the concept is a good one, but it's a shame if it hasn't even been implemented well.

 

There is a reason I'm sure that the Marklin My World equivalent has 4-wheeled stock. Not as realistic, but a lot easier to get on the track.

 

I think the later ones can even easily be converted to disconnect the motor from the wheels so they can be pushed along if the user prefers.

 

It's still not clear to me whether Hornby actually developed anything for this or have just re-badged an existing set. Why would they start with

something based on an Italian prototype if they did it themselves?

 

Unless perhaps it was originally an initiative from one of their overseas brands?

[sjrixon]

I'd take a punt that it's an initiative from an overseas brand, it feels like they grabbed something, tweaked it and dropped it onto the UK Market. 

 

Started a simple baseboard yesterday. Going to stick with the plastic track for now. A 00 re-railer might be an idea though!

[Steamport Southport]

Look for a Hornby re-railer.

 

They were giving them away in train sets a few years ago so I don't know why they don't include one. You should get one pretty cheap though. I think one of the magazines had them as a free gift.

 

This is the one I mean.

 

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/forum/red-tool-in-santa-express-set/?p=1

 

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

Now available badged "Paddingon" (ie Bear)....

[alfsboy]

We bought  a set of Chinese stuff that fetch about 40 -50 quid .We paint 15 from a guy who got it for his grandkids over from Australia for a while and reported  favourably .It contains lots of plastic track ,points and a noisy loco .God what scale the coaches arer ,they look like S and a quite well moulded ,Any way out grandkids ,boy 7 and girl  3 ,played for hours with it and still get it out .Its taught them  alot about playing trains without anything plugged in so  was money well spent .Not about it at its full price though .We use Gumtree a lot for kids toys .