Hornby 2018 Announcements

[centraltrains]

How about a 2nd gen DMU/EMU or a commuter naughties DMU/EMU as a glimmer of hope I am 199% sure will be disappointed..... 

 

The overwhelming talk of steam here today I had to just mention something more modern for a second ;-)

 

Don't get much modern stock from Hornby (Class 800, Class 153, Class 395, Class 373, Class 390, (Class 156, Class 155, Class 142 but haven't been made for years and real track have beaten Hornby on these now...), HST and Class 91 at a push)

Hopefully, the IEP Class 800 will be quite popular and encourage them to do some more modern trains next year maybe...

 

P.S. Is anyone actually buying that Ex-CT/EMT 153 they announced last year?

Edited January 6, 2018 by centraltrains

[bart2day]

How about a 2nd gen DMU/EMU or a commuter naughties DMU/EMU as a glimmer of hope I am 199% sure will be disappointed.....

 

The overwhelming talk of steam here today I had to just mention something more modern for a second ;-)

 

Don't get much modern stock from Hornby (Class 800, Class 153, Class 395, Class 373, Class 390, (Class 156, Class 155, Class 142 but haven't been made for years and real track have beaten Hornby on these now...), HST and Class 91 at a push)

Hopefully, the IEP Class 800 will be quite popular and encourage them to do some more modern trains next year maybe...

 

P.S. Is anyone actually buying that Ex-CT/EMT 153 they announced last year?

Glad it's not just me who wants something modern. Any newly tooled modern dmu/emu and I would be very happy.

 

Not bought the EMT 153 but would bite if it ends up on sale at around £60/70.

Edited January 6, 2018 by bart2day

[wombatofludham]

How about a 2nd gen DMU/EMU or a commuter naughties DMU/EMU as a glimmer of hope I am 199% sure will be disappointed..... 

 

The overwhelming talk of steam here today I had to just mention something more modern for a second ;-)

 

Don't get much modern stock from Hornby (Class 800, Class 153, Class 395, Class 373, Class 390, (Class 156, Class 155, Class 142 but haven't been made for years and real track have beaten Hornby on these now...), HST and Class 91 at a push)

Hopefully, the IEP Class 800 will be quite popular and encourage them to do some more modern trains next year maybe...

 

P.S. Is anyone actually buying that Ex-CT/EMT 153 they announced last year?

Although we're a minority round 'ere you are not alone. An Electrorat would be a good choice, consistent with their Southern interests and also available as a bi-polar unit for those of us who prefer our trains with a coathanger (having said that not much use for me as they don't operate in the Midlands) but I doubt it will be coming from Hornby. They could of course catch everyone out with a new AC emu - they followed Bachmann's lead with 3rd rail electrics when the received wisdom was they won't sell (leaving aside the Networker as an outlier), and have now followed Barwell with a super-detail AC electric. Bachmann have done the Dessie - so will Hornby play catch up with an AC electric EMU? The Electrostar would be a good fit on that basis.

[Clive Mortimore]

I keep mentioning a 3rd Generation SR EMU, the express units to Brighton and Portsmouth were 3rd generation and they were if pre-nationalisation livery. Come Hornby a proper Nelson or else I will have to make the Phoenix kit I brought 6 months ago. 

[newbryford]

Cor that looks more fun than watching Daddy's toy trains, even his new Nelson.

 

I must be a member of a dying breed, those who still marvel at the train moves when I turn the knob on my controller. Can anyone explain to me the advantage of noise, lights, an on board electronic switch that changes direction and any other gimmicks/gadgetry that I don't need, especially the trendy vape instead of smoke. 

 

You Luddite you.

Imagine your depot layout with DCC sound - all those engines idling away at the same time annoying everyone.....................

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Jammy2305]

Which I understand has been backdated quite a lot in preservation and now bears numerous differences to the Hornby model.

 

John

 

There's not as many differences as you may think; Stovepipe chimney, smokebox door (pre-production photos suggested this was a separate fitting), safety valve cover (like that which has been fitted to the LSWR Radial) and removal of coal guards from the tender. The lowered cab roof and tender frame variants have been accounted for already on various releases.

 

Admittedly, I'm not sure how easy it would be for Hornby to cater for such changes, but I have been saying ever since they released their J15 that a model of the preserved example in GER blue would be a winner. The SECR C proves the potential of modelling preserved locos in attractive pre-grouping liveries.

[Clive Mortimore]

You Luddite you.

Imagine your depot layout with DCC sound - all those engines idling away at the same time annoying everyone.....................

 

 

Cheers,

Mick

At DEMU showcase, I let the DCC mob run their blue engines in full DCC mode on Hanging Hill. It was 'orrid. I wonder if Andy York still has the photos of the day the Hill went blue.

 

Edit...I can't even spell the name of my layout

Edited January 7, 2018 by Clive Mortimore

[159220]

How about a 2nd gen DMU/EMU or a commuter naughties DMU/EMU as a glimmer of hope I am 199% sure will be disappointed..... 

 

 

Either Bachmann tomorrow, or Hornby on Monday....surely must be announcing an Electrostar. Only the most successful modern EMU on the network! 

 

As for guesses, I would go for:

 

- Railroad HST in BR Blue and FGW

- Railroad Class 121

- Railroad Class 156 in Greater Anglia and Northern.

- GWR Class 802 (and possibly another 800) - Too early for Virgin EC or TPE 

- GWR Class 153

- GWR BR Blue/Intercity HST

- Grand Central HST

- Colas 67

- Northern Belle Mk2E

- Virgin and Chiltern Mk3 DVTs

 

Hmm seems I like Great Western region.. 

 

Possibly new tooling of the Class 86, 91 or 92. Maybe bringing the Class 37/66 up to modern standards?

 

See as they have been steam steam steam and oh wait, steam...for the past few years, time to focus on the modern and get new modellers into the hobby!  

[wombatofludham]

Either Bachmann tomorrow, or Hornby on Monday....surely must be announcing an Electrostar. Only the most successful modern EMU on the network! 

 

As for guesses, I would go for:

 

- Railroad HST in BR Blue and FGW

- Railroad Class 121

- Railroad Class 156 in Greater Anglia and Northern.

- GWR Class 802 (and possibly another 800) - Too early for Virgin EC or TPE 

- GWR Class 153

- GWR BR Blue/Intercity HST

- Grand Central HST

- Colas 67

- Northern Belle Mk2E

- Virgin and Chiltern Mk3 DVTs

 

Hmm seems I like Great Western region.. 

 

Possibly new tooling of the Class 86, 91 or 92. Maybe bringing the Class 37/66 up to modern standards?

 

See as they have been steam steam steam and oh wait, steam...for the past few years, time to focus on the modern and get new modellers into the hobby!

I think Hornby want to milk the grey pound for a bit longer whilst they are still alive. You can blame all the preservatives they started putting in processed foods post war, they're pickling the over 70s and they are living longer.

 

That said, I'm 5 years older than the Class 86 so if they don't start doing something less able to boil water soon even those of us whose first interest is post steam will be shuffling off the mortal coil before long.

[Steamport Southport]

I don't think it's anything to do with age.

 

Just that most of us aren't that interested in things that are less interesting than the local bus and which carry the same liveries.

 

 

 

Jason

[bart2day]

I don't think it's anything to do with age.

 

Just that most of us aren't that interested in things that are less interesting than the local bus and which carry the same liveries.

 

 

 

Jason

I believe that it is. Most people want to model what they fondly remember travelling on which anyone growing up after the 70s can't remember steam trains on the mainline. So age does come into it. Not many youngsters today will know all the intricacies of steam engines, they will want to model the FGW Hst they travelled on holiday last summer for example.

 

With regards to modern image being 'less interesting than the local bus which carry the same liveries' the same could be said of bland black steam engines. I would actually argue that modern liveries are much more colourful and varied and not bland at all.

[bart2day]

Either Bachmann tomorrow, or Hornby on Monday....surely must be announcing an Electrostar. Only the most successful modern EMU on the network!

 

As for guesses, I would go for:

 

- Railroad HST in BR Blue and FGW

- Railroad Class 121

- Railroad Class 156 in Greater Anglia and Northern.

- GWR Class 802 (and possibly another 800) - Too early for Virgin EC or TPE

- GWR Class 153

- GWR BR Blue/Intercity HST

- Grand Central HST

- Colas 67

- Northern Belle Mk2E

- Virgin and Chiltern Mk3 DVTs

 

Hmm seems I like Great Western region..

 

Possibly new tooling of the Class 86, 91 or 92. Maybe bringing the Class 37/66 up to modern standards?

 

See as they have been steam steam steam and oh wait, steam...for the past few years, time to focus on the modern and get new modellers into the hobby!

 

In my opinion the current lack of an electrostar model just shows the lack of interest those in charge at Hornby and Bachmann have for the present day modeller. There can be no excuse for not announcing, as you say, the most successful and prevelant emu on the network today. Edited January 7, 2018 by bart2day

[Steamport Southport]

I believe that it is. Most people want to model what they fondly remember travelling on which anyone growing up after the 70s can't remember steam trains on the mainline. So age does come into it. Not many youngsters today will know all the intricacies of steam engines, they will want to model the FGW Hst they travelled on holiday last summer for example.

 

With regards to modern image being 'less interesting than the local bus which carry the same liveries' the same could be said of bland black steam engines. I would actually argue that modern liveries are much more colourful and varied and not bland at all.

 

I should have put a winking smilie on that post.

 

To be honest though I see more youngsters at heritage railways than I ever see travelling by train. Most children's first experience of any train will probably be on a Santa Special pulled by a steam locomotive.

 

Also don't forget most of them will grow up watching Thomas The Tank Engine. Hogwarts Express is another one. Ask a kid to make a train sound and they will go choo choo, not nee nah.

 

I still think that steam is much more popular than diesel and electric, and it will always be that way.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[wombatofludham]

There is an age element. I know probably a dozen or more active modellers and those of us 55 and under are predominantly - in fact almost exclusively diesel and electric (I'm the odd one out as I'm planning a layout based on the LMS 1930s in addition to the layout based on AC electrics, and I'm involved in the Dolgellau GWR layout exhibition team in the town) but of those aged 60 and over, they are predominantly steam. When exhibiting and showing off the Dolgellau layout, I've met only two youngsters (under 20) who were actively modelling steam, one BR 1950s and one teenager making a layout based around the LNER in the 1930s.

 

For my generation (45-55) BR Blue wasn't the end of the world older enthusiasts would have you believe. For us there was interest in electrics and diesels - in particular diesels for me and my close friends as we grew up alongside the West Coast mainline so anything diesel was an event. There are photos of me in my pram watching the brand new electric trains alongside one of the country lanes around where we lived, my primary school was next to the Trent Valley line and yes, every break and dinner time we'd be up the top of the playing field watching electrics thundering past at 100mph, and surprisingly our teachers were happy to let us do it. I also recall the thrill of a school trip to Stafford Station, when we were both about 10 years old, and the excitement and noise as an 86 rushed through whilst a freight trundled past towards Wolverhampton. Just as thrilling as no doubt a Duchess would have been twenty years earlier.

 

For me and my "age cohort" BR blue is nostalgia, but there's nothing more I enjoy than when I go back to the Midlands to visit friends and relatives to park up at Rugeley Trent Valley on the way back and watch the continuous procession of intermodal, Pendolini and Voyagers, together with the Dessies and Walsall locals. It may not be AC electric locos but it's an impressive sight and if people are true railway supporters they should find interest in a railway being used to the maximum to provide a service people are prepared to use.

 

There is a big difference between local buses and the modern railway. Outside certain cities buses continue to fall in popularity, whilst railways, despite the extortionate fares, and what enthusiasts think of as vile plastic trains, are carrying record numbers of people, far more than in the days of steam, and despite the majority of travellers having alternatives to hand that people in the 1950s wouldn't have access to. That says to me that despite what enthusiasts think, modern trains are not as rubbish as many on here think when it comes to the normals.

[zigzag]

Id like to see the main loco announcement being kept quiet until its almost ready to hit the shops, keep it all 'hush hush', is what I say.

 

Id also like to see some form if dcc uncoupling. Would be useful and would bring back a play/action element that Hornby and Triang were so good at when I was a child.

Edited January 7, 2018 by zigzag

[Dunsignalling]

All this talk of Nelsons.

 

Isn't a Nelson - 111 in cricket? Therefore it must be The Great Bear. 

 

 

 

 

Jason

It would be much easier to do 111 after it became Viscount Churchill.  

Edited January 7, 2018 by Dunsignalling

[Shoey]

Either Bachmann tomorrow, or Hornby on Monday....surely must be announcing an Electrostar. Only the most successful modern EMU on the network! 

 

As for guesses, I would go for:

 

- Railroad HST in BR Blue and FGW

- Railroad Class 121

- Railroad Class 156 in Greater Anglia and Northern.

- GWR Class 802 (and possibly another 800) - Too early for Virgin EC or TPE 

- GWR Class 153

- GWR BR Blue/Intercity HST

- Grand Central HST

- Colas 67

- Northern Belle Mk2E

- Virgin and Chiltern Mk3 DVTs

 

Hmm seems I like Great Western region.. 

 

Possibly new tooling of the Class 86, 91 or 92. Maybe bringing the Class 37/66 up to modern standards?

 

See as they have been steam steam steam and oh wait, steam...for the past few years, time to focus on the modern and get new modellers into the hobby!

 

Would agree here with most of what you have listed. I’d like to see a FGW local lines 153 but think you’re right in saying that it’ll be a GWR one. We may see a DB ‘plain red’ Class 60 announced too. Not long now, fingers and toes crossed.

[sulzer27jd]

Id like to see the main loco announcement being kept quiet until its almost ready to hit the shops, keep it all 'hush hush', is what I say.

 

 

Hornby to release the LNER "Hush-Hush" - excellent!

[Clive Mortimore]

Well I never here I am getting all excited about Hornby not doing anything for me and all the time I could have been contributing to the very similar Bachmann thread....I only found it last night and today we learn what they might never do.

 

Is there a Heljan thread?

 

Will Dapol ever do the North British Type 2?

 

Is there ever going to be a model of a MR 480 class with an H boiler, they do look handsome in the photos? Far to young to see them for real.

[No Decorum]

I should have put a winking smilie on that post.

 

To be honest though I see more youngsters at heritage railways than I ever see travelling by train. Most children's first experience of any train will probably be on a Santa Special pulled by a steam locomotive.

 

Also don't forget most of them will grow up watching Thomas The Tank Engine. Hogwarts Express is another one. Ask a kid to make a train sound and they will go choo choo, not nee nah.

 

I still think that steam is much more popular than diesel and electric, and it will always be that way.

 

 

 

 

Jason

Whether your last statement is true or not, most of my railway journeys just happen to be by steam. The little ones (the eldest is seven) fall over themselves to come with me if they are asked. As a result, individual journeys by diesel or electric stand out more. Trips on Pendolinos have been deeply impressive as has a trip on a fairly old 150. All the same, a long journey behind Duke of Gloucester was most memorable but that had a lot to do with how I was fed and watered*.

 

*More accurately, beered and wined.

[No Decorum]

Well I never here I am getting all excited about Hornby not doing anything for me and all the time I could have been contributing to the very similar Bachmann thread....I only found it last night and today we learn what they might never do.

 

Is there a Heljan thread?

 

Will Dapol ever do the North British Type 2?

 

Is there ever going to be a model of a MR 480 class with an H boiler, they do look handsome in the photos? Far to young to see them for real.

Heljan keeps altogether too quiet. In 2010 we were promised a Wickham railbus in 2010 or 2011. Where is it, please? The people in the horned helmets are also rather dragging their feet on the promised further variants of the O2s. Too busy righting 009 wrongs, I suppose.

[Captain Kernow]

I'm quite excited.

[No Decorum]

It would be much easier to do 111 after it became Viscount Churchill.  

It would involve tooling a new tender. Then can you imagine the howlings? “Hornby, you already have the tender! You must, must, must do The Great Bear! You’re half-way there!”

[kernowtim]

So we are getting a scaledale model of Nelsons' column, with the statues at the base, and may be HO scale for the tourist trade!!!Dcc version with added pidgeons and sound effects

[Dunsignalling]

I think steam, and BR diesel up to maybe 1990 (but perhaps not quite that late) will always be popular modelling territory.

 

Not necessarily or solely because of nostalgia; the part that plays should decrease as the demographic changes, but (for want of a better term) sheer "play value".

 

The more modern "modern image" becomes, the less you can do with it, which is fine if you are content to just watch your favourite trains circulating, occasionally stopping and eventually coming back. Is this why scenic modelling has become such a dominant part of the hobby, I wonder?

 

However, across most of the network, pretty much every kind of movement that made the prototype worth sitting down and watching for an hour or two is virtually extinct. Shunting, running round at termini, adding or detaching parcels vans, tripping an incoming loco to shed for turning and servicing (and bringing it back), etc., etc. 

 

Passenger trains nowadays return with no visible difference apart from the head and tail lamps changing and the most operational excitement to be recreated in miniature  seems to be when a different loco is put onto the other end of a block freight or intermodal train at the end of its run.

 

As has been pointed out by others, many youngsters see more of heritage line operations these days than they ever do of the "Big Railway" where much less seems to happen. Many will want that kind of action when they get a layout, especially given the ever-decreasing availability of domestic space to accommodate credible representations of HST's, Pendolinos, Freightliners etc. in OO.

 

John     

Edited January 7, 2018 by Dunsignalling