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Hornby - New tooling - Mark 2F coaches


Andy Y
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The fact they've almost sold out and Bachmann's version 'isn't far away' coupled with Hornby's current tactic of going toe to toe with rivals maybe suggests we should expect another run soon.   They've thrown the gauntlet down to Bachmann with these because the livery seems a pretty good match to that Dapol 68

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Hornby don’t have a great track record in re releasing coaches....   take the Pendolino... i’d Have thought it would have been a staple for modern day modellers...   they released the Alston Pendolino set, but no stand alone coaches... it’s been what 4/5 years without the  coaches, which are hitting the £60 mark on EBay....   HST swift Mk3 coaches....   they seemed to completely underestimate the TSO’s required, again they sold out within a day or two.... that left the TTS swift HST power cars on the retailers shelves with nothing to run with....

 

‘It’s getting close to the point that if you don’t pre-order popular liveries, then there’s no guarantee that you’ll be able to get them once they are released...

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Livery application on the Scotrail coaches looks very good. Even managed to wrap the livery round to the hinges giving a much better overall look and shape. Not sure how they messed it up on the IC versions.

 

I read the Hornby mag review of the IC ones and they found no livery errors to complain about despite all that this forum spotted. I like Hornby mag but their reviews are very shallow I think. They even praised the much maligned lower body colour!! :mocking_mini:

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21 hours ago, sanspareil said:

Livery application on the Scotrail coaches looks very good. Even managed to wrap the livery round to the hinges giving a much better overall look and shape. Not sure how they messed it up on the IC versions.

 

I read the Hornby mag review of the IC ones and they found no livery errors to complain about despite all that this forum spotted. I like Hornby mag but their reviews are very shallow I think. They even praised the much maligned lower body colour!! :mocking_mini:

I had a look at Hornby Mag. a few years ago and read a review of a Hornby loco. Let’s just say that I remained with Model Rail.

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Yes, Hornby Magazine had always been very forgiving when reviewing Hornby products.

 

Whilst Hornby Magazine is my favourite of the model railway titles I always found the soft reviews annoying. I know HM is completely separate from the manufacturer, but I suspect they may get preferential treatment when it comes to review samples. I've often noticed they feature the new Hornby products well  before other publications, and sometimes they are the only ones to do a review. (I understand that Hornby stopped sending out samples to other magazines some time back but maybe that's changed since).

 

IMO the only really in depth appraisals of D&E era models were in Rail Express. But since the departure of Simon Bendall even those reviews have considerably softened! 

 

A difficult area for publishers I guess when you consider where a good chunk of advertising revenue comes in from. 

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  • 11 months later...
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Sorry to resurrect and old thread here, but I wanted to share some info! Following the arrival of the Virgin Mark 2F's last week, we've now received some more variants! The latest releases are as follows:

 

R4892A Scotrail Saltire BSO
R4893B Scotrail Saltire TSO
R4893C Scotrail Saltire TSO
R4967 DRS BSO
R4967A DRS BSO
R4992 Network Rail Staff Support Coach
R4946 Network Rail Test Train Brake Force Runner

 

These will be appearing from Monday in most places, so please check out your Local Model Shop who I'm sure will be eagerly putting them on the shelves!

 

Cheers all! 

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Afternoon all! For those that haven't already seen, three more variants arrived today too, they are:

 

R4966, DRS TSO (the one EVERYONE is waiting for...)

R4991 Network Rail Structure Gauging Train Support

R4993 Plain Line Pattern Recognition Vehicle

 

:-) 

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1 hour ago, classy52 said:

 

Have you sold out already of the DRS TSO?

 

Last one went on Sunday I'm afraid :-( Sorry 

 

However I'm sure one of our fellow friendly local retailers has some left  

Edited by Derails Models
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Have Hornby made a bit of a mess up here in oddly producing 2xBSO but only 1xTSO when every one is going to want more TSO's!?!

 

Also seemingly not producing enough TSO's as it seems most retailers are already out of these just hours after taking stock - some on pre-order alone!!

Edited by sanspareil
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8 hours ago, sanspareil said:

Have Hornby made a bit of a mess up here in oddly producing 2xBSO but only 1xTSO when every one is going to want more TSO's!?!

 

Also seemingly not producing enough TSO's as it seems most retailers are already out of these just hours after taking stock - some on pre-order alone!!

 

If so, it only repeats the age old problem of recreating prototype formations. In the BR blue and grey era it was reasonably rare to have more than brakevan on a train except for formations that were diagrammed to divide. There were a few diagrams where two five car Intercity rakes split at Carstairs with portions for Glasgow and Edinburgh.  Another exception was the Waterloo-Exeter service over the "Mule" where the Mk2abc rakes generally had two BFKs back to back in the rake.

 

Otherwise, even if you selectively compressed your rake from say ten to seven vehicles, you would probably only need one or two BSK, and certainly not FIVE CKs !!!!

 

Not totally sure whether the Scotrail Fife Mk2 formations were five or six vehicles with a single BSO in the middle, but you certainly many more TSOs than BSOs !!! 

Edited by Covkid
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53 minutes ago, Covkid said:

 

If so, it only repeats the age old problem of recreating prototype formations. In the BR blue and grey era it was reasonably rare to have more than brakevan on a train except for formations that were diagrammed to divide. There were a few diagrams where two five car Intercity rakes split at Carstairs with portions for Glasgow and Edinburgh.  Another exception was the Waterloo-Exeter service over the "Mule" where the Mk2abc rakes generally had two BFKs back to back in the rake.

 

Otherwise, even if you selectively compressed your rake from say ten to seven vehicles, you would probably only need one or two BSK, and certainly not FIVE CKs !!!!

 

Not totally sure whether the Scotrail Fife Mk2 formations were five or six vehicles with a single BFK in the middle, but you certainly many more TSOs than BFKs !!! 

 

Yeah Hornby regarding the DRS MK2's at least have made a strange decision regarding recreating prototype formations. Both the Cumbria and Norfolk DRS operations had a standard formation of one BSO (or mostly DBSO with Cumbria) and between two to four TSO's. Yet Hornby release only one TSO and 2x BSO's. Seems odd to me and a few retailers I have spoke said they agree but arent surprised. Seems a bit of a strange business decision. The TSO's are already getting as rare as hens teeth and the big retailers were sold out on pre-orders alone.

 

Expect a lot of further discounted DRS BSO's in 2021 with excess stock!

Edited by sanspareil
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1 hour ago, sanspareil said:

 

Yeah Hornby regarding the DRS MK2's at least have made a strange decision regarding recreating prototype formations. Both the Cumbria and Norfolk DRS operations had a standard formation of one BSO (or mostly DBSO with Cumbria) and between two to four TSO's. Yet Hornby release only one TSO and 2x BSO's. Seems odd to me and a few retailers I have spoke said they agree but arent surprised. Seems a bit of a strange business decision. The TSO's are already getting as rare as hens teeth and the big retailers were sold out on pre-orders alone.

 

Expect a lot of further discounted DRS BSO's in 2021 with excess stock!

 

Use the BSO's as Escort coaches for Accurascales KUA's when they are released, I know the BSO's are not prototypical for this but close enough I suppose.

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1 hour ago, classy52 said:

 

Use the BSO's as Escort coaches for Accurascales KUA's when they are released, I know the BSO's are not prototypical for this but close enough I suppose.

 

Maybe ask Alan Buttler of Modelu to produce some suitably attired "gentlemen" to fit in those special BSOs :happy_mini:  

Edited by Covkid
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Your assuming they made an equal number of BSOs and TSOs.


When I was up in Scotland last year the 68’s were running a mix of Scotrail and DRS, so a DRS BSO in a scotrail rake is valid. Also mention as barrier vehicles.

Edited by adb968008
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25 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Your assuming they made an equal number of BSOs and TSOs.


When I was up in Scotland last year the 68’s were running a mix of Scotrail and DRS, so a DRS BSO in a scotrail rake is valid. Also mention as barrier vehicles.

 

Numbers wise, indeed we dont know, however given almost all the big retailers are already out of DRS TSO's with many selling out on pre-orders alone someone got something a bit wrong I guess. I am not fully sure how the ordering process between retailer/manufacturer works but one big retailer told me they could only apparently order 23 TSO's, maybe not enough to even fulfil pre-orders?

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If Hornby make 1 less than they can sell, and still sell out, making a profit on the numbers made, then they have the perfect formula.

 

Ive noticed in 2020 this has happened several times, which can only be a good thing all round because..
 

1. Hornby makes money without discounting

2. Retailer makes money without discounting

3. Buyer doesnt buy something only to find it half price next week.

 

As the stock is now history, I wouldn't expect many more models in the future, if BSOs are a wash, maybe good fodder for DBSO conversions.

 

Edited by adb968008
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If I may would like some advice in regards to what other TSO coach numbers would be most appropriate to include with DRS TSO 5937 in a short rake with also 1 BSO.

I've looked in my Rail Guides up to 2019 but don't even see 5937 listed under DRS Coaching stock within this publication but I don't yet have Rail Guide 2020 which I have on order, is it listed in this one?

Basically I want to order another DRS TSO and have it renumbered but struggling to find other DRS TSO Coach numbers that ran with it, any info would be most welcome.

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Friday 28th December 2018 Barrow -Carlilse
3DF6DE42-05E6-4F4A-B278-0F08D75FDD48.jpeg.af5e3a7a3d467a2ec78b719350632957.jpeg

9710/5995/6117/6046/37425

 

(37409/9710/5995/6117/6046/37425 was used on the last railtour to Carnforth in Jan 2019)

6325206A-2C83-49A3-BDEF-4A8684E9782A.jpeg.b27abeac95fa6fc2f453a3e53a77daea.jpeg

 


Wednesday 22nd March 2017 Preston - Barrow

 

6FD4AC21-8615-4E50-B83F-8114AB3C5756.jpeg.08c41762b1df75d2d67aaef5aa69f0d6.jpeg

 

37419/5918/5971/6173/9705

 

 

Edited by adb968008
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My local shop could only supply me one DRS open coach of my ordered 3 (along with the brake end) 
 

Hereford models were also sold out of opens as of 15:00 today but I managed to order a pair of R4966 off gaugemaster At 15:30 today after speaking to a nice man called Kevin to check they had them to hand, he informed me they have 15 left in stock after my order 

 

BE QUICK!! 

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