Will we ever see a RTR HST in O gauge?

[deltic17]

I'm sure someone will do an HST before too long and as said above I would buy one.

Yes GWR has done well (for all the time I have been interested in model railways) but maybe that is getting pretty much exhausted in many respects and as age demographics change etc I think an HST would be a good choice and moving with the times is always a good idea.

Anyway fingers crossed from me.....

[Hal Nail]

One wag once suggested I do a horse, print GWR somewhere on it and call it a GWR shunting horse - "You'll sell millions." That said, most of the low-hanging GWR loco fruit has probably been plucked.

What would the horse be shunting: maybe a TOAD with GWR painted on it?!

 

Good bluffing - but since you’ve let slip its “train in one” appeal, plus Australian variants, I’m now pretty sure we can expect Minerva’s HST announcement at Bristol.

Edited January 22, 2019 by Hal Nail

[Dava]

I suspect there is more chance of a GWR steam railmotor, 59'6" variety!

 

The only blue item I'm anticipating is my Manning Wardle 0-6-0ST.

[Arun Sharma]

There are ways of compressing an HST.

 

I recall seeing a single power car arrive at Bounds Green with a Mk1 Barrier Coach.

 

And I have seen photos of a pair of power cars on their own.

The one obvious and prototypically entirely acceptable variable length HST would be Network Rail's Asset Inspection Train. Perhaps that could even be justified as a three car set to begin with with additional "trailer" cars idc. That's the only class 43 that springs to mind as being a likely candidate for a modern image layout set pretty much anywhere. However, like Chris Klein, I can't see anyone taking a gamble on this at present as an injection moulded model at any rate. What I can envisage is a designer producing limited edition resin body shells and bogies for Class 43 power cars.

That method would involve a much shorter "Flash to Bang" time, as well as being capable of being done wholly within the UK  and the cost to the end-user might well be significantly less than an injection-moulded RTR model.

Edited January 23, 2019 by Arun Sharma

[KMS Railtech]

Hopefully we can add a little to this topic!

 

You may already have heard, but we are looking to do exactly this. We announced the project at Model Rail Scotland on Friday and the response has been phenomenal so far!

 

Our Press Release can be found on the forum elsewhere, but reads:

 

Quote

KMS Railtech are delighted to announce that we are working on producing a new line of Modern Image O Gauge models!

 

KMS Railtech, based in Aberdeenshire was created when we took over the TouchCab App. Owned by three very passionate railway modellers, we aim to improve the hobby as best we can. To that end, we work a little differently to others. We are supporters of the “Shop Local” initiatives and believe that local model shops and clubs are vital to the hobby. That’s why we invite our customers to go to their local shop if they can! We recognise that some customers prefer to buy online however, so we also have a very easy to use website at www.KMSRailtech.co.uk., where you will find a comprehensive stock at very comprehensive prices, a price pledge and loyalty programme.

 

Jamie, Karl and Mike all have vast experience with DCC as well as skills from their professional careers in the oil industry that allow us to help our customers in an unique way. We are also all keen railway modellers in all scales. Our passion is Modern Image, and we feel that “Modern” needs a refresh in 7mm!

 

Modern should mean modern, so we are aiming to bring a range of products to market that will bring O Gauge right up to date! 

 

We are very excited to announce that we intend to produce the following models.

 

Class 43 (HST) Power Cars

Mk3 HST coaches

Mk3 Loco-haul coaches

Mk3 Sleeper coaches

Mk2 D / E / F coaches

M2F DBSO

 

We are working with a manufacturing partner to bring these models to market, however we can only do this if the demand is there. We are therefore inviting you to register serious ‘Notes of Interest’ via our website. You can show your support in two ways:

 

On our website you can select the models you are interested in along with the liveries and quantities. We will request a small deposit from you which will be fully refundable should the project not go ahead. This deposit is not to fund the project, it is intended to show genuine interest in purchasing the product, and those that subscribe to this method will receive a preferential order at a discounted rate.

 

The second option is to email 7mm@kmsrailtech.co.uk with details of products you are interested in. You will not have to pay any deposit, but although this provides us with your feedback, it does not register as committed purchase, and therefore will not necessarily impact our decision to go ahead with production.  

 

Nothing is set in stone yet regarding our chosen liveries so your input is both valuable and welcome. We are here to satisfy your requirements so let us know your preferences.

 

 

You can register your interest on our website HERE

 

As you can see, we are aiming to modernise O Gauge Modern Image! We've also announced the MK2 Air Cons (D/E/F/DBSO)!

 

We hope this is of some interest to you.

[Simond]

Well, guys, I said it would never happen, and I'll be delighted to be proven wrong!  (even though the subject of my modelling interest predates the HST by several decades!)

 

good luck with the project!

 

Simon

[steve fay]

Fantastic news!  I’ve got my name down for a pair of power cars to start with! 

[Hal Nail]

There are three topics running on this now! I posted a link to the small suppliers announcement on the other 7mm HST one a couple of days ago, so the message should be getting out there!

[Roadrails]

DRS coaches are interesting, as they mostly ran as 4 cars, sometimes 3 in Cumbria and a bashed together 2 in the Wherry Lines at the end. Ran with 37s in DRS Compass livery, plain DRS livery, intercity 417 and LSrge Logos 401,402,403,407,668! Will they run with the new Regional railway? Oh and 68s, if Dapol upscale(please...?)

But then there's old Blue, for loco hauled. Bzzt Deltic 47s maybe AC? Scotrail 47/7? 

Then an HST, AND A HOME EXTENSION TO FIT!

. This is adding up.

Will think hard on what choice, but wouldn't put money up front,particularly after the whole recent DJM&LLC debacle.

Nukes and a 142 would do well....also...

[njee20]

Oh god. This could be bad news for my wallet.

[pwr]

and mine

 

Paul R

[Sturminster_Newton]

The two power cars would be enough for many with perhaps a single trailer as used on mainline testing of units from Laira.

 

Which would settle prices at something affordable?

 

Make one DVT unpowered and it then could be coupled to the most unlikely of powered units for 'in works' transfers.

 

No doubt there are pictures of  broken 43's in company with a host of  large mainline diesels in the days before everything went by road...to get fixed.

 

All depends how you market and to whom.

[F-UnitMad]

Some years ago I acquired a small 4mm scale layout from a now-ex member of RMweb.

 It was the "buffer stops" section of an urban Terminus station, and only needed a loco + coach to depict full-length express trains.

Might suit 7mm scale & save a small fortune on an HST (if one comes to market R-T-R)....

This was a Lima Power Car & Hornby Mk3 coach (probably the last Hornby item I ever bought!!)

[Dava]

Now that the East Midlands Railway HST sets are being replaced by ex-LNER ones there are interesting working being seen with some great photos on Twitter. Here is the ideal short HST line-up, photographed by Darren...JB @Rail_Photter as two power cars head for storage out of service.

 

Dava

 

 

[Sturminster_Newton]

Class 43 being a classic design wears any livery with panache.

 

I have day dreamed of the power cars in Brunswick green with black roof or even Early BR two tone green with small yellow panels with trailers cars in Coffee and cream.

 

The LMS speed whiskers from the days of Streamline Moderne would also be a feasible option from stem to stern.

 

This is of course heresy for those that think that one should only represent what actually existed.

 

Should the Muddlers MPD be free from one's artistic licence fluttering its wings in the joy of personal expression?

 

After all the modern wraps applied to GWR castle class et al must have had someone sitting in a darkened room and think what might we do...

[mcjlf1]

As it's almost three years since I posed the original question, I thought I'd give this thread a bump, primarily to see if people have updated their thinking on the question of a RTR HST.

Things have perhaps (?) moved forward in the O gauge RTR 'modern image' world (e.g. the post steam era), with a few new models, and a number of re-runs/re-tooling of previous offerings being announced, but still nothing on the HST...

This may have been done to death previously, but I live in hope that one day some manufacturer is going to go for it...

James

[47606odin]

39 minutes ago, mcjlf1 said:

As it's almost three years since I posed the original question, I thought I'd give this thread a bump, primarily to see if people have updated their thinking on the question of a RTR HST.

Things have perhaps (?) moved forward in the O gauge RTR 'modern image' world (e.g. the post steam era), with a few new models, and a number of re-runs/re-tooling of previous offerings being announced, but still nothing on the HST...

This may have been done to death previously, but I live in hope that one day some manufacturer is going to go for it...

James

keep up at the back, they were announced over a year ago I think it was

[pwr]

I e-mailed KMS Railtech a couple of times to find out where they were with the project but no responses were forthcoming

 

I heard they were to work with Cavalex but that may just be a rumour

 

Paul R

[F-UnitMad]

3 hours ago, 47606odin said:

keep up at the back, they were announced over a year ago I think it was

Announcements mean diddley-squat these days.

*thinks* Dapol, for one. And Little Loco Co for another, far worse example. 

[Dungrange]

4 hours ago, mcjlf1 said:

...but still nothing on the HST...

This may have been done to death previously, but I live in hope that one day some manufacturer is going to go for it...

 

But @KMS Railtech announced an O Gauge HST in this thread in February 2020.  However, they will only go ahead if there is demand and that means people putting their money where there mouth is.  Anyone who wants an O Gauge HST needs to step up and register their interest when one is announced or else the project will fail due to lack of demand.  That said, @KMS Railtech did highlight 'phenomenal interest' when it was first announced, but maybe that wasn't quite enough for the project to be taken forward?

[Simond]

well, all I can say is the artwork* that I have seen is b....y excellent

 

* 3D CAD, not the traditional stuff!

[Revolution Mike B]

48 minutes ago, Simond said:

well, all I can say is the artwork* that I have seen is b....y excellent

 

* 3D CAD, not the traditional stuff!

They need to stop dithering then and get it moving! I don’t have the cash to invest in tooling otherwise I’d have done it 4 years ago when I tried to get it off the ground 

[mcjlf1]

23 hours ago, 47606odin said:

keep up at the back, they were announced over a year ago I think it was

I must admit that I either missed this, or with the excitement (?) of the last two years, had forgotten about it.   I have subsequently registered my interest, including making a 'reservation' payment... so hopefully this may still come to pass (the website doesn't however seem to have any update on it).

[brynna79]

Bern a while since any comments. I see it's still shown in the KMS website. I just wondered if anyone knew if Is this dead or still a distinct possibility. 

Cheers 

[pwr]

15 hours ago, brynna79 said:

Bern a while since any comments. I see it's still shown in the KMS website. I just wondered if anyone knew if Is this dead or still a distinct possibility. 

Cheers 

 

Given the guy who owns Heaton Lodge has one as his shop logo I wonder if he knows if Heljan are planning one.  I had read somewhere that KMS were partnering with Cavalex but this may just be a rumour. All attempts by me to elicit a response from KMS have met with complete silence and like you they have an advanced payment from me.

 

Paul R