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Kato announces Class 800 in N


Mike Harvey
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I have never met Mr Kato but everything I have read indicates that he is very passionate about the company and its products. The quality of Kato speaks for itself, the best runners I have are Kato models and they are the gold standard for mechanisms in my opinion. The finish too, very fine, others seem very heavy by comparison. 

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ooooh, this is great news :locomotive: !!!

 

would love several GWR examples, but if they make an Azuma that will also give me an excuse to get back into modelling ECML, which I’ve sort of ignored post-GNER.... :notme:

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This year I've seen a fair number of Japanese railway enthusiasts around GWR and LNER.

 

The combination of a cheap £ and a large order of Azumas I think has swayed the interest of the Japanese railway community.

 

I know how it feels, I took a weekend vacation to London Ontario when in Canada for work a few times around 2001 as the  66’s were being churned out

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3 hours ago, MGR Hooper! said:

IIRC 2020 is the 100th Anniversary of Hornby??? And I know Hornby are planning some big things for the coming year.......I just hope* one of those big things is now an N gauge Class 800!! :D

Hi,

Although not an impossibility I would class it as highly unlikely.  Hornby have shown no interest whatsoever in the N gauge rolling stock market in the modern era, indirectly there is the Arnold Brighton Belle but as I am so fond of quoting his comment shortly after its announcement Simon Kholer stated in a quote in Model Rail:

Quote

...nothing to do with Margate...

It still makes me giggle.

Ben A on the NGF also commented:

Quote

I had heard that the Hornby licence expires next year, which presumably is how Kato have managed to negotiate this, with the very clear launch date of 2021.

And as this would have to be introduced just under the wire I can't see Hornby suddenly reversing its attitude, way out of left field, towards N most likely by many to be perceived as a 'spoiler'.

Kato have clearly been talking to Hitachi for some time, it would stretch my imagination considerably for Hitachi not to know about it or worse still knowing and not advising Kato there was a possibility of it happening.

 

And why would you hope* Hornby would be releasing one anyhow?  Kato in N are established as a highly regarded manufacturer world wide and will undoubtedly do their usual great job.

 

Regards, Gerry.

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Brilliant news from Kato! If the Cavalex Class 91/MK.4s come to fruition recreating modern day ECML operations finally becomes plausible! My plans for a modern image Copenhagen Fields may finally come off ice :D

 

Tom.  

 

 

Edited by TomE
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2 hours ago, gelboy45 said:

We will need a readily available range of ECML and/or BR style OHL with catenery  to complement these new models.

 

Gerry

 

Not if they are 800s rather than 801s, you could model Hull, or if feeiling upmarket, Harrogate. However some headspan kits would be helpful.

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11 hours ago, gelboy45 said:

We will need a readily available range of ECML and/or BR style OHL with catenery  to complement these new models.

 

Gerry

 

8 hours ago, Bomag said:

 

Not if they are 800s rather than 801s, you could model Hull, or if feeiling upmarket, Harrogate. However some headspan kits would be helpful.

Hi,

Due to my layout notionally being in GWR territory the problem doesn't exist for myself therefore, as Mr Skimpole might have put it:

Quote

As far as overhead matters are concerned I am but a child

but, if I were to have to act on such matters in the lead up to 2021 with what can be done now I might well settle for these in my 'ignorance is bliss' state:

https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/ncat.html

...or if I knew better I'd politely ask if there might be something more prototypical as a possibility.

If I were to rely solely on r-t-p products I could look at:

https://www.blackwells-miniatures.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=34_167&zenid=ld7i92b49hasdb0meo6v698so6

...for something that might pass for acceptable.

As it is, since I already have a couple of Pendolino sets ('must haves' which opened the floodgates) and Classes 86 from Dapol and an old Farish 91 to fettle-up sometime, an 89 printed bodyshell and the possible new 91 to come, all as 'drags'! - at least my 92s, GF 350s as with my 73s will all run 3rd rail!

 

Regards, another Gerry.

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5 minutes ago, JR_P said:

Any further info on this to have come out of TINGS over the weekend???!

I have read elsewhere, following conversations that individuals appear to have had over the weekend with Kato representatives, that it will require a Kato specific DCC chip (or new circuit board). 

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On 27/07/2019 at 08:01, Hilux5972 said:

I would imagine we will see a 9 or 10 car pack as well from Kato. N gauge is much more susceptible to larger trains. 

I spoke yesterday to the reps on the stand at the Stuttgart Show, Jan2021 is expected release date, and at the moment, GWR and Azuma liveries, both as 5 car sets. I questioned the availability of 9/10 car sets, after all it is N-Gauge and was told the models are still in development, so no decision has been set in stone.

 

es grüßt 

pc

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On 22/11/2019 at 05:28, Padishar Creel said:

I spoke yesterday to the reps on the stand at the Stuttgart Show, Jan2021 is expected release date, and at the moment, GWR and Azuma liveries, both as 5 car sets. I questioned the availability of 9/10 car sets, after all it is N-Gauge and was told the models are still in development, so no decision has been set in stone.

 

es grüßt 

pc

I wonder if we will be able to run them in multiple :D 

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I can justify owning a 5-car Azuma ... because each carriage is 26m long it's roughly the same length as a Transpennine class 68 + 5 Mk5A carriages in 1:148 scale which I've pre-ordered. 

A 9-car GWR or Azuma unit would sell well but would need plenty of room which I don't have!

 

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Given that I don't think any operators who have 9 cars don't have 5 cars, it wouldn't be the end of the world if they only did 5 cars as long as the 800 and 802s are all covered... And the length of 9x 26m is probably more than most of us can accommodate!

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20 minutes ago, m0rris said:

Given that I don't think any operators who have 9 cars don't have 5 cars, it wouldn't be the end of the world if they only did 5 cars as long as the 800 and 802s are all covered... And the length of 9x 26m is probably more than most of us can accommodate!

 

Correct. 

 

GWR

800/0 - 5 Car Set - bi-mode

800/3 - 9 Car Set - bi-mode

802/0 - 5 Car Set - bi-mode

802/1 - 9 Car Set - bi-mode

 

LNER

800/1 - 9 Car Set - bi-mode

800/2 - 5 Car Set - bi-mode

801/1 - 5 Car Set - Electric

801/2 - 9 Car Set - Electric

 

TPE

802/2 - 5 Car Set - bi-mode

 

Hull Trains

802/3 - 5 Car Set - bi-mode

 

 

I couldn't tell you what, if any, the external differences are, although I presume kato will only be tooling up for the bi-mode units. I've only seen mention of LNER & GWR liveries being announced thus far.

 

As an aside, I understand that the Class 804 units ordered by EMR will have shorter coaches and a modified nose profile. 

 

Tom.  

 

 

Edited by TomE
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2 minutes ago, TomE said:

 

I couldn't tell you what, if any, the external differences are, although I presume kato will only be tooling up for the bi-mode units. I've only seen mention of LNER & GWR liveries being announced thus far.

 

As an aside, I understand that the Class 804 units ordered by EMR will have shorter coaches and a modified nose profile. 

 

The main differences are to do with the Rheostatic grids on the roof - 802s have larger grids which are quite noticeable from above. Other than that I don't know of any major differences to the bodyshells apart from the differing kitchen sizes, as you've noted the 804s will be effectively a different beast and it remains to be confirmed  in the flesh what the Avanti and East Coast open access units will look like.

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8 hours ago, m0rris said:

Given that I don't think any operators who have 9 cars don't have 5 cars, it wouldn't be the end of the world if they only did 5 cars as long as the 800 and 802s are all covered... And the length of 9x 26m is probably more than most of us can accommodate!

 

Thanks for telling me what I should be thankful for.  As an ECML modeller and LNER looking like having a 2:1 ratio between 9 and 5 car sets I will be looking for 9 car sets (even if like Eurostars you have to get the extension pack). If you look at some of the posts about Revolution's 390's full 9 and 11 car sets were much more popular than originally estimated.

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On 16/01/2020 at 22:28, Bomag said:

 

Thanks for telling me what I should be thankful for.  As an ECML modeller and LNER looking like having a 2:1 ratio between 9 and 5 car sets I will be looking for 9 car sets (even if like Eurostars you have to get the extension pack). If you look at some of the posts about Revolution's 390's full 9 and 11 car sets were much more popular than originally estimated.

Never seen a 5 car set running at an exhibition, but plenty of 9 or 11 car sets.

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I would presume that is due to being more prototypical, something which is almost a legal requirement in exhibitions. I am looking currently for any information regarding TINGS in September in 2020, if that will go ahead, and if Mr. Kato will be in attendance. My favourite livery for the IET/Bi-mode/80X stock would probably TPE/Hull trains, and if we don’t get one livery who knows, maybe the likes of KMS rail tech will commission extra (Keeping in mind the sets for the First Open access scheme in the ECML and the order by Avanti!)

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I'm surprised how little activity there is surrounding this release considering it's going to be a key piece of rolling stock over much of the UK for the next 30 years.

 

Does anyone know if development is still on track, or if there have been any Covid-related delays?

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