Hornby 2020 range announcements

[adb968008]

4 hours ago, GordonC said:

 

one as a loco being hauled off on its way to a new career? If its 00 gauge rather than HO I doubt it'd appeal to Hungarian modellers

 

Its funny the comments about the class 56 in Floyd livery.

 

Lima once produced the 66 in HGK livery in OO at the time it was the only class 66 in the market... OO or HO. It sold out-within days, mostly to European collectors, it wasn't even advertised in the UK it was gone so quick. It was a choice of a Lima 66 in OO, or No 66. (At the time the HGK 66 was the only real class 66 working on mainland Europe - that page of history was yet to turn).

 

I sold mine last year for £100 after a bidding war on ebay.. its still rarer than the Lima Porterbrook class 55,  theres not many UK Lima locos fetching £100 in 2019, 30 years after it was made, despite there being a Bachmann, Hornby, Heljan, ESU and Mehano class 66’s now available in OO/HO.

 

Just because British modellers are prudish about europe doesn't mean to say its the same the other way around, Europeans will view it for what it is... a cheap* model of a prototype that runs in Hungary, that if they want a Floyd 56, they've no other choice but that one to buy... same to for the Romanian class 92.

 

* Europeans pay much more for their models than we do.

[farren]

There dose seem to be a lot of dummies and rattles on the floor today.
 

Yes the SR and GWR may not have been spoilt today but come on you have hardly been ignored over the last few years.
 

And to be honest it’s going to be a painful year for the poor (will be after their shopping spry) LNER modellers my deepest sympathy 

[Compound2632]

BTW, what scale is Rocket? To achieve correct proportions for a model running on 16.5 mm gauge track, surely it needs to be H0?

[eldomtom2]

You know that's true of any loco, right?

[Pre Grouping fan]

6 hours ago, GordonC said:

 

 

Just now, Compound2632 said:

BTW, what scale is Rocket? To achieve correct proportions for a model running on 16.5 mm gauge track, surely it needs to be H0?

I've read it's to 1:76.2 like everything else made for 00

[Compound2632]

Just now, eldomtom2 said:

You know that's true of any loco, right?

 

It's more true of Rocket than a Class 47!

[Colin_McLeod]

Oh no it's not.

 

Sorry, is pantomime season over?

[Mel_H]

32 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Its funny the comments about the class 56 in Floyd livery.

 

Lima once produced the 66 in HGK livery in OO at the time it was the only class 66 in the market... OO or HO. It sold out-within days, mostly to European collectors, it wasn't even advertised in the UK it was gone so quick. It was a choice of a Lima 66 in OO, or No 66. (At the time the HGK 66 was the only real class 66 working on mainland Europe - that page of history was yet to turn).

 

I sold mine last year for £100 after a bidding war on ebay.. its still rarer than the Lima Porterbrook class 55,  theres not many UK Lima locos fetching £100 in 2019, 30 years after it was made, despite there being a Bachmann, Hornby, Heljan, ESU and Mehano class 66’s now available in OO/HO.

 

Just because British modellers are prudish about europe doesn't mean to say its the same the other way around, Europeans will view it for what it is... a cheap* model of a prototype that runs in Hungary, that if they want a Floyd 56, they've no other choice but that one to buy... same to for the Romanian class 92.

 

* Europeans pay much more for their models than we do.

 

While that Floyd 56 didn't run in the UK in that colour scheme (AFAIK), another did, briefly. And, someone has also modelled their own example (presumably never expecting an RTR version).

 

I wonder why the 'large logo' Floyd scheme wasn't used. Permissions, perhaps?

 

Now, when can we expect Floyd Class 86s (as seen at Barrow Hill)?   [Not my pictures].

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Mel_H

[Mel_H]

49 minutes ago, Covkid said:

tgk300 wrote

 

Well, who ever has the job within Hornby that gets to decide on what to release has not done a good job and needs sacking. Some of the stuff is alright, most of it is random "Sugar Honey Ice Tea" that quite frankly knowone wants. There is no new GWR Steam Loco's apart from one Star Class, the Class 20 looks like something you would get for free in a magazine from Lidl and then they are doing stupid things like the Stephensons Rocket Train Pack. I mean, where are the Class 68's, GWR IET's, Castle Set HST's, TPE and Caledonian Mk5's, GA 755's and 745's, Class 70's, full detail Class 20's, Manor Class, a decent GWR Panier tank and also a 3 car SWR Class 159. There are two good models in this years January announcments, and those are the GBRF Class 50's and the GBRF 47's, the rest is junk. If this is the standard are the class of model that Hornby are putting out, no wonder the company is basically bankrupt. They are appealing to the wrong people, old LMS and LNER steam is fine if you like that stuff, but don't forget the superior GWR stuff and of course modern image stuff that Hornby's future customer base are growing up with. Eventually Hornby need to realise that the kids of today don't give a toss about LMS coaches and their numbers, a stupid amount of old wagons and Stephensons Rocket. What they want is modern Sprinter units, pacers, aventras, CAF 195's. 

 

I am sorry if I come across angry, but I am. 

 

 

Entirely predictable response on this forum, from someone who clearly has very little understanding of the industry, but is a "me me me" type of person. 

 

Class 68 - already produced by Dapol so why would you expect Hornby to waste money in competition ?

GWR IET already produced

Isn't the GWR 2+4 "Castle" already in developmemt ?

TPE and CS Mk5s are already announced by Accurascale

GA Stadlers - yes probably a gap in the market.

Class 70s and class 20s available from Bachmmann 

Manor class - yes another green tick

Decent GWR pannier tank - well I am happy with my Bachmann 57xx 8750 and 64xx, and will have a Bachmann 94xx

Pretty sure an SWR 159 will appear but not sure about the centre car  

You say the GBRf 50s are good - I have an issue with the windscreen shape and front shelf on the Hornby  50 but that is the difference between me and you. 

Hornby ex Lima GBRf 47s OK.  Again we differ. 

 

"the rest is junk" really ?  Once again good job you don't represent the mainstream purchaser of Hornby models, particularly as it is not kids of today who buy the models.    

 

You could easily be a troll with your attitude, but I am not a moderator

 

If I was a manufacturer, I'd be cautious of the CAF 195s, given the relatively small network area of operation at the moment. Also, we have no idea of what CAF's (and Northern's) attitude to model manufacturers' approaches might be. And, the livery isn't exactly exciting either. The flip side is that at least a two-car unit means something could be reasonably priced. Let's just give it a year or so?

Edited January 6, 2020 by Mel_H

[fiftyfour fiftyfour]

9 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

Its funny the comments about the class 56 in Floyd livery.

 

Lima once produced the 66 in HGK livery in OO at the time it was the only class 66 in the market... OO or HO. It sold out-within days, mostly to European collectors, it wasn't even advertised in the UK it was gone so quick. It was a choice of a Lima 66 in OO, or No 66. (At the time the HGK 66 was the only real class 66 working on mainland Europe - that page of history was yet to turn).

 

I sold mine last year for £100 after a bidding war on ebay.. its still rarer than the Lima Porterbrook class 55,  theres not many UK Lima locos fetching £100 in 2019, 30 years after it was made, despite there being a Bachmann, Hornby, Heljan, ESU and Mehano class 66’s now available in OO/HO.

 

Just because British modellers are prudish about europe doesn't mean to say its the same the other way around, Europeans will view it for what it is... a cheap* model of a prototype that runs in Hungary, that if they want a Floyd 56, they've no other choice but that one to buy... same to for the Romanian class 92.

 

* Europeans pay much more for their models than we do.

I'm also amused by all the comment regarding the Hungarian Class 56. It's a "novelty" loco for the UK market and a keepsake/compromise for the Hungarian market but despite that it will probably sell quite well. If someone decides its not for them then they know what to do. For my money anyone thinking of buying the APT either has a massive layout based on the WCML in 1984/5 capable of accommodating a 14 car train or they are planning to buy it purely because of the novelty value, and over £500 is a lot to for an occasionally run extravagance, yet there has been far less adverse comment on that release.

 

[Dunsignalling]

23 minutes ago, farren said:

There dose seem to be a lot of dummies and rattles on the floor today.
 

Yes the SR and GWR may not have been spoilt today but come on you have hardly been ignored over the last few years.
 

And to be honest it’s going to be a painful year for the poor (will be after their shopping spry) LNER modellers my deepest sympathy 

The problem with feast and famine (and, as an SR fan I have experienced the former) is that those offered the feast may not have the wherewithal to get everything they want while it's there. I'm still catching up on a few Bulleid Pacifics I couldn't buy new.

 

Meanwhile, those left out (e.g. me, this time) may find things to spend cash on that would otherwise have headed to Margate. I've already nicked £300 from my model railway budget today, on the strength of not needing it for trains, and I'm now eyeing up fourteen hundred quidsworth of Leica zoom lens that I had expected would take until 2021 to get the cash together for....

 

In all seriousness, Hornby will only be getting 10-15% of what I would usually expect to spend with them in 2020,

 

For Hornby's sake (and mine if they have anything planned for me in 2021/2), I sincerely hope an LNER/ER or HST fan somewhere will make up for that.

 

John

 

 

 

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Dunsignalling

[Mel_H]

5 hours ago, tgk300 said:

Well, who ever has the job within Hornby that gets to decide on what to release has not done a good job and needs sacking. Some of the stuff is alright, most of it is random "Sugar Honey Ice Tea" that quite frankly knowone wants. There is no new GWR Steam Loco's apart from one Star Class, the Class 20 looks like something you would get for free in a magazine from Lidl and then they are doing stupid things like the Stephensons Rocket Train Pack. I mean, where are the Class 68's, GWR IET's, Castle Set HST's, TPE and Caledonian Mk5's, GA 755's and 745's, Class 70's, full detail Class 20's, Manor Class, a decent GWR Panier tank and also a 3 car SWR Class 159. There are two good models in this years January announcments, and those are the GBRF Class 50's and the GBRF 47's, the rest is junk. If this is the standard are the class of model that Hornby are putting out, no wonder the company is basically bankrupt. They are appealing to the wrong people, old LMS and LNER steam is fine if you like that stuff, but don't forget the superior GWR stuff and of course modern image stuff that Hornby's future customer base are growing up with. Eventually Hornby need to realise that the kids of today don't give a toss about LMS coaches and their numbers, a stupid amount of old wagons and Stephensons Rocket. What they want is modern Sprinter units, pacers, aventras, CAF 195's. 

 

I am sorry if I come across angry, but I am. 

 

You do come across as someone who can't type (or maybe, spell), use grammar or understand the correct use of apostrophes. I've known for people to call for the perpetrators to be sacked for such an offence. In which case: You're Fired!

 

 

PS I've been to Lidl, and there are no free Class 20s

Edited January 6, 2020 by Mel_H

[No Decorum]

2 hours ago, MarkSG said:

 

Part of that, though, is because this is the anniversary year. It's a once in a generation opportunity to milk that for all it's worth.

 

Not really. I have a ten-year-old Sir Nigel Gresley produced in honour of a Hornby 70th anniversary. I should have sent Mr. Kohler a calculator for Christmas!

[Compound2632]

 

1 minute ago, Pre Grouping fan said:

 

I've read it's to 1:76.2 like everything else made for 00

 

Then there must be great chunks carved out of the boiler? 

 

[kernowtim]

I do like the retro wagons in the old Hornby tinplate style colours, but not on the 1970s LWB closed van, and there was never a seccotine tank wagon, plus the £44.95 price for a set of 3 rules them out!

Still hoping for a reintroduction of the bassett-lowke tinplate too.

Probably just the rocket set and maybe the BR & GWR hst power cars for me.

Impressive announcement all the same!

[big jim]

19 minutes ago, Mel_H said:

If I was a manufacturer, I'd be cautious of the CAF 195s, given the relatively small network area of operation at the moment. Also, we have no idea of what CAF's (and Northern's) attitude to model manufacturers' approaches might be. And, the livery isn't exactly exciting either. The flip side is that at least a two-car unit means something could be reasonably priced. Let's just give it a year or so?

how long have I been waiting for someone to produce a class 175 unit? 

20 years since they were introduced and a far wider reaching operational sphere and livery variations but still nothing

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by big jim

[Mel_H]

1 hour ago, Dunsignalling said:

We use the Blue Railways system on a large through station/storage loops system on which the operators walk around the layout driving to the signals. It replaced an old and sluggish American-made radio throttle set-up and works very well. The crux of the matter is not having trailing leads to trip over. Points, signals and sections are worked by a "signalman" (sometimes me) and the fiddle yard operator.

 

There's only ever one train moving at a time on each of the two main lines so it matters not one jot whether the train or the track is "driven" the result is the same - the train moves! We drive fixed motor controllers (which are the same as ordinary panel-mount DC controllers but able to be operated remotely) all that happens with DCC is that each loco requires a controller (the chip) fitted inside it. 

 

With an active loco roster well into three figures, the cost and effort involved in converting to DCC, let alone DCC sound would be too daunting to contemplate.

 

John

 

This is all fascinating; I consider myself to be reasonably versed in model railways, but these systems had escaped my notice.

 

I think that Hornby's system sounds very easy to set up and reasonably priced. If it encourages more youngsters into the hobby then that's a good thing. I know that my son would have loved this sort of system on his layout. And, it would have saved me a lot of wiring work. 

 

With the publicity that Hornby can bring, I think it should be seen as a 'good thing'.

[newbryford]

1 hour ago, jonny777 said:

 

Yes, your summary would seem to be very accurate; although there does seem to be a few combinations of the first two, i.e.

 

"There's nothing in it for me therefore Hornby, you're crap". 

 

 

 

But let's be honest here.

There is one spectacular post that fulfils the first two.

 

Quite possibly the most entertaining "nothing in it for me" post in the many years I've been reading whole history of RMW.

Edited January 6, 2020 by newbryford

[Coryton]

1 hour ago, TangoOscarMike said:

I'm not an expert (oh dear me no) but it seems to me that steam trains, especially Victorian ones, are steampunk all by themselves. The Rocket and its coaches are steampunk, surely. The Triang Clerestories are steampunk. Single wheelers are steampunk. The GWR Broad Gauge.... All of the Industrial Revolution civil engineering.....

 

Well no, they're just steam.

 

So far as I'm aware, the general idea of steampunk in fiction is to imagine steam technology developing further, rather than being replaced by electricity, electronics and internal combusion engines.

 

I'm not sure you have to have giant cogs, fins, and other things that don't appear to have any use sprinkled everywhere. 

 

1 hour ago, TangoOscarMike said:

I like the steampunk idea, but it does seem a little bit slapdash to me, especially the coaches, which are simply the 4-wheelers with bits stuck on.

 

I have a suspicion that this could be handled more subtly, taking the aesthetics of Victorian railways and adding styling elements from American and Continental railways, making decoration a little more ornate, and adding a few mechanical elements that are pure fantasy. And when I say adding, I mean "blending in", not "sticking on". Streamlining by all means, but with elegant curves please.

 

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out. I hope it's a success.

 

I wonder what Mr Bassett-Lowke would have made of it all?

 

 

[Mel_H]

2 minutes ago, big jim said:

how long have I been waiting for someone to produce a class 175 unit? 

20 years since they were introduced and a far wider reaching operational sphere and livery variations but still nothing

 

 

Very fair point, which I'd overlooked.

 

But the 175s are not especially high on the Wishlist Poll (No. 17 this year in the DMU section). Although it rated within the 'high polling' section, you have to go down to page 5 before you reach it (couldn't count which entry number it was).

 

On the basis of the Poll results, and experience since then, DMU-wise we'll most likely see a Swindon Cross-Country 120 announced before we see a 175. Maybe I should put my fiver on the 120 with Bachmann for next month's announcement?

[Coryton]

16 minutes ago, Mel_H said:

 

This is all fascinating; I consider myself to be reasonably versed in model railways, but these systems had escaped my notice.

 

I think that Hornby's system sounds very easy to set up and reasonably priced. If it encourages more youngsters into the hobby then that's a good thing. I know that my son would have loved this sort of system on his layout. And, it would have saved me a lot of wiring work. 

 

It's a shame that Blue Railways don't seem to have the resources to advertise more widely, because it's a nice little system and isn't expensive.

 

I woudn't expect it to save much wiring though, given it works like a conventional DC controller.

 

Of course what we don't know yet is how good the controller built into the Hornby one is. If it's like the current or previous train set controller, then I wouldn't bother.

 

The Blue Railways controller is very nice - good slow speed control and doesn't make locomotives buzz or make other horrible noises.

[gc4946]

Could Stephenson's Rocket train packs lead to a resurgence of interest in modelling early railways (Era 1)?

 

I remember perusing through 60s model railway magazines and seeing how inventive modellers were recreating that era using Triang's models. 

Locos and rolling stock were smaller and shorter and it's possible to run an authentic length train in limited space. 

If Hornby follows up with open carriages and wagons then they have another niche to their own.

[Ian J.]

My wallet can breathe a sigh of relief, with no U or Q, and no BR(S) coaches. Despite how much I'd like more of the Bulleids, and the two locos, I'm happy that H isn't getting much of my money this year. I hope that the Bachmann announcements in a few weeks time offer much the same, and I can let my finances recover.

[truffy]

36 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

 

Then there must be great chunks carved out of the boiler? 

 

 

I don't have your experience in pre-grouping, so I'm guessing that this is a gauge comment. Correct?

 

30 minutes ago, Mel_H said:

This is all fascinating; I consider myself to be reasonably versed in model railways, but these systems had escaped my notice.

 

I think that Hornby's system sounds very easy to set up and reasonably priced. If it encourages more youngsters into the hobby then that's a good thing. I know that my son would have loved this sort of system on his layout. And, it would have saved me a lot of wiring work. 

 

With the publicity that Hornby can bring, I think it should be seen as a 'good thing'.

 

Possibly. Or it could be another blind alley if it's limited to one manufacturer. DCC is pretty much the accepted wisdom(which doesn't mean to say it cannot be bettered), partly because it's so widely accepted. Saying that, I've yet to dip my toe out of DC.

 

24 minutes ago, Coryton said:

Well no, they're just steam.

 

So far as I'm aware, the general idea of steampunk in fiction is to imagine steam technology developing further, rather than being replaced by electricity, electronics and internal combusion engines.

 

I'm not sure you have to have giant cogs, fins, and other things that don't appear to have any use sprinkled everywhere. 

 

Bang on point! Ot's not about just the aesthetic, but functionality.

[Ron Ron Ron]

41 minutes ago, Mel_H said:

 

This is all fascinating; I consider myself to be reasonably versed in model railways, but these systems had escaped my notice......

They’ve escaped most people’s notice, because they have very limited appeal to most DC users and probably, absolutely no use whatsoever to someone running DCC.

It appears than John and his chums find it useful, on what I take to be a club, DC operated layout.

I’m sure a few other people will find it of genuine use too.

However, the model railway industry internationally is littered with more than a dozen recent attempts at alternative control systems, mostly using Bluetooth and WiFi.

Most of them appear to be putting modern technology to use for coming up with limited, backward looking solutions.

If you want to look at a decent application of modern technology, then the American made, Ring Engineering RailPro system is a lesson.
That’s been out in the US for the best part of 8 years.

It’s a popular but limited niche, because until recently it was not fully compatible with DCC, but more importantly, because it was a one company proprietary product.

At the very least, it gives us a clear idea of where DCC, or its replacement, should go next.

 

BlueRail Trains, were the first to come up with app based control system, that didn’t require any trackside hardware or proprietary electronic boxes. Just a fixed voltage power feed to the whole layout, (DC or DCC), or on-board battery power.

Apart from the decoders, or decoder adapters, in the loco, the control system is the free app itself.

Bachmann Trains (USA) teamed up with them to release a limited range of fitted RTR locos and train sets.

Whether Bachmann take up the much improved version 2 is yet to be seen.

This is where Hornby could have made an opportunity for itself IMHO. 

Economies of scale probably bringing down the price of the Bluetooth fitted decoders and decoder adapters used to convert existing decoders.

 

Good luck to Hornby, though. Conventional digital control won’t be touched by this.

The only aspect that may gain traction, is the layout control function, used without the restrictive train control functions.

 

 

 

Ron

 

Edited January 6, 2020 by Ron Ron Ron