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Hornby 2020 range announcements


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I think that Hornby can be a bit over cautious when introducing new models.  For instance by saying that Hornby will not reintroduce the Blue Pullman Hornby has left the field open to Bachmann , by failing to upgrade Hornby's pre-grouping four wheel coach Hornby has left the field open to Hattons and by failing to upgrade Hornby's semaphore signals Hornby has left the field open to Dapol.

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32 minutes ago, Robin Brasher said:

I think that Hornby can be a bit over cautious when introducing new models.  For instance by saying that Hornby will not reintroduce the Blue Pullman Hornby has left the field open to Bachmann , by failing to upgrade Hornby's pre-grouping four wheel coach Hornby has left the field open to Hattons and by failing to upgrade Hornby's semaphore signals Hornby has left the field open to Dapol.


And when those alternatives prove superior to those from H, who’s loss is it?

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1 hour ago, Robin Brasher said:

I think that Hornby can be a bit over cautious when introducing new models.  For instance by saying that Hornby will not reintroduce the Blue Pullman Hornby has left the field open to Bachmann , by failing to upgrade Hornby's pre-grouping four wheel coach Hornby has left the field open to Hattons and by failing to upgrade Hornby's semaphore signals Hornby has left the field open to Dapol.

That cuts both ways, though. By stating they weren't including the Lord Nelson in their upgrade DCC chassis upgrade plans, Bachmann left the door wide open for Hornby.

 

The Hornby 4-wheel coach has never really been a serious contender against anything else, even when dressed up to be part of the TTTE range. It's trainset fodder pure and simple and Hornby's only real opposition in that area comes from wooden push-alongs.

 

Hornby signals fall into a similar category, being loose representations designed to survive being played with whilst clipped to track that may or may not be fixed down. The Dapol items are only suitable for mounting through baseboard surfaces, and priced for an entirely different clientele. Hornby are fully capable of producing signals of equal sophistication, but I'd venture that any such products would sit alongside the existing range rather than replacing it.

 

All that said, I don't consider that Hornby's announced programme for 2020 shows any excess of caution.

 

John

Edited by Dunsignalling
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5 hours ago, tomparryharry said:

 

'Tis funny though, isn't it? After all if we all stuck to the narrow plane of events, we would all become pretty boring, pretty quickly. 

 

Perhaps we ought to invite these people back, from time to time, just to keep the pot boiling.

Amen. I tend to have a polite easy going attitude with a mix of semi-seriousness on this forum. But in truth, I treat people in the way that I would wish to be treated like in real life ;). Off here though I do love to have a good craic and enjoy myself once the Harp beer kicks in at the weekend! :jester:.

 

 

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10 hours ago, maico said:

I could be wrong, but when the history of the World is written getting banned from a toy train forum is unlikely to feature as a highlight...

When the history of the world is re-written, the Hitler parodies will be used to explain the Second World War. Heck, a faulty model brings this forum to the edge of war!

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On 07/02/2020 at 23:47, No Decorum said:

When the history of the world is re-written, the Hitler parodies will be used to explain the Second World War.

".... but Herr Hitler! The new Hornby 'Scotsman is too big for your HO coaches...."

 

Hitler removes glasses with trembling hand, etc.

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2 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

".... but Herr Hitler! The new Hornby 'Scotsman is too big for your HO coaches...."

 

Hitler removes glasses with trembling hand, etc.

 

Someone needs to do it, if only for the archives...  :scared:

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Back on topic, the first fruits of the 2020 range will soon be with us, First the "Commemorative" Rocket, followed in a couple of weeks by the "ordinary" Rocket and the Hornby Book of Trains.

 

I went for an R3810.  I hope it comes soon!

 

Hornby really need to do some additional coach packs, both First and Open, and perhaps "Rockets" on their own, especially if its found possible to alter them to represent later members of the class, like "Northumberland".  Then, perhaps, a Planet?  :jester:

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Coach packs would be fairly easy, I would have thought. New first class coaches would just be different decoration, and the open coaches wouldn't be much more complex than a typical wagon.

 

A rebuilt Rocket, and other Rocket class locos, would be harder as there are some significant differences between the prototype Rocket used at the trials and the production version. So that would mean new tooling.

 

I think it's unlikely, though, that we'll ever see enough RTR era 1 stuff to be able to build a complete layout around it. It wouldn't just need locos and coaches, but also track, signals and other infrastructure. If Hornby - or any other manufacturer - does release more in the future, it's more likely to be other well-known individual locos than more variants of Rocket. Planet would be one obvious contender, as would a member of the Patentee class. Or, go back in time rather than forwards and do something like Locomotion No. 1.

 

The main problem with the early Victorian era was that development was so rapid that few locomotives lasted very long in service. And it's poorly documented, with not many preserved examples. So modelling it is always going to be difficult,

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Era 1 potentially has a lot going for it in terms of space; a reasonable looking main line train can be compressed into 3 feet or so.  Very early locos and stock would be hard to produce in RTR, especially with the loco powered, but the Peckett shows what is possible, even with full cab detail.  Move on a couple of decades from Rocket, though, and there are a plethora of Jenny LInds, Cromptons, Stephenson long boilers, Sharpies and so on with not too much outside motion to worry about and able to be presented in a wide variety of liveries, along with a probably generic range of 4 and 6 wheeled coaches and basic wagons.

 

Era 1 has a lot more 'play value' than some as well, with mixed trains and tail traffic, private saloons, and  open sided passenger stock still in use.  Signalling was a lot more basic, and track formations simpler, so it could be a viable budget option as well.

 

I've been having a bit of a go (who, me?) over on the Blue Box thread about catalogues and unclear information, so it's only fair that I have a bit of a dig at H.  My irritation is piqued by what I think is an incorrect, misleading (not claiming that it is deliberately so) and confusing (especially to newbies) use of language in the online catty.  How can an item that is a 'new tooling' be 'out of stock'; it's never been in stock, and 'out of stock' should IMHO mean items that have been in stock in the past but stocks are now exhausted.   'Available to preorder' is more appropriate for items not in stock but expected at some future date, but some brand new items are both 'out of stock' and 'available to preorder'.  

 

If the catalogue is to use terms such as these, perhaps it would be a good idea to attach a comment or note explaining how the terms are to be interpreted.  We all know the game, but newbies can easily be caught out, and these are the main users of catalogues I suspect.  They buy or are given an item or train set, and immediately look to see how they can develop it.

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Think it might come in a bit over that price; old inside cylinder locos with small boilers need to have inside working motion visible, and are quite intricately detailed, but I reckon it could be done around the £170-80 level.  Drive to rear pony to hide it in the firebox, loco packed with ballast if not a solid casting, motor in tender driving through shaft and cv joint. 

Edited by The Johnster
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On 07/02/2020 at 14:02, caradoc said:

 

I'm not so sure; Some might regard it as a badge of honour !!

 

 

Not with him upstairs surrounded by them cherubs. You need to be kind to small furry animals to score bonus points...

 

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Looked up Hornby NMT HST's on Ebay and much to my dismay and/or bemusement R2984 (the old NMT HST pack) pre-owned are being sold for between £400-£500 DCC Ready???...there is one @£300 lol

Now bear in mind this pack is now being replaced by R3769 which the HST's have been updated with the recent livery and both being buffered and have the same running numbers as the same old used ones that are being priced into the stratosphere...I'm literally scratching my head over it, am I missing something here or are they now priceless?

Just curious...

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42 minutes ago, classy52 said:

Looked up Hornby NMT HST's on Ebay and much to my dismay and/or bemusement R2984 (the old NMT HST pack) pre-owned are being sold for between £400-£500 DCC Ready???...there is one @£300 lol

Now bear in mind this pack is now being replaced by R3769 which the HST's have been updated with the recent livery and both being buffered and have the same running numbers as the same old used ones that are being priced into the stratosphere...I'm literally scratching my head over it, am I missing something here or are they now priceless?

Just curious...

 

Chancers hoping people don't want to wait as a guess. The people selling probably have the new ones on order and want to make some £££ in the meantime!

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On 11/02/2020 at 14:52, The Johnster said:

Think it might come in a bit over that price; old inside cylinder locos with small boilers need to have inside working motion visible, and are quite intricately detailed, but I reckon it could be done around the £170-80 level.  Drive to rear pony to hide it in the firebox, loco packed with ballast if not a solid casting, motor in tender driving through shaft and cv joint. 

Either way I would buy one. They are beautiful machines.

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23 hours ago, classy52 said:

Looked up Hornby NMT HST's on Ebay and much to my dismay and/or bemusement R2984 (the old NMT HST pack) pre-owned are being sold for between £400-£500 DCC Ready???...there is one @£300 lol

Now bear in mind this pack is now being replaced by R3769 which the HST's have been updated with the recent livery and both being buffered and have the same running numbers as the same old used ones that are being priced into the stratosphere...I'm literally scratching my head over it, am I missing something here or are they now priceless?

Just curious...

Having bought something from one of the sellers, I think he needs the money to keep up his smoking habit.  Bought something a few years back and even after many washes it still stinks badly of smoke.  

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My copy of "The Hornby Book of Trains - the first one hundred years"  by Pat Hammond has just arrived in the post.

 

7 inches x 10 inches, hardback, paper outer cover with a Hornby Centenary sticker, 448 pages, plenty of pictures and many hours of bedtime reading.

 

Keith

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If anyone from Hornby are reading this thread can you please ensure the doo daa's (lol for the life of me can't remember what they're called?) on the NR HST cab ends are painted black as per prototype, and not lazily left yellow like on your previous NR HST release...thank you.

Unfortunately you can only get side photos of R3769.

Edited by classy52
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39 minutes ago, classy52 said:

If anyone from Hornby are reading this thread can you please ensure the doo daa's (lol for the life of me can't remember what they're called?) on the NR HST cab ends are painted black as per prototype, and not lazily left yellow like on your previous NR HST release...thank you.

Unfortunately you can only get side photos of R3769.

 

Are you on about the horn grilles?

 

R2984 has them in black but R3366 has them in yellow.

 

Or are you on about the camera box thingys which are black on the fronts but left yellow on the model in both cases?

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39 minutes ago, classy52 said:

If anyone from Hornby are reading this thread can you please ensure the doo daa's (lol for the life of me can't remember what they're called?) on the NR HST cab ends are painted black as per prototype, and not lazily left yellow like on your previous NR HST release...thank you.

Unfortunately you can only get side photos of R3769.

 

Are you on about the horn grilles?

 

R2984 has them in black but R3366 has them in yellow.

 

Or are you on about the camera box thingys which are black on the fronts but left yellow on the model in both cases?

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