How did Laurie make the Hornby Steampunk products?

[LocoLaurie]

Hi Splendid People 

 

I'm Laurie Calvert (aka Cornelius Chuddery) the designer of the Steampunk product for Hornby. The was tasked with using existing product, and giving it a Steampunk make-over. So bear in mind those constraints, although I am very happy with the designs. I am really pleased with the results on the Locos, Wagons, and Coaches. The buildings I had lots of thoughts over. I really wanted to do something wacky, overbalanced, and almost falling over but had to modify existing items. So two of the sides have detail on them and two of the sides just cogs and gears as a Steampunk motif - the idea being they could be instantly recognisable as Steampunk. No matter what a steampunk song says, you do actually needs cogs and gears. Otherwise they would look like buildings but not really Steampunk. I have many more ideas if they are needed. This also has a narrative to it, to get imaginations going. Bassett-Lowke was used as that company was founded in Victorian times 1899. Seemed apt in a way. Hornby designers have done a great job on the art for the models. The interest grew in the product as the months rolled on. I have built two demo layouts, one for America. 

 

The investment wasn't too high but the idea here is to bring in other modellers into our hobby. I applaud Hornby for giving this a go. To broaden it's appeal. Ask your children or grandchildren what they think of these locos racing around dinosaurs, and you may find you have to have these as visitors to your own layout when the grandkids come round to visit. The hobby after all is meant to be fun. 

 

I am making a series of videos for daily release on YouTube for those interested in seeing how this product was developed, and give you an insight. Here is the first. 

 

 

I hope this interests people. If it's not for you fair enough. I don't like every loco I see. That's not the point though - the idea is to appeal to new modellers, so well done Hornby management for giving this a go. 

 

For me this was a dream come true - I got to design a Hornby product. How cool is that? 

 

Regards, Laurie  

[MRDBLUE17]

Hi Laurie,

 

Well done in having the opportunity to create something different. Having watched what you created on the GMRC it certainly created broader appeal and interest and I know plenty of people that liked it as it was so different to what you would expect. 
 

Having more interest in railways will help the hobby as all those extra sales of track and scenics will all help for future investment and Hornby are best placed to tap into the family market.

 

Cheers

Mark

[The White Rabbit]

It's not for me - but it's a great idea which I hope Hornby do well with. Keeping products based on existing models will keep the costs low while the idea's tested and I really hope you get the chance to follow up with some more adventurous models. I see Hornby laying down a marker with this, whether it's LCD or SK or both, there's both a sense of style and business logic to it. New markets and new people for the hobby, even if it does have the purists spluttering into their cocoa! Good publicity for the business and the hobby and if you're acting as an ambassador at shows, even better. I'll be interested to see how this turns out. And thanks for starting the thread and engaging with us. 

 

(Not quite a grumpy old man)...

 

 

[adb968008]

The thing that attracts me about this, is the same thing as attracts me to certain films, like 2019’s Mortal Engines, or older films like 20,000 leagues under the sea is the complicated mechanical structures that require a significant amount of eye ball to fully understand and comprehend whats happening... even if its pure fantasy.. theres a science aspect to that fantasy.

 

It may be hard on a forum like this, which is largely based on real world events that are documented and understood and interpreted to a theme and accuracy, to grasp, what is ultimately a different form of fantasy, but to me its got to look complicated.. I think the locos have captured it well.

 

My favourite (is also that hollywood favourite), would be a spinning engine governor expanding and contracting... perhaps if there was planets hanging off them.. even better.

At somepoint a class 20 could look good here.. think back to James Bonds class 20 in Octopussy... and then complicate it..

 

 

 

[Ozexpatriate]

8 hours ago, LocoLaurie said:

The buildings I had lots of thoughts over. I really wanted to do something wacky, overbalanced, and almost falling over but had to modify existing items. So two of the sides have detail on them and two of the sides just cogs and gears as a Steampunk motif - the idea being they could be instantly recognisable as Steampunk. No matter what a steampunk song says, you do actually needs cogs and gears.

Laurie,

 

Thank you for sharing the backstory behind the new steampunk range.

 

The buildings are tricky. I loved what you did to the front of the signal box with the pipework. The back of the signal box looks more like abandoned mill equipment decorating a barn wall rather than Steampunk to me. I do like the idea of having gears and cogs but in my opinion on a structure they should be meshed and look like they do something - even if that something isn't obvious.

 

It's hard to tell from the picture, but it looks like they might be meshed, but don't convey any function.

 

I'm guessing there were cost constraints and don't expect you to be able to respond on that.

 

Thanks for sharing your insights.

 

Edited January 7, 2020 by Ozexpatriate

[PieGuyRob]

On 07/01/2020 at 00:04, adb968008 said:

At somepoint a class 20 could look good here.. think back to James Bonds class 20 in Octopussy... and then complicate it..

I hate to point this out, but, the class 20 was in Goldeneye. In Octopussy, it was a sentinel shunter and steam locomotive. Both were filmed at the Nene Valley Railway.

[adb968008]

It took 3 years to figure that out ?

 

😀

[Oldddudders]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

It took 3 years to figure that out ?

 

😀

It's those pies....

[Johan DC]

Sam from Sam's Trains' just did a video about where Hornby went wrong. I have no interest in steampunk, and watch his reviews only for the great close ups, so didn't watch this one. 

https://youtu.be/TmuFLtV9mIo

[HExpressD]

57 minutes ago, Johan DC said:

Sam from Sam's Trains' just did a video about where Hornby went wrong. I have no interest in steampunk, and watch his reviews only for the great close ups, so didn't watch this one. 

https://youtu.be/TmuFLtV9mIo

His comments section is an absolute riot

[jjb1970]

There's a huge market for sci-fi and fantasy models and merchandise, and those into that hobby seem to have deep pockets and a willingness to spend $$$$$$$$s.

 

If people think model trains are expensive they should have a look in a shop like Forbidden Planet at prices for some of the figures and models. Which might indicate a fundamental problem with Hornby Steampunk, even the cheaper toys in that world tend to be pretty well done.

 

Although the market is large and can command serious prices, to do well models should be linked to a TV or movie franchise, or to anime, animation or book stories. The models may be of fantasy stuff dreamed up by an artist or visual effects department but within that boundary they're accurate models. Standards of accuracy and detail can be quite remarkable.

 

So I never did figure out who the steampunk range was aimed at. No disrespect to Laurie who did what he could with the idea but it seemed a bit of a bonkers idea to me, an idea existing between two worlds and of little interest to either.

[JSpencer]

Hornby have rights to Warner Brothers (or did have), so there was a ton of stuff to explore would could have tied in eventually to steam punk.

 

Imagine scale figures of DC heros in 1/76th scale or other scales they normally do for example?

 

[Hroth]

I don't know if Laurie had anything to do with the metal steampunk figures, but they were well made and ideal for Discworld themed layouts...

 

[1andrew1]

13 hours ago, JSpencer said:

Hornby have rights to Warner Brothers (or did have), so there was a ton of stuff to explore would could have tied in eventually to steam punk.

 

Imagine scale figures of DC heros in 1/76th scale or other scales they normally do for example?

 

Hornby had the rights to Harry Potter which have now lapsed but not to the entire Warner Bros IP.

 

 

[1andrew1]

13 hours ago, Hroth said:

I don't know if Laurie had anything to do with the metal steampunk figures, but they were well made and ideal for Discworld themed layouts...

 

They were apparently manufactured for Hornby by Warlord Games. So one key benefit of Steampunk is that it may have encouraged Hornby to invest in Warlord which looks a good idea.

[RAF96]

There is SteamPunk the Genre which has produced some amazing machines and there is Hornby SteamPunk which is a poor impersonation.

[Covkid]

On 22/08/2023 at 10:06, Johan DC said:

Sam from Sam's Trains' just did a video about where Hornby went wrong. I have no interest in steampunk, and watch his reviews only for the great close ups, so didn't watch this one. 

https://youtu.be/TmuFLtV9mIo

I watched Sam's video this week, and tend to agree with his opinion, but at the same time appreciate that Laurie has worked to a brief. 

The problem I have is that of a model railway / railway enthusiast who tend to look back at history, rather than look forward to money making opportunities. I have to assume Hornby embarked on steampunk as a financial opportunity and fair play to them - if steampunk enhances their raison d'etre. Sam of Sam's Trains doesn't concur with that, and neither do i.  Sam suggests some steampunk items are up for bargain basement reductions in price, but let us hope Hornby have made enough to be able to pass it off.

 

The one frustrating model which I have seen is the "Bagnall diesel" which could have been a splendid little 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 in the railroad range, and which has cl;early gotten the steampunk makeover to look even more unfeasible, but hey

[Mike Bellamy]

The biggest Steampunk Festival in the world is at Lincoln this weekend - 50,000 visitors are expected to attend.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66605940

.

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, Mike Bellamy said:

The biggest Steampunk Festival in the world is at Lincoln this weekend - 50,000 visitors are expected to attend.

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lincolnshire-66605940

.

Looks like Steampunk but no steam.  I'm off to see steam at Fawley - lots of steam but no punk.

 

https://www.nationaltransporttrust.org.uk/events/325-vintage-transport-festival-27th-29th-may-2023

[Ben B]

I think it was a missed opportunity (as a fan of the genre), but totally appreciate Laurie was working to a brief and tight budgets. He did what he could with a range that was all about testing the water. 

 

I think the great shame was being limited to the Railroad starter locomotives... imagine if he'd been allowed to use the Singles, and the bogie clerestories? And the Bagnall I think was a mistake, more Dieselpunk and Raygun Gothic.

 

Of course, just using 4mm stock was probably an issue. I did some models kit-bashing Dapol City of Truro kits for a Steampunk monorail back in the early 2000's. A number of people told me it was nice, but really should have been 4x as large, and named "Goliath". Maybe if Hornby used G-gauge track and chassis, but with bodies scaled for 00 figures, they could have had the triple-deck coaches, and 40ft-tall steam locomotives the genre seems to desire ;)

[Titan]

Now if they had done a loco based on the Back to the Future part 3 time travelling steam loco they might have had some success. That was extremely steampunk, and tied in with a blockbuster movie and would even be of interest to collectors outside the usual Hornby customer base.