Hornby 2021 - Playtrains starter range

[Legend]

Looks good to me . It’s got all the things the last starter set didn’t . You can extend it , points , lights , sounds , radio control all significantly at a low price point . It’s everything that first set should have been but wasn’t . So they have wasted 2 years .  Lego is a competitor but maybe for children that are a bit older . My Great Nephew got one for Christmas , bright kid, but it still took him a lot of time to construct it . The set was also more than double the cost of these new Playtrains .   So no doubt Hornby will be hoping this appeals to 2 -5 year olds before making transition to the main railway range and get them into Hornby as opposed to Lego in the first place .

 

The only difficulty I see now is the gap between the brilliant playability of Playtrains and the first “proper” trainset which is an 0-4-0 tank , two wagons and an oval . Could be a big disappointment after Playtrains ! 

[009 micro modeller]

3 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

Tons of cheap junk toy railways but those are played with once and then head for landfill. 

 

Although some of them are a bit more robust. The other issue a lot of the time though is their use of a random selection of gauges, making them incompatible with each other as well as with any “proper” model railway items, and again leaving no potential for expansion.

[009 micro modeller]

1 hour ago, Legend said:

The only difficulty I see now is the gap between the brilliant playability of Playtrains and the first “proper” trainset which is an 0-4-0 tank , two wagons and an oval . Could be a big disappointment after Playtrains ! 

 

Exactly. I’d also question the change in control method. Quite a few people seem to be experimenting with radio control now and those who’ve grown up with it via Playtrain may want to stay with it as they progress.

[brushman47544]

18 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

Quite a few people seem to be experimenting with radio control now and those who’ve grown up with it via Playtrain may want to stay with it as they progress.

 

Hornby has a year or two to sort it out, before the current Playtrain kids are ready to move up to train sets.

 

I agree about wanting to stick with radio control or at least with something similar as the next step. I suppose it depends what age group we are talking about, but to me DCC using a mobile phone App would be the way to go. It would retain the walkabout functionality and control, but would also be an intermediate step towards a DCC operated layout as we know it. But that would require Hornby to upgrade the locos used in train sets, since many of the current Railroad locos would need the decoder to be hard wired, and any points in the sets and expansion packs would need to have the R8232 Digital Electric Point Clips fitted as standard (or at least be included) to make the train sets plug and play. All of this would make them more expensive.

[MattA]

2 hours ago, Legend said:

The only difficulty I see now is the gap between the brilliant playability of Playtrains and the first “proper” trainset which is an 0-4-0 tank , two wagons and an oval . Could be a big disappointment after Playtrains ! 

It's a fair step up in price to go from Playtrains, with its lights and sounds, to serious models with working lights and sounds ...!!!

Edited January 6, 2021 by MattA

[Clearwater]

I agree that this looks very like the Marklin range and that's no bad thing.  Ours runs reasonably well, is simple to put together compared to a traditional train set and doesn't require wiring up or putting on a base board.  It's also materially cheaper than a starter rail set.

 

To me, this is a branding exercise.  Hornby's brand is toy trains.  Kids still love trains - see the amount of wooden trains in any conventional toy shop inc Tesco etc.   As such, who are you selling to, who is placing the orders, who are you competing against? If it's the London Toy Fair, I'd expect the buyers from the major UK toy chains, department stores, online retailers, supermarkets etc are the attendees and the people placing orders.  Of them, how many have even heard of Marklin but I'll bet that if you test the name Hornby with them, they will at least know the name.  Take it to the next level, if you're in The Entertainer, for example, will the parent buying have heard of Marklin or Hornby?  What are they prepared to spend £30-40 on?  Is the range extendable? I'd bet they'd take a Hornby set if attractively priced and packaged.  Can the initial interest from a product like this help Hornby/Oxford cross sell starter airfix kits, diecast cars, diecast tie-ins, the Hogwarts Express set etc?

 

Sure, this product may not hit the rmweb market but it's not designed for it.  

 

David

[rue_d_etropal]

10 hours ago, BokStein said:

I recall that Simon K, on his return to the fold, banished the original, abysmal, attempt by Hornby into this field having seem Marklin's myWorld first hand.

 

My first reaction on seeing this was that the track is almost Marklin C-Track (as is myWorld, albeit in plastic) with, apart from the red colouring, different section joiners and no centre stud which both Trix and Marklin C-Track have from their common moulding processes. However, it is possible to run a myWorld train from the plastic track to standard metal-railed Marklin and Trix C-Track and, using an adaptor to account for the height difference between C-Track and Marklin's K-Track, direct onto Hornby or Peco track! With an adaptor wagon, it is also possible to couple standard Marklin or Trix stock to the myWorld range and run them across all 3 systems.

 

 

Given that the magnetic couplings look identical to myWorld's, that the body presentations between the two brands seem similar, the remote controls share similar functions and the track bears more than a passing resemblance to Marklin's, I suspect either that there has been much collaboration between the two companies or that this will end in Court!

I had forgotten about the adapter tracks and adapter wagons. Marklin have developed a complete system which starts with trains for the very young, and then these can be incorporated into a more traditional system.

My original point was that there is nothing wrong with companies working together, but there is a lot wrong with companies who think they can do everything themselves, sometimes borrowing ideas  from other companies.

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Legend said:

The only difficulty I see now is the gap between the brilliant playability of Playtrains and the first “proper” trainset which is an 0-4-0 tank , two wagons and an oval . Could be a big disappointment after Playtrains ! 

 

It may well be that future starter sets will come with the HM bluetooth controller, rather than the conventional "turn-the-knob" one. That has some sort of sound facility too. Or perhaps an upgraded IR hand controller to switch between more locos, with starter set locos having built in batteries with usb charging and conventional wheels, loco outlines and coupling systems.

 

A class 20 freight set would perhaps work, plenty of room for batteries and the control circuitry! 0-4-0 locos might be impossible to fit, they're past their sell by date anyway...

 

Edited January 6, 2021 by Hroth

[009 micro modeller]

20 minutes ago, Clearwater said:

Of them, how many have even heard of Marklin but I'll bet that if you test the name Hornby with them, they will at least know the name.

 

In Germany, does Marklin have a level of brand recognition comparable to Hornby in the UK or is it not as mainstream as that?

 

36 minutes ago, brushman47544 said:

 

Hornby has a year or two to sort it out, before the current Playtrain kids are ready to move up to train sets.

 

I agree about wanting to stick with radio control or at least with something similar as the next step. I suppose it depends what age group we are talking about, but to me DCC using a mobile phone App would be the way to go. It would retain the walkabout functionality and control, but would also be an intermediate step towards a DCC operated layout as we know it. But that would require Hornby to upgrade the locos used in train sets, since many of the current Railroad locos would need the decoder to be hard wired, and any points in the sets and expansion packs would need to have the R8232 Digital Electric Point Clips fitted as standard (or at least be included) to make the train sets plug and play. All of this would make them more expensive.

 

Indeed, but does it need to use track power at all? The point should not necessarily be to move people closer to a more conventional DCC layout but to give them something they would like to use and that follows on from what they have previously used (Playtrain in this case).

 

For my own part, building small layouts  (in 009, but the same probably applies in 00) I don’t have any use for DCC as it doesn’t really offer me anything that I actually need but don’t get from analogue DC control. On the other hand, if it was cheaper and slightly easier to fit to the locos I could be quite interested in radio control, as it would eliminate problems with dirty track (useful in certain applications even if it would be possible to keep the track clean) and would simplify the process of wiring a layout (very useful when building multiple small layouts).

[Hroth]

Playtrains use an infra red remote controller, rather than radio remote control, its easier and cheaper to implement. Hornbys next remote control method is the HM6000 bluetooth controller for DC.  They don't have a remote DCC controller yet.

 

[6990WitherslackHall]

Is this set supposedly replacing the Thomas range?

 

[Hroth]

25 minutes ago, 6990WitherslackHall said:

Is this set supposedly replacing the Thomas range?

 

 

"Replacing" Thomas is one way to look at it, its certainly a replacement to the two toe-dipping "Junior" sets which have limited expansion possibilities.  Hornby are looking to develop a story-based world about the Playtime trains, exploring the characters they are creating.  Perhaps this will end up with an animated series on Youtube?

 

Thomas is steadily divirging from the core stories as the rightsholders seek to monetise their IP.  Anyone with the Thomas franchise is going to have to incorporate some of the newer loco characters if they want to stay relevant to the storylines the young consumers will have seen recently, otherwise demand will drop.

 

Perhaps getting out of "Thomas" was an inspired move?

 

[6990WitherslackHall]

5 minutes ago, Hroth said:

Anyone with the Thomas franchise is going to have to incorporate some of the newer loco characters if they want to stay relevant to the storylines the young consumers will have seen recently, otherwise demand will drop.

I think Bachmann are still doing the range in OO, Tomix in N and there are some G gauge examples too. 

[009 micro modeller]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

Playtrains use an infra red remote controller, rather than radio remote control, its easier and cheaper to implement. Hornbys next remote control method is the HM6000 bluetooth controller for DC.  They don't have a remote DCC controller yet.

 

 

But is it battery powered or is it effectively the same as normal DC track power with wireless connection between the track and controller?

[009 micro modeller]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

Perhaps getting out of "Thomas" was an inspired move?

 

 

Did they get out of it or have it taken away? I got the impression the copyright holders were getting irritated with having Hornby in some markets (was it anywhere outside the UK?) and Bachmann in others and that they felt Bachmann were offering more by developing their range further.

[boxbrownie]

On 05/01/2021 at 12:55, Phil Parker said:

 

There is a range of track including points to go with this - it's not just the simple oval you are thinking of.

It grates a bit that they have chosen the track to be such a garish red colour, what prompted that choice escapes me.......seriously cannot think of a good reason, or any reason.

[Hroth]

8 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

It grates a bit that they have chosen the track to be such a garish red colour, what prompted that choice escapes me.......seriously cannot think of a good reason, or any reason.

 

I suppose it's to make it "spottable" on the floor, childrens toys are rarely installed on a baseboard, its important for the child  to be able to build it it as play goes on. It could have been worse, imagine bright Orange, acid Lemon or luminous Lime track...

 

49 minutes ago, 009 micro modeller said:

But is it battery powered or is it effectively the same as normal DC track power with wireless connection between the track and controller?

 

Its going to be a while for the mainstream players to offer battery powered/wirelessly controlled locomotives to replace track power.

[AY Mod]

25 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

seriously cannot think of a good reason

 

Erm; you're not three years old?

[Pmorgancym]

5 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

 

Exactly. I’d also question the change in control method. Quite a few people seem to be experimenting with radio control now and those who’ve grown up with it via Playtrain may want to stay with it as they progress.

Plenty of room in a Railroad 47 for the gubbins...

[Steven B]

52 minutes ago, boxbrownie said:

It grates a bit that they have chosen the track to be such a garish red colour, what prompted that choice escapes me.......seriously cannot think of a good reason, or any reason.

 

One simple, good, reason - Hornby's corporate colour is red.

Had they done blue there'd have been complaints they were just targetting boys. Grey would perhaps me more prototypical but then most 5 years olds won't care about that, and those that do could have fun with a brush and a pot of paint!

 

Steven B.

[Ben B]

I quite like the look of this, even though my youngest is into 'proper' model railways now.  If this had been around when she was 2/3 I reckon I'd have bought it for her though.  The bright red track reminds me of an old push-along Play craft set I had when I was younger.

 

I think the anthropomorphising of the trains is a good idea to appeal to the younger end of the intended audience, and a nice compromise is that it looks like it's done with stickers, so if you don't want talking trains, you don't have to have talking trains!  It looks as well like they've picked a particularly 'generic' enough looking couple of prototypes to portray a British train, but then as most high-speed trains and modern freight locomotives in Europe are slowly starting to look more alike, from the point of view of getting the maximum out of the tooling for sales all over the continent, probably for the best they look generically European.  Much as I might have liked to see a cartoony Intercity 125 in the range, it probably wouldn't sell too well in Spain or Italy.

 

I wonder if they'll stick with the modern look, or go for a steam character at some point?  The existing 4-wheel chassis wouldn't work, but a slightly blobby Mallard or Flying Scotsman might have a wide enough appeal around the world to work, maybe on a simplified 2-4-2 chassis with no con-rods.  Or stick with 4-wheels and reboot "Nellie/Polly/Connie"

 

Who knows, an anthropomorphic Pacer on that 4-wheel chassis might let Hornby re-use the old class 142 moulds for something  

[Huw Griffiths]

1 hour ago, Ben B said:

Who knows, an anthropomorphic Pacer on that 4-wheel chassis might let Hornby re-use the old class 142 moulds for something  

 

As long as they don't call it "Skippy", I'm not too worried ... .

[009 micro modeller]

So we’ve now got to the point where we’re trying to think of uses for old model Pacers, as well as real ones?

[tomparryharry]

2 hours ago, Steven B said:

 

One simple, good, reason - Hornby's corporate colour is red.

Had they done blue there'd have been complaints they were just targetting boys. Grey would perhaps me more prototypical but then most 5 years olds won't care about that, and those that do could have fun with a brush and a pot of paint!

 

Steven B.

 Isn't the grey colour the same (or, very similar)  to the old Rovex track? 

 

Personally, I think it's a very good idea. It allows the younger element to understand what it's all about. Plus, of course, it should avoid Mallard achieving terminal velocity....

[Pmorgancym]

1 hour ago, Huw Griffiths said:

 

As long as they don't call it "Skippy", I'm not too worried ... .

Skippy the pacer