Hornby 2022 - Train sets

[AY Mod]

[Ben B]

I rather like the look of the Network Traveller set; I'd assumed the Barclay had been permanently retired in favour of the newer Bagnall, so it's nice to see it return.  Shame about the box van spoiling what is otherwise not too bad a late 80's Speedlink-style train, in so far as most of the models are rather inaccurate.  I wonder why Hornby doesn't resurrect the old short-wheelbase van they used to turn out in Railfreight Red Stripe livery back in the 80's and 90's?  I know it pales in comparison with the newer, more accurate versions of the real thing by other manufacturers, but there must still be a market for the inaccurate Hornby model judging by the second-hand prices on eBay. 

[andyman7]

Nice to see a 'modern image' freight set which I can see having wide appeal for younger modellers. 

[Katie87006]

at last Hornby realised that diesel locos can also be put in a big box with some wagons and tracks. Hope they continue to do more such sets. The choice of wagons is baffling though

[Compound2632]

19 minutes ago, Katie87006 said:

The choice of wagons is baffling though

 

'Twas ever thus. My first train set, in 1971, featured good old 3F 47606 in BR mixed traffic livery, with a Johnnie Walker bulk grain wagon, a London Brick bogie wagon, a single bolster wagon, and a BR standard brake van. Fifty years haven't changed their modus operandi.

[Stuart A]

46 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

'Twas ever thus. My first train set, in 1971, featured good old 3F 47606 in BR mixed traffic livery, with a Johnnie Walker bulk grain wagon, a London Brick bogie wagon, a single bolster wagon, and a BR standard brake van. Fifty years haven't changed their modus operandi.

 

Yep I just don't get it.   Most passenger sets have fairly accurate rolling stock to match the loco.  The rolling stock in freight sets must be decided via some random wagon generator.  It's not like the brown box van is attractive to youngsters due to being brightly cloured.  Baffling!

 

Why not put a railroad 37 in railfreight construction with 3x BSC iron ore wagons?

Or stick with the 67 and put it with DB or EWS liveried wagons, even if the toolings are ancient for the wagons.

 

At least in the description of the 67 set they call it an eclectic mix.

[HonestTom]

The Red Rover seems like a pretty smart set for the beginner - a mixed freight like that would be rather unusual in the modern era, but you've got a representative selection of modern image wagons that could each form the beginning of a bulk train.

 

I'd echo the sentiments about the selection of wagons with the 06, although perhaps you could justify the box van as some industrial internal user wagon or something. I guess the idea behind this set is something for the train-mad kids or nostalgic adults exploring the hobby who aren't into steam, but aren't exactly experts either.

[BroadLeaves]

I think the wagon choice is driven by the market, rather than as a nod to any kind of realism. The primary people buying this are going to be parents as a present for a small child and so "playability" is a concern. Having one tanker, one open wagon and one box van gives both the parents and the child the variation they are after. Three wagons all the same would be a bit boring. Maybe not to a "railway modeller", but certainly to a six year old.

[Nearholmer]

Aren't the wagons in starter train sets there to look interesting to children, or maybe whoever buys the train for a child, rather than to tick boxes on an authenticity checklist?

 

Go back even further than Compond suggests, to pre-WW2, and the wagon selection in train sets was often pretty strange (notalways, but often), and even Hornby Dublo, who seem to have put authenticity quite high on their list, chose a few very brightly coloured authentic liveries.

 

That red one actually looks quite good, and should appeal to kids who are already a bit into trains; definitely one that could form the kernel of a layout. The Mallard one is for grandads to buy, mainly for themselves really!

[Compound2632]

40 minutes ago, BroadLeaves said:

The primary people buying this are going to be parents as a present for a small child and so "playability" is a concern. Having one tanker, one open wagon and one box van gives both the parents and the child the variation they are after. Three wagons all the same would be a bit boring. Maybe not to a "railway modeller", but certainly to a six year old.

 

1 minute ago, Nearholmer said:

Aren't the wagons in starter train sets there to look interesting to children, or maybe whoever buys the train for a child, rather than to tick boxes on an authenticity checklist?

 

I'm not so sure. Aged seven, I think I would have got more enjoyment from Jinty + five opens + brake - one can put things in opens. I wasn't really into whiskey then. It's what happens with the little children's layout our club puts* up at exhibitions - a good supply of smallish wooden Noah's ark animals goes down well.

 

*Or did. And will again. New civilisations will arise!

[Pmorgancym]

Cynically  what's the chances the Triang sets are actually a load of unsold stock they found, and they just printed up new boxes?

[Ruffnut Thorston]

That would be good, but the “Match Truck” in the Crash Train Set in the original was a single bolster wagon, with the “pins”, whereas the new set is using a Conflat wagon. 

 

 

[RyanN91]

I love that Red Rover set very nice excellent value for money for the contents! 

Strangely the Network Traveler Set box design image on Hornby's Website is of a Class D 0-4-0T locomotive, not a BR Class 06 Shunter. 

 

[Steamport Southport]

Got the diesel in the next photo when you click on the image though.

 

Stranger and stranger....

 

 

 

Jason

[Chris116]

12 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

Got the diesel in the next photo when you click on the image though.

 

Stranger and stranger....

 

 

 

Jason

Detail, detail,detail as someone once said!

[HonestTom]

12 hours ago, RyanN91 said:

I love that Red Rover set very nice excellent value for money for the contents! 

Strangely the Network Traveler Set box design image on Hornby's Website is of a Class D 0-4-0T locomotive, not a BR Class 06 Shunter. 

 

Last-minute change, perhaps?

[Pmorgancym]

On 10/01/2022 at 16:15, Nearholmer said:

Aren't the wagons in starter train sets there to look interesting to children, or maybe whoever buys the train for a child, rather than to tick boxes on an authenticity checklist?

 

Go back even further than Compond suggests, to pre-WW2, and the wagon selection in train sets was often pretty strange (notalways, but often), and even Hornby Dublo, who seem to have put authenticity quite high on their list, chose a few very brightly coloured authentic liveries.

 

That red one actually looks quite good, and should appeal to kids who are already a bit into trains; definitely one that could form the kernel of a layout. The Mallard one is for grandads to buy, mainly for themselves really!

Explain the 72xx 'South Wales freight' train pack.  Black 72xx, 3 PO wagons in PO livery, one a 3 plank for a North Wales quarry.

[Compound2632]

11 minutes ago, Pmorgancym said:

Explain the 72xx 'South Wales freight' train pack.  Black 72xx, 3 PO wagons in PO livery, one a 3 plank for a North Wales quarry.

 

... and one wagon from a Cardiff-based factor and the other from Swansea. I suspect there's someone whose knowledge of Welsh geography is as hazy as their sense of historicity!

[Ben B]

On 11/01/2022 at 23:11, RyanN91 said:

I love that Red Rover set very nice excellent value for money for the contents! 

Strangely the Network Traveler Set box design image on Hornby's Website is of a Class D 0-4-0T locomotive, not a BR Class 06 Shunter. 

 

 

I wonder if the set was planned for the steam loco, up until the last minute?  To be honest, I'm slightly surprised at the appearance of the Barclay over the newer Bagnall anyway, which I thought had replaced it in the wider range.

[GernBlanstonShow]

I'm curious about the Mallard that comes with the Record Breaker set. It has a mixture of Railroad and Super-detail features in the photo. I'm not at all interested in the full set but a Railroad range BR Express Blue Mallard would be appealing to me. 

[30801]

4 hours ago, GernBlanstonShow said:

I'm curious about the Mallard that comes with the Record Breaker set. It has a mixture of Railroad and Super-detail features in the photo. I'm not at all interested in the full set but a Railroad range BR Express Blue Mallard would be appealing to me. 

 

You can't trust the box art... The centenary Rovex set and the Dublo set along with the GWR HST set (that I know of) all have models that differ from the box art. In those cases the models inside are better than what's on the box.

 

I'd expect the loco to be Railroad with the old style tender and big coal load but until the sets are available who knows.

[Steamport Southport]

They've already got an A4 that is half way between the Railroad and super detailed version though.

 

It's the one usually used it train sets and packs.

 

 

 

Jason

[Legend]

On 13/01/2022 at 06:52, Pmorgancym said:

Explain the 72xx 'South Wales freight' train pack.  Black 72xx, 3 PO wagons in PO livery, one a 3 plank for a North Wales quarry.

 

Left over stock they want rid of 

[Ruffnut Thorston]

That and it makes a pretty picture! 

 

I remember when train sets of goods trains included the necessary brake van! 

 

 

[meatloaf]

The A4 set really looks great and its on my to buy list. Hornby magazine seem to think it will be a full spec A4 according to there range review. The Class 67 also looks interesting as i hadnt realised they had done a railroad 67.

 

The little 06 set is DCC says dcc ready according to sams trains but im not so sure.