Hornby 2014 - predictions

[Neal Ball]

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Can we start speculating as to when the first "leak" of Hornby's 2014 releases will occur ?

 

I predict tomorrow morning about 8.30 am.

 

( And  NO !  I do not know anything, I am quite content to wait until 9.59 on Monday. )

 

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Thankfully I have better things to do than wait for the leak this morning!!!!! and at 10am Monday morning, I will be on the road and unlikely to get a chance to look out for anything new... that we will have to wait 2 years for!

 

Let's hope that the only thing hat is announced is that Design clever has gone and in future locos will cost £20 more with all the bells and whistles and they are on top of all their delivery issues and there follows a steady stream of arrivals over the next 6 months. They can then throw in a few surprise announcements in September - like the GWR King etc. that is due on these shores .... in October !

 

Too much to ask for - Oh well never mind

[Pete 75C]

Go for it.

 

And as sure as I don't get on with my mother-in-law, come Monday you'll regret it...

[coachmann]

I recall back in the bad 'ol sixties someone produced a 94XX Pannier when things were produced that were'nt quite what was needed. So what happened was the GWR model branchlines ended up with red route restriction 94XX's and Condencing Tanks. It didnt seem to be a bad model for its day but it's chassis was mighty useful. I built an LNWR coal Tank on it and altered the wheels to resemble H-spoke with strips of plastikard. I saw a real 94XX this morning on a video charging along an eight mile section with eight corridor coaches to some junction or other where a Castle would take over. It was interesting t me as I always thought of them as Paddington pilots.

[Clive Mortimore]

I have some insider information.

 

My mate who knows a geezer who last night went to the Peking Authentic Cantonese Restaurant who chatted up one of the waitresses who has a cousin who works in the factory making the Hornby models says "wait till Monday".

[The Stationmaster]

I recall back in the bad 'ol sixties someone produced a 94XX Pannier when things were produced that were'nt quite what was needed. So what happened was the GWR model branchlines ended up with red route restriction 94XX's and Condencing Tanks. It didnt seem to be a bad model for its day but it's chassis was mighty useful. I built an LNWR coal Tank on it and altered the wheels to resemble H-spoke with strips of plastikard. I saw a real 94XX this morning on a video charging along an eight mile section with eight corridor coaches to some junction or other where a Castle would take over. It was interesting t me as I always thought of them as Paddington pilots.

 

Well not that Hornby are at all likely to be announcing one on Monday (hint?) but they were quite often used as passenger engines - one of the regular engines on our branch was a 94XX although one of the Drivers had to stand on a crate to be able to work it (the other Driver was tall enough) and the Newport Division liked to use them on passenger work while at one time they were regularly used on the Cheltenham - Gloucester leg of the Cheltenham Spa Express.  Nobody thought much of them as shunting engines due to the cab layout.

 

But a while yet until a model in 4mm r-t-r is likely to be announced I think.

[coachmann]

Well not that Hornby are at all likely to be announcing one on Monday (hint?) but they were quite often used as passenger engines - one of the regular engines on our branch was a 94XX although one of the Drivers had to stand on a crate to be able to work it (the other Driver was tall enough) and the Newport Division liked to use them on passenger work while at one time they were regularly used on the Cheltenham - Gloucester leg of the Cheltenham Spa Express.  Nobody thought much of them as shunting engines due to the cab layout.

 

But a while yet until a model in 4mm r-t-r is likely to be announced I think.

Yep, that was the train on Video I'm sure. Going at a fair wack too.

[Ian Hargrave]

94XX were used on the Vale of Neath line on passenger work,late 50's,early 60's.Actually....anything that wouldn't be too heavy for the Crumlin viaduct...from a Grange to a pannier.

[Rugd1022]

I recall back in the bad 'ol sixties someone produced a 94XX Pannier when things were produced that were'nt quite what was needed. So what happened was the GWR model branchlines ended up with red route restriction 94XX's and Condencing Tanks. It didnt seem to be a bad model for its day but it's chassis was mighty useful. I built an LNWR coal Tank on it and altered the wheels to resemble H-spoke with strips of plastikard. I saw a real 94XX this morning on a video charging along an eight mile section with eight corridor coaches to some junction or other where a Castle would take over. It was interesting t me as I always thought of them as Paddington pilots.

 

Sounds like it could be the last leg from Gloucester of the Padd-Cheltenham services Larry, big loco did the Padd-Gloucester Central stretch and a lowly Pannier or 61xx would come on the rear for a quick sprint to the Spa town!

 

Edit... having looked back up the thread I see our resident Stationmaster had already beaten me to it!

[Fat Controller]

I recall back in the bad 'ol sixties someone produced a 94XX Pannier when things were produced that were'nt quite what was needed. So what happened was the GWR model branchlines ended up with red route restriction 94XX's and Condencing Tanks. It didnt seem to be a bad model for its day but it's chassis was mighty useful. I built an LNWR coal Tank on it and altered the wheels to resemble H-spoke with strips of plastikard. I saw a real 94XX this morning on a video charging along an eight mile section with eight corridor coaches to some junction or other where a Castle would take over. It was interesting t me as I always thought of them as Paddington pilots.

The 1960s one would have been  Graham Farish; then, in the late 1970s, Lima brought one out. Until buying 'The Red Dragon and..', I hadn't realised how many were based in South Wales, often covering stopping passenger services around Swansea.

[Combe Martin]

I've still got one of the Graham Farish 94xxs.  It has a cast metal body and weighs a 'ton' .  The motor is sort of X04 like but unfortunately I think its magnet has gone weak now.  I must dig it out and have another look !.  It was a good performer as I remember with scale wheels  !

[JimC]

I hadn't realised how many were based in South Wales, often covering stopping passenger services around Swansea.

 

That's what they were originally intended for - replacing all the absorbed Welsh locos, mainly 0-6-2s, that were due to go out of service during the 50s. The GWR batch were superheated because they were intended for traffic. The bigger boiler and thus increased weight gave them more braking power to attempt to stop umpteen loaded coal wagons coming down the valleys to the ports. Cheaper than building more 5600s.

[The Stationmaster]

That's what they were originally intended for - replacing all the absorbed Welsh locos, mainly 0-6-2s, that were due to go out of service during the 50s. The GWR batch were superheated because they were intended for traffic. The bigger boiler and thus increased weight gave them more braking power to attempt to stop umpteen loaded coal wagons coming down the valleys to the ports. Cheaper than building more 5600s.

 

Not so - the Motive Power folk asked for more 0-6-0Ts and it was originally proposed to construct more 8750s but Sir James Milne rejected the proposal because they looked too old fashioned so the design was modernised using the 2251 chassis as the basis and putting on a taper boiler.  The added weight of the boiler plus the tanks put the engines into the Red category which made them slightly less useful than had originally been intended and the wider cab (than the 57XX/8750) made them awkward for many Drivers when shunting.  But they were powerful well riding engines so they found considerable use on passenger work on lines which could take them.

 

They did indeed replace older 0-6-2Ts in South Wales but the same would have happened had they been further examples of the 8750 Class instead of a revised design.

[Oldddudders]

I've just had a quick wizz through this thread and was amazed how few members have mentioned wagons, cranes and the like.

I wonder if Hornby have given them a thought ?.

I'm sure Hornby have done just that. Basically, we, the modelling fraternity at large, are a bit loco-centric. They are the glamour purchases, the big-ticket items. They also tend to dictate which prototypes - i.e. railways - we model, because far more of us will essay wagon kits than loco kits. Locos R us.

[Coach bogie]

the wider cab (than the 57XX/8750) made them awkward for many Drivers when shunting.

As did the screw reverser. My Grandfather hated them with a passion have to hand crank back and forth rather than throw a lever. A while back,  I noted preserved 9466 has had a lever reverser fitted for the same reason.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[TheSignalEngineer]

Well not that Hornby are at all likely to be announcing one on Monday (hint?) but they were quite often used as passenger engines - one of the regular engines on our branch was a 94XX although one of the Drivers had to stand on a crate to be able to work it (the other Driver was tall enough) and the Newport Division liked to use them on passenger work while at one time they were regularly used on the Cheltenham - Gloucester leg of the Cheltenham Spa Express.  Nobody thought much of them as shunting engines due to the cab layout.

 

But a while yet until a model in 4mm r-t-r is likely to be announced I think.

I'll get the tools out then.

[JimC]

Not so - the Motive Power folk asked for more 0-6-0Ts and it was originally proposed to construct more 8750s but Sir James Milne rejected the proposal because they looked too old fashioned

 

That "looks old fashioned" tale is a nice one, but it just doesn't square up with the facts... I think Cook probably included it because it made for a good story. I don't doubt that Milne made a light hearted remark to that effect but consider:

 

1 - RCTS states they were originally intended to supercede Welsh 0-6-2Ts.

2 - 52 * 8750s (with domes) were built in sufficient numbers to replace remaining large pre group 1854s and 2721s in the early 50s (30 without vacuum brake).

3 - 20 * 74s and 70 * 16s (also with domes) were built in sufficient numbers to replace small pre group 0-6-0T eg 2021 in the same period.

4 - well over 150 pre group 0-6-2T and 0-6-0 were due to (and went) out of use over the same period that the 94s were ordered for.

5 - nothing else was designed or ordered to replace the pre group 0-6-2T.

6 - the superheaters. The GW had abandoned them for shunting locos.

7 - Its a safe assumption that the GWR did not order the 94s for a massive expansion of the loco fleet with no work for them to do. The only things that were there for them to replace were the larger absorbed tank engines.

 

Designing an alternative to the 8750 which is route restricted *while you are still building 8750s* just because the director makes a remark about domes is a good anecdote to put in the book, but its not really very likely. Milne was far too astute to waste company money like that. Using the kit of parts to produce a loco for traffic work with the extra boiler and braking power, on the other hand, makes a great deal of sense.

[robertcwp]

 

Cardiff Castle would be good though. Single Chimney, Collett tender, late crest ......a version they curiously have yet to produce!

They have done this version but as a limited edition 7037 Swindon for the STEAM museum.  I bought one as I wanted this variant of Castle,

 

I would like to see a 94XX pannier but my guess would be it's more likely to come from Bachmann. Hornby's King could do with a makeover as their current model is not great, although it has a good mechanism. 

 

Having glanced through this thread, I have seen lots of good ideas.  I would like one of these:

 

E70689_Crewe_26-5-76 by robertcwp, on Flickr

 

And one of these:

 

P1060790am by robertcwp, on Flickr

 

The fact that Hornby have recently done several NPCCS models gives some hope.

 

However, I suspect we will be more likely to see a Claud Hamilton and/or a 2 Hal than any of the above although I would be happy to be proved wrong on Monday.

[PaulG]

 

However, I suspect we will be more likely to see a Claud Hamilton 

 

.............hoping you are correct and I can put to one side my Mallard Claud kit I've had for over 20 years; am I the only modeler with more kits to build than time to build them?!  

 

Paul

[gardenwall]

.............hoping you are correct and I can put to one side my Mallard Claud kit I've had for over 20 years; am I the only modeler with more kits to build than time to build them?!  

 

Paul

Extremely unlikely.   Between the kits and the unwatched VHS tapes I'm definitely in the insufficient time category.

[Guest Belgian]

I would have thought the original 'Merchant Navy's would have been right up Hornby's street. Big, blue (or green) and powerful....

 

WEB Merchant Navy original.jpg

and no handrails so it could be 'design clever'!!

 

I'm just amazed they have never done it as it would be the cheapeast model of all to produce - just a (Spam) can to go on top of the existing MN chassis with a few bits from the Light Pacific model as well. Simples!

 

JE

[Guest Belgian]

I wonder if we will see more commemorative A4s as its the 'Great Goodbye' at Shildon in February and without repeating the Great Gathering collection I do think we might see either Dominion of Canada or Dwight D Eisenhower in some form, plus Hornby have never done Sir Nigel Gresley in current condition so maybe they'll appear either in the main or Railroad ranges. Only other things I predict we might see is another 3rd Rail EMU given the success of the 2Bil, and possibly for D+E modellers a new series of Mk3s s they do lend themselves to Design Clever.

Was the 2BIL such a great success? There seem to have been a lot of them being dumped offered for sale at reduced prices recently.

 

JE

[45568]

Has this been suggested?

GCR tender, Schools 4.4.0 super-detail chassis, green parallel boiler, preserved loco....... = D49 Morayshire!

Cheers,

Peter C.

[Rhys Underwood]

One idea could be, if they still have the tooling, is to release the old Lima class 60 in the railroad range. 

[Wild Boar Fell]

Hello Everyone,

I reckon there will be some form of breakdown crane (simply because I am working on one),

Possibly the biomass wagons too, I know they aren't widespread but them are impressive and have received quite a bit of publicity.

Hopefully one of their new sentinels may appear in Manchester Ship Canal livery too!

We will see soon enough,

Regards,

Wild Boar Fell

[James Makin]

Instead of fancy engines it'd be great if Hornby released some more of those Oxford Diecast cars in 1:76, a whole dearth of 80s, 90s and 00s everyday models would be so much more useful