2014 Hornby Announcements

[brushman47544]

Well done Hornby. Far too much focus on the LNER/Eastern Region for my taste, but the new models are definitely good choices as being high up on wish lists.

 

Otherwise on the steam front, I'm disappointed to see yet another original WC/BB with high tender and early emblem. We're (supposed to be) getting a WC in 2013 and now a similar BB in 2014. Or is this a clever use of a long production run? Personally I'd like an original WC/BB with late crest and 4500g. tender.

 

A maroon late crest Duchess is nice, but next time please Hornby can we have one with continuous frame a.k.a. 46233 et al.

 

I shall certainly be getting a 2-HAL, particularly since they appear to be doing a late version in green with SYP. As for the 2-BIL, since I have a BR(S) green one already, now I have to decide between the green SYP and BR blue versions. I was hoping for a year or two's gap between them to save my wallet.

 

I shall also get the Mk1s in BR green with lights - at least the green will be in the right ball park unlike Bachmann's efforts so far.

 

The Mk2Es are also welcome and in view of Bachmann's announcement of Mk2Fs last March but the apparent limited progress since, my guess is that Hornby must be quite well advanced with them. Let's hope so. As for the lighting, I'm not so convinced about being DCC decoder fitting. I expect Hornby will use something similar to their Pullmans, but perhaps using their existing lighting strips in the roof.

 

P.S. Dear Santa - please cancel my new wallet and instead give me some money to put in my old one...

 

New Mk2's
Just what is an "Open First Composite" ? Must be a typo?

 

Didn't the Western Region at some point have a couple of first class rakes of air-cons that were permanently downgraded to second class? Perhaps Hornby is modeling one of those with only half the windows having "For the use of second class passengers" stickers

[richierich]

Just had a look at Hornby 2014 range. For a D&E modeller a few models of interest, but disappointing not to see a Class 31 (super detail model) in BR blue or another BR sector period livery  . It was 2008? the last time a BR Blue 31 was issued, yet umpteen BR green 31s have been issued since then! The 31 in DCR livery is a bit unique so not sure how well that will sell. We'll see what 2015 brings for the Class 31 . . . . 

 

Its good to see a Class 60 in RF Coal sector, can imagine the pre-orders will be rolling in. Same will be said the Large logo 56 held from 2013. 

 

The TTS sound chipped locos look like an interesting new direction for the Railroad range. Wonder if the ex-Lima 47 tooling will be used this time around?

 

Nice to see a new run of BR CE Rudd and Clam spoil wagons, these have been getting hard to find!

[valeofyork]

The 31 in DCR livery is a bit unique

 

How can it be 'a bit unique'. Unique means there is only one of them, so something either is unique or it isn't - there's no degrees of uniqueness (and in this case, it isn't the only 31 in this livery so is not unique)!

[Traksy]

But AC electrics - even good ones - don't sell - ask Bachmann. Similarly with coach numbers in EMUs - extra coaches push the unit prices beyond what are considered to be 'acceptable' levels.

 

What do you mean good ones? There is only one good one. And it's a model of a machine no longer in use. And despite that it does not sell "good" (source?) apparently it's good enought for Bachmann to introduce a new livery this year. And there doesn't seem to have such an issue on the continent even with much more restriced locos and smaller markets. They are more expensive but so what? A lot of the comissioned models here are more expensive too.

[HornbyA3Fan]

Can't seem to find R3270 MML HST pack on the Hornby website for some reason.

 

Definitely on my to buy list.

[JBM37404]

LOL...! I'll tell him that. (although I only ever finished one proper 87, and it is still OO gauge and fitted with a pair of ringfield bogies. The Bachmann 85 was the final nail in the coffin of my AC fleet, and I disposed of a lot of unfinished projects earlier this year).

 

 

AC's can sell, as long as they are quality models- don't confuse the bargain prices a desperate retailer was asking for about 12 months ago as a sign that they aren't selling well.

 

I must admit the only thing that would resurrect my interest would be the 87's in a multitude of Bulgarian liveries- unfortunately they'd have to be 1:87 or 1:160 tho...

 

Its getting a bit daft that there is no new or re-tooled 90, As Hornby has the Lima 87 also and its old hand 86 thats a lot of former front line Intercity traction not represented from new ranges. At the end of the day I run a business also so understand about profit being needed,  if they dont make money fair enough but I would certainly splash the cash for anything AC as I have done for an 85 already.

 

The lack of a decent R-T-R OHLE system doesnt help either. But the model scene echoes the real UK railway which watched fuel prices double and electrified virtually nowhere...!

 

The new Mk2s will be dying to have a decent engine to haul them....

[43179]

Having a second glance through the list - am I imagining things , or are the blue grey Mk3s now spawning working lights?? If one was to start tinkering around with existing tooling , id much rather the mk3s gained proper couplings rather than lights. The computer generated liveries on the HSTs are quite hit and miss - will be interesting to see what light clusters the MML Power cars are given..the artwork shows the revised clusters which are not correct for the Midland power cars.

 

Night Riviera sleepers though -  Nice!

 

Jon 

[Ian Fisher]

How about of limted spehre of operation and time frame and not applied in any numbers...unique maybe not the most descriptive but less harsh.

 

 

How can it be 'a bit unique'. Unique means there is only one of them, so something either is unique or it isn't - there's no degrees of uniqueness (and in this case, it isn't the only 31 in this livery so is not unique)!

[Class 74]

But AC electrics - even good ones - don't sell - ask Bachmann. Similarly with coach numbers in EMUs - extra coaches push the unit prices beyond what are considered to be 'acceptable' levels.

 

I would love to see some electrics. A brand new class 90 would sell well I think... lot of design possibilities! Or a class 303 EMU would be nice as well.

 

Nice to see a HST in Executive livery, my favorite!

[valeofyork]

How about of limted spehre of operation and time frame and not applied in any numbers...unique maybe not the most descriptive but less harsh.

 

Fine, use those terms then as they do describe the situation - but 'unique' doesn't mean any of those things!

[Ian Fisher]

I think a lot of the electrics dont sell well is bias and prejudice. We see many steam locos of an age that would have a limited geographic location and timeframe that seem to do well and no one bats an eye lid. Make reference to a better rendindition of prototypes that have a wider spehere of operation and many (86's) lasting longer and in more variations in detail and colour and still we here that they dont sell well?

 

We dont know at for the majority of us what the baseline figures are the Likes of Hornby etc would need to see their investment make a profit.

 

Ok it needs a little more joined up thinking in getting other bits and bobs out for RTR people, but it does open up a huge chunk of modelability other models have been replaced yet 86's (1980?) 90/91 (1988?) are still given the odd dusting off Lima's 87 is of similair pedigree.

 

I have many examples of 86's and 90's in various finnishes, but I would be very tempted to upgrade if options where available.

 

 

What do you mean good ones? There is only one good one. And it's a model of a machine no longer in use. And despite that it does not sell "good" (source?) apparently it's good enought for Bachmann to introduce a new livery this year. And there doesn't seem to have such an issue on the continent even with much more restriced locos and smaller markets. They are more expensive but so what? A lot of the comissioned models here are more expensive too.

[QuoitsPlayer]

Apologies if this has been mentioned but the Hornby website is also showing the 5BEL in "1960's condition" as new for this year.

[Andy Y]

Fine, use those terms then as they do describe the situation - but 'unique' doesn't mean any of those things!

It's hard enough to keep track of this topic so please leave the grammar wars out of it.

[sub39h]

glad to see a new set of late 80s Mk3s in Exec livery. Provided they've corrected the livery so the beige isn't custard yellow anymore i'll definitely be after at least one rake of those, with the HST pack. (i'm glad to see as well that they've changed the weighting of the types of carriages they've released so the TSOs and TFOs won't sell out immediately and the the TGSs and TRFBs remain on the shelves!)

 

a set of the main range Mk2es would be nice to match the Bachmann ones I still have on order! However the same applies that I would want to see that the livery had been corrected first.  

 

and a Class 60 in coal is a must have I think. The 60s are fantastic locos. it's just a shame about that ridiculous price. 

[phil gollin]

.

 

By the way  -  What was the new gauge/scale announcement ?

 

.

[Legend]

Not sure that carmine and cream isn't just a misprint for chocolate and cream on the Mk1s. 

[Sam Moss]

Nice to see the Butterley stuff. You can even make out "Tom the Station Cat" on the notice board on the left hand side and "Today's Trains" (Which I painted) They've missed our model railway off though!! We'll have to make our own now!

 

It's interesting though, both Bachmann and Hornby came down measuring buildings a while ago without knowing each other had been in attendance. There's probably a Bachmann employee banging their head on the table now.

 

A cheque from Hornby would be nice. Might go someway to repairing the numerous new skylights the high winds have ripped into the museum roof! C Bay, the maintenance area is now strictly a hard hat area.

 

As for the crosti, they must have seen me handling my resin body kit this week thinking I must get this finished. Take note Hornby, I have a K's Spinner, G16, DP2, Std 4 and a EM2 on the go if you're stuck for other models to produce!

[Captain Kernow]

I'm really disappointed, nay, heartbroken, at the lack of brand new GWR or S&DJR prototypes, in my view, the LNER and it's constituents get far too much exposure in the world today... Why couldn't we have some more panniers, I mean, there must be, oh, at least 1 or 2 remaining prototypes they could have chosen from, surely that's not too much to ask, in this day and age, wot?!...in fact, anything in Brunswick Green with a copper cap would have done... Can't Hornby see that this is a no-brainer?????????!!!!!!!    

 

The Padstow Lancers were hoping for something horse-drawn, but the less said about that, the better...

 

But, on the other hand, another part of me is really superbly excited about the prospect of more LNER and constituent prototypes, it's almost enough to make me go Great Eastern (steady, boy...!)..., yes, it's true, a Claude Hamilton or two rarely offends, especially if double-heading with a J15!

 

I once owned a model of a GER loco, actually, not that many believe it, yes indeed - it was a B12! Long time ago, of course, and the poor thing ended up being re-painted into Brunswick Green, in which shade it looked oddly.... odd...

 

So, should I be worried for my poor wallet, eh?! Poor old thing, it's surely going to take a hammering next year. Lots of spending coming up! Quivering in it's boots, I expect!...                     - actually, that's rubbish, my wallet doesn't give a dam* about these new releases, not at all bothered, but a certain credit card's hopes for next year are now dashed. Never mind, there's always the medication to calm us both down...

 

Problem is, I am going to have to build a new attic on top of my existing one.... I just haven't got enough space for all these new releases.... however, I could just flog off all those other 'must have' new releases from years gone by, that just sit in their boxes and don't get weathered or used, and make room for a groovy new LNER section..

 

On the other hand, I might just go 'N' gauge....    

 

Half a pound of sausages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PS. Well done Hornby!  

[Grimleygrid]

60090 in Coal Sector livery, very nice indeed. Thank you very much Mr. Hornby, right up my street! A few of those and a few Large Logo grids, 2014 could be an expensive year.....

[Guest Belgian]

I see that the new Mk 1 BR coaches are now going to be available in BR(SR) green with lights and metal wheels in the 'main' or enthusiast range, unlike the other releases which are 'Railroad'.

 

However, the original Railroad (2013 production) ones have an RRP of £17-95, the new listings/additions (2014) are £19-99 and the main range additional versions (blood and custard SO and maroon TSO) are £24-99. The SR ones are £36-50 . . .

 

Am I alone in wondering what the basis of Hornby's pricing strategy is? I appreciate that teak coaches command a slight premium for complicated liveries and that a Blood and Custard or Chocolate and Cream finish might be worthy of a small premium over plain Maroon (although that isn't actually the case). But is plain green worthy of such a premium, or is the lighting system so sophisticated it makes the model worth double what a base one is worth? Or. perhaps, the metal wheels are made of a new super-conductive metal - or pure gold.

 

At least we Southern modellers aren't suffering a massive price for catering vehicles (we don't get any at all) like the LMS/LMR ones who get asked for £44-99 for the 12-wheeled Dining Car which is an obsolete model dating from the 1980s!

 

Another tack of course, may be that Southern modellers are going to be told 'you keep asking for SR models, but don't buy them when we offer them to you'. At that price, I'm one who's not going to.

 

This isn't meant to be negative nor an attack on Hornby, who have put together a very impressive new programme which I am sure will do great things for them, but is more an attempt to understand where some of us stand in the great pantheon of modelling. I am absolutely delighted to see a 700 available soon and can now stop voting in annual wishlists. Thank you, Hornby.

 

JE

 

PS: These prices and the reference to Blood and Custard or, rather, Carmine and Cream, are taken from Hornby's own website and differ to what they have evidently told Andy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Dunsignalling]

I think a lot of the electrics dont sell well is bias and prejudice. We see many steam locos of an age that would have a limited geopgraphic location that seem to do well and no one bats an eye lid. Make refence to a better rendindition of prototypes that have a wider spehere of operaation and many (86's) lasting longer and in more variations in detail and colour and still we here that they dont sell well?

 

We dont know at for the majority of us what the baseline figures are the Likes of Hornby etc would need to see their investment make a profit.

 

Ok it needs a little more joined up thinking in getting other bits and bobs out for RTR people, but it does open up a huge chunk of modelability other models have been replaced yet 86's (1980?) 90/91 (1988?) are still given the odd dusting off Lima's 87 is of similair pedigree.

 

I have many examples of 86's and 90's in various finnishes, but I would be very tempted to upgrade if options where available.

I think most of the AC electrics were quite good looking. I just can't stand the ugly masts, gantries and knitting that get in the way of looking at them.

 

Also, they were (apart from the 90s and 91s) almost entirely confined to the WCML or its tributaries (when introduced, though the 86s wandered later) and look glaringly out of place if you model any other route unless being "dragged".

 

It might be prejudice, but it's MY prejudice! 

[Ian J.]

...If Hornby are going to keep re-releasing them then fine but they need to sort out a new tooling for the Terrier.

 

Nah, they can't do that, as then they'd know I'd have nothing to bang on about

 

Seriously though, a new Terrier would be welcomed by me as long as it's a high detail quality model. Knowing Hornby, they'd probably still do it with moulded on pipework for their Railroad range, so I'd be happier to see it from either Bachmann, Dapol, DJM or Rapido! Until then, there's always the Albion Models / Roxey Mouldings kit (though I can't find it listed on the Roxey website  )

 

But this is OT as there isn't a new announcement of one.

[rembrow]

What an amazing number of items, a brave step by Hornby after several years of production difficulties and I sincerely wish them every success in getting these produced and to the market. The new steam locomotives - J15, D16, K1 and Class 700 move Hornby away from their more traditional and conservative approach to mainly modelling main line and mixed traffic types, these are all work-a-day types and I will certainly order 3 of the 4. The HAL is brilliant news for us Southern enthusiasts, and unexpected, as I thought the 2 BIL was the final emu type we would get.

 

A brave and innovative programme that takes back ground from Bachmann. Good to see that 2 of the models are in early engineering format already, which means Hornby has been designing and tooling up its 2014 programme despite the supply difficulties for its 2013 programme. Well done and deserves success

[Ron Ron Ron]

....Similarly with coach numbers in EMUs - extra coaches push the unit prices beyond what are considered to be 'acceptable' levels.

 

The same was said about DC EMU's. No market for them etc.

Well that theory was blown out of the water once Bachmann showed the way.

The resulting availability of models includes some 4 car units (even if one of them, the 4VEP, is a complete dog).

 

Also as a generality with MU's, there have been several examples of 3, 4 & 5 car models that have been made available in the same price range(s), or just above, as those for single locos.

That's a complete train for the price of one loco !

 

Surely there can't be much more detail or complication involved in producing an EMU, compared to say a Voyager or Super Voyager (Bachmann), with all its attendant rooftop equipment?

The prices for the Voyagers were also close to the prices for single locos.

 

 

.

[trisonic]

Thank you Mr. Hornby for the J15 and Claude.......................!

 

Odd thing is that this thread never came up on any of my "VNC" clicks this morning and I only saw it when Jack "Shortliner" suggested that there was a listing of products that I may never buy - little did he know...

 

Best, Pete.