2014 Hornby Announcements

[robmcg]

Actually I didn't notice the typo at first and thought it was a front cover art work thing by Hornby.    Thanks and no offence intended.

[valeofyork]

in particular I had hoped that we might see some 'new' liveries on the Class 67 other than the very bland Arriva blue which is identical to the existing model other than the running number and the royal train loco. Both of these must have fairly limited appeal? Surely another EWS livery, with the printing errors on the original release corrected (plus all the QC issues corrected!) or another DBS livery would have sold in bigger numbers? Maybe their current suppliers don't have the capability for the printing/painting on the 'ribbed' side panels of this loco?

 

Hadn't noticed that it was a new release, but I see you are right. Why???? The one released so far doesn't seem to be selling well so why release another one?

 

With the Royal train loco, I think they should actually have released a loco and dummy pack, as with the HSTs, given that the royal train always runs with two locos top and tail.

[Venator]

A really good, bold catalogue from Hornby. Unexpected by all I think! 

 

Certainly LNER modellers will be rubbing their hands together at a good number of models. 

 

I also think a really positive development is the MK1s with interior lighting. Personally I'm prepared to pay more because it looks really good and I'm no good at installing it myself! I just wish there was a little consistency because the 2-BIL (and presumably the 2-HAL) don't have interior lighting whereas the Brighton Belle / 4VEP do.

 

Hornby have taken alot of criticism, especially recently, so I say well done and thanks to Simon and his team for an ambitious catalogue: it might not have everything I want on it but I recognise they have much to offer. I do live in hope of seeing a Class 375 one day but there's always next year  

 

Don't write Hornby off, history should teach us not to. 

[47164]

I wonder if the sound fitted 47 will be an Ex Lima body or Hornby ? (example looks like Lima), Also its a shame that the sound fitted 40 is green as will be Bachmann's....so much for variety and choice , it would be nice to have had a Blue offering, but as has already been noted there will probably be a market for loco's with the sound removed.   

[Lambton58]

Well there's definitely some interesting stuff in there.  For me it's the K1 and CCT so that's my next birthday and or Christmas 2014 sorted. 

Ralph

Lambton58

[The Black Hat]

Really pleased with the K1 as a North East modeller. I really like the J15 but as a NE modeller in his 30's I did not witness these working first hand. Any of you guys know if any of them worked a bit further north??

 

I am equally pleased with the K1 and like you in my 30s never saw the end of steam.

 

I do know that J15s virtually never made it out of Anglia. They never really gravitated north. This unlike the J21s of which some where sent to Anglia when they tried to test Anglian engines on the route over Stainmore that the J21s were working. The test failed and the J21s as a fleet were kept, until the advent of Standard locomotive designs, principally the BR Standard 2 and 3MT.

 

This did see J21s in the late 30s around Norwich and New England, but also Retford, Doncaster too. DMUs eventually did for the J21.

 

So a J15 would be of virtually no use to us for up north. Still, if you wanted one... its yours to go and buy.

[coachmann]

Regarding the GWR troop Train Pack, no doubt Hornby could give them the historically correct 1909-22 dark lake finish but let's face it,  the coaches are charicatures so why goldplate plastic spoons....

[grid56104]

well done Hornby. I will now eventually be able to add another trainload coal class 60 to The Maxwell Colliery Loading Point fleet. Max

[Trainshed Terry]

We're all getting older....

 

Andys probably aged a month today too...

Well at least he can not loose any more hair.

 

Running for the door.

 

Very fast as well.

 

Terry.

[The Stationmaster]

I do not understand WR people moaning there is ' nothing for me'. There are more 2-8-0/2-8-2T locos with revised detail, more Stars, a County (4-4-0 and 4-6-0) a 2-8-0 tender loco, so it is not all bad news, and let's face it there is a 64xx and 1366PT on the way. Hornby cannot please everyone and this time it is the GER who are getting most of the new locos. As I said before if you like the loco don't deprive yourself just because it is not your region, there are some beautiful locos on their way, and Hornby are making up for lost time, let's enjoy it.

 

Have they (we) moaned like that?   I don't see much of it in this thread to be honest (and I've just read through a dozen pages of it).  It was fairly obvious (to me at any rate) that after the last couple of years we were hardly likely to see any new Western stuff and in fact, as you say, there are in any case quite a lot of re-livery/minor detail changes anyway plus - dare I say it - we're still waiting the 'Grange' from, hmm, 2012/deferred to 2013, plus the 2013 'Halls' for those as fancy them.

 

In fact I think Hornby have been rather brave to put out a substantial re-issue, with slight changes) of the 8 coupled tanks and i hope they don't land in a saturated market (and one retailer I know is wondering exactly the same.

 

In the meanwhile there is plenty of Western stuff to come from various sources although the big gap remains coaching stock and maybe Hornby will turn back the clock and look at that area in a future year once they got their large Mk1/Mk2whatever series/Mk 3 programme out of the way, and maybe they won't - only time will tell.

 

What is clear, and has been for some time, is that they no longer run a full catalogue of everything all the time and that is probably sensible from the production viewpoint although it does result in folk relying on shops carrying stock of items not currently in the catalogue.  And yes, I agree absolutely, they're definitely expanding their range in a very interesting manner indicating, I think, a shift in their emphasis which I hope will pay off for them especially with the changes to their trade pricing regime.

 

Many people have remarked on the Crosti 9F appearing in the Railroad range I think that's a very sensible way of doing it to be honest as it must represent something of a risk in 'the more discerning' market as they were a small group of 10 engines which barely managed 3 years of working life in that form with poor reliability and spent all of it allocated to a single shed, rarely getting off their normal route.  No doubt their novelty will sell them and like many such models they will appear in all sorts of places well off their beaten track but let's face, the prototype was far from a common sight off the Midland but doing the detail to 'high fidelity' standards would be a major imposition with all that pipework and would probably price them out of the 'novelty' area.

[AngryMeerkat]

First up thanks to Andy Y for putting the excellent posts and pictures up, easy to read and with all the required information, top job sir!

 

The offerings - at first nothing jumped out at me, but then I noticed the new 'budget sound' range and how inexpensive it is compared to 'full blown' sound offerings. That NR 37 has now reached the top of my list for 2014, a sound loco in NR colours for under £90 (cheaper at certain box shifters) is something you'd have to be MAD to miss if you model current era! Also a 47 in blue, with sound, and blue/grey Mk2 coaches with lights, is an excellent offering in my humble opinion.

 

Yes these releases may need some fine fettling to bring them up to RMWeb standards, but for the average modeller (which I class myself as) I believe Hornby have got next years releases spot on.

 

My only worry is can Hornby pull it off? Knowing the problems of the 2013 releases, and having recently dealt with Chinese model suppliers on behalf of a large UK publishing house, I initially had my doubts, and to a degree I still do. But seeing many of these future releases are already at the 'first off' stage or further in their development, I think the hard part is mostly done. So long as Hornby are upfront with delivery times I think next year will be a strong year for them.

 

Thanks again to Andy, and best of luck to Hornby

 

Mark

[The Stationmaster]

Regarding the GWR troop Train Pack, no doubt Hornby could give them the historically correct 1909-22 dark lake finish but let's face it,  the coaches are charicatures so why goldplate plastic spoons....

 

I quite agree Coach - they're basically a pastiche, end of story.  The only GWR official views I have of 1914-18 passenger stock for military use are of ambulance trains and they include no clerestory roofed vehicles at all (and they're in crimson lake of course).  So it's just a nice little marketing gimmick which will sell to R number collectors and few others plus no doubt some retailers will strip out the locos and coaches and sell them separately - job done.

[Guest]

Picture708.jpg

 

 

R3249 - BR (Early) Battle of Britain Class, “Manston”.

Locomotive DCC Ready . 5 pole skew wound motor. Extensive exterior and cab detail. Sprung buffers. Locomotive and tender permanently linked. Decoder located in tender.

RRP £157.50 (Estimate. TBC) Q: 750

This serves great interest to me for a number of reasons:

No1, Manston is Preserved on the Swanage Railway, and I see it all the time!

No2, Hornby have made Manston before, not too long ago either. It was made as a limited edition of 500.

No3, The model they're going to release is not the 'as preserved' condition, as Manston is preserved with late crest. Whereas the previous Limited Edition Model was the 'as preserved' condition.

I'd personally love to get this, but that fact it's not in 'as preserved' condition slightly puts me off. I might see if I can get one and change the tender body.............

THIS IS JUST MY OPINION!

[surfsup]

Thanks Andy for producing that rather extensive list! Quick question for you, do you know when the Humbrol Range's new products will be announced?

 

Few items in there for me, although I really wish Hornby wouldn't weather those CDAs in Brown! Pleased to see the return of the ex Lima 47 as well, as that'll mean a few Lima locos to be repowered then. Liking the Colas 56 too! As for the Night Riviera Sleepers - Hmmm. I wouldn't happen to have 4 of them sat in primer awaiting blue paint now would I? Although it would have been that little bit better if the the RFM and TSO were produced with them though, but its a start at least.

[Andy Y]

Quick question for you, do you know when the Humbrol Range's new products will be announced?

IIRC it may be tomorrow; I'll keep an eye open.

[Doughnut]

Well, I was disappointed about the lack of a new D & E model. My take on it is; great for the kettlemeisters, but nowt new for us modern image modellers. The new sound decoders have got my interest though!

[dibber25]

Was it only me who noticed in message number 1 in this thread that  2014 Product Announcements was spelt 'annoucements'  on what looks like a catalogue front page?

 

I used to be a bit surprised by the photo-editing errors by Hornby, deranged valve gear on a Princess, until I learned that many of the people who prepare these pics are only faintly aware of some details. Like wheel spokes... or spelling,    ....  maybe it's some sort of joke?  Or I am getting old.

It's usually just a Powerpoint presentation not a printed catalogue. The pictures of models are mostly computer-generated unless there's a pre-pro sample available to photograph (as with the '700' and the 2HAL)

[coachmann]

I havn't studied the Crosti boiler 2-10-0s, but would it be so difficult to remove the Crosti stuff and run them as many of us remember them. I saw them around Stockport, in fact the very last steam loco I saw working in North Wales was an ex-Crosti returning to Chester in 1967.

[Btourer]

On the whole Hornby's announcements for 2014 are, in my opinion, much more encouraging than the 2013 line up. Two 0-6-0 tender locomotives, a K1 and the 4-4-0 Claud - smaller locomotives of types which have been somewhat neglected. I am also impressed that Hornby appear to be taking notice of what modellers consider acceptable compromises in detail regarding "Design Clever". That approach can only be of benefit to both ourselves, the buyer, and Hornby as the manufacturer.

 

As an ScR modeller I will have a couple of B1's to boost my collection of St. Margarets locos, the BR liveried Thompson Suburbans (From the 2013 catalogue) and possibly a K1.

 

I hope this is the year it works out for them, but it will depend on Hornby getting the stock out to retailers in sufficient numbers, on or near target date and thorough and consistent application of quality control at the factories.

 

P.S. If someone from Hornby is reading this - any chance of an A3 in 2015 in BR green with 94A boiler, double chimney and GNR tender please? The plus side of waiting is that I have managed to put aside enough over the years to buy the ten of these I need to complete my Haymarket and Canal A3 allocation! Thanks.

[The Stationmaster]

I havn't studied the Crosti boiler 2-10-0s, but would it be so difficult to remove the Crosti stuff and run them as many of us remember them. I saw them around Stockport, in fact the very last steam loco I saw working in North Wales was an ex-Crosti returning to Chester in 1967.

 

I think it will depend entirely on how they mould the pre-heating boiler and how simple (or not) it would be to cleanly cut it away from the main boiler (maybe it could be a future re-tooling option if they designed things to allow for it?).  It would certainly be a good idea to go for one with all the Crosti gubbins removed as I they all spent longer in traffc in that condition (or at least spent more time working in that condition) than they ever did with all the Crosti plumbing in place.

[James Makin]

Interesting to see quite a considerable amount of discussion around the lack of AC locos - don't recall previous years announcements creating such buzz around them, will be interesting to see if the Blue team have anything to offer!

 

I'm not biased as I've come to the end of producing a large number of remotored, detailed electrics but genuinely think that give it another 10 years and we'll see some of the ACs discussed in the thread on sale, they may not be wanted by some, but if these models are made to pop up in the official wishlists then who knows - don't forget the whole Blue Pullman saga..!

[TRAILRAGE]

Firstly Its good to see so many positive comments about Hornby, very refreshing with all the bashing they've had recently.

Secondly WOW its good to see they have listened to what people have suggested/wished.

Maybe a bit thin on the ground for D&E modern image in respect of new classes but still a lot there. Thought there may have been a either a AC/DC OH loco or EMU. Still there is always next year. 

Thirdly 2-HAL looks gorgeous. only ever remember seeing one of these at Eastleigh yard. Think it was a Condemned stores unit No 002 in blue. Shame it didn't survive.

For me Personally the only new release will be the 2-HAL in BR green SYP to run with my 2 2-BILL's. would have liked a blue Bill but budgets real tight with a baby boy on the way and a house extension on the go.

Shall have to get my Ian Kirk kit built (after all only had it 20odd years!) and do some actual modelling.

Still all the best to Hornby and all the staff on what I hope will be there saving grace in many peoples eyes providing the supply and QC problems don't raise their ugly head again.

As for the price increase cant say I'm surprised as I see it all the time in my Job in the cycle trade. Design clever isn't just restricted to models railways!

 

Thank you Hornby 

[TRAILRAGE]

I had heard earlier  this year that one of the Manufacturers was supposedly working on a class 84 it was also mentioned on the RM web but for the life of me I cannot recall who mentioned it. Think it was one of the big suppliers at an exhibition. so not Hornby then

 

1 down 3 to go

[Ron Ron Ron]

I wonder where Hornby got the idea for doing sound on the cheap from?

 

Could it be from this?

 

 

[Miss Prism]

I quite agree Coach - they're basically a pastiche, end of story.  The only GWR official views I have of 1914-18 passenger stock for military use are of ambulance trains and they include no clerestory roofed vehicles at all (and they're in crimson lake of course).  So it's just a nice little marketing gimmick which will sell to R number collectors and few others plus no doubt some retailers will strip out the locos and coaches and sell them separately - job done.

 

Most of the ambulance trains were converted from Toplights, but here's Ambulance Train No 16 formed of corridor clerestories and a bunch of 40' K16 PBVs. The bespoke Ambulance Trains were I think all outshopped in varnished olive, and the vehicles had significant alterations from their previous running state. That's why Hornby aren't doing an Ambulance Train.

 

Similar to Olympics 2012, Hornby is attempting to jump on the WWI centenary bandwagon by doing as little as possible: an unlined green Star (fictional for that era, and Princess Alice would have looked rather different in WWI compared to Hornby's Star) with a bunch of 1922-liveried clerestories.

 

The £155 RRP looks good value for money though for retailers stripping the sets. (In distinct contrast to the £200 RRP for The Tyseley Connection, which is simply an £82 Hall and 3 £18 MkIs.) Maybe the WWI Troop Train is Hornby's way of shifting the slow-moving clerestories.

 

Btw, Andy, its R3192 code on page 1 should be R3219.