what is the oldest Hornby model still in production

[rovex]

I was reading a post about the SDJR and came across a reference to Hornby's four wheel coach. This got me thinking what is the oldest bit of rolling stock still in Hornby's range. The four wheel coach was one of the first bit of rolling stock I ever owned almost fourty years ago. I think it was in blue along with two others and the then four wheel engine.

 

So what is the oldest bit of rolling stock (engine,coach or wagon) still in production?

[bigherb]

The SR bogie luggage van would be a strong contender.

['CHARD]

R6368 is the old BR Standard brake van, now declassified to Railroad but unmistakably the one from the sixties.  

 

Strangely, I didn't see the venerable clunky old coke wagon in the on line catalogue though.

[Caddy]

How about the straight platform unit and the platform ramp?

[Fat Controller]

The diesel shunter which sometimes surfaces in the Thomas range, and sometimes in the 'Railroad' one, perhaps? It must be getting on for sixty years old.

[tamperman36]

How about the Lord of the Isles steam loco

[russ p]

The viaduct is still in there,but the girder bridge and single bridge have not long been out of production these all date from the 60s

[John M Upton]

I was astounded to discover the other day that Hornby's international arm still produce the Lima 0-4-0 diesel shunter in OO/HO scale that was a stable part of Lima's range in dubious liveries including BR blue for decades.

 

Never did work out what it was actually based on though. They made in N gauge as well.

[Moxy]

I was astounded to discover the other day that Hornby's international arm still produce the Lima 0-4-0 diesel shunter in OO/HO scale that was a stable part of Lima's range in dubious liveries including BR blue for decades.

 

Never did work out what it was actually based on though. They made in N gauge as well.

 

Not certain, but it shows some similarities to an American Plymouth switcher, like this one http://www.tycoforums.com/tyco/forum/uploaded/siouxlake/20121125101933_MDT-40T-4%20jpg.jpg

[JohnR]

I thought the ex-Hull & Barnsley van was quite old?

[Dazzler Fan]

+

 

modeltrains.net.au/Hornby

 

There was once this site which was a treasure trove of

information on all things Hornby, model by model.

 

Alas, no longer.

 

What about the Rovex Princess loco I remember from the early '50's?

 

Noe

[andyman7]

The SR Bogie Luggage Van dates from 1957, and the original Diesel shunter as used until recently in the Thomas range dates from 1956. The platform pieces have all been retooled so although they are based on the 1960s Triang units they are not the same moulds. The item of rolling stock that has lasted longest in the catalogue as a specific item (as opposed to tools used for different models) is the R296 Track Cleaning Wagon, a 'new' item for 1982....

 

The Rovex Princess from 1950 was retired in 1974. In fact, the very first tool suffered a crack and after repair was sent to Australia, so the majority of Princesses were made from a tool cut in 1952.  

[28XX]

I think the platform sections have been retooled, in the early '70's perhaps? They didnt have block work detail on the walls or individual slabs on the top in the '60's.

[Gilwell Park]

Hi.

 

How about the 3 lineside huts?. They were certainly around till very recently. I remember getting mine during the annual visit to Gamages in 195?.  I still have them!

 

Roger

[adb968008]

Hornby Jinty was in the 1955 catalog. I know it was re-tooled in the early 1980s but was that a new tool or a re-tool ?

same question goes for the class 08 too.

 

R122 cattle wagon was new in 1956, thats in the Thomas range still

 

http://www.hornbyguide.com/default.asp

[John M Upton]

Some of the old buildings have resurfaced again afresh in the Gaugemaster Fordhampton range.

[jessy1692]

Is the 10 ton crane still knocking around? Thats been around forever either on its wagon or mounted on various platforms over the years.

Cheers

James

[Butler Henderson]

Hornby Jinty was in the 1955 catalog. I know it was re-tooled in the early 1980s but was that a new tool or a re-tool ?

Completely redesigned.

[Andy Hayter]

Probably a buffer stop of a short section of track

[Butler Henderson]

R574 Trackside Accessories insomuch as the lineside huts date from 1955 (R84). The water crane was also largely dates from then although the base has been altered. The loading gauge (R479) and telegraph poles (R478) are the 1962 replacements for those introduced in 1955 again now with modified bases to accommodate fitment to System 6 (Code 100) track rather than Super 4 track. The Whistle sign was a 1962 introduction while the mileposts and gradient posts date from 1958 (R172 and R173 respectively)

[SRman]

The SR Bogie Luggage Van dates from 1957, and the original Diesel shunter as used until recently in the Thomas range dates from 1956. The platform pieces have all been retooled so although they are based on the 1960s Triang units they are not the same moulds. The item of rolling stock that has lasted longest in the catalogue as a specific item (as opposed to tools used for different models) is the R296 Track Cleaning Wagon, a 'new' item for 1982....

 

The Rovex Princess from 1950 was retired in 1974. In fact, the very first tool suffered a crack and after repair was sent to Australia, so the majority of Princesses were made from a tool cut in 1952.  

 

The diesel shunter was retooled at some time, like the Jinty.

 

I would go with the Bogie Luggage Van (or Utility Van, as Triang and Hornby always referred to it).

 

I was surprised to note the "River Bridge" in the range quite recently. I cannot recall when that first came out, but I don't think it is as old as the Utility Van.

 

The short clerestory coaches are also quite old toolings, but again, I don't think quite as old as the van - possibly 1961 or so?

[Dunsignalling]

So far as rolling stock is concerned, I think the SR Luggage ("Utility") van is probably the oldest if being closest to the original is considered.

 

The body of the Cattle wagon certainly predates it by about a year but the plastic chassis is much newer,  c1970, I think; mine, dating from c1960, had a metal underframe.

 

Apart from having clip-fit bogies in place of the riveted ones and improved livery application, recent issues of the Luggage van seem to be unaltered from the earliest ones.

 

All that said, I don't think either has been available continuously since introduction. I remember the Utility van being quite pricey to acquire second-hand for a long period, suggesting that it had not been available new for some considerable time. I must have sold my first one as it was definitely green and the example I am currently "Roxeyfying" is made from blue plastic (though still branded "Tri-ang R226/7"). IIRC the Cattle wagon dropped in and out of the catalogue several times until it eventually landed in the TTTE range. 

 

John

[brushman47544]

There has been a previous thread covering all Hornby items and IIRC the conclusion was that one of the lever switches R043? was the oldest model still in production. But as regards rolling stock the subject of this thread, I suspect the Bogie Luggage Van may be the oldest.

[andyman7]

I think the platform sections have been retooled, in the early '70's perhaps? They didnt have block work detail on the walls or individual slabs on the top in the '60's.

The R460 straight and R464 ramp platform sections were retooled with the blockwork faces in 1978 but the have all subsequently been retooled in China.

 

Hornby Jinty was in the 1955 catalog. I know it was re-tooled in the early 1980s but was that a new tool or a re-tool ?

same question goes for the class 08 too.

 

R122 cattle wagon was new in 1956, thats in the Thomas range still

 

http://www.hornbyguide.com/default.asp

 

 

Completely redesigned.

Yes. The original Jinty was made from 1953 to 1975. The completely new version (which still apears in the Railroad range) dates from 1978.

 

Probably a buffer stop of a short section of track

No - the Hydraulic Buffer Stop dates from the mid 60s but Triang changed to code 100 track in 1970 and none of the tools for those pieces are still used. The oldest Hornby track still being made uses the Austrian/Roco tools that were brought on stream in 1976, which are now bizarrely used by Bachmann in China. 

 

The diesel shunter was retooled at some time, like the Jinty.

 

I would go with the Bogie Luggage Van (or Utility Van, as Triang and Hornby always referred to it).

 

I was surprised to note the "River Bridge" in the range quite recently. I cannot recall when that first came out, but I don't think it is as old as the Utility Van.

 

The short clerestory coaches are also quite old toolings, but again, I don't think quite as old as the van - possibly 1961 or so?

The diesel shunter was retooled in 1976 but the original 1956 tool was revived for the Thomas range. The SR Bogie luggage van predates the Clerestory coaches.

[Butler Henderson]

So far as rolling stock is concerned, I think the SR Luggage ("Utility") van is probably the oldest if being closest to the original is considered.

1958 although the bogies were retooled c 1962/3

There has been a previous thread covering all Hornby items and IIRC the conclusion was that one of the lever switches R043? was the oldest model still in production.

The black lever frame dates from 1955 so ties (years wise) with the lineside huts.

 

I was surprised to note the "River Bridge" in the range quite recently. I cannot recall when that first came out, but I don't think it is as old as the Utility Van.

The River Bridge appeared in 1961 along with the 3 arch brick viaduct and the brick bridge; the Victorian Suspension Bridge was a 1963 release