Lego

[peach james]

I don't know, the new set is at home, but is for someone else in my house (so still in box).  VLC had one running last weekend (of the passenger train), I assume the form factor is the same based on what I saw.  The PF & 9V ones are the same form factor, and the (even older) 12V version is similar.  If you look on Eurobricks, I am sure there will be a review or two of it...

 

James

 

James, do you know how different the PF traction component (88002, "train motor") is from what I see in the "Powered Up" Cargo train (6214559)? They appear to be the same form factor, but the electrical connector looks different.

[Jongudmund]

Hey, more Lego train fans. Great.

 

I've succumbed and bought theme new express train on a Black Friday deal so I'm going to try out Powered Up. I have a spare PF kit if I don't like it.

 

The official Lego Store employee line is that IR was old fashioned and so Powered Up is an improvement. We will see. I will resurrect my blog to review it. (And maybe write some other stuff on there too. I'm way behind on it.)

 

 

I'm surprised 9v only went out in 2006. I have a set from 1999 that's 9v and I have accumulated some tracks since and a spare power unit. I want to integrate a 9v loop into my set up if I can ever set it all up.

 

There have been Lego booster track packs since 2010 but I agree the lack of straights is annoying. I haven't tried any of the third party larger radii curves or S brick components as I've always been a Lego purist. But I've heard good things about them.

[ForestPines]

When did Lego drop the 12V system with a central supply/return conductor rail?

[peach james]

1989/90 for the end of gray 12v. 1980 for blue rail. 1967/8 for intro of trains.

[ForestPines]

There was still some support for blue rail after the introduction of grey. I think some blue rail stuff was still in the catalogue circa '82 or so; and I had a copy of the Trains Idea Book (catalogue no. 7777) which did have a reasonable amount of blue rail content.

Edited November 23, 2018 by ForestPines

[Jongudmund]

The new passenger train is on Black Friday madness at Argos - down to £67.99 so almost half price.

 

Also on special at Smyths Toys and John Lewis.

 

I have engineered a Christmas present or two :-)

[phil-b259]

IMHO, Hornby had better cater to the market that is already loyal to them; aging males who have grown up and play with trains as it might stay their demise a little longer. Larger companies with more famous names than Hornby have disappeared for ever. Lego has taken over the kiddie market and barring a world upset, is going to go further but they better hope for a high childbirth era as like Hornby, their current kids will grow up and find other hobbies and interests just like their predecessors. There will be the 'hangers on' just as in the model train hobby today but as we know, nothing like its heyday, so will it be with Lego.Brian.

Have you looked at Lego’s product range recently?

 

The ‘Creator Expert’ range of modular buildings are certainly not aimed at Children in complexity or price. The same goes for the £600 Melinum Falcon in the Star Wars range.

 

For example

 

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/James-Bond-Aston-Martin-DB5-10262

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Tower-Bridge-10214

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Assembly-Square-10255

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Taj-Mahal-10256

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Volkswagen-T1-Camper-Van-10220

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Roller-Coaster-10261

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Millennium-Falcon-75192

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Hogwarts-Castle-71043

https://shop.lego.com/en-GB/Firehouse-Headquarters-75827

[Nearholmer]

“Hornby need to do some proper research on what children actually want.“

 

Indeed they do, if they see children as the potential end-users (players?), because like most ‘trad’ toy/model train firms they really don’t have the foggiest idea of what present-day kids value in a toy ...... see my previous praise for Playmobil trains, which are made by a child-centric firm, and are play-centred.

 

If, on the other hand, they see their ‘players’ as a load of middle/older aged blokes, they need to understand how to tap our wallets directly (rather than via our children and grandchildren).

 

And that is the question: what is Hornby’s core business, toys for adults, or toys for children?

 

Have they decided yet?

 

Trix advert from 1938 below, a deliberate play on the Hornby Dublo dad.

Edited November 23, 2018 by Nearholmer

[Barry Ten]

This is the set I wanted as a kid:

 

 

I didn't have it but I did have one with two grey hopper wagons.

[Nile]

The blue rail trains soldiered on for several years in this country after the 12V ones were introduced elsewhere. I remember being amazed by these new 12V trains in one of the foreign catalogues that would occasionally find their way into UK sets, while we still had ones like the one above.

Edited November 25, 2018 by Nile

[Zomboid]

I had something like that, though not that set. Isn't the second vehicle the battery carrier? I remember having a blue one which took enormous cells, and the motorised chassis went under the loco. I had a couple of clockwork ones too, which I used more because they didn't need batteries...

[peach james]

I had something like that, though not that set. Isn't the second vehicle the battery carrier? I remember having a blue one which took enormous cells, and the motorised chassis went under the loco. I had a couple of clockwork ones too, which I used more because they didn't need batteries...

 

Yes, the 2nd vehicle does carry the batteries- as 4.5V, in the form of 3 C cells.  (someone else can translate with the LR #, I know them as C cells...bloody colonial, eh?)  I don't remember there being Lego clockwork trains.  I have some clockwork Lego stuff, but not a huge amount.  Form factor was a little different for the motors, and they tended to a bit fast to slow for train use.  (not great regulating mechanism). 

 

My Lego train story starts with 7710, then goes to 7722, then 9V (of which I have almost all of it, and 1200 pieces of straight track in the basement...).  I do have a single blue set downstairs (I think it is 116), but that is a much more recent purchase.  I don't have much 12V stuff, because it's not what was available in Canada in the 80's.  My grandmum basically commuted Toronto-London in 83-85, so I had access into UK catalogs of that timeframe, but never got 12V lego trains as a kid.  The only place I know of that imported gray market (12 v with a 220-110 transformer) into Canada was Hi-Way Mart in Kitchener.  (they also imported Playmobile)

 

James 

[Barry Ten]

I had something like that, though not that set. Isn't the second vehicle the battery carrier? I remember having a blue one which took enormous cells, and the motorised chassis went under the loco. I had a couple of clockwork ones too, which I used more because they didn't need batteries...

 

I had a blue one and a black one, both like yours with a motorised chassis and a big container for the cells, which (if I'm remembering rightly) could either connect direct to the chassis, or be linked to it by cables to form a tender. The black one was always the better runner for some reason.

 

Like Nile I only remember seeing the grey track in catalogues. I don't think I ever bought any blue stuff after about 1973 but I do remember playing with it for a good few years after.

[Zomboid]

The clockwork train was me doing proper Lego - I had a couple of yellow clockwork mechanisms which had road wheels. I swapped those for rail wheels and built a train around it.

[Jongudmund]

I went into our Lego Shop today and bought two sets of train lights that run off Power Functions and one set for the new Powered Up system.

 

When I get time and space to get the trains out I'll get them lit up.