Hroth Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 (edited) Just had a marketing email from Hornby for their new R1265 Family Fun Starter Pack, in other words, an expanded train set. https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/Hornby-family-fun-starter-pack.html "Worth" over £350 bought separately, but only £199.99 as a bundle. The main cost is in the resin buildings. It might have been better to provide less expensive buildings along the lines of the platform set and brought the price down a little. Edited September 13, 2019 by Hroth dumped the rant! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OhOh Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 A bit odd that for a "Family Fun Pack", they got just one chap to build it on his own for the promo video on their website. Maybe to avoid the potential mayhem of siblings arguing "I want it there", "No, I want it there", but it occurs to me that filming an adult(s)/child(ren) combo constructing the layout may better help illustrate the "fun" element 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisr40 Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 Well done Hornby. I think it is a very good move. All the bits in one place to get something fun to play with and as a bonus spend time with your kids making something tangible as opposed to mindlessly blasting zombies. I hope it's a great success following the return of the GBMRC to the tellybox tonight. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGR Hooper! Posted September 13, 2019 Share Posted September 13, 2019 Nice initiative by Hornby! Hope it sells well and it gets many more into the hobby. A nice thing to have everything in one bundle. Wish I had it back in 1999. 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
159220 Posted September 14, 2019 Share Posted September 14, 2019 What a marvellous idea! Just what Hornby need to be doing, and with 15% off RPP from most online retailers its a super affordable family project. A colleague recently has started a 'family project' to build a model railway, but they have spent far more than £199, but seemingly are enjoying it! If you read their International catalogues, you notice just how much product they have to bring in families and children into the hobby - I see this as the UK arm catching up! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ryde-on-time Posted September 25, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 25, 2019 Interesting to see they have also announced a couple of extension packs. Hope it succeeds https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/family-fun-project-extension-pack-1.html https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/family-fun-project-extension-pack-2.html 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 I'll keep an eye out for that Sentinel pack. If anyone does a slight discount of say 10% then it could be very good value. About £60 for the diesel, £20 each for the coke wagons. The rest can go to the kids layout. Jason 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Widnes Model Centre Posted September 25, 2019 Share Posted September 25, 2019 4 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said: I'll keep an eye out for that Sentinel pack. If anyone does a slight discount of say 10% then it could be very good value. About £60 for the diesel, £20 each for the coke wagons. The rest can go to the kids layout. Jason Not that far from you and at a price you have requested 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted September 25, 2019 Author Share Posted September 25, 2019 Having counted the number of Sentinels in my "Industrial Railway" box, I don't think I'll be getting any more... However, Pack 1 with its "Schools" loco and two 4 wheel coaches is a bit bonkers, if Hornby wanted to shift the 4 wheelers, it might have been better to pair them with their SE&CR Terrier, which would also be more in keeping with the scale of the layout. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGR Hooper! Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 12 hours ago, Ryde-on-time said: Interesting to see they have also announced a couple of extension packs. Hope it succeeds https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/family-fun-project-extension-pack-1.html https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/family-fun-project-extension-pack-2.html The purist and rivet counters will complain. The people who this set/pack is actually aimed at won't bother at all. For them it's an additional pack containing a loco, some wagons or coaches and some added accessories. 1 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGR Hooper! Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 5 hours ago, Hroth said: Having counted the number of Sentinels in my "Industrial Railway" box, I don't think I'll be getting any more... However, Pack 1 with its "Schools" loco and two 4 wheel coaches is a bit bonkers, if Hornby wanted to shift the 4 wheelers, it might have been better to pair them with their SE&CR Terrier, which would also be more in keeping with the scale of the layout. I really don't think a kid or a family wanting to do a simple train set project is going to be sitting with big fat history text books to know what is prototypical and what is not. IT IS NOT AIMED AT THE "RIVET COUNTER" and "PERFECTIONIST" It's a way to get children into the hobby. It's getting quite boring repeating the same thing over and over again on this forum. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
truffy Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 (edited) 6 hours ago, MGR Hooper! said: I really don't think a kid or a family wanting to do a simple train set project is going to be sitting with big fat history text books to know what is prototypical and what is not. IT IS NOT AIMED AT THE "RIVET COUNTER" and "PERFECTIONIST" It's a way to get children into the hobby. It's getting quite boring repeating the same thing over and over again on this forum. You completely missed the point that @Hroth was making. He didn't mention rivet counting or perfectionism at all, just noted that for the size a smaller (and less complicated for younger hands) loco might've made more sense. The only reason that you're "repeating the same thing over and over again on this forum" is because you're misreading what is written. Edited September 26, 2019 by truffy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold jonnyuk Posted September 26, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2019 (edited) 7 hours ago, MGR Hooper! said: I really don't think a kid or a family wanting to do a simple train set project is going to be sitting with big fat history text books to know what is prototypical and what is not. IT IS NOT AIMED AT THE "RIVET COUNTER" and "PERFECTIONIST" It's a way to get children into the hobby. It's getting quite boring repeating the same thing over and over again on this forum. To the untrained eye these are great sets, can you imagine a young person opening the box and finding all those goodies in it, their eyes lighting up at so much stuff to open, that's the big sell. From a business point of view why would you include a newly tooled loco in a family pack like this, i'm sure Hornby are thinking it's a vehicle to shift stock that's hanging around like a bad smell and including items that doesn't cost the earth for Hornby to produce (high margin items). Edited September 26, 2019 by jonnyuk 2 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 They are also now doing extension packs for it. My favourite is the BR Schools with farm house and 2 SR coloured 4 wheel coaches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Railroad Schools though. Bit of a bargain if you want one seeing as they are currently £81 from Hattons. But you can pick up a proper one for not much more. However it's the other set that's strange. The Sentinel and BR coke wagons are top of the range models with some intricate parts. Certainly not suitable for small kids. That's what took my notice as I wanted some of the wagons anyway and another Sentinel is welcome. The rest can go to my brothers grandkids as he's planning on building them a layout. Jason 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrisr40 Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 48 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said: However it's the other set that's strange. The Sentinel and BR coke wagons are top of the range models with some intricate parts. Certainly not suitable for small kids. Perhaps Hornby are planning that these sets will be a progression and development of the child / families interest in the hobby. Such that as the kids mature and become more capable they will appreciate the better detail and treat the models accordingly. It would be unwise if Hornby assumed that a new entrant to the hobby would not improve in skill and knowledge. I started off with models I had as a child in the 80s whereas now after a few years back in the hobby I gravitate towards the super detail models that we assume are the domain of the 'serious modeller'. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted September 26, 2019 Author Share Posted September 26, 2019 1 hour ago, Steamport Southport said: However it's the other set that's strange. The Sentinel and BR coke wagons are top of the range models with some intricate parts. In terms of robustness, the Sentinel, despite being main range and nicely detailed, is pretty solid with no external moving parts. I've not seen the coke wagons in real life so I've no idea how delicate they may be. I can understand why Hornby chose the Railroad Schools loco, its got a bright livery and its a "big" engine and has a tender. The other "large" tender locos available at the same price point are the LMS black liveried Compound or the LNER Hunt in BR Black which though comparable in biggidity, are dull, dull, dull! I only suggested the R3782 Terrier as its got a pretty livery and goes with those 4-wheelers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Parker Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 I like the fact it has a point in the set. That's far more interesting than a simple oval and allows for some operation. Hornby are really keen on this, it's an idea Simon picked up in the states, although the French have something similar. The concept is that you'll get the whole family involved and I think that's important. Adults and kids don't have the chance to bond over many hobbies but here's something that can span both ages and genders. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSpencer Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 3 minutes ago, Phil Parker said: I like the fact it has a point in the set. That's far more interesting than a simple oval and allows for some operation. Hornby are really keen on this, it's an idea Simon picked up in the states, although the French have something similar. The concept is that you'll get the whole family involved and I think that's important. Adults and kids don't have the chance to bond over many hobbies but here's something that can span both ages and genders. I hope it works. All my attempts to get my son to bond in any of my hobbies failed, but we did hit common ground with maths, electronics and IT (basically my work!). My daughter likes trains a little bit but she is more cosplay, and the only area in common in my Wonder Woman rebirth comic collection. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 18 minutes ago, Hroth said: In terms of robustness, the Sentinel, despite being main range and nicely detailed, is pretty solid with no external moving parts. I've not seen the coke wagons in real life so I've no idea how delicate they may be. I can understand why Hornby chose the Railroad Schools loco, its got a bright livery and its a "big" engine and has a tender. The other "large" tender locos available at the same price point are the LMS black liveried Compound or the LNER Hunt in BR Black which though comparable in biggidity, are dull, dull, dull! I only suggested the R3782 Terrier as its got a pretty livery and goes with those 4-wheelers. The Sentinel is very fragile over the middle section side panels. I wouldn't like a heavy handed youngster picking one of mine up at that point. Peters Spares carry stocks of them as a spare part. Probably due a few broken ones. https://www.petersspares.com/Hornby-x6624-sentinel-body-decorative-side-panels-blue.ir Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted September 26, 2019 Share Posted September 26, 2019 (edited) Interesting The expansion pack is a great idea Similar to the set up that got me back into the hobby a few years ago Edited September 26, 2019 by ess1uk Spelling Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted September 26, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 26, 2019 (edited) This is a really nice idea. perhaps is a forum topic was promoted a couple of “how to videos”.. i know this all exists already, but remember those doing it will be beginners and may lack the right “key words” to tune into when looking for it. and even a competition to allow people to share their efforts (bit like the cake box challenge). Hope this takes off. Edited September 26, 2019 by adb968008 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now