Hornby Railways Catalogue and Box Art - An Advent Calendar Lookback

[BernardTPM]

Yes, that set dates from 2007 and, like the current HST version, isn't the real thing (though the HST one is perhaps closer). The 1960s Tri-ang one came with rather nice box artwork.

Edited December 20, 2020 by BernardTPM

[Ruffnut Thorston]

3 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

I can't remember seeing them in the shops or advertised anywhere. Wasn't born in the 1960s, but have most of the magazines from the time.

 

 

Out of the buildings shown above the only one of them I remember was the goods depot with crane.

 

Obviously not including the red engine shed and turntable.

 

>Snipped

 

The illustration shews the ex Hornby Dublo Goods Depot with crane.

 

Hornby Railways later released a Pola HO kit that was similar. There were a quantity of Pola kits issued in Hornby Railways packaging, including some that had previously been issued by Playcraft Railways. (HO scale).

 

The turntable is the MK 2 version. Possibly the best Rovex derived Turntable.

 

The Red engine shed was the 1970s version of the 1960s maroon brickwork original. Also shewn is the single track 1950s engine shed.

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The tooling for the Brush Type 4, AKA Class 47 used in the Blue Pullman set was derived from tooling inherited from Lima.

 

As Hornby have retooled the chassis, and fitted a different motor arrangement from the Lima original, these models have come to be called “Limby” models.

[RyanN91]

I apologise for the very bad flares! So here is 1980 again! They were annoying me and I am sure some of you as well. so I have upload them again without the flares in daylight! plus  including Train sets and Zero One! please enjoy!  this time much better photos! I could have had them all done flat like those archived Argos Catalogues on pdfs but I don't really want to butcher this 40 year old publication! for those who are interested here they are again but better with some more features as described!  

[RyanN91]

Other ones as previous mentioned re uploaded again without flares plus more! 1983 with the fold out hinged model railway! 1986 with very interesting info on the back of the catalogue about their policy regarding models etc. 1988 highlights for me. 1990 catalogue introduction and 1991 layout feature.

[RyanN91]

I really liked the theme that Hornby used for their 1981 Catalogue Hornby Railways: 'Ticket to Ride' It was placed out in a very orderly way indeed. Big four: GWR, LMS, LNER and Southern, etc British Railways and British Rail. each specific region was categorised to include each era region etc their own locomotives and their own rolling stock. rather than have all steam locomotives then all passenger coaches, freight rolling stock etc.. I will just let the pictures speak for themselves!   Edit I almost forgot to mention I have corrected it as it should be! (In making sure it gives the traveller just what "THEY" want! )

Edited December 20, 2020 by RyanN91
Edit I almost forgot to mention I have corrected it as it should be! (In making sure it gives the traveller just what "THEY" want! )

[RyanN91]

[RyanN91]

[RyanN91]

[RyanN91]

[RyanN91]

 

[RyanN91]

[Butler Henderson]

11 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

I can't remember seeing them in the shops 

The packaging until the 1970s aside from locos and long rolling stock was red box with the only identification being the label on the end so products in store were pretty anonymous unless one was opened and placed in a display cabinet. As the kit would have to be assembled it would be pretty unlikely to be put out on display.

 

[BernardTPM]

Actually Tri-ang Railways started using window boxes for all kinds of rolling stock around the same time (circa 1963/4 from memory). Here's how the wagon boxes changed:

 

 

The first wagon I got in this style of box was the R561 Tri-ang Pedigree prams container wagon at the MRC's Easter show.

Edited December 20, 2020 by BernardTPM

[Ben B]

7 hours ago, RyanN91 said:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I was studying photography at Uni, there was a brilliant book in our reference library that had some of the Hornby photographers doing a section on dynamic miniatures photography.  In the pre-Photoshop days, from the era of these catalogues, a lot of times the motion blur was done by having a long-exposure picture, and the whole set would move whilst the train would be fixed at the far end in relation to the camera (with power applied to the rails so that the wheels were moving).  There was a big step-by-step section on doing a pic of two Scalextric cars where the 'set' was a board on runners that was slid along by a studio assistant.  Fascinating detail, and I did try it for a project but the size of board needed was a bit beyond my budget. 

 

That pic of the 225 on the 37th Edition worked for me- I bought that set with my birthday money one year (£65 from Dudley Argos, came with a free blue grain wagon!).  Still have it somewhere in the loft at my parents house.  Never saw much use, my train set had 1st radius curves and the long coaches didn't really like it...

[Nearholmer]

A friend of ours used to be a photographer for the Argos catalogue - very prosaic stuff, technical, but dull, and it was a good job she had a spare-time job producing art photographs too, otherwise her creativity would have been totally squashed!

[Philou]

Has anyone noticed that in the photographs shown, how the double track settings are impossibly close - even closer than 45mm centre-to-centre?

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Butler Henderson]

2 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

Actually Tri-ang Railways started using window boxes for all kinds of rolling stock around the same time (circa 1963/4 from memory). Here's how the wagon boxes changed:

 

 

The first wagon I got in this style of box was the R561 Tri-ang Pedigree prams container wagon at the MRC's Easter show.

Yes but it was a bit hit and miss, the shunters wagon that came with an uncoupling hook was in a windowless box for example.

[caradoc]

R369 Class 37; The picture of that effort puts the issues with another manufacturer's more recent model(s) into perspective !

 

[Legend]

2 hours ago, caradoc said:

R369 Class 37; The picture of that effort puts the issues with another manufacturer's more recent model(s) into perspective !

 

 Yeah and that was after it’s makeover to get a Ringfield motor!  When the 37 first came out in green it’s chassis slotted to the body using the headcode panel . Somewhere along the line it was changed to have that hideous slit at the front , it spent all of the 70s like that , also with the spraying lines for the yellow warning panel on the front . I think for that reason I never went for a 37 from Hornby . Had to wait for a Lima one . That model more than anything shows how Hornby had rested on its laurels . No wonder they had to shake things up when Mainline and Airfix appeared 

[Ben B]

5 hours ago, Nearholmer said:

A friend of ours used to be a photographer for the Argos catalogue - very prosaic stuff, technical, but dull, and it was a good job she had a spare-time job producing art photographs too, otherwise her creativity would have been totally squashed!

 

I know- when I graduated, I remember visiting three local studios with my folio of arty shots, miniatures, fashion model pics, all sorts, a selection tailored to appeal to them based off the sorts of things on their websites.  I had an image in my mind of going out on locations assisting with fashion shoots on exotic beaches, or getting architectural shots up skyscrapers... then found it was invariably photographing 300 nearly-identical shirts a day for Tesco or similar (because "yeah, we don't really do the fun stuff anymore, this pays us better"), in an airless bunker of a studio in a scary bit of town.  I think if I'd actually got the job, it would have driven me stir-crazy in a month.

[Steamport Southport]

2 hours ago, Legend said:

 Yeah and that was after it’s makeover to get a Ringfield motor!  When the 37 first came out in green it’s chassis slotted to the body using the headcode panel . Somewhere along the line it was changed to have that hideous slit at the front , it spent all of the 70s like that , also with the spraying lines for the yellow warning panel on the front . I think for that reason I never went for a 37 from Hornby . Had to wait for a Lima one . That model more than anything shows how Hornby had rested on its laurels . No wonder they had to shake things up when Mainline and Airfix appeared 

 

Took about ten seconds to fill with Milliput. Quick coat of Humbrol Matt Yellow and the job's a good'un. No problem with locating the chassis back in the slot if you didn't fill it too deep.

 

Done loads of them. Mostly copying the Monty Wells article in RM. They were cheap as chips at the time. About a fiver brand new from Hattons. Two quid or so second hand. Nobody wanted them.

 

For the really adventurous you could turn them into Baby Deltics. Virtually what they are doing with the real one!

 

Shortening a Class 37 and putting it on Class 20 bogies.

 

https://www.babydeltic.co.uk/about

 

I never finished mine as I couldn't find any suitable bogies.

 

 

Jason

[banburysaint]

Ticket to ride was a great catalogue a really different format. I found it in a cabinet at school with a friend in the early 90s and we were allowed to keep it. I was amazed at the range of models and always fancied a 1000 with smoke but if course by then it never reappeared in the range. 

 

I got a 1980 one from the local recycling centre a couple of years ago. In side there is a record. 

 

Finally a bit more retro from Triang Railways the first ten years. You might even recognise the bridge the Princess is thundering across 

Edited December 20, 2020 by banburysaint
Adding photos

[Legend]

Well as it’s coming to Christmas , everybody deserves a Hornby Trainset .  The new Black 5 center stage .  R550 black 9F on top level with brightly coloured freight , evening Star on the Pullman and the 37 (complete with front slot , why didn’t they turn it round?) on the Inter - City . Another layout where I tried to figure out where all tracks went . Little did I know it was just a scene for the catalogue . It went on to be in that years advertisements 

Edited December 20, 2020 by Legend

[Hroth]

4 hours ago, banburysaint said:

Ticket to ride was a great catalogue a really different format. I found it in a cabinet at school with a friend in the early 90s and we were allowed to keep it. I was amazed at the range of models and always fancied a 1000 with smoke but if course by then it never reappeared in the range. 

 

I got a 1980 one from the local recycling centre a couple of years ago. In side there is a record. 

 

Finally a bit more retro from Triang Railways the first ten years. You might even recognise the bridge the Princess is thundering across 

 

"the first ten years ..." An excellent little book* with contents ranging from a tour of the Margate factory, with details of the stock levels maintained, through instructions by Terence Cuneo on how to weather "Nellie", to a most useful collection of service sheets, with instructions on how to service your locos. 

 

The Triang bell system was mentioned above, there is even a small section on the use of bell codes!

 

And is the foreward is by Dr Beeching...

 

* Another Triang publication of which I own two copies, one dog-eared through constant use, the other more or less pristine. The ratty one has a price stickrt on the front cover. 3/6 ...