Hornby Railways Catalogue and Box Art - An Advent Calendar Lookback

[Hroth]

The one I found has the womenfolk sitting around the table swigging wine and making sexist comments while the blokes had a go on the trainset...

 

[Steamport Southport]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

The one I found has the womenfolk sitting around the table swigging wine and making sexist comments while the blokes had a go on the trainset...

 

 

That's the one. Right at the end where they're playing with a Triang Blue Pullman.

 

The programme itself must be about twenty years old now. It was before he did the series on different toys like building a Lego house and giant Airfix Spitfire.

 

Jonathan Ross did a similar one on Channel Four about the top 100 toys but with more celebrities. Model railways came out quite well and surprisingly he didn't take the pee.

 

Trains are about 1 hour 55 minutes in.

 

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Steamport Southport
Too much surprise

[Legend]

We seem to be missing an entry today, so to keep the pot boiling hope LNWR18901910 doesn’t mind me posting an image .  This was the back of the catalogue one year. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to when ? I think we have already covered it , so not too difficult 

 

This was one of these images I used to stare at for hours looking at the different stock . There is another picture somewhere showing LNER stock on the same layout and I think they used it for several MPD shots . The box cover for the R408U turntable is certainly derived from this.  I used to plot where all the tracks would go assuming the tracks curved round at the back . It never dawned on me  that the suspension bridge behind Dad must lead to ........the floor!  Oh well .

 

Looks like one had to put a tie on to play with ones trains .

Edited December 15, 2020 by Legend

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, Legend said:

It never dawned on me  that the suspension bridge behind Dad must lead to ........the floor!  Oh well .

 

I don't think that Dad had a clue!

 

I mean, a streamlined Coronation on the turntable  and Evening Star lurking behind what is probably Albert Hall with a rake of Chocolate and cream Mk1s and a Pullman car?  And how do they get to the "terminus" if something goes wrong?

 

1 hour ago, Legend said:

Looks like one had to put a tie on to play with ones trains .

 

In the 50s you had to have a jacket or a pullover too, and dad had to have a pipe.

(Dad also had to have a slightly crazed expression* and a mutant left hand...)

 

Just spotted another HD catalogue illustration where son is even more formally dressed (a handkerchief in his top pocket???) to operate his railway!

 

Brylcreem too, probably...

 

*Probably from totting up how much all that Dublo 3-rail cost him!

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by Hroth

[Legend]

11 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

I don't think that Dad had a clue!

 

I mean, a streamlined Coronation on the turntable  and Evening Star lurking behind what is probably Albert Hall with a rake of Chocolate and cream Mk1s and a Pullman car?  And how do they get to the "terminus" if something goes wrong?

 

 

In the 50s you had to have a jacket or a pullover too, and dad had to have a pipe.

(Dad also had to have a slightly crazed expression* and a mutant left hand...)

 

Just spotted another HD catalogue illustration where son is even more formally dressed (a handkerchief in his top pocket???) to operate his railway!

 

Brylcreem too, probably...

 

*Probably from totting up how much all that Dublo 3-rail cost him!

 

You mean you don’t have a hanky properly fluted in your top pocket ? Dear dear , one has to have standards you know . Must go , that’s the lunch gong sounded . 

[Nearholmer]

I did tell you that HD illustrations were more buttoned-up.

 

I do hope that LNWR is back with more tomorrow, because this thread is really excellent for wallowing in a bit of nostalgia.

[BernardTPM]

1972, the last year to feature the Model Land buildings in any quantity. Also the first year of the H&BR refrigerator van, perhaps better known for 'Fine Fish', 'Prime Pork' and 'Kit-Kat' liveries later.

Also the year the L1 made a brief reappearance in Soutern Olive Green before it was reworked into an LMS 2P the following year. Overall for steam locos it was quite balanced in as much as there were three LMS, two LNER, three GWR, three SR and three BR designs covered.

Edited December 15, 2020 by BernardTPM

[Steamport Southport]

They used the wrong wagon for the Kit Kat wagons though!

 

 

Apparantly it still has it's use written on the van.

 

https://locoyard.com/2016/04/30/not-a-kit-kat-in-sight/

 

 

 

 

Jason

Edited December 15, 2020 by Steamport Southport

[Legend]

50 minutes ago, BernardTPM said:

1972, the last year to feature the Model Land buildings in any quantity. Also the first year of the H&BR refrigerator van, perhaps better known for 'Fine Fish', 'Prime Pork' and 'Kit-Kat' liveries later.

Also the year the L1 made a brief reappearance in Soutern Olive Green before it was reworked into an LMS 2P the following year. Overall for steam locos it was quite balanced in as much as there were three LMS, two LNER, three GWR, three SR and three BR designs covered.

Yep 1972 it was . Love these model land factories . Managed to get a couple but they go for rather a lot of money on eBay 

[BernardTPM]

And they did a set of guys in boiler suits to go with the factory

 

 

(well, two are probably coal miners to go with the coal mine buildings planned, but never made). The fork lift driver would probably suit the Base Toys model.

[Nearholmer]

YMCA,

Its fun to stay at the YMCA ......

[Ruffnut Thorston]

 

4 hours ago, Legend said:

 

 

Notice the inset books on the right.

 

The Tri-ang Hornby Book of Trains.

 

Contains a very good pictorial history from  the Rovex Train Set, to the then current models. Recommended.

 

 

The Model Railway Track Plans book. As it says in the title...

 

The Model Railway Wiring Plans book...

 

I would bet that no one has seen a copy of the Wiring book?

 

As far as I know, it was never issued!

 

I am not sure that the Track Plans book that was produced actually had that cover?

 

 

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

Don't take this as a political post. It's not. Just a bit of fun.

 

 

[BernardTPM]

3 minutes ago, Ruffnut Thorston said:

Notice the inset books on the right.

The Tri-ang Hornby Book of Trains.

Contains a very good pictorial history from  the Rovex Train Set, to the then current models. Recommended.

I'm lucky enough to have two of that book. One I look at where the perfect binding has ceased to be perfect (more like a loose leaf folder!), which is fine for reference, and one in good condition I don't look at.

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

I'm lucky enough to have two of that book. One I look at where the perfect binding has ceased to be perfect (more like a loose leaf folder!), which is fine for reference, and one in good condition I don't look at.

 

I've two copies too, in identical conditions.  They aren't particularly robust!

 

[LNWR18901910]

Day 15

Freight Hauler this set does have its charm and this charming little tank engine based on the real-life D Class which was an 0-4-0T later rebuilt into an 0-6-0T. The tank engine chugs at a jolly little speed while hauling a trio of tankers and an LMS brake van in tow (so to speak).

 

The cheerful blue sky is to simulate what a model railway in someone else's backyard looks like even though it looks life-size. But like with the other examples we looked at, the D couplings are still about so it does give that blend of fantasy and reality once again. I think I saw this one from the 1990s/2000s when I was a kid. That locomotive has become another Railroad stalwart and a long-serving one along with Smokey Joe so it gives the impression of train drivers the same equivalence as lorry drivers. Yeah, there's a delivery to make but let's enjoy the ride.

 

Here are four more I included as a bonus - the Rural Rambler, the Midland Belle and the Branch Line Freight. Interestingly, the Powergen 0-4-0 was supposed to promote a gas and electricity company in the UK that is now known as E-ON by the year 2002, but the Powergen logo still rings clear like the Coca-Cola logo. The Country Local has a nice Midland/LMS feel to it reminicscent of the Pre-Grouping Era which is very nice and quaint, really. The artwork on these boxes look pretty damn impressive. It would be nice to see more train sets with that type of artwork again, really. There's nothing wrong with photoshopped images, really, but this was the early days back then so it looks a touch primitive by collaging photographs of models into pacakging artwork. If I was a kid in the 1990s and early-2000s again, I would be happy to see this kind of packaging again for old time's sake!

 

N.B: This one nearly arrived late but at least it's on the right day, I had trouble finding some material, but as it's nearly Christmas, I decided to give a little extra something more. Special thanks to everyone who liked and agreed with my last Advent post and thanks for sharing model histories, information and memories here, I know I would as well. I will be back tomorrow with yet another Advent post, bye for now!

[Nearholmer]

Intro to the Dowlais locos here http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/Dowlais_Works_locomotives.htm

 

Is is right that the 0-4-0T were rebuilt as 0-6-0T?

 

Anyway, thank you for some more classic train sets to play with.

[Steamport Southport]

23 minutes ago, Nearholmer said:

Intro to the Dowlais locos here http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/Dowlais_Works_locomotives.htm

 

Is is right that the 0-4-0T were rebuilt as 0-6-0T?

 

Anyway, thank you for some more classic train sets to play with.

 

No. The 0-6-0Ts were much bigger.

 

Someone on here did a proper rebuild of the Hornby 0-4-0T.

 

I think it was Rushton.

 

 

 

Mike Edge recently made a model of the 0-6-0T.

 

 

Jason

Edited December 15, 2020 by Steamport Southport

[Steamport Southport]

The Power Station saddle tank was meant to be this. Obviously the wrong type, but a bit of fun and you weren't getting anything closer RTR at the time.

 

Photo Neil Turner from Wiki/

 

https://preservedbritishsteamlocomotives.com/15018-2/

[Nearholmer]

Do these ‘bottom end’ toy train sets have R numbers, or appear in catalogues?

 

I ask because in previous years I’ve seen various versions in places like Toys R Us, and this year a quick Google reveals sets for sale by WHS, Argos etc, and, if you go back long enough, ‘club catalogues’ like Grattan’s used to have them, and I’ve got a strong feeling that they were/are packaged specially for such outlets.

[New Haven Neil]

Yes, one of the 0-4-0 tanks WAS rebuilt as an 0-6-0!

[Steamport Southport]

15 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

Yes, one of the 0-4-0 tanks WAS rebuilt as an 0-6-0!

 

Which one?

 

There was only two - KGV and Queen Mary. The one at the bottom No 44 Pant had differences and I believe was built as an 0-6-0T.

 

 

Jason

[Ruffnut Thorston]

All the sets will have R numbers....but not all will be in the Hornby Catalogue.

 

Mail Order specials were a big thing at one time, Pat Hammond’s books shed a bit of light on the older specials.

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

4 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Which one?

 

There was only two - KGV and Queen Mary. The one at the bottom No 44 Pant had differences and I believe was built as an 0-6-0T.

 

 

Jason

 

I think it is buried in that thread of Ruston's some where, I need to flick back through it.

[New Haven Neil]

I've failed to find the reference, but I have definitely read it somewhere!