Welcome to TT:120

[Millimodels]

My late father built the layout in the loft of his bungalow. 48'x10' space with Taunton station taking up 22' on one side. It was never completed but all the track was laid and working.

[Steamport Southport]

7 hours ago, D9020 Nimbus said:

I doubt that a new Pannier will pull that many coaches, somehow—though a real Pannier would never have been asked to, probably. With, I assume, Magnadhesion and a white metal body, it's no surprise it was that powerful. But Magnadhesion is as much a thing of the past as the steel rails it relied on.

 

What about the ones used as station pilots at places like Paddington and Waterloo? I think you are vastly underestimating how powerful they were.

 

https://www.rail-online.co.uk/p416923824/e7920818a

 

What do you think moved all those express passenger trains to be pulled by the large 4-6-0s and Pacifics? Small tank engines such as Panniers and Jinties.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[Hroth]

57xx Panniers were rated as 3F, 94xx as 4F with similar tractive efforts of 22,000 lbf. Pretty useful with not so much speed but plenty of grunt!

 

 

[PaulRhB]

On 04/11/2022 at 21:39, Gary704 said:

the fact of the matter is that it’s Hornby that bring people into the hobby. No one else.

That’s an opinion not fact 😄

Hornby certainly are the main known brand but not exclusive to introducing people as many start in other gauges and scales. In OO they probably have a large percentage of the starters due to the brand but if they were the only one why would Peco offer track start sets and Bachmann sell start sets? I’ve seen people pop in a couple of local shops and want to get started and walk out with a Bachmann or Dapol loco they chose from the cabinet and a Peco track set. 
People’s problem with Hornby is their bullying attitude to shops and other manufacturers in the hobby duplicating others announcements, poorly in the case of the 91 and infringing licenses with Rapido, rather than pressing ahead with what they do well introducing good new models like the Pecketts.

People will buy decent models and I haven’t stopped buying Hornby, before you think I’m a naysayer, but I have stopped buying direct in their OO line that are available in shops to support the shops. I’d only gone direct due to their mucking around with allocations that meant for a big set like the APT they couldn’t be sure of getting it at the local shop!

Yes I have ordered a TT set because I like the scale but I feel Hornby are on a hiding to nothing with online only as how does a new starter add to a set at the local shop? With online only small batches it could be months before the wagon you want appears and you have to pay postage for everything making single wagons and track pieces expensive. There’s a real danger there that people will get bored and spend on something else they can get now. That’s the risk with online only you’re entering the modern impatient ‘I want it now’ field of products and on recent performance Hornby are going to struggle with that!

Edited November 14, 2022 by PaulRhB

[BachelorBoy]

On 03/11/2022 at 18:59, Gary704 said:

I’m not sure Hornby need “saved”. They are a multi national company. They know what they’re doing. They don’t operate out of a garden shed!

Hornby is a tiny company.

 

Its stock market value is about £47m ... the share price has more than halved this year. So investors don't seem to have much confidence that Hornby knows what it's doing. Remember the Titfield Thunderbolt fiasco?

 

Hornby's global sales last year were just £54m. And while it technically is a multinational (it operates in more than one country) it's not exactly Unilever. The UK is by far its largest market.

• UK sales (not through Hornby website): £38m -- profitable division.
• European sales: £11m -- profitable division
• US sales £5m -- division lost money.

Profit overall before tax was £600k. 

 

 

[BachelorBoy]

On 03/11/2022 at 18:59, Gary704 said:

I’m not sure Hornby need “saved”. They are a multi national company. They know what they’re doing. They don’t operate out of a garden shed!

 

Hornby shares have lost 90% in value since 2007. 

 

[NCB]

18 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Paddington Station Pilot perhaps?  I don’t know if 57xx locos had that duty, but I’m fairly certain the later 94xx class did.  Just a thought. As you say, modern models may not be as powerful, although there have been some (pleasant) surprises in other scales.

 

Did the coach bogies also have metal bearings?  A King with 22 on - impressive (how long were your platforms?).
 

Oddly, plastic wheels have made something of a comeback in some areas (eg: American outline models), so as not to interfere with magnetic couplings.  Given that some American TT (1:120) modellers use N-Scale magnetic Micro-trains couplers, it could become something some TT:120 modellers over here might also be taking into consideration, for the same reason.  Keith.

One 57xx was photographed on pilot duty  at Paddington in the mid 1950s still with Great Western under  all the grime.

 

A new 57xx could have a cast body.

Edited November 14, 2022 by NCB

[NCB]

So, the first production Hornby sets have arrived. From pics and videos they seem  superb. Well done Hornby.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Happy Christmas everyone!  Of course, a year ago no-one knew we’d be here, with correct scale / gauge commercial UK products starting to appear that are compatible with existing commercial European outline models.  Personally, I’ve really appreciated the contributions from experienced North American TT modellers coming on board here too - TT of course being an American Scale originally, even if there is limited trade support these days.  Who knows if that might change too?

 

Full marks of course to those who’ve got off the blocks and started modelling in TT:120 already, showing the rest of us what’s possible.  Initial feedback from the first products appearing from Hornby seems to me to be positive - (I’m happy for us to leave the debating around Hornby as a business to the Products and Trade Forum elsewhere on RMweb: the aim of this Forum is to share and encourage modelling ideas).

 

There will be plenty of others waiting to see, or perhaps not yet aware of the potential of TT:120, as well as those who believe in the vision but aren’t doing much modelling at present (to be honest, I’ve slipped into that category with my own TT:120 project).

 

Not to worry, the journey has begun.  Who knows where we’ll be this time next year…?

 

Take care, and all the best, Keith.

 

[NCB]

19 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

Happy Christmas everyone!  Of course, a year ago no-one knew we’d be here, with correct scale / gauge commercial UK products starting to appear that are compatible with existing commercial European outline models.  Personally, I’ve really appreciated the contributions from experienced North American TT modellers coming on board here too - TT of course being an American Scale originally, even if there is limited trade support these days.  Who knows if that might change too?

 

Full marks of course to those who’ve got off the blocks and started modelling in TT:120 already, showing the rest of us what’s possible.  Initial feedback from the first products appearing from Hornby seems to me to be positive - (I’m happy for us to leave the debating around Hornby as a business to the Products and Trade Forum elsewhere on RMweb: the aim of this Forum is to share and encourage modelling ideas).

 

There will be plenty of others waiting to see, or perhaps not yet aware of the potential of TT:120, as well as those who believe in the vision but aren’t doing much modelling at present (to be honest, I’ve slipped into that category with my own TT:120 project).

 

Not to worry, the journey has begun.  Who knows where we’ll be this time next year…?

 

Take care, and all the best, Keith.

 

And Merry Christmas from me as well.

 

People like me wondered how the conflict bettween scale track and wide wheels would be resolved.  Think Hornby answered that. The models are well made and convinciing, even if they have tweaked the odd dimension.

 

2023  -  the year of TT-120

Edited December 24, 2022 by NCB

[natterjack]

On his YouTube channel Gary Hall has recently uploaded video of  a Hornby A1 chassis with  Corgi A4- bodywork - looks pretty good too!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t14bm8zU-sM

 

Now followed by Tornado.

Edited January 7, 2023 by natterjack
update

[APOLLO]

34 minutes ago, natterjack said:

On his YouTube channel Gary Hall has recently uploaded video of  a Hornby A1 chassis with  Corgi A4- bodywork - looks pretty good too!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t14bm8zU-sM

 

 

Shows very well the difference in size between Tri-ang TT3 and Hornby TT120. Very noticeable.

 

Brit15

[NCB]

6  standard Hornby 166m straights arrived in the New Year...

...followed by 2 points and  very  useful rerailer last week.

Assembled and tested with a Piko Taurus;

Looks good and the Taurus just sails through that  pointwork.

 

More track arrived today :-)

[Compound2632]

20 minutes ago, NCB said:

 

Are the diverging rails straight beyond the crossing? It would be interesting to see a pair of these trimmed back to give a typical British six-foot, i.e about 28.4 mm track centres. Indeed, it would be interesting to see plain line laid to that dimension. Notwithstanding the over-scale rail, with the near-scale track gauge it ought to look good. How long are the sleepers, on plain track? The usual British 8' 6" would be 21.6 mm.

Edited January 21, 2023 by Compound2632

[Taigatrommel]

I'd been intending to arrange a social event for a TT scale facebook group I'm admin of, but given the growth in interest following Peco and Hornby offering TT:120 I've decided to host an event open to the general public.  Please see the following thread for more details.

 

[andythenorth]

Westhill Wagon Works range continues to expand in TT:120 

 

https://westhillwagonworks.com/25-lineside

https://westhillwagonworks.com/19-tt120

 

(no connection other than as a customer) 😉

 

 

[Dava]

I’ve noticed that LCUT Creative have introduced a yard office hut kit for a mere £3.69, ideal for trying the scale.

I’ll collect one or two next Saturday from their stand.

 

http://www.lcut.co.uk/index.php?product=B TT0-00&title=B TT0-00

 

Dava

[Porfuera]

On 25/02/2023 at 20:36, Dava said:

I’ve noticed that LCUT Creative have introduced a yard office hut kit for a mere £3.69, ideal for trying the scale.

I’ll collect one or two next Saturday from their stand.

 

http://www.lcut.co.uk/index.php?product=B TT0-00&title=B TT0-00

 

Dava

 

Cheers for posting that and for the link to it. I've dived in and ordered two.

[Les1952]

On 25/02/2023 at 20:36, Dava said:

I’ve noticed that LCUT Creative have introduced a yard office hut kit for a mere £3.69, ideal for trying the scale.

I’ll collect one or two next Saturday from their stand.

 

http://www.lcut.co.uk/index.php?product=B TT0-00&title=B TT0-00

 

Dava

 

I had a chat with Jakub at Doncaster.  He said he is intending to expand the 1:120 range, but it will be a little slow as he is learning new techniques as far as joining parts together is concerned - the scale is too small for their previous method of interlocking bricks to work.  From experience of their OO kits they will be good, and their after sales is brilliant.

 

I did buy one of these but I'm still at the tracklaying and testing stage so it might be a few months before I get round to building it.

 

Les

 

[Dava]

This is what the LCUT TT120 hut kit look like. Its small, , less than 3/4” long. They are planning to make their N gauge range available in 2.5mm scale.

 

Dava

[NCB]

Somewhere on here I put up a table of driver sizes, TT equivalent and nearest  3mm wheel. Can't find it 😒. Any ideas?  

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, NCB said:

Somewhere on here I put up a table of driver sizes, TT equivalent and nearest  3mm wheel. Can't find it 😒. Any ideas?  

Search engine

 

search ‘wheel’

 

by author @NCB  

 

ta da!

 

 

[NCB]

2 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Search engine

 

search ‘wheel’

 

by author @NCB  

 

ta da!

 

 

Doh! Ta

[natterjack]

This has probably been referenced elsewhere but I have just come across SDV Models, a Czech maker of 1/120 rail and road vehicles kits  some of which may also be adaptable or supply useful parts for UK outline;

 

https://www.sdvmodel.cz/en/about-us/

 

Unlike some EU suppliers, they do appear to ship to the UK.

[Porfuera]

I can't find any previous mention of these - apologies if I've missed it.

 

Bowaters Models 3D printed SECR coach kits and a Hawksworth autocoach in TT:120 requiring all the usual plus wheels and glazing (although suppliers for these are listed). I was initially a bit confused by their statement of "designed to run on 12mm gauge track" but they say that the kits are TT:120 (i.e. no suggestion that they are TT3) so I guess it is just a peculiar turn of phrase.

 

No connection - I spotted it on Facebook this morning - and I doubt I'd buy any as they're not my era, but good to see more suppliers springing up and they seem to have quite a large catalogue in other scales so maybe there will be more to come.

 

https://shop.bowatersmodels.co.uk/collections/tt-120

Edited April 15, 2023 by Porfuera