Hornby announce TT:120

[Allegheny1600]

One of the things I’ve not noticed being discussed on here is that apparently, Hornby have been working on this project since about 2019 so, evidently they have given it a lot of thought.

It seems they have a dedicated 1:120 designer, working independently of their 1/76 guy/s.

Yet, people on here seem determined to question this announcement and run it and Hornby, down.

Why the negative vibes, man?!

[DavidLong]

1 minute ago, Allegheny1600 said:

One of the things I’ve not noticed being discussed on here is that apparently, Hornby have been working on this project since about 2019 so, evidently they have given it a lot of thought.

It seems they have a dedicated 1:120 designer, working independently of their 1/76 guy/s.

Yet, people on here seem determined to question this announcement and run it and Hornby, down.

Why the negative vibes, man?!

 

In the video interview, SK mentions 2017 a couple of times as the start point. If it had been Bachmann it would have needed to be ten years prior to that!

 

David

[JohnR]

4 minutes ago, Allegheny1600 said:

One of the things I’ve not noticed being discussed on here is that apparently, Hornby have been working on this project since about 2019 so, evidently they have given it a lot of thought.

It seems they have a dedicated 1:120 designer, working independently of their 1/76 guy/s.

Yet, people on here seem determined to question this announcement and run it and Hornby, down.

Why the negative vibes, man?!

 

Some of the same people who were negative about the Peco announcement....

[Nile]

5 minutes ago, Allegheny1600 said:

Why the negative vibes, man?!

 

It would appear that your glass is half empty. I'm not getting that many negative vibes here.

[Talltim]

1 hour ago, HonestTom said:

I could see the Kof II being very popular with scratch and kit builders.

Hasn't it been out for a few years?

[DavidLong]

One thought. After more than a century's development in the hobby, the poor old Brits finally have a commercial scale/gauge combination which is correct. I think that at least Peco, Hornby and Heljan deserve a +1 for that.

 

David

[Geep7]

Been thinking about this.... so I am currently build a small space shunting layout in 4mm scale..... would be interesting to see if this TT:120 will lend itself to a small minimum space shunting layout, especially with Class 08..... I'm pretty sure there are Kadee's for TT scale....... hmmm, ideas.....

[woodenhead]

8 minutes ago, Tim Dubya said:

 

The same on the TT Groups (et al) on Facebook.  I think this is excellent news for the hobby, particularly kids starting out and those of us who want more from our space.

I personally can't commit at the moment as I've said before but the future's bright and all that 👍

I bet quite a lot of O gauge groups got the hump when Dapol and Heljan started doing all their RTR, would expect it to be the same for those in the 3mm scale - it's going to draw some people away, challenge some of the kit companies and it's a different scale to further complicate matters for them.

 

I think the biggest gripe is that Hornby has not served it's customers or it's retailers well of late with cancelled pre-orders etc.  Perhaps this disruption has been due to them basically planning their get away from being mired in OO against an increasingly sophisticated set of competitors and choosy purchases.  That the TT scale will only be sold online is a further erosion of that trust with the retail base and potentially even turning away from it's normal customer base to people who don't already have a model railway or are not invested enough to be able to swap scales.  It's a bit them and us, but that's how people do things these days.

Edited October 10, 2022 by woodenhead
spelling

[HonestTom]

13 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

next question is, with a clean slate in terms of era/location, what would you go for? i've always regretted not going with the transition years from steam to diesel in OO but i don't see allot in phase 1>4 to cover that

I've often thought I'd like to build a micro-layout based on the buffer end of a major terminus. True scale LNER Pacifics make me wonder if this is the chance.

[darrel]

I model 00 gauge I have built up a large collection of rolling stock over the years. If I was going to build a new layout it would be 00 gauge I wouldn't start all over again in a new scale. There are many models I want some are rtr others are available as kits, none are available in TT. Maybe I'm not the target market here. 

But I find it odd that Hornby has been recycling old models for years class 37, 47 and 66 that should have been replaced with better models. But they sat on their hands and let others make better models. Lima vi trains Bachmann accurascale hattons.  Ironicly they are now trying to sell the lima models in the railroad range. Now they are going to bring out brand new class 37,47 and 66s presumably highly detailed in TT scale. Would the money not have been better spent bringing out some decent 00 gauge locos? 

[melmerby]

59 minutes ago, phil-b259 said:

Anyone who thinks not having the new range stocked in model shops is going to stop the range selling is quite frankly deluded.

Exactly

With the loss of the only model shops in my area sometime back, all my model railway purchases are either online or at a show.

At the big shows Hornby will have a stand and you can view the models first hand, they might even do some sales.

I've just bought a load of Hattons Genesis coaches, as they are only viewable at Hattons or on a computer they are as good as being online only AFAIAC.

 

I buy electronics, food, domestic appliances, clothes and virtually anything else online. So why not Hornby?

I'm not some phone happy youngster, I'm 76.

 

 

[Hobby]

20 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

next question is, with a clean slate in terms of era/location, what would you go for? i've always regretted not going with the transition years from steam to diesel in OO but i don't see allot in phase 1>4 to cover that

 

In my case late BR Steam early preservation in the north west, 67, 68. Imagining the Pilling Pig had been preserved. All I want is an 8f to be added to phase 2.

[Din]

One thing that has surprised me is they didn't reveal all of this at GETS... Wonder why?

[jonnyuk]

Just now, Din said:

One thing that has surprised me is they didn't reveal all of this at GETS... Wonder why?

they had allot of new stuff on show, maybe not to detract from that, also this looks a major online marketing push, going against boots on the ground so to speak.

did anyone spot something small, tucked away in the corner, subtle hints anywhere at GETS (i did not spot any)

[woodenhead]

9 minutes ago, darrel said:

Now they are going to bring out brand new class 37,47 and 66s presumably highly detailed in TT scale. Would the money not have been better spent bringing out some decent 00 gauge locos? 

Are they?  Or are they going to produce RailRoad level models in TT?

 

The class 66 is only 102 Pounds, it is DCC ready but exactly what are you getting for the money.  Who are Hornby aiming these models at, that will determine the level of detail.

 

A lot of the imagery may be OO with TT couplings, we will know more when the modelling press get their hands on some of the initial models.  These models are a little bigger than N gauge, so I would expect something a little up from that - seperately applied details etc, but some of the intricacies of OO will be lost.

Edited October 10, 2022 by woodenhead

[Fireline]

32 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

given who now works for AS, surely he must of known about this. this is not something you dream up and get to market in 12 months, this is long planned.........

@Islesy over to you....

[Padishar Creel]

All that MK2 coaching stock for the 50, but no BG or RBR? I do see BR MK1 parcels coach mentioned, so would that least be a BG?

 

es grüßt

pc 

[Steamport Southport]

14 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

next question is, with a clean slate in terms of era/location, what would you go for? i've always regretted not going with the transition years from steam to diesel in OO but i don't see allot in phase 1>4 to cover that

 

Small scenic GWR branch line (not BLT) using the PECO buildings. Maybe some GWR stock in the next year or so.

 

However I could do that just as easy in N or 00. That's part of my wondering, what does TT offer that the other gauges doesn't?

 

I've not seen any answers apart from saying it's smaller than 00. So is N and there is already a reasonable amount available in N.

 

I want Hornby (and other manufacturers) to persuade me.

 

 

Jason

[jjb1970]

My issue with Hornby's relationship with dealers is that they should either work with their dealers and stand behind them, or go direct sales. I can't help feeling that Hornby want the shop front presence of retailers while also wanting the cream for themselves in selling direct. Given my own circumstances I have little choice but to shop on-line for British outline, and if shopping on-line direct sales are a perfectly reasonable option. I don't know how representative I am but if you are an on-line shopper with no local dealers then it is somewhat moot whether you buy direct or from a dealer. I do think the trend is to online retail, the question is of timing. It's notable that many'shopping' malls here are now basically food and beverage malls and with most of the shops being supermarkets or jewellery shops. For some reason most retail seems to have migrated to online platforms but jewellery still seems very much physical shop based.

[Neil]

3 hours ago, Not Jeremy said:

But where's the Titfield Thunderbolt....©️

 

 

Inspiration in short supply these days?

[GreenGiraffe22]

I am definitely not the target audience for this range, but I'm thrilled for the two or three people I've noticed asking for more TT stuff. 

[andyman7]

2 hours ago, Moxy said:

 

They no longer own the Triang brand name.

 

It was sold off during one their parent company's bankruptcies early 1970's (I think).

It is not possible to sell the right to a trademark in perpetuity if it is not maintained. So whilst the 'Tri-ang' trademark was sold off with the Pedigree prams business when the Tri-ang group was broken up in 1971, it's registration lapsed through non-use and hence it has been available for Hornby to re-adopt - which indeed they have done.

 

I think more pertinent is that the new TT1:120 range bears no comparison to the old Triang range (made to 1:100 scale) and is not aimed at the heritage market so there is no marketing logic in using that name for this range.

[JSpencer]

3 minutes ago, darrel said:

I model 00 gauge I have built up a large collection of rolling stock over the years. If I was going to build a new layout it would be 00 gauge I wouldn't start all over again in a new scale. There are many models I want some are rtr others are available as kits, none are available in TT. Maybe I'm not the target market here. 

But I find it odd that Hornby has been recycling old models for years class 37, 47 and 66 that should have been replaced with better models. But they sat on their hands and let others make better models. Lima vi trains Bachmann accurascale hattons.  Ironicly they are now trying to sell the lima models in the railroad range. Now they are going to bring out brand new class 37,47 and 66s presumably highly detailed in TT scale. Would the money not have been better spent bringing out some decent 00 gauge locos? 

 

The railroad range has now become so old hat that it no longer makes a good start point IMHO especially as you can pick up older versions of the same model on the second hand market, or even post 2000 models being replaced by "yet better still" (established modelers have probably moved on, the price needing to somehow beat that....). The yearly smokey joe type train set must be as exciting as dust these days.

 

At the same time, the new leaner, flexible new comers are making Hornby (and Bachmann to a lesser extent) bleed. There could be an issue whereby such state of the art models are going to have a hard time attracting new blood to the hobby. And the Hornby model cannot compete with the economics of them. 

 

My feeling is that they want to start from a clean slate to try and fit the next generation needs better.

It's a bold move and the investment must have been huge. IF any name was going to pull this off, then it is Hornby. Time will tell of course. Direct selling might keep the cost down but are they thinking the day of the model shops is closing?

 

Quite a risk. And one that could kill them, if these things don't sell for Christmas.

But IF it works, they will have a lead start in a scale to establish a strong market for themselves. Newcomers will probably not be too keen to produce for this scale right away and might sit and watch to see how it grows. But IF it does work, they would end of switching of course. But that is tomorrow...

[PaulRhB]

38 minutes ago, Allegheny1600 said:

Yet, people on here seem determined to question this announcement and run it and Hornby, down.

Why the negative vibes, man?!

Simply because the way Hornby has treated shops and other manufacturers in the last five years. The random allocations of stock, the tier system, Terriers, 66’s, 4whl coaches and the 91 gazumping others and last years Titgate saga. 
Hornby have destroyed trust with a lot of people and you could say this massive spread is going to mean they treat any other entries into TT in the same way. 
They haven’t been remorseful to others, especially Rapido over the licensing case so why should people be sorry for them? Hornby need to rebuild trust they compromised themselves 😉

Edited October 10, 2022 by PaulRhB

[Dunsignalling]

3 hours ago, Crafty Hobbies said:

Good to see Hornby supporting thier stockists.  

Perhaps doing them a favour?

If this very ambitious diversification were to tank, only Hornby themselves would be left with stock. 

 

Objectively, Hornby is making a very big commitment to a market in which almost no consumers are currently active. Both the breadth and depth of any demand for UK-outline models in the "new" scale is still largely conjectural.

 

Without acquiring additional suppliers in China, TT:120 will inevitably absorb a lot of capacity in the factories Hornby currently use for OO production.

 

Have they found a load more slots, or might the extent of Hornby's OO announcements for 2023 reflect a shift of resources to the new scale? 

 

Good luck, but I hope Hornby aren't taking their concentration off the "day job".

 

John

Edited October 10, 2022 by Dunsignalling