Hornby 2023 Speculation?

[nathan70000]

20 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

I wouldn't be too surprised to see up to half of those appear r-t-r in the fullness of time, though I would be amazed if any of them came from Margate, other than, just maybe, the D20.

 

KR Models would be odds-on for the last one in particular.

The last two were tongue-in-cheek; the others I do genuinely think will appear (and sell!) in the fullness of time. Unfortunately I think Hornby's announcement is likely to wholly consist of subjects that have appeared before, with maybe one token project entirely new to the Hornby range.

 

Hornby seems to be allergic to the 4-4-0 wheel arrangement, particularly when they occur north of the Thames.

 

I do genuinely think a Hull and Barnsley design would sell, although the Q10 would probably be one of the riskier propositions. Plenty of people run layouts that are just broadly LNER-themed with locomotives from a variety of different areas. H&BR locomotives did make it off home turf post-grouping so having one on a layout wouldn't be too much of a stretch. 

[tomparryharry]

When the 90xx Dukedog was released, everybody thought the next release was a 'no brainer'. 

 

But, it's a Bachmann thread. 

 

Not to worry, though. If Hornby produce wagons to the same standard as the AA15 Toad, then it'll be smiles all round. If they don't, it's always Rapido, waiting in the wings..... With the advent of  continuously improving standards, it's up to the 'major players'  to attract some market share.  

[Les1952]

1 hour ago, Standards_in_OO said:

What about a Peppercorn A2. Not sure how old the Bachmann model is but it would fit in with all the other LNER Pacific’s in their range already and added bonus of one being preserved. I would like to see a bit of GWR maybe reintroducing the Grange and a new County. Will also be interesting to see if there is a King Charles and if so would it be in a fictitious livery. I do think the Kings look really good in blue! 

 

Not on the TT:120 list.  If anything a Peppercorn A1 could be there as it is on the TT:120 list.

 

Les

[Hilux5972]

1 hour ago, Les1952 said:

 

Not on the TT:120 list.  If anything a Peppercorn A1 could be there as it is on the TT:120 list.

 

Les

Um, are you sure about that? Not listed in the catalogue anywhere, and not in the next round of locos either. 

[Hilux5972]

2 hours ago, Standards_in_OO said:

I do think the Kings look really good in blue! 

Finally someone that agrees with me. The Kings did suit their blue livery. Still waiting for an Experimental “purple” as well. Given it’s the 75th anniversary of the formation of BR, surely we will see some experimental liveries this year. I just pray it’s not an Apple Green Castle 

[gwrrob]

7 minutes ago, Hilux5972 said:

. I just pray it’s not an Apple Green Castle 

 

OMDB !

[frobisher]

9 minutes ago, Hilux5972 said:

Um, are you sure about that? Not listed in the catalogue anywhere, and not in the next round of locos either. 

 

I seem to recall it was mentioned in the TT Club magazine.

 

It would make sense if Hornby were developing the Tornado tooling to cover her predecessors in 00 alongside a TT version.

[Standards_in_OO]

9 minutes ago, Hilux5972 said:

Finally someone that agrees with me. The Kings did suit their blue livery. Still waiting for an Experimental “purple” as well. Given it’s the 75th anniversary of the formation of BR, surely we will see some experimental liveries this year. I just pray it’s not an Apple Green Castle 

In some ways I would prefer it if they made a King in fictitious blue as opposed to some of the BR/GWR variants they have used previously! I also prefer black on a lot of the GWR engines than green but would be happy with a Dublo Castle in its conventional colours 

[Les1952]

1 hour ago, Hilux5972 said:

Um, are you sure about that? Not listed in the catalogue anywhere, and not in the next round of locos either. 

 

Peppercorn A1 is mentioned in Stages 3 and 4 in the TT:120 mag.

 

Les

 

[TomScrut]

3 hours ago, tomparryharry said:

it's always Rapido, waiting in the wings.....

 

They don't seem to bothered about modern stuff. Hornby are more interested than them (based on what they have announced) and that's saying something.

 

The only stuff Rapido make that's relevant to me commissions from others (Revolution and Realtrack).

[davidw]

14 minutes ago, Les1952 said:

 

Peppercorn A1 is mentioned in Stages 3 and 4 in the TT:120 mag.

 

Les

 

Bare in mind, Hornby have the CAD for Tornado in 00. The chassis isn't bad. A high detail body and revised tender(differing coal space) would just be needed.

[tomparryharry]

4 hours ago, TomScrut said:

 

They don't seem to bothered about modern stuff. Hornby are more interested than them (based on what they have announced) and that's saying something.

 

The only stuff Rapido make that's relevant to me commissions from others (Revolution and Realtrack).

You could well be right. However Rapido appear to be entering dialogue with enthusiasts about prospective new models. Not so long ago, the major players considered themselves the 'only game in town', and as such, the prevailing attitude was "You'll get what you're given".  It's a refreshing change, I think. Long may it continue. 

[RJennings]

I'm not expecting a lot of 'New' toolings from the announcement but I wonder whether some of the TT announcements will be up-scaled to OO so potentials for new Class 37, 47 & 66 models.

 

Steam wise can't comment as not really my area.

 

Diesel / Electric - Class 231 / 756 TFW given their closeness to the current 755s. Outside of this I would expect further runs of HSTs in Intercity, Blue/Grey, GNER and perhaps XCs 'celebrity' HST power car with further run of the sliding door Mk3s in XC. Possibly a few more re-runs of Class 50s / 60s / 67s / 87s / 91s in varying liveries.

 

Wagons / Coaches - Upgraded loco hauled Mk3a/b being released (Or Oxford one) does now seem overdue with the HST Mk3 having been re-done recently (Livery wise Intercity Swallow and Blue/Grey as first releases) as well as further Mk4s for whatever 91s may get released. Not expecting anything new wagon wise outside of new running numbers / livery etc.

 

Wildcard wise I will go for Hornby re-tooling the Class 373 Eurostar to a similar standards as the APT / 80x units (Including the R2-R8 centre cars also) - Seems somewhat long overdue tbh.

[Hroth]

Less than a week to go!

 

I'm so EXCITED!!!!!

 

 

Then again......

 

[PeterStiles]

17 minutes ago, Hroth said:

I'm so EXCITED!!!!!

 

And you just can't hide it...

[Dunsignalling]

9 hours ago, TomScrut said:

 

They don't seem to bothered about modern stuff. Hornby are more interested than them (based on what they have announced) and that's saying something.

 

The only stuff Rapido make that's relevant to me commissions from others (Revolution and Realtrack).

For the moment Rapido seems to have a "steam era" bias with Accurascale leaning more towards a broader spread including items that straddle the divide.

 

That may continue, change or even alternate, so their relative shares of our spending may well fluctuate as one or another introduces items of personal interest. I'd expect that to average out for them over a 2/3 year cycle as each fulfils more or fewer individual wants.

 

The new entrants are free of Hornby's in-built need for the ability to (at least potentially) sell us every item needed to make a whole model railway from a single brand. A more specialised approach is therefore to be expected. 

 

This year, we shall be able to compare Hornby's output with a substantial range of models from others, with many Items having gone from CAD to actual or imminent delivery in the past 12 months.

 

Hornby can and do make "premium wagons", all the brake vans and the SR cattle wagons being recent examples. What, if any, such items might feature in their 2023 plans, I wonder?

 

TT:120 is inevitably going to be Hornby's "big thing" for 2023 and many of us are more than curious as to how OO will fare by comparison. Will Hornby come out fighting hard (assuming the investment in TT has left them with sufficient resources to do so), or will we see signs of "managing down" expectations of their continuing dominance in OO? 

 

Either way, they'll resolutely avoid mentioning the "A" or "R" words in the forthcoming advertainment series on the Yesterday channel.😉

 

John 

 

 

Edited January 4, 2023 by Dunsignalling

[simmo009]

I predict:

1. All delivery dates will be laughably optimistic. 

2. Locomotives will not have any relevant rolling stock. 

3. There will be some eye watering prices. 

4. There might be a gem or 2 announced, but a lot of "not for me".

 

I think we have had several years of feast, and may be getting a bit of famine this year.

[Hroth]

3 minutes ago, simmo009 said:

I predict:

1. All delivery dates will be laughably optimistic. 

2. Locomotives will not have any relevant rolling stock. 

3. There will be some eye watering prices. 

4. There might be a gem or 2 announced, but a lot of "not for me".

 

I think we have had several years of feast, and may be getting a bit of famine this year.

 

Sounds applicable to a number of manufacturers/commissioners, your predictions are not just a Hornby problem.  And with China giving up on Zero Covid and the Chinese New Year upon us, delivery dates may well stretch even more.

 

Ever increasing eyewatering prices are a fact of life, not just in the model railway sphere.

 

[DutyDruid]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

 

I'm so EXCITED!!!!!

 

 

53 minutes ago, PeterStiles said:

 

And you just can't hide it...

 

 

He's just seen a Wowcher deal!

 

Now, there's a thought...

[JSpencer]

I'm expecting plenty of marketing telling us how detailed the 40+ year old railroad models are.

 

[The Stationmaster]

16 hours ago, nathan70000 said:

Some interesting curve-balls that I think would do well, but are fairly unlikely from Hornby:

 

LNWR Bowen Cooke "Claughton" 4-6-0

 

Big, named express locomotives that survived (barely) in to the BR era. Plenty of liveries although oddly enough I think the surest seller would be the most plain- 1914 Patriot in unlined black.

 

GWR Churchward "Bulldog" (And Bird, and Flower, etc.) 4-4-0

 

These were much longer-lived than the Cities and Counties and could conceivably be seen on secondary routes and perhaps the odd branch line. As yet uncharted territory in OO gauge but I bet if Hornby utilised a bit of "design-clever" they could maximise investment by tooling for all the variations. GWR has been very neglected by Hornby for years.

 

NER Class R/LNER D20 4-4-0

 

Not named, but very elegant and again, very long-lived. There's 40 years worth of livery potential, from NER Saxony Green to mucky BR unlined black. Immensely useful to the NE modeller but the D20 exists in the twilight zone of not having a preserved example and not being particularly well-known. The slightly less useful but equally elegant D17 might be more likely as it at least ticks the former box.

 

NER X1 2-2-4T "Aerolite"

 

Aesthetically charming, unique and seen by thousands of people every day. Plenty of Rule 1 purchase potential which has worked out well for Hornby in the past. Hornby aren't creative enough to go anywhere near this one though I'm afraid.

 

LSWR Drummond 4-2-4T (?) "The Bug"

 

See above, with the exception that there's sadly no preserved example.

 

L&Y Aspinall Class 27

 

There were loads of 'em, long-lived, hugely useful to the modeller. Hornby's past experience with slow-selling black 0-6-0s will probably put them off doing another one for a while, though.

 

H&BR Stirling Class A/LNER Q10 0-8-0

 

An absolutely fascinating machine but only I, and maybe about seven other people in the area between Hull and Cudworth, would buy one. Rule 1 potential, anyone?

 

NBR Reid-MacLeod Steam Turbine

 

Taking the recent trend for obscure one-offs to its logical conclusion... an announcement that would be greeted by the sound of RMWebbers furiously Googling to check whether this bizarre steampunk Pennsylvania GG1/Leader/Turbomotive-looking hybrid actually existed.

 

In a coiuple of instances there you are assuming that Hornby have the necessary permission from the NRM to make the models.  That would, I think, be unusual as I don't think the NRM/Locomotion has ever partnered with Hornby for totally new tooling although they have sold versions of Hornby models. 

[The Stationmaster]

15 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

I wouldn't be too surprised to see up to half of those appear r-t-r in the fullness of time, though I would be amazed if any of them came from Margate, other than, just maybe, the D20.

 

KR Models would be odds-on for the last one in particular.

Looks like a good way to ruin a potential good seller😇  Which Southern locos would you like from KR/?

[jonnyuk]

21 minutes ago, thetrains said:

I don’t need anything specific at the moment as others have the 2 models I need, but I would hope they would reduce their prices for those who do, now container prices have gone back to pre- covid levels.

 

I don’t think there is a need to retool some models e.g, rebuilt and original light pacifics (inc other regions locos) as for me and others have said most they came from the 'super detail' retools are good enough except perrhaps for the purists, besides there is the fragility for the smaller finer bits falling off just getting on to track (and Hornby are not alone in this).

i generally think most of Hornby's stuff from the super detail era onwards is ok, all modern stuff lacks any cab detail and bogie detail (the moulding is there, just needs painting), there is then the shift to 21 pin that will fix their lighting problems, i think their modern image stuff will see these upgrades to existing tooling, would not be surprised to see the 50,56,60 get these "upgrades" this year, through in an odd ball, an era 1 loco and re-liveries and your done.

[cessna152towser]

A general release of the Drax Biomass wagons would probably be a good seller for Hornby, given how the Tier 1 exclusives flew off the shelves.

Considering the Accurascale IIA biomass wagons retail for 74.95 for a pair, this would be around the price I would be prepared to pay for two, but no way will I pay the rip off prices currently being asked on eBay for Hattons or Tier 1 exclusives.

I'm expecting Hornby to announce the Drax Biomass wagon on general release next week, with different running numbers.   The price will be higher than the Tier 1 exclusives, more likely around the 35 to 45 pounds range for a single wagon.

Edited January 4, 2023 by cessna152towser

[spamcan61]

1 hour ago, thetrains said:

I don’t need anything specific at the moment as others have the 2 models I need, but I would hope they would reduce their prices for those who do, now container prices have gone back to pre- covid levels.

 

 

It's highly unlikely the container prices were ever a significant part of the price rises, I did the sums here:-

 

 

Even if I my 30p per loco/coach was out by 100% then still not that much in the grand scheme of things.