Next Years Announcements (9th Jan btw)(not wish listing!, well that was the idea, but......)

[Legend]

26 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

The only place I've seen that mentioned from Hornby was in the TT magazine. I think someone has got their wires crossed.

 

Everyone else is under the impression it's the normal big launch and that includes Hornby!

 

 

Jason

Well it’s a tricky one managing the transition , isn’t it ?  I think you’ll get a reasonable set of announcements on Jan 9th , so as not to upset the punters, possibly mainly reliveries with one big ticket item, but then maybe one or two models drip fed during the year . By next year they can manage expectations and say announcements will be made throughout the year . 

[RyanN91]

21 minutes ago, James Makin said:

I'm not fussed over any new tooling for D&E items, but wouldn't it be lovely to see them slopping on some classic liveries seen in the late 90s onto the warmed-over HSTs and new Mk3s - the likes of Virgin, Great Western 'Merlin' and the elegant GNER - mmm!

 

The new management regime sounds like a great opportunity to break with the past - I hope they remember that us kids who grew up in those much-derided early rail privatisation days, now have the income and spending power to cross their palms with a lot of silver should the right product be available!

Yes more late 1990s early 2000s Post Privatisation eras franchises of HSTs Great Western 'Merlin with the INTERCITY  Swallow typeface on the Great Western Merlin on the MK3s!

[Cruachan]

1 hour ago, James Makin said:

I'm not fussed over any new tooling for D&E items, but wouldn't it be lovely to see them slopping on some classic liveries seen in the late 90s onto the warmed-over HSTs and new Mk3s - the likes of Virgin, Great Western 'Merlin' and the elegant GNER - mmm!

 

The new management regime sounds like a great opportunity to break with the past - I hope they remember that us kids who grew up in those much-derided early rail privatisation days, now have the income and spending power to cross their palms with a lot of silver should the right product be available!

That would be pleasing to see: As far as I'm aware, Hornby haven't produced GWT 'Merlin' or GNER non-red door mark 3s again since the initial releases of the scale length carriages circa 2000, and neither Merlin nor original headlight GNER power cars using the current (2008) tooling.

 

With HSTs now a spent force as the full length, long distance Intercity trains they were designed and built as, it'd be nice to see Hornby celebrating the trains' back catalogue, so to speak. As a previous post has noted, Hornby don't seem to do as much as they could to utilise their existing tooling suites.

[tomparryharry]

Ah, panniers, indeed the choice gets ever better. I'd suggest that if Hornby have an avenue, then it'll be a uprated 27xx. A proper full-fat model, with brake rigging, sanders, et al. A good working weight, not too fast. Would punters pay extra? Very probably.

 

If it's the railroad version you want, just brush up the moulds.

 

Either that, or a Dean Single..... 

[1andrew1]

In its last accounts, Hornby had set up a subsidiary in India. That makes sense as the Airfix kits are manufactured there. I wonder if it might be tempted to launch an Indian outline Hornby range there too? 

 

[Karl]

34 minutes ago, 1andrew1 said:

In its last accounts, Hornby had set up a subsidiary in India. That makes sense as the Airfix kits are manufactured there. I wonder if it might be tempted to launch an Indian outline Hornby range there too? 

 

Headline on Tuesday... "Hornby enters 009 with Darjeeling B"... think that's sadly a fantasy. 😂

[Mr chapman]

13 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 

 When TT120 was announced “everything will also be available in 00”. 

 

I remember Bachmann confidently making that claim when they bought Graham farish. Everything will be available in N. How did that work out? Still waiting on the 7f, 2EPB, MLV etc... 

[QuoitsPlayer]

6 hours ago, RyanN91 said:

Yes more late 1990s early 2000s Post Privatisation eras franchises of HSTs Great Western 'Merlin with the INTERCITY  Swallow typeface on the Great Western Merlin on the MK3s!

Definitely GWT 'Merlin' with the Intercity type, and original GNER power cars, and even the original early Virgin XC CrossCountry branded power cars.

[Steamport Southport]

2 hours ago, 1andrew1 said:

In its last accounts, Hornby had set up a subsidiary in India. That makes sense as the Airfix kits are manufactured there. I wonder if it might be tempted to launch an Indian outline Hornby range there too? 

 

 

Are model railways a thing in India though?

 

I know they like plastic kits, but I've never heard of an Indian model railway market. Cars from the likes of Tamiya seem to be the big thing over there.

 

 

Jason

[scottrains29]

I'd also like Hornby to produce a GNER HST set with the original headlight that they had for the majority of time with the operator.

 

I think it would also be good for them to produce more single non-powered class 43s so that we can add a little variety to our sets, eg original Virgin with yellow cab roof, or one of the Virgin/GNER buffered 43s that you would occasionally see.

 

It would also be useful for Hornby to produce more mk3s that are clearly in high demand, eg GNER, Northern Belle, Royal Train sleeper and kitchen etc. These have all been fetching high prices on ebay for many years now.

 

Hopefully they'll produce a realistic ratio of coaches to powercars so that modellers don't ever up with bargain basement mk3s yet find it impossible to get the matching power cars, as with the Arriva XC sets.

[1andrew1]

5 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

Are model railways a thing in India though?

 

I know they like plastic kits, but I've never heard of an Indian model railway market. Cars from the likes of Tamiya seem to be the big thing over there.

 

 

Jason

I think it's small at the moment but certainly less crowded than the UK market and will only grow.

Here's a shop, the loco in its logo should be familiar https://trains4u.in/

I think this is a manufacturer https://www.thepinkengine.com/

[scouse889]

11 hours ago, QuoitsPlayer said:

Definitely GWT 'Merlin' with the Intercity type, and original GNER power cars, and even the original early Virgin XC CrossCountry branded power cars.

It would be nice to see an authentic Cross Country 2+7 rake in either Intercity or Virgin (with one normal and one buffer fitted PC for some variety?) as this has never been made - any attempts thus far have had the buffet wrong and other deficiencies in the associated coaches. Lima “got it right” in the 90s, although the colours were questionable.

[MarkSG]

11 hours ago, 1andrew1 said:

I think this is a manufacturer https://www.thepinkengine.com/

 

Intreresting that they're building to 1:100 scale in order to use standard 16.5mm (HO/OO) track to represent the Indian 5 ft 6 in gauge.

[Flying Pig]

14 hours ago, 1andrew1 said:

In its last accounts, Hornby had set up a subsidiary in India. That makes sense as the Airfix kits are manufactured there. I wonder if it might be tempted to launch an Indian outline Hornby range there too? 

 

 

Aha, now we know what that steampunk business was all about: a practice run for the appliqué bling of an Indian steamer.

 

An old steam locomotive in India by Eats & Retreats, on Flickr

[Pmorgancym]

On 02/01/2024 at 12:58, Fair Oak Junction said:

 

Just scrolling through a Hornby ad on fb there are thinks I recognise and somethings that appear new

[CazRail]

In terms of modern units, I’m wondering if Revolution making the 175s and 180s and Dapol making the 323s might just break the mould and open the floodgates for more to be made. 
 

Units like Turbostars, 185s, 313s etc are screaming out to be made.

[Fair Oak Junction]

It would be nice if it did open the floodgates. And Hornby have already taken a chance by doing the FLIRTs, so you never know.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

On 04/01/2024 at 09:49, Dunsignalling said:

IIRC, though, the 1928 Scotsman formation included around 8 different diagrams, so its unlikely that anyone will produce a full rake.

I regard that as pessimistic, given that Bachmann have managed about 20 BR mk 1 gangwayed diagrams, Hornby have produced or announced the stock for prestige full train formations such as Queen of Scots, Devon Belle, Coronation Scot and Coronation; and the Ellis Clark  Quad Art announcement, about the most ordinary stock imaginable, which I think will need five vehicle diagrams to make the eight body full set to burst out of the Hotel curve tunnel into daylight.

 

Not mentioned thus far, will Hornby recognise the danger the Quadart poses to 'their' N2, now a juicy target to be picked off by a competitor? It owes them nothing, tooling from Airfix GMR via Mainline and Dapol; much churned while in Hornby's hands, for the cost of a minor mechanism upgrade. (If any competitor with such thoughts reads this, do please think of following the Airfix construction plan which enables the entire cab roof to be lifted off: this enables the exciting coupe version to be operated if the season is fine, and would look way better with a fully detailed cab interior. And - entirely secondarily - would make adding footplate crew a doddle. Thanks.)

[E100]

On 03/01/2024 at 16:29, Standards_in_OO said:

I would like to see more items relating to the West Highland Line. Any of the Jacobite black 5s and suitable coaches ie WCRC livery or green/cream and the K1 in LNER green. This could be more popular than any of the K1s have been before in terms of sales. Also the LNER coronation saloon modified and in BR maroon would be great as well. 

 

Same here. For the last year or so I have asked on the stand at MRS and Warley for the K1 in green. Carl was previously unaware of this livery and seemed very interested in this. I also spoke with the coronation coaches designer about the rebuilt observation coach and suggested there were very much looking at the rebuilt version though I would also like this in maroon before rebuilding.

 

Green and cream Mk1's and WCRC (shortly to be released) are the domain of Bachmann though the green and cream coaches can go for silly money.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

On 04/01/2024 at 06:55, Neal Ball said:

…. When TT120 was announced “everything will also be available in 00”. 

 

15 hours ago, Mr chapman said:

...I remember Bachmann confidently making that claim when they bought Graham farish. Everything will be available in N. How did that work out? Still waiting on the 7f, 2EPB, MLV etc... 

It didn't, and they were frank about it when I asked on behalf of a friend: unfortunately N wasn't capable of making the required return on all but the most popular subjects. 

 

But going in the other direction scalewise is swimming with the tide. On the evidence to date, he swiftly adds.

[tomparryharry]

16 hours ago, 1andrew1 said:

In its last accounts, Hornby had set up a subsidiary in India. That makes sense as the Airfix kits are manufactured there. I wonder if it might be tempted to launch an Indian outline Hornby range there too? 

 

It's not such a daft idea. 5'3" for our Irish modellers, and 5'6" for the Subcontinent. Lots of passengers for the super-crush density loads though. Probably the only models where the figurines cost more than the coaches.... I wouldn't thought roof dancing is very popular on the CIE..

 

I think I've got this right. 21mm gauge for Ireland, and 22mm for India.

[Mark Dickerson]

31 minutes ago, tomparryharry said:

I think I've got this right. 21mm gauge for Ireland, and 22mm for India.

Or stick with the 1:100 scale mentioned above and market (or make) 16.5mm track locally.

[Ravenser]

On 04/01/2024 at 12:17, Fair Oak Junction said:

We must be at a point now where there are more versions of the Flying Scra.....uhhh, Scotsman in model form than there were A3s in total 🤣

 

There were 79 non-streamlined Gresley Pacifics . One A1 didn't make it to A3 - I'm guessing that was Great Northern , butchered by Thompson as an act of spite.

 

Only the Bulleid Light Pacifics were more numerous, and the Gresley Pacifics had over twice the service life (1922-1966). They covered the entire ECML from KX to Aberdeen and Glasgow, plus Manchester-Marylebone, the Waverley Route, and in their dying days Leeds-Carlisle. That's possibly a wider range than the Bullied Light Pacifics

 

There were twice as many A3s as the entire fleet of LMS Pacifics....

 

(Come to that, there were nearly as many A4s as the entire fleet of LMS Pacifics)

 

If youre modelling the ECML, you need at least 3 A3s to be credible (plus 2 A4s, an A1 and arguably 3-4 V2s)

 

[Fair Oak Junction]

So 79, and it must be getting close to that on the FS model version front by now 🤔

Not sure how many more versions of the same loco people need, but hey ho 😉

[Dunsignalling]

And, of course, more than twice as many Castles on the GWR /WR as there were of the second-string Gresley Pacifics....