Hornby 2024 range announcements

[rovex]

8 minutes ago, MrTea said:

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one who noticed this. The GNER Mk3s are lovely but there didn't seem to be much else in the way of coaching stock, particularly steam era carriages? I even went back to the 2023 range announcement to see what was in that - answer, no new tooling, but a slightly wider range of prototypes including LNER Gresleys, Era 1 coach packs, and MK3s in Blue/Grey and Intercity:

Maybe it's just catching up with the backlog? But you would have thought that some of the existing tooling they've got could have warranted a re-run if there were production slots available e.g. Mk1s, Staniers, Colletts etc?

 

The model shop I go in most frequently, the very excellent Footplate in Kidderminster, has plenty of coaches in stock from Hornby so if not in the current catalogue coaches are still available!

[rogerzilla]

5 hours ago, ColinB said:

Whatever you call those windows on the cab facing forwards

Spectacle plates.  Technically that refers to the cab fronts rather than the actual windows, which would be the spectacles, but the windows are often called the same thing, e.g. "looking ahead through the spectacle plates".

 

The same term is used for the red, blue, or yellow glass assembly in semaphore signals.

[Obi-Jiff Kenobi]

I don’t mind this first round of announcements being a little light. Locomotion No.1 is something I’ve wanted for a long time, so I’ve ordered one very promptly indeed. Apart from that, not a lot for me, but I’ve also ordered an LNER Trout (thanks Hornby, missed that first time around), and will probably pick up the L&MR coaches and wagons as and when they appear.

 

I’ll await their next announcements with interest.

[Great Waterton]

On the subject of Hornby coaches I do hope at some point they do a re-run of their Mk1s and Mk2Fs. Preferably in Blue & Grey, and InterCity Executive. There's definitely a market for both of those. 

 

I appreciate the Bachmann equivalents are considered better but for someone like me they're also ruinously expensive and bit too fancy for my needs. The Hornby ones are perfect for me; cheaper but still look the part and less to fall off.. 

[1andrew1]

On 15/01/2024 at 20:09, Pmorgancym said:

Bearing mind they still through what I assume is pure bloody mindedness market the 66 as part of 'the main range' yet the 59 which is pretty much to the same standard is in railroad plus....

It's bizarre especially as the Class 66 gets Railroad level pricing. Maybe the new team is adhering to the status quo but will look at this in the future?

[NotofthiscenturyTim]

Maybe there is more demand for new super-detailed locos than new coaches?

Maybe the secondhand market is saturated and modellers care less about coach detail than loco detail? 

I'd be fascinated to see the sales figures for new coaches and locomotives. Naturally impossible because you'd need whole of market numbers and that'd be commercially sensitive for each manufacturer. 

But I'd wager that lots of locos are sold and not many coaches. Which could explain the paucity of coach releases. 

[ColinB]

6 hours ago, rogerzilla said:

Spectacle plates.  Technically that refers to the cab fronts rather than the actual windows, which would be the spectacles, but the windows are often called the same thing, e.g. "looking ahead through the spectacle plates".

 

The same term is used for the red, blue, or yellow glass assembly in semaphore signals.

Great, thanks for the information.

[NZRedBaron]

On a different note, I did some exploring in all the major gauges, and I noticed something interesting, in regard to the A4's; when it specifically comes to the "Coronation Quintet", four of them have been produced in multiple variants- but Dominion of New Zealand has only ever been produced once, by Hornby, Bachmann, and Dapol; and in each case, it's in the same condition, as 60013 in BR Bronze Green; with Bachmann and Hornby both giving her the Early Crest, and Dapol the Late Crest.

[BachelorBoy]

A Beatles trick missed by Hornby. It was, after all, the LIVERPOOL and Manchester Railway

 

Edited January 17 by BachelorBoy

[rogerzilla]

3 hours ago, BachelorBoy said:

A Beatles trick missed by Hornby. It was, after all, the LIVERPOOL and Manchester Railway

 

They'd have been a popular string quartet, bookable for debutante balls and soirées.

[Great Waterton]

13 hours ago, rovex said:

 

The model shop I go in most frequently, the very excellent Footplate in Kidderminster, has plenty of coaches in stock from Hornby so if not in the current catalogue coaches are still available!

 

Ah but what are they? First class, brake ends and restaurants no doubt. As always there's a constant dirth of second/standard class. 

[The Stationmaster]

On 15/01/2024 at 14:54, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

The large disparity of opinion on exhibition here is exactly what I would expect for a business with such a broad product range that is poorly differentiated. Previous marketing manager thought this was no problem when challenged on this, but personally I feel it damages their reputation. Some clear and sustained segmentation of the range would begin to fix this.

 

I only buy what I consider Hornby's good stuff, and it's up there with anything currently available in RTR OO. I was very pleased at the effort put into the B12/3, which is easily the best 4-6-0 currently available; only amazed that they had chosen to offer this instead of the Black 5 which would surely have sold better. And there we go, that's about to be tested when the Black 5 becomes the reigning best RTR OO 4-6-0. And it won't be anywhere near as good as the Bugatti streamlined form W1 and P2, simply 'because'.

I think what we are getting more than a hint of with the new releases is an emphasis on Railroad as a lower price point brand.  Which is exactly what they said last year they intended to do although talk was all abou a capsule range whereas it is turning out - thus far - that Railroad is becoming the capsule range.

 

This is the sort of differentiation they have long needed although it still has a way to go in my opinion.  Railroad Plus still comes over as something of an oddity rather than a 'bridge range' between Railroad and hi-fi but they can't do it all at once (assuming they want to do it at all?).

 

But yes they are a multi-range, multi-target markets, purveyor of model railways and somewhere in there they are seeking the holy grail of profitability.  That's one heck of a management task but art least I think they are now much better organised to handle that task and the fact that they have openly recognised part of the means of achieving it is a big step forward.

 

I only wonder if they are too diverse in their ranges and if that might choke investment for some of them so we will have to see how they do over the coming couple of years.  But having said that I still think they need to decide exactly waht the Hornby Dubloe idea is about and push up prices in that area once they know what their target market really is.  They also need to make sure that hi-fi is profitable because they are showing they can do it when they want to.

[MikeParkin65]

6 hours ago, Great Waterton said:

 

Ah but what are they? First class, brake ends and restaurants no doubt. As always there's a constant dirth of second/standard class. 

I can't answer that definitively but there are hundreds of boxes of coaches to search through. Also many rtr models that haven't been in stock at other sellers for a long time. Just don't expect TMC sale prices. 

[Flying Pig]

On 15/01/2024 at 14:54, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

And it won't be anywhere near as good as the Bugatti streamlined form W1 and P2, simply 'because'.

 

Naah - the Thompson Pacifics are Hornby's best LNER big beasts.

[Hroth]

34 minutes ago, Flying Pig said:

 

Naah - the Thompson Pacifics are Hornby's best LNER big beasts.

 

Mainly because they look better than the Thompson Pacifics did in the flesh...

 

[Hroth]

10 hours ago, BachelorBoy said:

A Beatles trick missed by Hornby. It was, after all, the LIVERPOOL and Manchester Railway

 

 

Then Hornby would need to do something to reflect the MANCHESTER end of things.

I just can't think of any suitable Manchester candidates....🤔

 

Runs off, giggling wildly.....  🤣

 

[NZRedBaron]

3 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

Then Hornby would need to do something to reflect the MANCHESTER end of things.

I just can't think of any suitable Manchester candidates....🤔

 

Runs off, giggling wildly.....  🤣

 

(Uncertain if joking, but goes to have a look).

 

Let's see; for big-name internationally renowned bands and performers, we've got the Bee Gees (yes, really), Oasis, The Chemical Brothers, George Formby (he of the ukulele), Herman's Hermits, Davy Jones from The Monkees, The Mindbenders, Morrissey, and Take That; and that's just a sampling I found.

[Hilux5972]

On 17/01/2024 at 06:36, rovex said:

 

The model shop I go in most frequently, the very excellent Footplate in Kidderminster, has plenty of coaches in stock from Hornby so if not in the current catalogue coaches are still available!

Unfortunately there’s only 10 coaches listed on the website, 9 of which are the Coronation Scot coaches, so no use to anyone that can’t get into the shop. 

[scouse889]

On 12/01/2024 at 10:45, Pmorgancym said:

Well I got a copy of the mythical catalogue.  Has the mythical TfW Black 67 in it but no TFW coaches.

 

The black TfW 67 is a bit mysterious. From memory it appeared on the Hornby website and various suppliers websites when the 2023 range was announced, and then disappeared. And now it has reappeared. There was definitely an advanced prototype (or some such like) of it working on the display layout at Warley last year and a number of suppliers have images of it on their websites:

https://www.themodelcentre.com/r30161

I suppose the black coaches may follow, or perhaps Hornby have decided that they don't need to do black coaches as they made two rakes of the ex-LNER red/grey ones and only one matching loco to go with it - ok it's also possible to use EWS and DB Schenker/Cargo liveried 67s with the TfW rake as these have appeared, but the black 67 has also ventured out with the red/grey stock. Pleny of photos on Flickr:

 

 

[Bryn_Bach_Railway]

26 minutes ago, scouse889 said:

 

The black TfW 67 is a bit mysterious. From memory it appeared on the Hornby website and various suppliers websites when the 2023 range was announced, and then disappeared. And now it has reappeared. There was definitely an advanced prototype (or some such like) of it working on the display layout at Warley last year and a number of suppliers have images of it on their websites:

https://www.themodelcentre.com/r30161

I suppose the black coaches may follow, or perhaps Hornby have decided that they don't need to do black coaches as they made two rakes of the ex-LNER red/grey ones and only one matching loco to go with it - ok it's also possible to use EWS and DB Schenker/Cargo liveried 67s with the TfW rake as these have appeared, but the black 67 has also ventured out with the red/grey stock. Pleny of photos on Flickr:

 

 

I might be wrong but as far as I know, no EWS livery 67’s have worked the mk4’s for TFW. Plenty of DB ones however, as well as the odd silver one too!

 

it’s also worth noting that when the mk4’s were originally announced. There was ample stock of 67 013 (a tfw regular in DB red) available from both Hornby and other stores with decent discounts (£99 from kernow at one point) so that could’ve ran with the secound rake

 

id assume the main reason we haven’t seen the black tfw mk4’s released yet is because the final livery has yet to be finalised and applied to the real things. The current black sets are just the ExGC livery with TFW branding, not the final livery of the coaches.

[Steamport Southport]

On 17/01/2024 at 18:30, NZRedBaron said:

(Uncertain if joking, but goes to have a look).

 

Let's see; for big-name internationally renowned bands and performers, we've got the Bee Gees (yes, really), Oasis, The Chemical Brothers, George Formby (he of the ukulele), Herman's Hermits, Davy Jones from The Monkees, The Mindbenders, Morrissey, and Take That; and that's just a sampling I found.

 

Most of which weren't actually from Manchester!

 

Greater Manchester didn't exist in 1830 and most places in that made up county aren't actually Manchester.

 

George Formby was from Wigan.

Most of Take That didn't come from Manchester (Warrington, Oldham and Stoke),

Bee Gees were born on the Isle Of Man,

Weren't The Smiths famously from Salford?

 

One thing you can say about The Beatles is they definitely came from Liverpool!

 

 

Jason

[Bishdurham]

Thinking of the Hornby Catalogues of the 80s, I remember there was a coach and a brake for the Big Four, the LNER were based on Thompson but the other three were Mk1 based.  There was also I believe MK1 and Mk2 for BR.  These were available every year and I suppose allowed the right colour coach to be pulled by your locomotive.  Lima at the time did MK1s of four types including Green, Chocolate/Cream and Maroon but with BR markings.

 

Today we expect more authentic stock and I suppose these must be produced in fixed numbers so that when/if  they sell out that is it until a further batch is ordered.  If other designs are being produced, the factory may not have the capacity to make that batch.

 

The fact that production is now based in China and that unsold stock in a warehouse doesn't fit in with today's business models.  will mean that it may longer not be possible to always buy the new stock that might be required for whatever locomotive.

[Compound2632]

25 minutes ago, Bishdurham said:

Thinking of the Hornby Catalogues of the 80s, I remember there was a coach and a brake for the Big Four, the LNER were based on Thompson but the other three were Mk1 based.  There was also I believe MK1 and Mk2 for BR. 

 

That was more of an early 70s thing. In 1977 Hornby introduced their frankly hideously crude representations of GWR Collett, LMS Stanier, and SR Maunsell carriages, along with LNER Gresley carriages that weren't so very bad - all on a common underframe and with BR bogies. After a few years, the LNER carriages gained a representation of Gresley bogies, and even got teak ends. These still turn up in train packs. 

Edited January 24 by Compound2632

[rovex]

21 minutes ago, Bishdurham said:

Thinking of the Hornby Catalogues of the 80s, I remember there was a coach and a brake for the Big Four, the LNER were based on Thompson but the other three were Mk1 based.  There was also I believe MK1 and Mk2 for BR.  These were available every year and I suppose allowed the right colour coach to be pulled by your locomotive.  Lima at the time did MK1s of four types including Green, Chocolate/Cream and Maroon but with BR markings.

 

Today we expect more authentic stock and I suppose these must be produced in fixed numbers so that when/if  they sell out that is it until a further batch is ordered.  If other designs are being produced, the factory may not have the capacity to make that batch.

 

The fact that production is now based in China and that unsold stock in a warehouse doesn't fit in with today's business models.  will mean that it may longer not be possible to always buy the new stock that might be required for whatever locomotive.

 

As I recall there was the veteran four wheeler, and a brake and a composite for each of the big four. The GWR was based on Collett 57 footers with a dining car. The Southern was the GWR coaches painted green and a different roof. The LNER were some distorted gresley coach stock plus a sleeper. The lms were stanier 57 footers using the GWR underframe or vice versa.

The BRITISH rail stock were a selection of Mk 1 and after 78 some mk 3.

Any mk 2s came from airfix

[andyman7]

20 minutes ago, Compound2632 said:

 

That was more of an early 70s thing. In 1977 Hornby introduced their frankly hideously crude representations of GWR Collett, LMS Stanier, and SR Maunsell carriages, along with LNER Gresley carriages that weren't so very bad - all on a common underframe and with BR bogies. After a few years, the LNER carriages gained a representation of Gresley bogies, and even got teak ends. These still turn up in train packs. 

 

15 minutes ago, rovex said:

 

As I recall there was the veteran four wheeler, and a brake and a composite for each of the big four. The GWR was based on Collett 57 footers with a dining car. The Southern was the GWR coaches painted green and a different roof. The LNER were some distorted gresley coach stock plus a sleeper. The lms were stanier 57 footers using the GWR underframe or vice versa.

The BRITISH rail stock were a selection of Mk 1 and after 78 some mk 3.

Any mk 2s came from airfix

The Southern ones adapted from the GWR ones vaguely represented Maunsells. Seen from nearly 50 years on you may call them hideous but they were a step forward from BR Mk1s painted in big 4 livery. In the 70s if you wanted scale models you built kits, simple as!
Very quickly after that Airfix and Mainline began offering properly tooled pre-nationalisation coaches of various patterns, albeit you had to make do with a Brake 3rd and a Composite or similar. Then, 20 years ago or so we began to get superdetail models with enough variety to make up proper rakes, the odd vehicle excepted.