Hornby Catalogues

[Robin Brasher]

One of the highlights of the year has been buying the latest Hornby Dublo, Tri-ang and Hornby catalogues and then planning what to buy. People moan about the expense of models now but when I was on 6d (2.5p) pocket money per week it took a long time to save up for my Hornby Dublo 'Mallard' locomotive or for some track and coaches to go with it. The range of locomotives in the 2024 Hornby catalogue is beyond my wildest dreams in the 1950s but not so much the rolling stock. I always liked the cover pictures although sometimes they filled me with false hopes like the 'Night Ferry' picture. I wonder what our members think about the 2024 catalogue and how it compares with its predecessors.

[Going2theDogs]

Hi All,

The Terence Cuneo inspired covers (complete with hidden mouse) from the early 1970’s are particular favourites of mine.

Part of the inspiration was comprehensive layouts that showed what could be achieved.

And of course, ‘Every boy deserves a Hornby train set. Just ask Dad’.

 

[andyman7]

I made the observation elsewhere that the illustrations of yesteryear were fabulous and the models rather less so, whereas modern publicity can be a bit dull the actual models themselves are generally superb

[Steamport Southport]

One of my favourite out of the ones that had models on the front rather than a painting.

 

 

 

 

Jason

[1andrew1]

49 minutes ago, Steamport Southport said:

One of my favourite out of the ones that had models on the front rather than a painting.

 

 

 

 

Jason

Got that one somewhere. A very different and nice cover.

This thread reminds me that they all used to be landscape format. Now, perhaps due to the magazine tie-in, they're portrait.

Edited January 19 by 1andrew1

[sandwich station]

19 minutes ago, 1andrew1 said:

Got that one somewhere. A very different and nice cover.

This thread reminds me that they all used to be landscape format. Now, perhaps due to the magazine tie-in, they're portrait.

 

Some have been portrait over the years.

[No Decorum]

Hornby catalogues have been notorious for their gaffes. The blurb on page 44, for example, caught my eye.

 

“Between 1927 and 1930, 29 steam locomotives of the GWR Class 6000, also known as the King Class, were constructed.”

6000 to 6029 is 30 locomotives. Even that is misleading because another was constructed later to make 31 in total.

“These engines were named after notable English kings …”,

No, they were named after every English and British king working backwards from the then reigning king.

“… it was reflected in their sleek, angular lines …”

Can something sleek be angular?

“ … and rivets that shimmered in the light.”

What?

“Much of the class were in service on the West of England main line from Paddington to Wolverhampton.”

Now I know why the GWR was nicknamed “The Great Way Round.” 🤣

 

Moving down to the Princess Coronation Class.

“No. 46243 ‘City of Lancaster’ was originally numbered 6243 under LMS.”

Not so; 6243 was on the cabside and LMS on the tender.

“The locomotive was named  ‘City of Lancaster’ in April 1940 and was constructed as streamlined at Crewe Works on 29 May in the same year.”

It was named before it was built? I wonder where they put the nameplate. Crewe was very efficient but never succeeded in building a Princess Cornonation in a single day.

“The nameplates were chromium plated but over time, the chrome wore away, so it was not renewed.”

The decision not to renew the plating was not a consequence of the plating wearing away; “and” rather than “so” is required here.

“May 1949 saw the locomotive being de-streamlined and it became the only locomotive to carry its BR number while streamlined.”

It became streamlined after it was de-streamlined?

 

There is an interesting piece about Locomotion No. 1 but the last paragraph on page 39 is repeated as the first paragraph on page 40.

 

The first version of Earl Marischal is available but a picture of Cock o’ the North named and numbered as 2002 Earl Marischal is splashed across pages 130 and 131.

 

Someone once said, “Detail, detail, detail.”

[Steamport Southport]

52 minutes ago, No Decorum said:

6000 to 6129 is 30 locomotives.

 

60 locomotives!

 

6000 to 6029

6100 to 6129

 

😇

 

 

Jason

[No Decorum]

7 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

60 locomotives!

 

6000 to 6029

6100 to 6129

 

😇

 

 

Jason

Blast! I’ve spent too long reading the catalogue. 🤣

[Legend]

Like Robin I got all the catalogues since 1965 . The initial issues did not survive my childhood so I’ve gone back and got replacement copies off that well known auction site .

 

I loved the catalogues of my youth , in particular the ones of the mid 70s , maybe 1973 and 1974 are my favourites. Andy any actually sums it up very well , the illustrations were great perhaps the models less so, although I still wanted them all . These catalogues were inspiring , used to look at the illustrations trying to figure out where all the tracks went off scene . I didn’t know but some were set pieces and not actually layouts! The 1974 catalogue was different though with lots of pictures of layouts in the new track plans book , trouble is that the track plans book didn’t arrive until 1975 by which time a lot of the accessories had disappeared . edition 3 of the track plans book had to be quickly replaced by edition 4 because of this .

 

I still buy the catalogues and the latest one is in front of me now . To be honest I buy them to collect them but for the last 15 years I just find them intrinsically boring . They’ve looked the same with these infernal side views . I know someone in marketing is very happy with this , I can hear them praising the continuity of the images between box and catalogue …….but it’s just boring . 
 

I suspect that this might be the last year of the catalogue in its current format . I’m hoping it will continue but maybe in revised format . Maybe cut the size of it , have some layout illustrations and have smaller pictures of the actual locos / stock . 

[kernowtim]

The first catalogue I bought was the 1977 edition, cost me 25p from Taylor and Mckenna in Luton, I quite liked the HST although I hadn't seen a real one and did like the rural rambler set with a blue 'Nellie' 0-4-0T and matching coaches. I did get a hst train pack for Christmas 1980, and the rural rambler train about 40 years later!

[Pmorgancym]

On 18/01/2024 at 23:28, Steamport Southport said:

One of my favourite out of the ones that had models on the front rather than a painting.

 

 

 

 

Jason

First catalogue I remember 

[Pmorgancym]

On 19/01/2024 at 01:01, No Decorum said:

Hornby catalogues have been notorious for their gaffes. The blurb on page 44, for example, caught my eye.

 

“Between 1927 and 1930, 29 steam locomotives of the GWR Class 6000, also known as the King Class, were constructed.”

6000 to 6029 is 30 locomotives. Even that is misleading because another was constructed later to make 31 in total.

“These engines were named after notable English kings …”,

No, they were named after every English and British king working backwards from the then reigning king.

“… it was reflected in their sleek, angular lines …”

Can something sleek be angular?

“ … and rivets that shimmered in the light.”

What?

“Much of the class were in service on the West of England main line from Paddington to Wolverhampton.”

Now I know why the GWR was nicknamed “The Great Way Round.” 🤣

 

Moving down to the Princess Coronation Class.

“No. 46243 ‘City of Lancaster’ was originally numbered 6243 under LMS.”

Not so; 6243 was on the cabside and LMS on the tender.

“The locomotive was named  ‘City of Lancaster’ in April 1940 and was constructed as streamlined at Crewe Works on 29 May in the same year.”

It was named before it was built? I wonder where they put the nameplate. Crewe was very efficient but never succeeded in building a Princess Cornonation in a single day.

“The nameplates were chromium plated but over time, the chrome wore away, so it was not renewed.”

The decision not to renew the plating was not a consequence of the plating wearing away; “and” rather than “so” is required here.

“May 1949 saw the locomotive being de-streamlined and it became the only locomotive to carry its BR number while streamlined.”

It became streamlined after it was de-streamlined?

 

There is an interesting piece about Locomotion No. 1 but the last paragraph on page 39 is repeated as the first paragraph on page 40.

 

The first version of Earl Marischal is available but a picture of Cock o’ the North named and numbered as 2002 Earl Marischal is splashed across pages 130 and 131.

 

Someone once said, “Detail, detail, detail.”

From memory in the modern image section there's a lot of 'In British Railways Avanti/'EWS/etc livery' which ok is technically right..

[Legend]

Have you spotted the whole paragraph that’s repeated twice yet ………

[Robin Brasher]

 

King Stephen and King Charles ll share the same opening paragraphs on page 44 of the 2024 catalogue.

 

'Choosing the perfect rolling stock for your layout can be a or wagons do you buy?' This does not make sense on page 90. I would also have liked to have seen more advice on this subject.

[Robin Brasher]

Turning to the front covers of the catalogues I think that the cover of the Hornby 2024 catalogue is well designed with a painting of the prototype 'Locomotion' and details of the date, edition, website and gauge of the models. The 00 gauge description is not entirely accurate as TT:120 scale is included in pages 160 to 166. The portrait format is good for single items but for trains I have noticed that some model railway scenes are on two levels or occupy a double spread.

 

The cover of the 2024 catalogue is much more informative than the fifty third edition 2007 catalogue which simply had Hornby on the cover. The 2007 catalogue had a price list but I think that you can still get price lists from Hornby. These used to follow the publication of the catalogues after a few weeks. The landscape format suits pictures of trains better than portrait. I like the illustration of 34003 'Plymouth' on the cover and the Hornby team must have spent a long time making the diorama.

[Robin Brasher]

Picture of the 2007 cover which was too big to put in my last post.

[No Decorum]

11 hours ago, Legend said:

Have you spotted the whole paragraph that’s repeated twice yet ………

Good grief! I only found a paragraph repeated once. Do tell.

[No Decorum]

10 hours ago, Robin Brasher said:

 

King Stephen and King Charles ll share the same opening paragraphs on page 44 of the 2024 catalogue.

 

'Choosing the perfect rolling stock for your layout can be a or wagons do you buy?' This does not make sense on page 90. I would also have liked to have seen more advice on this subject.

I checked the back of the catalogue, expecting to see “Printed in China” (or something resembling that) but no, it was printed in the UK. Hornby’s catalogue over the years has contained many clangers but I suspect this one has hit rock bottom and started to excavate. It does the company no credit.

[No Decorum]

On 18/01/2024 at 20:12, Going2theDogs said:

Hi All,

The Terence Cuneo inspired covers (complete with hidden mouse) from the early 1970’s are particular favourites of mine.

Part of the inspiration was comprehensive layouts that showed what could be achieved.

And of course, ‘Every boy deserves a Hornby train set. Just ask Dad’.

 

Edition 17 – the mouse which nearly caused an international incident! 🤣

[Legend]

3 hours ago, No Decorum said:

Good grief! I only found a paragraph repeated once. Do tell.

Have a look at the Locomotion article .   Bottom of one page , repeated on next . Proof reader obviously lost interest 

[No Decorum]

9 hours ago, Legend said:

Have a look at the Locomotion article .   Bottom of one page , repeated on next . Proof reader obviously lost interest 

It’s only repeated once.

[The Stationmaster]

5 hours ago, No Decorum said:

It’s only repeated once.

Does that make it a score draw or a no score draw?    Proof reading is a mind bending business but above all it needs someone who understands what they are reading.  Both of those factors might be part of Hornby's long standing problems with catalogues?

[Steamport Southport]

17 hours ago, No Decorum said:

I checked the back of the catalogue, expecting to see “Printed in China” (or something resembling that) but no, it was printed in the UK. Hornby’s catalogue over the years has contained many clangers but I suspect this one has hit rock bottom and started to excavate. It does the company no credit.

 

Printed by Key.

 

How much the printers actually see of the text is the issue. I would expect it to be sent digitally nowadays. I doubt there are many humans involved in the process.

 

 

Jason

[spamcan61]

Just had an email through from Hornby with a "special" offer - buy the 2024 catalogue and get the 2023 catalogue at half price. Not sure they'll get many takers for that one!

 

Correction: the email is from Key, not Hornby

Edited January 24 by spamcan61