RMweb Premium 31A Posted April 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 21, 2015 I was surprised to see quite how much a 'kit of parts' a RTR model like this actually is! Not sure whether or not it's the same motor as the J15; it certainly looks quite small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Looks to be the same motor as the J15 to me. The 'kit' looks decent, presumably the test build will be shown in the next 'Engine shed' communique. I can see some 'design clever' on it: the lamp irons on the front platform appear to be moulded integrally for example. This is very sensible in terms of reduction of separately applied parts while maintaining detail. Plenty of cast ballast weights in evidence too. The one sub-system I couldn't spot was the gearbox, but given how sweetly the K1 and J15 run with sensibly chosen ratios for the typical work such locos would do, I believe Hornby know what they are doing. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GNR Dave Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Good to see the cab as a separate component. Maybe in the future we'll get the earlier Great Northern style cab roof. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 ..... The one sub-system I couldn't spot was the gearbox, but given how sweetly the K1 and J15 run with sensibly chosen ratios for the typical work such locos would do, I believe Hornby know what they are doing. The gearbox casing is on the grey sprue at bottom left.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MikeParkin65 Posted April 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 21, 2015 Seriously, with rising production costs in China I wonder if Hornby will ever consider releasing kits onto the UK market? I'd certainly be up for a 'self build' 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Seriously, with rising production costs in China I wonder if Hornby will ever consider releasing kits onto the UK market? I'd certainly be up for a 'self build' I actually like the idea. But it'll never happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium New Haven Neil Posted April 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 21, 2015 CKD? Worked before.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 CKD? Worked before.... Worked so well for Hornby, they never made it an option again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimbus Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Worked so well for Hornby, they never made it an option again. Yes, but back then, all the components had been taken through their complete decoration cycle, such as it was, and Tri-ang's saving was the final assembly, which was engineered to the bare minimum with scale fidelity taking a back seat if need be. The kit then had to be fairly elaborately packed to preserve the finish, whereas a fully-built product was rolled in a bit of yellow p-u foam with a couple of end rings and slid into a simple box. Both assembly and packing are more elaborate for today's models, but many of the components are actually sprued Airfix-style and have a degree of protection as they coe out of the mould. But I can't see it coming about today. The Nim. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted April 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 21, 2015 How much would people be prepared to pay for a body kit? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 How much would people be prepared to pay for a body kit? Not enough Stewart Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MikeParkin65 Posted April 21, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 21, 2015 For a complete but undecorated J50 kit I'd be interested at up to £70. For a bigger tender loco around £100. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium it's-er Posted April 21, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 21, 2015 In those days - pre 1973, when VAT was introduced in the UK - purchase tax was levied on the finished product, but kits were either tax free or subject to a lower rate of purchase tax. Kit building was a way of avoiding tax - you saved on both the manufacturer's assembly costs and on tax. When VAT arrived it applied across the board, so there was no exception or reduction for kits. Some of us remember that kit building cars was reasonably popular in those days - some small manufacturers went out of business as a result of the change of tax treatment. This was a particular circumstance in the past - it is hard to see any return to that situation or those days. John Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 How much would people be prepared to pay for a body kit? Same as for a Dapol plastic kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Nile Posted April 22, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 22, 2015 The reason I said body kit was that I don't believe Hornby would consider selling a complete kit, that would abstract sales from the RTR product. A body only kit in the range £10 - £20 could be possible, with Hornby still making money from it. There is a precedence for this sort of thing, Hornby sold car kits based on Scalextric bodies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MikeParkin65 Posted April 22, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 22, 2015 I think the price point even for a 'body only' kit would be nearer the £30 to £40 mark - look at contemporary Airfix kits and note that we would want 'full fat' detail to apply ourselves. I don't think complete kits with chassis are out of the question. The manufacturers are saying that labour is a major component of the rising costs for RTR - 'self build' would circumvent that and still be profitable for the manufacturers. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JaymzHatstand Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 And just how popular were ViTrains bags of detail parts for the buyer to fit? I am surprised that Airfix are yet to tap the railway market again (being part of the same company). A few static models designed as such of some of the bigger names in the range. I digress though, and look forward immensely to the Engine Shed update on the J50, and more so to them arriving! I've got one on order at my local shop, if I find many more inspirational photos,it could end up as more! Cheers J Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 From the Hornby magazine's page.... LOVELY!! 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted May 29, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2015 Latest news on the J50 is up on Hornby's Engine Shed Blog: http://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/ Including a running sample... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 (edited) Today's "The Engine Shed" blog is on the J50. EDIT: Latest news on the J50 is up on Hornby's Engine Shed Blog: http://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/ Including a running sample... We were editing this at the same time but you beat me to it! The 'hacksaw' sound effects in the video were a bit incongruous - sort of charming though. Edited May 29, 2015 by Ozexpatriate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Asking the rest of the workshop to shut up so they could get a decent video clip might have been a good idea. Given just how good my K1 and L1 are I want one...... Les Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy L S Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Me too, what a superb little loco. I would also love to see someone produce one in N (Didn't Lima say they were to do one in N about 35 years ago?). Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold toboldlygo Posted May 29, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 29, 2015 The 'hacksaw' sound effects in the video were a bit incongruous - sort of charming though. They edited out the screams of who they were cutting up though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black 5 Bear Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 What an absolute beauty, I'm really glad I pre-ordered two of them.This will without doubt be a very pleasing addition and a timely Christmas present, fingers crossed that it arrives in December !!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted May 29, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 29, 2015 Fantastic little loco. Not my region but a lot of LNER modellers will be very happy I think Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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