Multiple identity account Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Ahh well a bit of disappointment for me.1) I actually don't mind the Hornby range or Bachmann range. Thomas himself has changed multiple times in the series so there is literally no real one I'm glad it's back, just expected more from it.2) What really upset me was the time taken to review the range and act like big changes were happening. I never knew it takes 2 years to re-introduce the same thing. That is upsetting. Other than this missed opportunity, I'm happy it's back. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted May 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 13, 2015 The delivery date is December. Can you imagine the flak if they miss that. I hope they have solid manufacturing plans in place. Even so, seems too tight to me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexeljet Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 After coming to my senses a bit, here are some slightly less vitriolic views from me. I wholeheartedly agree with JBM that taking so long to announce something that is no different to what came before just led to disappointment. But maybe there's still hope for some differences? New tooling is basically out of the question now, since I highly doubt they'd show pictures of the older tooling during the announcement if the models were to look completely different. But they called the range "New" and have been keeping things under wraps before this point. If this is literally exactly the same as previously, then why would Hornby call it new and act secretive about the models? Ideally we should at least see new paint jobs. I've already mentioned that Gordon could be fixed with a simple paint job, but in honesty all of the engines they've got available for pre-order could be brought to life with just a repaint (apart from Edward, whose tooling is quite frankly unsalvageable). All Percy needs, for example, is a white footplate. All Henry needs is for his tender axleboxes to be painted black. James could easily go into production without any changes at all. Slight modifications to the tooling would be nice, though maybe a bit much to ask for at this point. I can never get over the fact that the Hornby Thomas' funnel just seems too tall. A widened cab and a straightened rear footplate would be nice to see, but I think it's the overly tall funnel that throws me off the most. My guess is that the engines will receive CGI-styled faces. The packaging, advertising and such for Hornby's Thomas range have been using stockart from the CGI era of Thomas for a while now, so updating the character's faces to suit is somewhat likely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
daftbovine Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I think the main target market won't mind if the models details are updated or not, they and their parents just want to be able have them in time for Christmas. We have a Tomix Thomas that makes an appearance on our club's modular layout, he is instantly recognizable by any child over eighteen months and their faces light up as on as he appears. Bearing in mind that we are in Africa it just shows the influence of television characters. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david12345 Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 To expand on my earlier post, my 8 year old and his five year old sister are only interested in what they can do with the locos. As left the house this morning I had a look at his trainset in the livingroom and at the moment James has 15 open wagons and box vans from Texas Homebase to Weetabix and Kit kat wagons loaded with lego spacemen and on the inner circle we have the giant Toby pulling a old rake of Hornby coaches. The aesthetics don't matter it's the play value. The Bachmann Donald, Douglas and Emily are consigned to the sidings as they keep derailing or the tender keeps detaching or they cannot pull enough. I don't know about Hornbys marketing strategy but I know they'll sell. Roll on Oliver. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jivebunny Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I must say I'm not particularly surprised to see Hornby rolling out the same 30/40-year old tooling (50+ if Diesel gets a re-release!) for the latest run, but what I don't understand is why they retired the range and then made a big fuss about "a new range" when the models look identical to the ones released in the 80s and 90s. Looking closely at James, is that perhaps a drive shaft under his cab? JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PreservationModeller Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Metal spring that forms part of the loco-tender coupling. Don't know if it actually serves any purpose - the one one mine fell off and it still works (bar the chassis disintegrating the wheels locking up....) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted May 13, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 13, 2015 Not sure reasons for retirement of range, but it was when they were transferring work from Sanda Kan to their other manufacturers. Maybe they couldn't get access to moulds or maybe the tooling had to be modified to be compatible with new manufacturer. So I think its something manufacturing related rather than the range not being popular. I get Thomas and Percy but don't know any parents that would splash £100 for Gordon . 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dublodad Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Having been lurking on this thread, I would just add that, with my son now 37, I ran 16 out of our 18 Hornby Thomas range locomotives on the Holt model railway on the Sunday of the NNR Thomas weekend. The children were all "over the moon", although for some reason some seemed to confuse Duck and Oliver with Percy (same colour). I had posted a picture list of "Really Useful Engines" that they might see on the railway. Thomas is about 30 years old, a present for my so then aged 7, It originally had a "standard" chassis which gave no end of problems. It was returned to Hornby and was fitted with an SSP chassis. Will be doing the same next year. Terry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexeljet Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) I think the main target market won't mind if the models details are updated or not, they and their parents just want to be able have them in time for Christmas. We have a Tomix Thomas that makes an appearance on our club's modular layout, he is instantly recognizable by any child over eighteen months and their faces light up as on as he appears. Bearing in mind that we are in Africa it just shows the influence of television characters. Whilst I can see your point, kids can identify discrepancies from an early age, and may be more blunt about it than adults. One thing that caught my attention when I acquired a Hornby Thomas set at age 5 was the fact that Annie and Clarabel were shorter than Thomas, whereas the opposite was correct for the books, TV Series and all the other toylines. It's also worth noting that the Tomix Thomas is often regarded as the most accurate representation of the character that money can buy (unless you buy an actual model from the TV show), but in fairness that's beside the point. @jivebunny: I wouldn't go looking at the stock images for differences between the old and "new" models; I think Hornby have been trotting out that same James picture since around 1988 or so. Edited May 13, 2015 by Rexeljet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Obviously the BBC have had a lot of interest in yesterdays "Today" segment! http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p02r6vt7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jivebunny Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Metal spring that forms part of the loco-tender coupling. Don't know if it actually serves any purpose - the one one mine fell off and it still works (bar the chassis disintegrating the wheels locking up....) Is that fact or an educated guess? I'll take a look at my James model this evening but I'm pretty certain the last version had a standard drawbar i.e plastic with metal contacts either side of a peg. I can't see why Hornby would bother with sprung drawbars on the Thomas range (or with a drive shaft now that I think about it, as I doubt such a configuration would last very long in the hands of an enthusiastic child). @jivebunny: I wouldn't go looking at the stock images for differences between the old and "new" models; I think Hornby have been trotting out that same James picture since around 1988 or so. Granted, there's a fair chance that's not a picture of the upcoming model, but it's definitely not a photo of an original release either. JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 SILLY QUESTION:Well I'd like some accuracy in my Thomas collection (if I ever start one) Would designing just the bodies and making models for myself cross any legal barriers? Just a question, nothing serious. I'm sure the faces have more to do with license than the actual body of the locos? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexeljet Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Ah yes, looking at it again it would seem that the current James stock picture is different from the earlier stock pictures I've seen: However, the existing stock picture of James is not new. This is the exact same picture, dated 2009. You can tell it's the exact same picture because of the lamp irons. Not only are they upside down, but they're not level with each other. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Seems like Thomas is only available in sets? Can't see him available as a single piece Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawyermodels Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) Seems like Thomas is only available in sets? Can't see him available as a single piece Thomas is available as a single item RRP £39.99, that's what it said on my stock order form. Annie & Clarabel are available as a pack. All these items have vanished from Hornby's website, it could be they've sold out to pre-order already. Edited May 13, 2015 by sawyermodels Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jivebunny Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thomas has indeed disappeared from the pre-order pages... He was there a couple of hours ago. However, the existing stock picture of James is not new. This is the exact same picture, dated 2009. You can tell it's the exact same picture because of the lamp irons. Not only are they upside down, but they're not level with each other. Yep, can't argue with that. Presumably Hornby wouldn't be so silly to allow customers to pre-order items that will turn up in December looing completely different, so I think we can safely assume that as far as the currently-announced range is concerned, we're getting the same old models. JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Thomas is available as a single item RRP £39.99, that's what it said on my stock order form. Annie & Clarabel are available as a pack. All these items have vanished from Hornby's website, it could be they've sold out to pre-order already. Yes, I can attest that Thomas was on the website for pre-order yesterday and does not appear there today. Whether that is accidental or deliberate (as a function of filled orders or to 'encourage' people to buy a trainset instead, I can't say). It's hard to imagine they pre-sold the whole run already. Trainsets, doubtless containing Thomas, Annie and Clarabel are still available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawyermodels Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Ive just checked my account and my Thomas order has been approved so we're guaranteed to get the Thomas range in stock as and when it is released. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jivebunny Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Seems like Thomas is only available in sets? Can't see him available as a single piece Ive just checked my account and my Thomas order has been approved so we're guaranteed to get the Thomas range in stock as and when it is released. Hang on, are traders ordering through the Hornby shop rather than via their trade accounts? That would explain Thomas selling out before 90% of the buying public have even had a chance to find out the range is back. JB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PreservationModeller Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I think the site may be having issues; all bar Thomas are showing up for me at the moment on the website. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jivebunny Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 I think the site may be having issues; all bar Thomas are showing up for me at the moment on the website. That's what everyone else is seeing, why would that point to site issues rather than Thomas having sold out? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawyermodels Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 Hang on, are traders ordering through the Hornby shop rather than via their trade accounts? That would explain Thomas selling out before 90% of the buying public have even had a chance to find out the range is back. JB No we still use our trade accounts Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PreservationModeller Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 That's what everyone else is seeing, why would that point to site issues rather than Thomas having sold out? Misinterpreted the original posts. Who knows then?! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted May 13, 2015 Share Posted May 13, 2015 (edited) Thomas SOLD OUT ??? Is this the new "Exeter"? IT'S AN OUTRAGE !!! I shall be writing to my MP immediately. Edited May 13, 2015 by Ron Ron Ron Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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