amwells

That was my point, ‘Otherwise that tooling variation is only good for one purple and one green run?’ (added bold)

That would be a shame. Hopefully that incredible attention to detail has found a variation in the purple that would allow it to be run again slightly differently. Otherwise that tooling variation is only good for one purple and one green run?

Have they?

Does anyone make transfers in 4mm for 68006 in current guise? I tried an online search, but hopefully it wasn’t good enough!

Looks like this batch will be gone this morning - 1 of D9004 left and 20 of D9012. That will prevent any more temptation until another batch comes along!

Can you please bring one of your ‘bells and whistles’ APT sound decoder sets, and I’ll finally buy it off you? We spoke at Glasgow and I keep meaning to phone you - more likely to finally do it if I see you!

having missed out last time there was extra stock (and the special mk2s), will you be giving any advance warning? I worry there will be many more signing up now than have been signed up for a long time waiting in hope!

Would you make any of them available to buy at all? They look amazing, but not sure I’d know how to create them from a file!

https://www.locomotionmodels.com/future-releases/br-class-55-no-d9002-koyli

Thank you. I have entered my details there a long time ago - conscious that people may have paid deposits that they don’t want to lose so this path may be more fruitful (though I am not holding any breath!).

I appreciate that this is a long shot, and it may not even be allowed, if so please feel free to delete, but I missed out on the purple one and so if anyone has changed their mind and wants to sell theirs when it comes, then I’d love to hear from you!

I have always wondered who purchased any of them…

I’m not sure you do, not with my overall point, you’re just extending it into the few locos that Hornby do have the current best in class on, which is not unreasonable, in time. The only thing I would say about the HST is that it obviously requires mkIIIs too - only Oxford have gone close (and they are now owned by Hornby) - Rapido pulled away when thinking about them for the prototype HST - it’s one that needs greater investment if doing the whole train to the same standard. I do also wonder whether M&A / transaction activity will play a part here at some point - it’s not been uncommon in the past…

I’m not sure that it’s great form to quote oneself, but to expand this a bit further, when speaking, we touched on the value of rmweb. It is a great source of info, debate and joy, but I could see that Michael had been tired of attacks that had been directed at KR Models in the early days on here. I’m sure that there is good intent behind it all, but I’d be a bit tired if I saw some of the posts in the last 24 hours in this thread, and do understand why they wouldn’t engage (not sure that makes me a ‘fanboy’ before that gets thrown at me - I’d still prefer a ‘perfect’ model!), because they’ve set a path, one that (as has been explained) is now set, and it won’t please some. They get that - repeating the criticism over and over isn’t going to change anything…

I spoke to Michael at Model Rail Scotland - first time I’ve spoken to anyone at KR Models, and only my third ‘interaction’ that I can recall, having bought a second run GT3 from Rails of Sheffield and pre-ordered the Fell. it was a really good chat and you can see his enthusiasm for their range. There were a couple of Fells on display - one green bodyshell and a complete black version. I asked what condition the Fell would be in and refreshingly he started with, ‘well you might not like the answer!’ - it is different on both sides so is the 50/50 version. He acknowledged that since they tooled up and started production, the photos in this thread had emerged to definitely prove the loco’s chronology. now I like authentic models (and Michael shared my amazement that the BR blue GT3 had sold!), but I will still see this one through, despite knowing that it is only right on the side I will be looking at we also touched on the ‘someone else’ noted above - I wouldn’t take the radio silence on here as radio silence generally, especially demonstrated by openness at a show. My chat was a refreshing one that actually firmed up my order even with the inaccuracies.

If anything, ‘it’ is going to get worse for Hornby as the new entrants erode their product base further and further. It struck me at Model Rail Scotland that I picked up nothing made by Hornby, and most of the exciting future releases are nothing to do with them. it looks like Hornby are aiming at the simpler end, but no idea whether it’s viable at the market appetite (volume), price and cost structure to support from a quick think (admittedly modern image bias as the market evolves, and focussed on what should be volume sellers in OO): - 08/09 - Hornby’s is best but Bachmann’s is acceptable - unlikely to be at risk soon - 20 - Bachmann have retooled and the ex- Lima version is only worth ‘Railroad’ status, but at what price? - 24/5 - long lost to Bachmann at volume / SLW at top-end. No Railroad option (an opportunity for target market??) - 26/7 - don’t think even the Lima version was reintroduced, so firmly Heljan territory - 31 - about to be taken by Accurascale, leaving Hornby with two versions (one firmly Railroad) to plod on - 33 - Railroad for Hornby, Heljan top end - 37 - long lost to Bachmann and soon Accurascale. Ex Lima and Triang versions simpler end - 40 - Railroad for Hornby, Bachmann top end - HST - firmly Hornby’s. And starting to make changes to keep it at the top. Hornby’s to retain at the moment - 44/45/46 - left to Bachmann and Heljan to fight over - 47 - long lost to Bachmann and soon Heljan to enter the fray. Ex Lima and Triang versions simpler end - 50 - while Hornby’s is the best, and I have a lot as a favourite class - the clamour for an improved version is loud! - 52 - Dapol got the top end, Hornby has a couple of Railroad versions available - 55 - long lost to Bachmann and soon Accurascale. Ex Lima version simpler (and inaccurate!) end - 56 - like the 50 and 31, a decent model, but about to be overtaken by Cavalex? - 58 - don’t think the Hornby version has been released recently (and would be Railroad), so firmly Heljan territory - 59 - Dapol should get the top end, Hornby has the ex-Lima Railroad versions available - 60 - Hornby, no risk of competition unless prices get too silly - 66 - Bachmann have the market. Maybe Hattons will resurrect their mode to stay up there, but they are conspicuously quiet - Hornby in Railroad for what should be a flagship product - 67 - Hornby’s but limited market? - 68 - Dapol’s - 73 - Dapol got the top end, Hornby has a Railroad version available - 86 - don’t think the Hornby version has been released recently (and would be Railroad), so firmly Heljan territory - 87 - top end and Railroad both Hornby’s - 90 - Railroad for Hornby, Bachmann top end - 91 - top end and Railroad both Hornby’s - 92 - about to be taken by Accurascale, leaving Hornby with two versions (both Railroad) to plod on with probably the poorer version! Then a brief look at multiple units and the Flirt seems like a bold move, but with restricted geography and livery options, one wonders why they didn’t go for the likes of the 180s now announced by RevolutioN The EMU (especially 3rd rail) market is wide open, though Hornby do have the IET which will be the main express unit for decades to come I’d expect. So that basically leaves Hornby with all Railroad, + the 08, HST, 50 (for now), 60, 67, 87 and 91, with the IET set to sustain a market for years to come. Taking away the Railroad / simpler end, that’s a product range that is actually going to be smaller(!) than those of the so-called ‘challengers’ in about two years’ time… so rather than trying to aggressively protect products like the terrier or a single film based locomotive, I’d suggest that someone who has a greater interest in modern image at the company starts directing attention this way! Unless Hornby are happy to be seen to be the toy maker who expect that once done with them, the consumer will move on to buy from the model makers.

I read the Hattons email as the 59003 version would be here in Q1 23, but the previously announced ones would be Q2 22? not sure if that means that 59003 is planned for a second batch, or their release date for the main releases hasn’t yet been updated?

Completely agree. I think there is risk of personal double standards though - and to be clear, I would not call myself virtuous! I have ordered most Accurascale directly through their website. On the contrary, I’ve only just ‘dipped my toe’ in with the web special Black 5 with Hornby, but I can see that may grow. Does it make it ‘bad’ that one started online (and sells certain items direct only) and another only worked out the margin improvement from selling directly later on (and is struggling to demonstrate sustainable profitability)?

Direct or via a model shop?

Not sure I understand the point of that video TBH. If it was designed to annoy Hornby it may well have hit the mark, (and I can understand why they are annoyed themselves by Hornby given the marketing they’ve given them, and continue to give!), but to what end? I’d imagine discussions about how to move up the tiers would be better done in private. I think the whole tier thing is pretty awful, but if anything this video validates the approach - if they don’t want to stock at the price point Hornby are offering it, there is no point in being any tier, especially if you believe your market to be largely second hand on a market stall. It’s a shame, because having an actual layout that people can see stock running on is a feature that I miss in many shops. And it doesn’t help anyone putting a video out with inaccuracies in it (eg the coaches are ‘carts’, and the real APT was ‘shunted off to a siding in Carlisle where it remains today’).

The thought of the APT was one of the main reasons for fitting catenary to (one half) of my layout. Went with the Dapol offering. I’m sure the Peco one is better, but it looks good enough to me

That’s what I think the intention was stated as, but realistically this doesn’t hold. This isn’t a complaint, just an observation - we are still waiting for some models from the last set of announcements, while the announcements today seem to have delivery dates going up to August, which is around 6 months away.

Bit of a shame that the valances are black rather than grey (but then I would have preferred them as painted for Freightconnection without the yellow ends too!)

I’m in the same spot, but it seems really odd - the wipers are making contact on mine

That’s an issue I have on one TBF. Do they flicker on if you wiggle the bogie though?