Pint of Adnams

Once again the 2024 Hornby catalogue confounds by describing the FLIRT train family as '...and overhead power supply only'. When grabbing the sound files did that include diesel and AC operation, and the changeover in each mode whilst in motion? They are quite noisy, especially so when running on diesel which they did even on the OHLE sections of the GE main line in their earlier days. The first train to pass our residence is a FLIRT at around 05.20 - no need to check the bedside clock! Servo-controlled raising and lowering pantographs on changeover next? Quite often seen on the GE main line in pairs or even triples, and mixed /3 and /4 formations.

Still showing as Rimmers Music on Google and Bing maps/streetview...

My apologies to Hornby. Since typing the above yesterday I've received a copy of the 2024 catalogue and the full backstory is covered in the introductory pages, explaining the story as first regaled in 'the first ten years' complete with factory photographs and moving on to the present day. Covering the Meccano/Hornby story too, the difficulties of administration and suchlike. It even notes the move out of Margate and the outsourcing of the warehousing in 2015 and much other interesting and useful history. What a refreshing change.

The issue of Hornby magazine, accompanying the Hornby catalogue in the combined package, describes the new releases as 2859 East Anglian in LNER lined green (R30137) and 61670 City of London in British Railways lined apple green (R30136). Clearly there's been something lost in translation between the press pack and the catalogue.

"Can you remember a time when Hornby wasn’t based in Margate?" Yes I can! I remember Meccano, Hornby and Dinky Toys emanating from a factory in Binns Road, Liverpool. I can also remember that the new factory at Margate, opened in 1954, had the name over the offices entrance as Rovex Scale Models Limited, as pictured and fulsomely explained in 'Tri-ang Railways the first ten years' published in 1962. We have been here before, and I still do not understand why the present Hornby management persist in maintaining this false narrative. It grew out of Rovex Plastic Limited of Richmond, Surrey, which used the new plastic moulding techniques to produce "a realistic, reliable, robust train set at a reasonable price", using motors supplied by Zenith of Birmingham. The first "Princess" sets were ready just in time for Christmas 1950. Some redesign took place, replacing the plastic chassis with a metal one, with plunger pickups, and it was one of these sets that I received for Christmas in 1951 - I still have the locomotive but the short LMS coaches 'bananed' and were disposed of. This same year Zenith was incorporated into Rovex, and in turn Rovex was incorporated into the Lines Bros. Group and renamed Rovex Scale Models Limited. In 1952 the range was renamed Tri-ang Railways. The move from Richmond to Margate took place in 1954. The 'ten years' book has a chapter full of photographs showing the various processes undertaken in the large factory, typical 1950s scenes in a typical British industrial set-up of the period. This 70th celebration overlooks the job losses and damage to the local economy resulting from off-shoring production and the further trials and tribulations that resulted in. The management should be proud of their mixed and innovative heritage, not hide it as if an embarrassment.

As a further teaser for the benefits of joining the GER Society, Journal 197 January 2024 includes an extensive article by Lyn D Brooks, Locomotive Co-ordinator, detailing the G15 (Y6) and C53 (J70) Tram engines: CADs, exploded illustrations of the major components, and extensive photographs as well as the text, 18 pages in all. Only available to members owing to copyright restrictions on photograph reproductions. Membership (gersociety.org.uk)

I wonder if the Tri-ang Railways Remembered LMS coaches will 'banana' in due course, for that genuine authenticity? Nice to see the LNER L1 back and with GE-based examples, together with yet another Britannia originally allocated there. B1 Mayflower' is a preservation one-off though. In all cases, and for whichever railway, there still remains a lack of appropriate coaching stock for them to pull. Re-runs of the Gresley non-gangwayed stock would be appreciated as would crimson & cream period types, or maroon Mark 1s for the preservation/charter formations.

A quick search finds on LinkedIn that Martyn Weaver is the current brand manager, Hornby Hobbies, as of September last year. He was previously brand Manager for Scalextric (June 2018- January 2022) before a couple of other external senior roles. His start date suggests that he may have been enticed to return to the Hornby fold, given his previous experience with the company.

Out of curiosity I did a web search and, surprise, surprise, Hornby still have the 14XX open for pre-orders: R30319 RailRoad Plus GWR 14XX, 0-4-2, 1401 - Era 3 (Hornby.com)

Bachmann used to provide a complete product listing including those produced for third party commissions, which disappeared after a website revamp, subsequently reappeared, but is again no longer findable. The last copy I saw was dated 2013. As a Trader, you could approach them and make enquiries about its reinstatement.

Obviously a fan then - there's a very big difference between a certain element of society dressing up in a particular 'fashion' and a preserved line refraining from sticking lots of out-of-gauge unnecessary pipework and similar pointless accoutrements on its locos and rolling stock. The facts are more likely to be that Hornby jumped on a minority (as a proportion of the modelling fraternity) bandwagon and hoped to make a cheap killing as you typed; I doubt that there was a meaningful connection between attendance at steampunk events and peaks in purchasing Hornby steampunk products, Covid or no Covid - unless of course you have the facts to prove otherwise. I'm not sure at times if you are an agent provocateur or a moderator?

Agreed - it was simply a freak outcome of a reality TV show purporting to show railway modelling but was more of a scrap in the yard challenge.

As this was the last locomotive constructed at Stratford to a GER order but completed under the LNER, it would have had an LNER-style small works plate rather than the large former GER number plate. The number would have been either 999 or 999E, depending on when the plate was ordered - certainly it was ex-works in March 1924, 6 months after the introduction of the Area suffix letters, but also how Stratford conformed with that edict. See the photograph of 996E, from the same batch, on p3 of Yeadons's Register volume 27.

I now have one - purchased the last R30268 Mallard from Bure Valley Models yesterday, ostensibly to haul my Coronation set when (if?) it eventually appears. Mallard may not have pulled it in real life (Rule 1), but it used Coronation stock for its record-breaking run. And anyway, I couldn't decide between CoA, EoI, or DoC, or UoSA....

Also from Bure Valley Models in Aylsham: Hornby - R3992 - LNER, A4 Class, 4-6-2, 4491 Commonwealth Of Australia (burevalleymodels.com) - 8 in stock as I type at £196.19

Maybe that one doesn't because of the spelling of the name?

Interesting that its also branded 'Lion'. The GER had great influence on Felixstowe and so very pleasing to see that its still remembered.

Thank you. Having exchanged information with 31A, I have confirmed that the LNER revised recording and reconciliation of stock from years ending March to years ending December early on, the accounting year matching the calendar year and no doubt a result of the legal formation of the Grouped companies wef 1st January 1923. It seems that BR continued that practice, probably for the same reason. I am reminded too that Mr Geddes Transport Act required the submission of masses of operating and other statistics on an annual (calendar year) basis or even more frequently. LNER Locomotive Committee November 1923: This total programme was intended to cover the period until 31 March 1924. On acceptance of the programme, the CGM intimated that he proposed in future to bring a programme to each November Board meeting, to cover the twelve months ending 31 March in the following year but one. (This led to joint meetings of the Locomotive and Traffic Committees, which discussed the programmes in detail and made recommendations to the Board. However, complications emerged in that whereas a programme would end on 31 March, the financial year ended on 31 December. This affected the presentation of statistics, as the Chief Accountant's annual figures were for the year to 31 December.)

In which case the entry on the carriage record card would have read 13/66? Longworth translates this to (month) 12 of 1965.

It was condemned in period 13 of 1965, i.e. at the very end of that year. The accounting periods were of 4 weeks.

Types someone obsessed with the minutae of the Titfield Thunderbolt... 😁 Merry Christmas and all Good Wishes for your endeavours in the New Year 🎄

Check out the lower photograph on p96 of Yeadon's Register, showing sister No.85 in the blue livery with round base buffers, although it's too small to determine if the buffer housing is stepped or not. According to the RCTS, LNER Group Standard buffers were not fitted until c1944, so any photograph pre-dating then will theoretically have a GER type buffer, of which there were more than one design. See John Gardner drawing L28 details (7) & (8).

Correct Paul. As I posted elsewhere a while back, the steam heating and gas lighting were not fitted until September 1928, during the conversions for transfer to the Kelvedon & Tollesbury, so just the Westinghouse brake pipe at this date.

Another of Brunel's masterpieces, and look how that ended up?

Others may be interested in this digitised image on the GERS website in the C53 section of the locomotives category (scroll down to the third one): C53 (gersociety.org.uk) Since the locomotive was built in 1921 it's possible that the photograph was taken on the then new panchromatic film.