Hobby

Corrected that for you! 3f or 4f or a BR standard tender loco would be nice... We now await entries from GWR and SR enthusiasts! Sometimes I feel sorry for model railway manufacturers, especially when, like Hornby, you've just launched a brand new scale to the UK!

And what didn't start out as a Pannier (taken over from other companies in 1923) they converted into panniers! At least they didn't do it to the Welshpool or VofR locos, though they tried their best with the Welshpool ones to imprint their mark on them!

I thought it was on the right, but I could be wrong! Sounds like the same one, it's gone now, more's the pity!

I doubt it, more likely there's little left that would make them money.

That's the one we went to, there wasn't much railway stuff.

Rob, how long ago was that re the model shop? We went in around 2019 and there was only one, and it had little, if any, railways. There used to be one down a little alley which was really good but that had shut up shop a few years before the 2019 visit. TBH model railway shops are becoming fewer and fewer, as opposed to model shops which tend to concentrate on the East European fixation with anything military.

A 20 or 25 would suit me fine, but I suspect you are wrong about Heljan being the manufacturer, I still suspect there's one if the current TT manufacturers watching, though I recon it'll be 2 or 3 years away.

Agreed, but by that logic if Heljan had still gone ahead it's likely that Hornby would have backed down instead, it's the "Hornby were the bully" comments I was addressing, they weren't, it was simply a commercial choice by Heljan based on what the likelihood was they could get theirs out first and get the sales.

It's on record (from SK and Peco have never denied it) that Peco and Hornby were completely unaware of each others plans for TT and only a chance conversation revealed their plans to each other. Heljan still produce stuff in 00, and have also produced a new loco despite Kato and Bachmann entering 009, so this rumour that Hornby deliberately went out of their way to quash any competition form Heljan doesn't ring true. Who knows what the manufacturers thought, but to be fair to Hornby they said publically that the range had been planned for 5 years (2017 was quoted) before launch and it'd be fairly certain that a stock list/line-up would have been done fairly early in that timescale to justify the investment. Heljan had the cad for the 31 so there was no reason for them not to do it other than their own reluctance following Hornby's announcement, to try to somehow blame Hornby is disingenuous at the very least, or is just pure Hornby bashing.

The above based on the original catalogue and things we've seen since, timescales purely guesswork!!

What other stuff had they announced? I only heard of the 31, a link would be helpful.

I could reply to yours in a similarly long winded way, but there's no need as you said it all in that one sentence. We shall see.

You know what I meant! They'd prosecute the owners or the drivers for non compliance.

How about České Budějovice and around? It's a shame that the JHMD is still moribund but there's that 1500vDC branch line of the line south from Prague if you want to see something different. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tábor–Bechyně_railway Plus you are on the border with Austria.

With regards the first paragraph, it's difficult to compare, but compared to the launch of TT3 and early British N gauge he's right, they have launched more variety in a much shorter space of time, and especially compared with some of the early British N gauge models, and of much better quality. It's a difficult one to judge as there isn't really anything to directly compare it to, though, as manufacturing was very different back in the 50s and 60s, and expectations from enthusiasts much lower than today. With regards to the second paragraph, I ask you "Which Manufacturers are you referring to?". There's an awful lot of TT120 stuff out there produced by the cottage industry manufacturers. Granted some others are waiting to see if it's worthwhile but I'd expect some of them to start producing in the next 12 months. Contrary to your conversations the ones I've spoken to at shows are planning stuff and are positive, others are in the "wait and see" mode which is what I'd expect this early in the launch. However if you look at what's available now it's already quite easy to furnish a British layout in TT with suitable buildings and accessories, in fact the only building I don't have is a suitable signal box for a NW England based layout, the rest of the buildings I have.

A quick look on a google search shows a trucker satnav for just under £200, even on low wages that'd hardly break the bank, especially considering the trucker could potentially lose their licence for a bridge bash or at the very least get the sack and become unemployable. Plenty of other low wage jobs require decent tools and part of the job is to make sure you have them. Perhaps the only way is to make it compulsory for trucks to have that version and be prosecuted for using a car version?

You can still get rollover jigs which put the car (safely!) on it's side.

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Could that J50 chassis be used for anything else? It seems to have a strange wheelbase.

That's Social Media for you! ;)

Going onto the subject itself, though, why do I have the feeling that's 15 minutes of my life wasted? Surely they could have done some more such as estimated launch times for future (already announced) models?

Does it really matter, he was clear and easily understood, that's his job.

There's enough of that already on FB!! 🤣 Picked up my first piece of TT120 at a toyfair this morning, a Peco open wagon! There was some BTTB and TT3 around as well but nothing of interest, though the BTTB reasonably priced.

Well if Liverpool don't win the Prem this year they really don't deserve it, the other two have given it on a plate to them.

At last! We got Trixie back on October 2022, a rescue cat, she was very shy and still is. You may remember that we couldn't get her to use the catflap to get into the back garden. In September last year we went out, leaving her outside and came back to find her inside, since then she's always come back in on her own but still wouldn't go out! Last night we were watching TV and heard the catflap, funny, we thought, she was inside. So I went to the window and there she was, outside! Last night I had to push her through again but this morning she's been out twice on her own volition. Here's hoping... Its been a long road...