Johan DC

It is mentioned in the Summer edition of the TT-club magazine that of all the lager steam engines of phase 4, only the Castle is confirmed. The 9F, Black 5, Peppercorn A1 and Princess Royals will be announced in due course. They also speek of additions to the 2024 range because of modellers demand, like an 0-6-0T to be announced in the next issue.

I don't know how 'close' Hornby and Arnold R&D deps are, but Arnold has an 0-4-0 diesel shunter, so they should be ready.

I follow your reasoning, but I'm afraid for Hornby, that if they didn't do the underframe detail, some might say that it's Design Clever all over again.

This is Hornby, damn if they do, damn if they don't!

I don't blame the photographer, I blame the trackwork!🙂

Looks to me that the pins on the PCB are fitted the wrong way around. The 'absent' pin should be so that you can fit your decoder the correct way up, as in the instructions. I don't have a new version 9F, but you can see it here: https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/installing-digital-sound-hornbys-new-br-9f-2-10-0

Last year, they were too late. So Imho, it's quite important to have enough in stock this time.

Nobody did.... 😉

Would lamps not in use be removed from the smokebox door/Running plate? Or just not lit?

If it's an express Loco, I prefer with. Safes me the time of fitting them myself.

Out of interest, (don't have one, won't buy one) were those pipes painted, or not? Or did this depend from shed to shed? I saw a picture of a green 2mt, with pollished pipes, but I think it was a preserved one?

The 2MT looks to be quite an ok model, if the biggest problem seems to be that the copper piping is copper coloured. I don't know the class, I don't think I ever saw a real one. But to me, it looks like it's easier to weather/paint it black than to paint it in copper.

Aren't Railroad loco's made over multiple badges?

There was a quite interesting vlog with with Sam, the developer of the Class 50, with some engineering samples, on FB and IG there were shots of some nice TT layouts, there was another video about TT120's first anniversary and the email about the TT-membership. No new announcements, but I think Hornby, for all their faults, is driving TT forwards. Two steam, one diesel, several coaches and wagons, tracks, buildings and we have seen testsamples of a lot more. But it seems that for some, it's never enough. I can't compare, but how did N ever start?

I have one, and if I would see one in a bargain bin, might consider a second. But it seems they sell. At Hattons there is a second hand one of the fictive liveries for £299. The latest one, the Fourth (!) in original dark grey, is sold out on pre-order. No idea how big the batches are. But I guess smaller than J15 ones...

For me, the difference is very clear. Railroad is more yellow than red, you can see inside the box, it's also clearly printed 'Railroad'. What Hornby put in the range vs. Regular however is less clear, for instance the class 66 should, but isn't.

Maybe they are in a transition? These ones were also a long time in the making.

I had the same problem with DPD this week, for an order from Hattons. First time ever that the tracking was down. It even said it was still in the UK, when I already got it here in Belgium. Hope yours arrives without further problems.

Someone is trying to fix/mend things, Rails is again an official stockist. I quite like that, even if it is only for sentimental reasons. It all started for me with some Hornby sets from Rails.

I see the first ones arrived in the shops. They're not a hoax after all. 🤭

Turbomotive is already available, as already mentioned by RedgateModels

Of course, being innovative and having good products is not a guarantee for a succesfull business, but it helps. And Hornby has both the innovations and the good products in house. But there are also the PR fiasco's, QC issues (but that seems to be a problem for all producers AFAIK), an unclear strategy towards retailers, a lack of genuine interest in D&E locos... Good foundations, but if they don't fix the roof, one day it'll be an empty shell.

How was the final drive? Chains, or gears?

This topic can be locked now, here's the answer:

A nice review by mrs J.E. Kirk. I'll follow her suggestion, get the Black Watch for my brother and the TXS decoder for myself. It'll get an upgrade to a kettle!