Donald & Douglas

That is fair, and I probably overreacted a bit. There are some people on this forum that look down on people on buy RTR, and I tend to get defensive about the subject. I absolutely believe that people should try and develop skills like kit building, but sometimes it's nice to just be able to buy stuff that looks top notch and can just be put down on a layout and enjoyed (especially if you don't have a lot of free time in your life).

You could always not perpetuate this sad and pathetic attitude that anyone who buys RTR is in some way inferior to people who kitbuild everything? But of course if that happened all the elitists on here would loose their raison d'être and would need to find someone else to look down their nose at. There should be room in the hobby for both, without one group trying to make another feel bad about how they do the hobby.

"In the following years the Thomas range grew to include a truly impressive selection of not only a variety of sets but locomotives and rolling stock...." I question that statement, especially when comparing it against the Bachmann US range. Even when I was young enough to want them I could see the Hornby locos barely shared any resemblance to either the engines in either the books or the TV series. The models always felt like a lazy, corner cutting way of selling the brand. Compared to the Bachmann ones which are actually based on the models used in the programmes, plus the fact they have done models of more of the characters, rolling stock, and now even the narrow gauge the Hornby range cannot come close in my eyes. I see this as a good thing for Hornby as they can now concentrate more resources on their main ranges, and for Bachmann as hopefully they will pick up the gauntlet and their fantastic range can be more easily available in this country.

I have not heard anything about Bachmann being in any sort of financial trouble, even with them sometimes struggling to get things out quickly. In fact from what I have heard Bachmann are doing absolutely fine. Dapol seem to be doing ok, but have seen a drop in sales of 4mm wagons mainly due to the fact they look so dated these days. They are still getting new products to market, with the 68s being and various railcars being successful recently, and have a good number of models still in the pipeline. I think dropping the N gauge dummy units is a rational move, and is not a sign that they are in trouble. If the dummy units sold well, they would not be dropping them. And then there are the other manufacturers who have entered the market recently, especially in 4mm. Rapido, DJ, Oxford, Hattons just to name some of the big ones. This is obviously going to have a knock on effect for the more established manufacturers out there. But if the hobby was unsustainable, would all these companies be taking such a risk in entering it now? I don't think so. The Hornby situation says more about Hornby than it does the hobby as a whole. Obviously times are tougher for all hobbies and retail/manufacturing sectors, but well run and managed companies can weather these storms. Most of the model railway manufacturers seem able to do this, for some reason Hornby does not. It would be tragic if Hornby went bust, but ultimately I believe the hobby would survive.

Oooooh, me likey!!

I assume the one on the Leighton Buzzard line would be the best candidate for someone recording the sound? I hope someone does soon.

Huh, no idea how I missed that! Now I just hope I can get there, it's a bit of a drive for me to the SVR.

Do you know yet where you will be, in the Engine House or the Diesel Depot?

I think Peggy is definitely going to be the most popular just because it looks so nice, let alone all the other plus points these models have! It was enough to make me want one.