scottrains29

58 minutes ago, Legend said:

• You really wonder why they would use the Old Hornby model and the Lima model ? 

They haven't used the old Hornby model in the GWR set, R1230. It is the Lima tooling, same as the railroad offering. The picture on the outer box is the old Hornby model but looking at Hattons shows the actual model is the ex Lima offering, with Limby motor and DCC socket. Strange why they didn't use the better looking ex-Lima model for the box picture.

https://www.hattons.co.uk/430642/hornby_r1230_starter_train_set_gwr_high_speed_train_/stockdetail.aspx

10 hours ago, ThaneofFife said:

 

i dont see Hornby getting into the fitted lights thing with its coaches anymore.  and certainly not dcc.

 

The Virgin mk2e coaches Hornby released all came with lights fitted. It would be rather odd (and annoying) if they produced the Virgin FO or RFB without lights!

Hornby released R4702 SO and R4704 BSO in Virgin livery but did not release a matching FO or RFB micro buffet. At the time they failed to announce a matching Virgin FO when they already had the FO mk2e tooling, therefore I now suspect they may have always planned to bring out the mk2f RFB micro buffet now that they have tooled up the mk2f. To date there is no R4703 (the R number inbetween the Virgin SO and BSO).

Amost exactly a year ago I suggested Hornby produced a PFA containerised coal wagon and an updated high spec class 37. A year later Accurascale have announced both, and have even had to stop taking pre-orders for the PFA due to such high demand. The two other new models I suggested in the same post (but have not yet  been announced by anyone) were the Plasser & Theurer 07-16/08-16 tampers and a new class 314 and similar PEP type EMUs (313-315, 507/508).

Today the class 314 ran a final farewell tour around Glasgow. I think now would be an ideal time to model this numerous and widespread type. Introduced way back in the 70's the PEP's have been seen in many areas of the UK in a whole range of liveries. The PEP EMUs would be very popular and generate a lot of sales for Hornby.

I'd also like to see more TTS sounds for class 156, 153, 101, 56 etc.

I think we may see a Virgin mk2f RFB (with lights) to allow modellers to finally complete a rake with the Virgin TSO and BSO Hornby released a few years ago.

Lastly,

RailMaster LOCO DETECTION.

We have been waiting sooo long for this it is about time it was finally brought to market. It is the missing link in the RailMaster software. Currently, the RailMaster programming functions are useless without loco detection as the trains never seem to stop in the desired location. Loco detection would finally allow modellers to have a fuly automatic layout where they can just sit back and watch.

34 minutes ago, Coryton said:

 

Now you tell me about the 10% off offer.

 

I could have saved £2.50!

Sorry.

The offer is 10% off £50, 15% off £75, 20% off £100 spend on selected toys.

Looks like you can only buy a maximum of 2 Hornby sets, but you may be able to combine with other eligible toys to get to the £100 threshold resulting in the sets effectively costing £20! With the possiblity of £5 cashback too!

1 hour ago, Dangg said:

Asda are selling  the Hornby Freight master train set  for £25

 

Might be of interest to some 

Looks like you can order a maximum of 2, costing £45 using their 10% off toy offer. 5% topcashback too!

The Northern Belle train pack is now in stock.

Unfortunately, as some had suggested Hornby have used the awful ex-airfix mk2d tooling for this pack. Why Hornby have done this I have no idea. They should have used their mk2e tooling so that it matches the coach pack, R4898. The real mk2d FO is identical to the mk2e FO with their toilet windows both at the one side. Also one of the coaches, Chatsworth, should be a mk2e anyway!

I don't understand why Hornby couldn't use the Railroad version of the mk2e (plastic wheels, fewer decals) to keep costs down as this would allow modellers to upgrade their coaches with metal wheels and extra decals if they choose, therefore creating a matching six coach rake when combined with R4898. Using the mk2e tooling would have led to more sales of both the train and coach pack.

The airfix coaches were good when first released (in the 70's I think) but look awful by today's standard especially their squarish windows with their odd window sills and semi flush glazing. I will be cancelling my order for the train pack and will put off buying the coach pack for now (as I don't fancy trying to renumber/ rename a coach pack). It's such a shame Hornby have gone down this route. They don't seem to understand that they could get far more sales by producing a complete rake of matching coaches. I'm still waiting for them to release a Virgin mk2e FO to complement the SO and BSO relased a few years back.

I wonder if Hornby will produce another Northern Belle mk2e coach pack with different numbers to complement the R4898. The coach pack has sold very well and is already oos at many retailers. The Hornby Northern Belle mk3s are selling for high prices on ebay and could also do with a rerun. It will be interesting to see how/if this latest train pack sells.

A motorised model of Cycloped could be quite funny, complete with tts sound!

I'd probably but one for my modern image layout just for a laugh!

On 19/11/2019 at 14:42, raetiamann said:

It's to be hoped Hornsby isn't planning to include a 37/6 in their schedule.

My guess is that Hornby will produce 10 Limby class 37s next year.

I think even Hornby are surprised at how well the limby 66s have flown off the shelves.

Poor old Bachmann get stuck in the middle again!

Excellent news, really looking forward to it. I've never been entirely happy with the look of the front windscreens on the Vitrains and Bachmann models. I'm confident you'll get it spot on!

Hopefully a 37/4 will appear in the not so distant future!

6 hours ago, MGR Hooper! said:

 

Any link to that post of the Virgin Class 86 and Mk.3???

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/mk3a-fo-virgin-west-coast-11042-or763fo003

On 24/10/2019 at 09:45, Cbpete said:

email back from them saying still waiting for licence

It's strange that it is taking so long for the Virgin licence. Hornby, Lima, Bachmann, Heljan, Dapol and Vitrains have all produced 00 Virgin stock over the years. It makes you wonder how bad ORs representation of the Virgin livery is.

If they had brought the coaches to market to coincide with the release of Hornby Virgin class 87 I'm sure they'd get quite a few sales!

Perhaps the delay is due to OR working on a 86 to release at the same time! After all, their Virgin MK3 picture showed more 86 than MK3!

On 27/09/2019 at 01:22, Hilux5972 said:

It’s funny though, on the box it says Mk 2E. 

Interesting. Perhaps it's the Hornby website that needs updating. Some retailers (eg Hattons) are calling it MK2D, yet others (eg Rails) call it MK2E. Quite confusing.

The Brexit set could have a popular blue engine that's trying its hardest to move forward but can't because the troublesome trucks won't budge. The trucks would be a range of colours including red, orange, green, yellow, and also a small one that keeps changing!

Delighted to see Hornby use the newer MK2E tooling. I was holding off purchasing incase they produced the ancient airfix MK2D coaches. I suspect many others held off too especially after Hornby stated that the "pack has received no major modifications", suggesting they would be the same as previous releases (Airfix type).

It's very odd that Hornby chose to call the pack 'Mk2D' when neither the prototypes modelled (Alnwick, Belvoir, Harlech), or the the actual model, contains a single Mk2D! The examples Hornby modelled should infact all be Mk2E anyway!

I have the Virgin Railroad and the full fat Virgin HST. Interestingly, Hornby have applied the livery better on the railroad model by correctly extended the red upto the bottom two roof slats, something the full fat version missed out.

The railroad version doesn't have some painted details like warning flashes, data panels etc. It runs well with a 5 pole limby motor bogie. With a bit of detailing and weathering the model can look fine alongside more expressive models.

I pronounce it Hel-Jin.

I know it may be wrong, but I'd sure get some funny looks up here in Scotland if I try to pronounce it any other way.

Hopefully Hornby will produce some reasonably priced spares for the 156. Could do with re-motoring some more Lima models. I also have a limby 156 needing a new motor.

Perhaps we'll see a TTS decoder for the 156 soon. I'd certainly buy a few!

A number of years ago Heljan announced a 00 class 66. I remember seeing a big advert in one of the magazines at the time.

I was half expecting them to re-announce it this year, just to give the class 66 modeller even more choice!

I've only just found out about this new model after reading a magazine at the weekend. Really looking forward to it!

Every year for the last few years people on here may have noticed that the PFA wagon has been on my predictions/wishlist for both Hornby and Bachmann, yet sadly neither bothered to produced it. I'm really delighted Accurascale are now going to produce it. The samples look great!

I'll certainly be buying a fair few of these in various liveries.

Thank you Accurascale!

Virgin Mk3s were announced last year but there are licensing delays according to OR via Facebook. I wonder if there is a new ETA?

I don't remember any other manufacturers having licensing issues with Virgin. Oxford's colours must be way off again! ;-)

 

- The R3697 Northern Belle train pack has received no major modifications (the coaches or loco).

I've noticed Hattons have now changed their description to state this pack comes with Mk2D coaches. The reply above from Hornby suggests the R3697 train pack, along with the R4898 Mk2D coach pack, will all be the nasty old Airfix Mk2D tooling. Out of all the coaches in both packs only 2 should actually be Mk2D! Most of them should be Mk2E!

Hornby have already produced most of these coaches before in various packs using the same incorrect Airfix Mk2D tooling (R1065, R3134, R4539, etc). As far as I can tell the 2019 Northern Belle coaches add nothing new other than one coach (Alnwick, a Mk2E) that hasn't been done before. With Bachmann providing Mk2 competition, and Hornby having reasonable Mk2E coaches in both mainstream and Railroad range, there really is no excuse to use these awful airfix coaches.

Surely, it's far better to use a modern tooling Mk2E to represent 4x Mk2E and 2x Mk2D coaches (1/3 'wrong' but all good models), than to use the awful Mk2D tooling to represent 4x Mk2E and 2x Mk2D, (2/3 wrong and all poor models).

Hornby better use the Mk2E tooling otherwise I am sure they'll end up in the bargin bin. £105 for three MK2E coaches that don't even use the railroad Mk2E tooling, but an inferior ancient incorrect Airfix Mk2D tooling is not going to sell.

I think a class 86 would be good.

The OxfordRail Image for the Virgin Mk3 coaches shows them hauled by a class 86. Could this be hinting at their next loco?

Class 150 derived EMUs - 317/8/9/20 plus 3rd Rail ones.

 

I think it's only a matter of time before Bachmann do these. They are already doing a 319 in N. I would certainly buy a few 318/320 units!

Final plea - completely new tooling but think it would sell - good spec 07 series tamper.

This would be very popular too I think. The newer 08 series would be nice too. Currently there is no accurate 00 gauge rtr tamper available.

I would also like Bachmann to produce some more 'modern' wagons, such as the PFA four axle container wagon.

I wonder if OxfordRail could make the silvered window strip available as a spare to correct the odd looking intercity swallow ones?

The colours Oxford used are bad enough but the lack of silver windows really makes them look rather odd. The silver framed windows would greatly help improve the look of them.

Without wanting to get too far off topic, it would be good to use the right coaches if available, but then there's be half the people here saying "thank goodness they used the right ones" and the other half saying "why did they do that, the old 2Ds don't match the new 2Es, the detail is poor, why not just use all matching well detailed ones,etc etc"

What actually is the difference between the FO Mk2d and Mk2e? Both have their toilet windows on the same side and both appear to have the same underframe with twin aircon fans (unlike the mk2f). Without being an expert is there anything obviously different between the two types? As far as I can tell (and probably most others) they look exactly the same.

Surely, most people would prefer Hornby to use the newer Mk2e model to represent the two Mk2d coaches in the rake. The old Mk2d tooling is so bad that the two coaches would stand out a mile when coupled to the newer Mk2e. All the coaches are going to be a compromise anyway as they all have oval door windows, unlike the Hornby model.

Also, if there is a difference between the FO Mk2d and Mk2e coaches, could Hornby tweak the Mk2e tooling to accommodate the difference? The image on their website for the R4898 Mk2d coach pack clearly shows the old tooling but with a retooled underframe and bogies, although bizarrely the three coaches they have modelled should all actually be Mk2e anyway!