scottrains29

I noticed on Facebook yesterday that Richard Watson, previously associate editor of Hornby Magazine has also joined the Accurascale team. Can only be more good news for all us modern image modellers! I do enjoy watching his ECML 'new junction' layout videos.

There is also a 10% off code at the moment; UPGRADE10. There might be better codes out there too, as I got 20% off these same titles last year.

I'd like to see EWS 66111 with Highland Stag bodyside stickers for a 66 with a Scottish flavour. I know Bachmann once did this loco using their dated tooling so maybe one with DB stickers and newer lights to make it a little different.

I would tend to agree. I have both 66s so wouldn't want one personally but if someone were to tool up a realistic Royal Scotsman pullman, with accurate interiors, all modifications including end veranda, at a realistic price, I'm sure there would be huge demand for the corresponding 66s again and also class 37s to represent the earlier formations.

It'd be nice if Accurascale could also acquire the warwell tooling from Hattons. The modern version just needs a few tweaks (end floor plates over buffers etc) then it'd be perfect to run behind a 66.

I certainly wasn't expecting this. Nice choice though. I have over 20 Hattons 66s so don't really need anymore, but will probably still get a few more anyway. The enhancements will make this model awesome. Great work there guys! It was interesting to see how much excitement there was around the Accurascale stand today compared to the other manufacturers. I had my son with me in his pushchair so couldn't stay long but the 66 sample, along with your other models all looked great. It'll be an exciting, albeit expensive, year ahead!

Will there be another Accurascale announcement on Sunday, as it's then the start of a new week?

Something powered by an English Electric 6K engine .......

I think everyone who has the awful Hornby 91 wishes Cavalex had done it instead!

I didn't expect a new 60 would be announced. It looks great! The Hornby 60 is still an excellent model and I don't see many people parting with theirs. I'll certainly be keeping all mine but hopefully adding some superior Cavalex ones in the future. Hornby will need to drop their prices to shift theirs. It's a shame the only Scottish named one in this batch has already been done by Hornby. Hopefully batch 2 will have more Scottish named ones that haven't been done by Hornby. A Mainline blue Ailsa Craig would be nice!

I think it looks like the front of a class 185. Glasgow was the northern terminus for these units so would be fitting to announce one at the Glasgow show.

The odd thing now is that Hornby have re-engineered the Railroad ex-Lima 67 again, but this time they've actually removed the smooth dual flywheel, twin bogie drive mechanism and replaced it with the rubbish Railroad motor bogie. This was the best feature of this model!! The Lima 67 was one of their best models mainly due to the mechanism. Hornby then spent time and money improving the mech using their own smooth 5 pole motor and adding nem sockets to the bogies. Seems a very backward step to then remove this improved mech and spending money redesigning the bogie to now take a Railroad bogie instead. The cost saving can't be that great. I wonder if it is to differentiate the model with their slightly better one. I'll certainly not be buying the Railroad one now. It always seems like Hornby actively try to make their models worse, year after year! From removing features (rotating fans, opening doors etc) to designing worse and worse models. Their more recently designed models (67, 87, 91 etc) greatly lack features, with next to no cab interior detail. The 91 is the worst one yet, with very basic moulded cab interior, basic overall detail etc. The model doesn't even run on the average layout due to the poorly designed bogies completely lacking any lateral movement. They then have the cheek to charge significantly more for it than the vastly superior Bachmann 90 and Accurascale 92. If anything the 91 should be cheaper as you're then stuck buying Hornby mk4s to run with it. The new mk4s are very lacklustre too, just compare the mk4 DVT to the older, better yet cheaper mk3 DVT. Hornby really need to start looking at their better older models (08,50,56,60 etc) and the current competition, then trying to improve on this. I actually wonder if Hornby have given up competing in modern oo, hence why they're trying to go into tt big style.

On the recent live q&a session a few weeks ago Simon K said he'd like to release HM7000 at the end of the month (Jan) or certainly into next month (Feb). He says all the hardware is done, they're just testing the software. Hopefully not too much longer to go now. He also says they will demonstrate the system at the (now passed) Nuremberg toy fair. Perhaps someone here can say if this happened or not. It's also interesting that Simon mentions they are still working on connecting HM7000 to the e-link despite not having the rj12 socket. This would obviously be very useful. I wonder if it would be an idea for Hornby to produce a new and relatively cheap Bluetooth enabled e-link type device that would allow control by phone off all dcc fitted locos. At present the cheapest way to control standard dcc fitted locos using the HM7000 app is to buy a select and a dongle.

Perhaps Accurascale should announce another run asap, even if they don't actually get produced for a few years. This would stop the eBay madness and ultimately provide extra profit to Accurascale.

I decided to give it a miss this time. I've spent nearly a grand with accurascale this year alone! No doubt they'll announce another run in the near future. You'd be mad to pay more on eBay.

I also got a notification of delivery for my sleeper pack. Panic over! 😀 The question now is do I try and bag a TPE set even though they are unlikely to work in Scotland. I could always use rule 1.

I'm still waiting for my mk5 sleeper pack, ordered over two weeks ago when they came back in stock. Has anyone else who managed to order on the 24th received theirs yet? I don't mind waiting it's just I ordered some wagons last week and they've already arrived!

The new sound fitted Dublo Deltic will come with a 21 pin HM7000 sound decoder pre fitted. As this model includes working headlights, cab lights, instrument panel lights, engine room lights and working fans, will the HM7000 decoder be capable of independently controlling all of these features?

Yeah, managed to grab a Fort William pack. Can't wait!!😀 Looks like they' all gone within a few mins. Now for that 73...

True. It is a real credit to Accurascale that their products are in such high demand. Having models fly off the shelves and becoming unavailable is a good problem to have. I've purchased more black boxes last year than I've bought from ever other manufacturer combined. Their products are of exceptional quality at a, not necessarily cheap, but realistic and fair price. I'm sure they will do re-runs, we just have to be patient! The good news is it'll give my wallet a little time to recover!

The easiest way for Accurascale to increase profits would surely be to increase their run sizes. So much of their stuff is out of stock. Their mk5s and 92s have only just arrived but are already unavailable. Their 37s haven't even arrived yet but are sold out. I prefer to see a model/ read reviews first before purchase just incase it's a dud; just look at how awful, yet extortionate the Hornby 91 is. I know having surplus stock isn't good either, but everything Accurascale makes seems to sell well. The biggest discount I've seen from retailers is only about 20%, and that's not that often.

True, but the e-Link has been out for a while now and to advertise the new app as being able to function with e-Link they must have some other way to do this without an rj12 port. It's very easy and cheap (£1 on eBay) to upgrade a pc to have Bluetooth capability. In theory could it be possible for the app to communicate with Railmaster/e-Link using a standard Bluetooth connection? This could potentially make a very powerful tool. You could have a fully automated layout (once they eventually release loco detection) and have the ability to intervene (play sounds, control locos) using your mobile.

That was a good move when Hornby changed to the BSO after much criticism. Their original BUO looked nothing like a BUO. They even called it a GWR Caledonian sleeper?! I don't think Simon is a details man, certainly not when it comes to modern image! Maybe one day Hornby (or someone else) might properly tool up the BUO. I think RLO 6702/3 also had the blanking plates so the forthcoming R40228A should be relatively accurate. Hopefully they'll also do some (accurate) mk2s in the older Caledonian Sleeper liveries. I still don't know why they haven't done the much requested RFB mk2 as this was also occasionally seen in sleeper rakes, as well as required to complete other rakes that Hornby have produced (Intercity, Virgin xc, Northern Belle and so on).

The Hornby website says the app will function with the Hornby eLink but the dongle is only for the select and the elite. To get the app to function with the eLink will it therefore use the Bluetooth connection on the laptop/pc to feed into the Railmaster software?

When describing the Railroad range Montana says many modellers are on a budget and "some Railroad models can help them model without costing the earth". Does this mean that other Railroad models do cost the earth? Also is this an admission that their main range models are overpriced compared to the competition? She also says the 2023 Railroad plus class 67 has a single bogie drive powered by a 3 pole motor. Can anyone confirm if she is correct? Surely Hornby haven't Limbified what was a reasonably good performing mechanism. The Hornby website also states it's now 3 pole but also shows previous Railroad 67s with 5 pole skew wound motors.