Legend

Ostrich syndrome . There’s nothing wrong with our models . They don’t usually like admitting there are issues .

Oh Yes ! Lovely Glen Douglas .And why do made up blue locos when you could have a lovely Blue Caley Dunalastair . And we know Jason likes buses . A nice Scottish Bus Group, Alexander D bodywork Daimler Fleetline

Ugly Caley 0-4-4Ts . How dare you sir ! Pistols at dawn !

There are also political factors . I believe Apple is moving production of some of its products from China . This is causing Foxconn its leading subcontractor to lay off employees. I think the West is finally waking up to the fact that all its manufacturing eggs are in a Chinese basket .

I need the guide on how to unbox them . Im lost

Probably too simplistic. But I think they need to have a range of basic/existing models including track and train sets in the Railroad range area , but maybe not called that , maybe in fact that’s the main range .Then a separate offering that models locos in depth , like Accurascale, Bachmann, Heljan . Full fat models at enthusiast prices and offered in several different versions simultaneously. They could call it Silver Seal !

I think Mike because they fell out with the manufacturer . They couldn’t stock Bachmann and at the same time Hornby had a shortage of capacity resulting in the ridiculous tier system . A company that needs to sell as much as possible , restricting sales ……duh ! So that clearly had an effect on the high volume low margin model of Hattons and while latterly it looked like they could take preorders again , I think the damage had been done . Going back to Hornby , I’ve just watched Richard Proudmans presentation of Bachmanns new 25 . I think I’m counting 11 versions (and three styles in each of these ) and you realise just how far Hornby are behind . I think really Hornby lost it when they failed to upgrade their BR diesels in 2000s . Allowed Bachmann , Heljan to run away with it . They certainly seemed to have a blind spot on BR blue

Just watched the video . Excellent presentation . Thanks to Richard I think for the clearest explanation of 25/0 25/1 25/2 and 25/3 . Has always been a puzzler to me with different body styles in 25/2 . It’s also apparent that there’s much more than 6 releases . I think I counted 11 and confirmation 25057 will be available weathered and unweathered . I’m almost certainly going to get one . I run analogue and again Richard makes a big point of being able to run sound fitted locos on analogue . I’d really love to see an example of this . TMC did it with the Heljan 47 , it would be great to see how a sound fitted 25 performs on analogue . What is the effect on speed . If it’s still reasonable I’d really be tempted . One of my abiding memories is of a 25 sitting at the buffer stops platform 3 at Queen St . Behind her was a train to Dundee which as was common then , she was going to bank out and up Cowlairs incline . The roar as she throttled up was superb and I’d love to recapture this with a 25 . Yes I know I need DCC to get the whole effect, but that’s not going to happen with the many old locos I run . So I’d really be interested on what a sound loco runs on analogue . But overall great job Bachmann . Lots of choice there .

Might be tempted by this . I still run my old Hornby 25. But this looks interesting . I think SLW would be the one to get , but I’m fed up looking at that thread about people who have been waiting years . Seems like it’s a cottage industry compared to a mainstream release

Strange that there’s only one banger blue 25/1 from what I can see and that’s weathered .

That might be because it's only the LMS model released and people , I suspect the majority, have ordered the BR and Caprotti Versions . There are a couple of really positive reviews on YouTube but they all comment on the distance between loco and tender . 2 Reviews have had an issue with getting it to run at all . With the 2MT I Don't recall any negative reviews except its in the older style of packaging and is relatively pricey given that it doesn't have firebox glow or ironically working lights! They could have come from different factories of course , so the quality of one is not necessarily replicated with the other

The 66 market is probably now saturated at the Hornby level - I wouldn't be at all surprised if they are in slow moving stock . Anything in "made up" liveries like the W1 also not a surprise and I'll bet you Turbomotives will be appearing shortly .

Wow Dapol certainly seem to be the GWRs friend ! Great announcement . Looks like a great specification and a decent price for what you get b. Although primarily a Scottish modeller I am tempted as I have a good few GWR models now . Makes sense with their auto coach too . I really hope they are rewarded for introducing these and that no one reintroduces the DJ version .

it’s a wonder the handle hasn’t fallen off

could it be manufacturing tolerances eg on loco the connector sitting very fractionally lower than it should or vice versa . We don’t know , of course , but that’s a few defects we’ve seen now . Hope those that have a BR one on order benefit from the experience being picked up on the initial LMS one . Maybe there will be more testing or will Hornby send them out regardless for customers and retailers to do their QC . I know which one I think will happen

I mean common sense wise that just can’t be right ! The mk2d with CDL is off the platform so you have to walk through the mk1 so that you presumably alight from the next mk2 . So an opening door next to a platform could be two coaches away at the extreme and one coach away at best . Can this be legal? Also even though the mk1s are not for passenger use surely folks going to the toilet must be considered “ passenger use “ . What is the ORR doing . I just get the feeling WCRC are sticking the two fingers of scorn up . Surely operators that have complied must be furious at these antics

I thought another pretty decent review even if the subject didn’t come out well . So again, slightly warped running plate Crank pin falling out Similar issue on tender-loco pick up but this time resolved using contact cleaner ( is that a permanent fix?) You step back and then consider this is a £204 model . Really!

Probably ideal with some of the pot holes we have round here

A good reminder of Eric Treacy . I’d bet he’d be thrilled there will be locos on his name whizzing round model railways - especially Lime St

He never got stuff to review from manufacturer. He buys the models himself which is why it’s an independent review . And frankly he’s equal handed when it comes to any manufacturer . So he had a model that had faulty tender connection and we now know he is not alone from another YouTuber above He had glue marks on a £200+ model that were clearly illustrated He stated the lights were glued in , which others have confirmed they are . I suppose it depends how much glue is used as to how removable they are So a verifiable review . Not exactly an unfounded “absolute kicking “

Not saying they’ve done it in past, although the much maligned BR did give us a pretty good Inter-City Railway . At one stage I think we had more 125mph trains than anywhere else . But I’m thinking not for profit co that plough any gains back into the business

Becsuse it extracts money from the railways . Yes as a pensioner with investments I take your pension scheme points. But surely for the benefit of railways and the travelling public as a whole it’s better to plough profits back into the railways . Benefits for the many not just those privileged enough to be shareholders , whether that’s direct or through pension funds . I’d also say Water , Gas and Electricity but that’s probably trampling into politics

Someone has tooled a 313 . It must turn up soon surely !

Just a bit of accounting here Mike . Goods can’t disappear between paying out money for it and receipt in stock . As soon as you pay for it it’s out of cash in your balance sheet , so the asset needs to be accounted for as “goods in transit” which will form part of their stock figure .

It would be interesting to find out exactly what this slow moving inventory is , remembering it could be Corgi/Airfix/Scalextric as well as Hornby . Standard accounting practice is that it should be valued at the lower of cost or Net Realisable Value (ie what you can get for it) - surely we must be on verge of some large write offs ? Agree with maximisation of tooling and getting as many liveries out as possible . The lack of blue/grey Mk1s this year and more liveries on the 50 (eg Banger blue) is an example . Also by having blue/grey mk1s they could have stopped valuable tooling costs of mk2e/fs as there would be something for blue diesels to run with .Introduce mk2s later when scale has settled in . Also , while it is early days , according to their 2024 TT120 catalogue they only intend launching Class 37s initially as era 6 (green?) and era 9 (EWS) . Surely if you want to maximise cash flow you would also go for standard and large logo blue ones . TT120 needs critical mass .They seemed to have figured this into their tooling yet won’t get the benefit of it till later . This is a company that needs cash ! it looks like they’ve decided to make too much of the wrong stuff in the past . But I still think a significant issue is lack of manufacturing capacity which is stopping the maximisation of their tools . They just can’t get the manufacturing slots .