[spongebob]

There is one thing for certain. Whichever prehistoric hornby model either bachmann or heljan decide to bring up to date hornby are guaranteed to dust off the moulds and try to nick a few sales from them( I hate that).For a few clues as to what may be coming out from the existing stable in new liveries the BRM free calendar is a good guide.

As for Bachmann having a 2 year lead time is it that they announce things at tthe offset whereas hornby do the research first for a year and then announce it (live steam and class 08 shunter for example). If bachmann really do take twice as long as hornby in the ersearch and development stage why are the diesels so strewn with obvious and difficult to rectify errors like the peak bonnet line and according to some missing exhaust outlet( not seen one up close).

 

[spongebob]

I bet the hornby site's crashed by 12:01 then. Assuming that anyone can actually still type at that time on new years eve/day

 

[spongebob]

It would be good of hornby to start with 4 of the rarer models which still command good prices second hand on ebay. Not sure about the 73 in pullman colours though one off loco with 2 names and already been done by lima not to mention i've already got one. However it may mean some spares finally working their way onto the market as my other 73 needs horns, buffers and those plates on the ends for working with southern demu's etc.

 

[spongebob]

I wouldn't mind a retooled britannia given the fact that the latest super detailed tender drive ones still have the mounting on the loco chassis for the old motor. I don't know if they will retool it as the old one just went dcc ready this year.

 

[spongebob]

It appears that if you do reveal any "sensitive" info on here it will be censored until after jan 1st anyway. Seems stupid to me when as seems to be the case hornby collectors have received details via the companies own official magazine 3 or 4 days earlier. Somewhat of a two faced approach in my opinion. Does it really make a difference seeing as no one else has released their product list yet.
One thing i will say is the pendolino makes a bit of sense even if it isn't seen as an obvious or particularly welcome choice as it is also run in Europe which would make tooling a HO or even N gauge version a possibility.

 

[spongebob]

Whatever Bachmann announce and whenever they announce it one thing is certain. Stick another 2 years on top before it makes the shops. Bizarre considering hornby turn most new stuff around in under a year. Maybe hornby do a year of research and development first though who knows.

I do appreciate the lengths companies go to in order to keep things under wraps especially following recent duplication of items I wonder if hornby have any plans to retaliate for bachmann announcing that stalwart of the hornby range the 9F last year apart from the 08 shunter that is.

One thing is for certain as standards keep improving prices keep on rising and inferior products don't always become cheaper as a result.

 

[spongebob]

Maybe now that hornby have produced a successful co-co chassis (even though the class 50 and 31 drive wheel arrangements are backwards way round!) perhaps hornby should look at a bo-bo loco. I keep talking about a super detail HST set so maybe that would be a good place to start instead of the very dated and inaccurate model from the 1970's with options for buffered power cars.

If they are going to produce yet another overhead powered electric loco as seems to be the worst kept secret in modelling history perhaps aits time they also made a decent modern representation of an overhead catenary set preferably one which doesn't cost an arm and a leg. Or are we all going to drag the pendolino on the back of a class 57!! Oh no sorry we can't because the heljan and bachmann ones don't have dellner couplings yet.

 

[spongebob]

I wonder how long the roof stayed white for. Some of the early experimental BR liveries suit certain locos better than dare i say boring old brunswick green. Adds a bit of colour too.