[John Edge]

Hot on the heels of Peco’s announcement of their new British track system, Heljan are promising the class 31;

No Compromises – British outline 1:120 TT is here!

HELJAN is developing the first ready-to-run British outline 1:120 scale TT locomotive, reviving a widely admired but long-lost alternative to existing ‘N’ and ‘OO’ scale models. Building on the recent unveiling by PECO of the first items in a new range of British 1:120 scale TT products, we are...

www.heljan.co.uk

They also mention the WD Austerity 0-6-0T and a class 08 diesel shunter.
Promising times that are causing me to think how I can justify these, to the wife, that is as I know this is where I want to go.
Cheers,
John

 

[boxbrownie]

Ooooo we all wondered who was going to jump in along with PECO, a good choice for the first few Locos….will need carriages and trucks soon.

 

[boxbrownie]

Ouch…..just seen the prices though…..£199 with sound fitted prices to follow, that’s going to be £300+……they had better be very good models with a very high specification.

 

[Graham Plowman]

Just a thought on this: be aware that 1:120 scale is 2.5mm to the foot. That means it is halfway between what we know as N Gauge (2mm scale) and British TT (3mm scale).
This will be like what HO is to British OO with 1:120 scale being smaller than the British TT 3mm scale. In other words, it isn't going to be compatible and it is going to be slightly bigger than N gauge.

Seems like someone is trying to create a new market or that British houses really have become too small for 4mm.

I think I will continue my progression from 4mm to 7mm scale. Much easier to see and you don't need so much of it!

 

[John Edge]

Hi Graham,
That is a pretty good point about houses here, there are lots of new builds happening all around us and none are very large unless you spend absolutely huge amounts of money on them. We sold our old house during the pandemic and it made a decent amount but even since then, prices have rocketed.
For most people, they will need to consolidate themselves and a hobby that takes up less space may have an edge.
However, I really think the main point of British 1/120 is to create a new market!
I’m happy to nail my colours to the mast and say “I’m in”.
Cheers,
John

 

[6991]

OMG !!! Why on earth did I switch from TT to European N-gauge in 1966 (and thence to H0 in 2002) ??? My BEC 5MT (kit) on Triang chassis) was a brilliant loco, a GEM 2251, 57XX and others. I had a great little L-shaped terminus/fiddleyard with WR/SR influence. If Peco had announced this TT-track in 1966 todays MR scene would be significantly different, I humbly suggest.
6991
PS Maybe they are angling for the former GDR market??

 

[Graham Plowman]

OMG !!! Why on earth did I switch from TT to European N-gauge in 1966 (and thence to H0 in 2002) ??? My BEC 5MT (kit) on Triang chassis) was a brilliant loco, a GEM 2251, 57XX and others. I had a great little L-shaped terminus/fiddleyard with WR/SR influence. If Peco had announced this TT-track in 1966 todays MR scene would be significantly different, I humbly suggest.
6991
PS Maybe they are angling for the former GDR market??

I face a similar situation: back in the late 1990's, had Dapol and Heljan been making their current 7mm scale products then, I would probably have gone to 7mm scale then instead of persisting with 4mm.

The benefit of hindsight and 'oh if they had done x then' are wonderful things!!

 

[34C]

Good choice for a 'kick-off' model, covers a very long period of operation.

They also mention the WD Austerity 0-6-0T and a class 08 diesel shunter...

No real surprise there, connecting rods only on the steamer; and I would expect the slimmest outside frames and flycranks to keep the 08 in gauge.

No rolling stock though, not really Heljan's thing... Wonder if any of the retailer's brands will pick up some of this?