Hornby 009

[Angus1996]

With Heljan, Peco and Bachmann expanding their respective 009 narrow gauge ranges, which is reflecting the ever growing interest and demand for this scale, what are the chances of Hornby cashing in on this market and developing their own narrow gauge range?

[LCDR]

 We have been here before.

 

Hornby seem reluctant to venture into anything which doesn't use 16.5mm gauge track, even of the International brands only Arnold does N & TT,  but Electrotren, Jouef, Lima and Rivarossi are firmly HO.

 

There is a surprisingly large following for OO9 because it allows a realistic model railways in a small space, often a boon in modern houses and flats where space is at a premium. The fact that four manufacturers of Ready to Run will have given the scale a boost cannot go unnoticed. (Minitrains do a really useful Alco 2-6-2T, I know I have one)

 

It is still early days but with a good spread of types including the very useful Baldwin 4-6-0T and the L&BR 2-6-2T and the promise of some Quarry Hunslets there will be plenty to go at.

 

I would encourage Hornby to think very hard about putting a toe in the OO9 water. There are still plenty if potential models they might choose as a first go.  Ffestiniog England 0-4-0TT,  and Kerr Stuart 'Tattoo'   0-4-0 ST, for example.

 

Models based in the Talyllyn would make a grand starter series, and for top of the range the NG16 2-6-2-2-6-2 Beyer Garratt as found on the Welsh Highland would make a real stunner!

 

However I suspect we shall be whistling in the wind. 😢

[The son of Triangman]

The problem with OO9 is that OO scale dominates the marketplace. I sincerely doubt Hornby in it's current weakened position would take such a risk.  Tri-ang took the risk with TT and got it's fingers burnt, Hornby have had brieft dabbles with live scale large steam, and OO live steam in the past and other projects but none has proved long lived.  Peco make some OO9 stuff at present, but the cost of their products in OO9 are off putting.

[walkingthedog]

The Bachmann 009 British locos and rolling stock are very nice. Go on Hornby give it a go. 

[LCDR]

 I fully accept the argument that Triang took a step too far with TT3, because it was in direct competition with their existing OO/HO range and did not complement it. If however they had used  the 12mm gauge tracks to convey 4mm scale 3 foot gauge Isle of Man or Irish locomotives and rolling stock I suspect they might have been more successful. TT3 was not sufficiently different to OO to make it worthwhile changing. N gauge on the other hand makes a considerable difference to the space required.

 

Ihe beauty of OO9 is that it can be used on its own as a narrow gauge railway or it can be added as a narrow gauge feeder to a proper OO layout.

[Buz]

Hi Margate-Richmod

That is a strange statement since OO9 & OO are both exactly the same scale down to the last fraction of a mm.

A lot of OO scale product goes onto OO9 layouts including scaledale structures even Hornby trains as an end point a transfer wharf is a common feature on OO9 layouts.

Yes the prices are a bit ouch!! 😢 but the more players out there the cheaper it will get.

 

Hi LC&DR

In this context what is a proper OO layout given they are both OO scale 😆

My answer steam not those new fangled noisy boxes on wheels 😆

My OO9 HOe can't make up my mind which way to go is a tiny 50 cm 40cm. The Norm seems to be about the old 4' X 2' mark but the C & M and C & D R where and are much bigger than that more like what we would expect from a smaller standard gauge layout.

Maybe we could convince Hornby to do a Campbell town and Machranish (spelling) loco, coach, coal wagon and brake van being Pickering rolling stock the information is out there just nothing to scan and measure the railway is long gone.

Like you I don't think I will hold my breath waiting.

I do have to concede the Welsh narrow gauge is a good starting point, but I think both Bachmann and Peco has stolen the march there.

regards John

[LCDR]

In the scheme of things first there was OO (1938 Hornby Dublo) but OO9 (HOe) appeared mid 1960s with firms like Eggerbahn. But OO remained the premier scale/gauge combination for RTR since 1945. More people model in that scale in the UK than any of the others. 

 

Today people are a little more adventurous, and there will alway be the followers of other scales / gauges, with I suspect N gauge running a close second to OO especially because there are a number of manufacturers who produce significant ranges to choose from.

 

TT was a commercial dead end in the UK, although there is a thriving 3mm Association it is very much a system for scratch builders with a few vintage collectors. 

 

Narrow gauge modelling has been until recently the province of scratch and kit builders, but with Peco and Bachmann taking the initiative it seems to have at last to have come out into the general modelling area, with Heljan  doing a little bit. Peco is now talking about a rtr Ffestiniog England 0-4-0STT, and maybe a Farlie to follow.  I suspect this will be the boost that scale has needed.

 

Hornby may indeed ignore all this, and I would not be surprised given their very lukewarm attitude to N gauge. 

 

However OO9 does offer a number of useful advantages, not least a workable and yet realistic layout can be produced in the fraction of the space of a standard OO layout.  Costs unfortunately are not really an advantage, OO9 locomotives and rolling stock are quite expensive when compared to the equivalent OO standard gauge models. However the point I was trying to make in an earlier post is that OO9 can be a stand alone model, OR it can be used in conjunction to the main OO layout, providing a passenger or goods feeder service, or as part of a adjacent scenic  industrial complex.

 

There is indeed the possibility of providing inter-gauge working, using multi-gauge track, or transporter wagons much as was provided by the Leek and Manifold Railway. 

 

[Buz]

Hi LC&DR

Yes the L&M R NO not that one 😆

Did have some interesting stock shed roofed balcony coaches, transporter wagons and Indian looking milk vans

Some nice looking buildings as well.

One of the European manufacturers makes roll bocks and transporter wagons if they are in use your clearances are going to have to be the same as OO so the train can get through.

Would make a very interesting operation moving coal down a narrow gauge line on a transporter wagon.

regards John

[da4472vid]

Id love to see hornby make some 009 locos and stock i run both 00 and 009 on the same layout so if hornby give it ago id buy a few