2023 Catalogues available to pre-order.

[96RAF]

Seen in a GM newsletter.

[Bulleidboy]

Thanks Rob - not sure that I will pre-order - there is usually a deal to be had somewhere nearer the time - perhaps with Hornby Magazine? Barry

[ColinB]

Seeing as very little of the 2021 items have been released and even less of the 2022 items, perhaps we could run a competition as to what to call it, rather than a catalogue.

[Topcat2018]

A tongue-in-cheek comment. Based on the record of releasing actual products, when will the 2023 catalogue be available, 2024, 2025?

[ColinB]

Well Topcat it does make you wonder. I just think the release of the catalogue in January is one of those things that Hornby/Simon has to do. I wonder what model they will "retool" or design from scratch.

[Potterton]

Oh for the good old days when I was a nipper and the Tri-ang Hornby catalogue appeared in the local model shop in January. Just Tri-ang Hornby and just railways and complete with a price list. One thing that has remained in my memory, (can't remember which year, probably 1971 or thereabouts), was a simple 10 ton open wagon was 25p! The good thing was no faffing about with pre-orders and long waits. If it was in the catalogue it was available to buy. Simples!

[ColinB]

It wasn't always like that Potterton, I remember when I was a child in the 60s some things in the catalogue did give a date when then would be available in the shops. They also were usually late with those dates by a month or two. Definitely no preordering. Now we have fictional release dates where the model may come out one or two years later. I find it amazing, like with the new real steam models that they put it in the catalogue when they haven't even built a prototype.

[Simmo009]

I think they should include a section for unfulfilled items from previous catalogues. Given that ahead of this years January announcement there were nearly 300 items outstanding from previous years, it should make a weighty tome, and give people a reasonable expectation of how long things can take to actually become available. For comedy value, they could include the original published release dates.

Do I recall something about them moving away from the One Big Announcement to something more dynamic?

[Topcat2018]

@Potterton

Interesting. UK decimalisation date was 15th of February 1971, so would the January 1971 catalogue have had prices in £-s-d, decimal, or both?

[Going Spare]

I seem to remember there was a transitional period when both pricing formats had to be shown, leading up to and after the changeover date, with £sd and decimal currency acceptable for a period after the changeover but from the changeover day any change had to be given only in decimal coins.

[ellocoloco]

Interesting choice of background loco in the above picture - Rivarossi Henschel Wegmann 4-6-4 and coaches. It was in the range a few years ago - or are they hinting its on its way back?

I used to look forward to the Electrotren catalogue each year but since all the Int'l brands have been grouped together I've lost interest.

[Bulleidboy]

Back in the late fifties there was not the selection you have now. I recall my 0-6-2 tank (N2?) and Duchess of Montrose - these were 3-rail. There were not many more to choose from.

[Potterton]

@ Topcat You said,

"@Potterton

Interesting. UK decimalisation date was 15th of February 1971, so would the January 1971 catalogue have had prices in £-s-d, decimal, or both?"

Good point. I did say "1971 or thereabouts." I was only 10 years old at the time so may have got the exact year wrong. I might still have the relevant catalogue somewhere, (bit doubtful though, although I do still have the scrapbook from my formative years full of train and railway cuttings). I'm going to be away for a few days, but will have a root around when I get back. blush

[Topcat2018]

@Bulleidboy

Back in the fifties when I had my first train set at about 9 years old it was Tri-ang. I didn't like Hornby 3-rail because I thought it looked ridiculous, not at all like the real thing. The "layout" (which was never permanent, just assembled on the lino in the front room when required) consisted of an oval and one siding. The track consisted of a chunky grey plastic base with sleepers and ballast moulded into it, so it was quite stable. The rolling stock consisted of a Princess Elizabeth loco in BR livery, a tank engine, a couple of coaches and some wagons. The only wagon I can remember was a flatbed with two cable drums on the back marked "BICC" (British Insulated and Calendar's Cables).

The layout was powered by a 12 volt power supply the size of a brick containing a transformer and a selenium rectifier (no silicon rectifiers in those days) and controlled by a Tri-ang rheostat controller.

Princess Elizabeth would never go round corners without the front bogie derailing, so I unscrewed it and ran the loco without.

[Topcat2018]

@Bulleidboy

Back in the fifties when I had my first train set at about 9 years old it was Tri-ang. I didn't like Hornby 3-rail because I thought it looked totally wrong, real railways don't have three rails. The "layout" (which was never permanent, just assembled on the lino in the front room when required) consisted of an oval and one siding. The track consisted of a chunky grey plastic base with sleepers and ballast moulded into it, so it was quite stable. The rolling stock consisted of a Princess Elizabeth loco in BR livery, a tank engine, a couple of coaches and some wagons. The only wagon I can remember was a flatbed with two cable drums on the back marked "BICC" (British Insulated and Calendar's Cables).

The layout was powered by a 12 volt power supply the size of a brick containing a transformer and a selenium rectifier (no silicon rectifiers in those days) and controlled by a Tri-ang rheostat controller.

Princess Elizabeth would never go round corners without the front bogie derailing, so I unscrewed it and ran the loco without.