TT120 Rambler interview with Martyn & Carl

[StuLarge]

YouTube Link

Another interesting interview. I think this is a great way to engage with customers.

Martyn offers a good insight in to the business decisions which I find really interesting. 

Be patient, be patient 🙏🏼 

[Generic Hornby Username]

Another great interview! For someone with little to no experience interviewing on YouTube, I thought he performed very well. I was pleasantly surprised. Martyn and Carl were excellent again. This communication is fantastic. I was not expecting this, so I'm very pleased. 

A few key takeaways...

1) J50 Sound- I was not expecting this! This makes these models significantly more attractive. Obviously, we're going to need to wait even longer for an undesigned 6 Pin decoder with sound. That could be a while. However, the fact they're designing it with this capability is really good news. 

2) Class 47- Seems like the Class 47 is just about to enter the design stage. As someone really looking forward to the 47, it's a bit sad. However, Hornby's plate is full right now. The Class 37 can tide me over! 

3) Powerbank Improvement- This is welcome! I'm happy to see them shrinking it down.

4) New locomotives- It seems they have 4 new locomotives in the design stage. This includes two models that haven't been announced yet. Those will be a complete surprise. No clue as to what those are!

5) Eurostar- It's good to hear they're thinking about this. I'm really hoping they move forward a Eurostar. If they want to increase the addressable market, they should do the e320/Class 374 version of the Eurostar. That's the ticket for getting into Germany. Why? Because it is the same design, with a few modifications, as the DB 407/408 trains. That way you are getting the Eurostar model that travels in Britain, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium. He reasonably argued that the market for French TT is more limited. But when you couple the potential for the DB 407/408 trains that operate in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Belgium, you have a bigger addressable market. The German market is the one with the most potential. DB 407/408s are going to be in service for decades to come. With the last DB 408 set to arrive in 2029, they could be use in the 2050s. 

I will continue my crusade for the Class 374 (or 373, but it has less international opportunity) unabated! Here is a picture of the e320, DB407/408, and a Turkish variant hanging out for a photo at the Siemens factory. 

https://assets.new.siemens.com/siemens/assets/api/uuid:9671c693db4f342feafeb174cee0d81b9e600e3b/width:1920/quality:high/Year-of-Rail.jpg

[Hobby11]

I'd suggest that a DB407/8 would be an Arnold model, not Hornby, with a UK Eurostar version. Though I suspect that Tillig may be the obvious manufacturer with a view to dipping their toe into the UK market with a Eurostar version.

Edited May 10 by Hobby11

[Rallymatt]

You could argue UK had also had a very limited TT market 2years ago. A Jouef TT:120 branded box with a French Eurostar in TT could be an excellent low cost way to open up the French market to TT, especially if it was ready for Christmas

[Herbie]

Not sure what radius the wheels in that photo would be able to cope with. Doesn't look like much movement is possible.

Smaller power bank sounds good, even if it doesn't last as long.

[96RAF]

1 hour ago, Herbie said:

Smaller power bank sounds good, even if it doesn't last as long.

If not the same capacity it will likely be using step up tech for the output voltage. Not sure what effect that will have on support time.

[ntpntpntp]

My ears pricked up at the mention of traction tyred wheelsets for the European class 66s 🙂   Hoping those will be available as parts to retrofit to the UK models? 

[Rallymatt]

It would be sensible option Nick, most the European makers offer replacement wheel sets in plain and traction tyred versions. Option in the box would be ideal. 

[Silver Fox 17]

29 minutes ago, Rallymatt said:

It would be sensible option Nick, most the European makers offer replacement wheel sets in plain and traction tyred versions. Option in the box would be ideal. 

Thats interesting, I did not know European makers offer non tyred replacements. I will have to look into that for steam locos as I don't have tyred locos.

[Hobby11]

2 hours ago, Rallymatt said:

. Option in the box would be ideal. 

I doubt we'll see that. Too much to go wrong, they'd spend all their time sorting out when things have gone wrong when changing them! You might be able to do it but the majority of new modellers will just name a mess. It'll also add to the cost. Same reason as ckd kits won't reappear.

Edited May 10 by Hobby11

[Generic Hornby Username]

5 hours ago, Herbie said:

Not sure what radius the wheels in that photo would be able to cope with. Doesn't look like much movement is possible.

Smaller power bank sounds good, even if it doesn't last as long.

You’re right that some compromise would be necessary. Something akin to what Marklin and PECO did in their HO ICE 4 trains. You can see in this video part of the body is moveable. It allows the train to take tight curves. The same would be necessary in a variant such as this.

 

 

[ntpntpntp]

1 hour ago, Generic Hornby Username said:

Something akin to what Marklin and PECO did in their HO ICE 4 trains

Piko  (not PECO) 🙂   

In N gauge the ICE 3 models by Arnold can handle reasonably tight radii perfectly well.  Kato's ICE 4 had a little problem on my layout, but only the fairings around the bogies on the driving ends (no problem with the intermediate coaches).   A bit of careful cutting away of material on the inside improved things 🙂 

[Too Tall]

Also the fact the new "Powerbank" is around 30% smaller is a nice bonus ... now just need them to be in stock ... at least that explains why they aren't 😄

[happy tt]

😊i  am glad he asked about the class 50 in gbrf , that's the one i wanted  to get  ,a very good interview with

carl and martyn , four   new locos and different class 66 for the european market plus a class j50 with sound . I love my euro rolling stock so more 66s to get .

i find myself saying no more lol for now 😃 and then class 37s by end 2025 and then followed in 2026 by a class

(             )let  your mind run wild  a class 92 or a warship class 26 or 27  in g n e r , green or br black  plus rolling stock  who know's  im glad they are small so easy to  store for now 😊

[Rallymatt]

@Hobby11 I think the plan is to offer both options in the ‘Arnold’ version of 66. 
@Silver Fox 17, Garry, only 1 axle on my diesels has a tyred wheel, I’m not sure on Steam as don’t have any maybe @ntpntpntp would know (they are probably same in N) So to convert to either tyred or non-tyred is just a case of ordering the appropriate spare parts and swapping. I was thinking of removing the tyred wheels on my continental diesels when I had a lot of trouble obtaining the tyres in UK.  I might still experiment with it as I don’t have any inclines and the locos are all quite weighty 

[Silver Fox 17]

41 minutes ago, Rallymatt said:

Garry, only 1 axle on my diesels has a tyred wheel, I’m not sure on Steam as don’t have any

Thanks Matt, I will see what turns up and then look for spares.

[LetsMakeTracks]

Hello everyone, Just stumbled across this discussion.

Thank you so much for your feedback, I am always looking to improve my content so any constructive feedback is always welcome 🙂

[Generic Hornby Username]

2 hours ago, ntpntpntp said:

Piko  (not PECO) 🙂   

In N gauge the ICE 3 models by Arnold can handle reasonably tight radii perfectly well.  Kato's ICE 4 had a little problem on my layout, but only the fairings around the bogies on the driving ends (no problem with the intermediate coaches).   A bit of careful cutting away of material on the inside improved things 🙂 

Good catch! It was only a matter of time before I made that mistake! 😂

[ntpntpntp]

3 hours ago, Rallymatt said:

I’m not sure on [tyred / non-tyred replacement wheelsets for] Steam as don’t have any maybe @ntpntpntp would know (they are probably same in N)

To be honest the only N locos I've come across where alternative wheelsets have been available are some of the Graham Farish tender drive models and I think the old Peco Collett Goods loco (also tender drive).  I don't recall seeing any for diesels or electrics nor for steam locos.  Never seen any such alternatives for my European N models either.

Edited May 10 by ntpntpntp

[SMR248]

I have a N scale Lifelike American 0-8-0 steam loco which came with both types of wheel (this is not tender drive).

[Hobby11]

Some of the Minitrix range of steamers had traction tyres, their ten coupled locos did, for instance. TBH they were a pain on the one I had and if I hadn't sold it on I was going to replace the axle with a non-tyred version. I'm in the "they aren't needed" camp!

[ntpntpntp]

4 hours ago, Hobby11 said:

Some of the Minitrix range of steamers had traction tyres, their ten coupled locos did, for instance.

Yes indeed many of them do, as do Fleischmann, Arnold, Roco and others in my collection of several dozen.  I'd say they are relatively common on European models other than on tank locos and diesel shunters where obviously you need maximum pickup capability.    I've never had any problems with them, they're easy enough to replace on tender drive or loco drive when necessary, though they last for many years if not abused 🙂  The improvement in haulage is very noticeable and I'm definitely in the "love them" camp! 

Edited May 11 by ntpntpntp

[Silver Fox 17]

On 10/05/2024 at 18:30, Rallymatt said:

Garry, only 1 axle on my diesels has a tyred wheel, I’m not sure on Steam as don’t have any

Matt, I received this today from Piko.  I will have to see how the loco goes and think of ways to do away with the tyres. I may be able to fit some metal rings in place but until the loco comes I wont know.

"It is not supposed to change the wheels to ones without traction tyre. So there is no fitting wheel set for this loco without the traction tyre."

[Rallymatt]

Do they have a spare parts list Garry? With a steam loco there could be differences between the wheel sets other than the traction tyres, so there isn’t a driving wheel without the tyre that could replace the standard rubber tyred one. It’s obviously a lot easier on a diesel 🤣

Manufacturers often say something isn’t possible (or permitted in Germany) but it is 😁

[Silver Fox 17]

2 minutes ago, Rallymatt said:

Do they have a spare parts list Garry? With a steam loco there could be differences between the wheel sets other than the traction tyres, so there isn’t a driving wheel without the tyre that could replace the standard rubber tyred one. It’s obviously a lot easier on a diesel 🤣

Manufacturers often say something isn’t possible (or permitted in Germany) but it is 😁

Yes there is a spares list but will have to look later. 

Even here some manufactures will say something is not possible but I/we do it so I am not ruling anything out yet, just hoped they had spares in. The only issue I can think of is the tyred set has different length crankpins which would be an issue. If it were balance weights I would not be bothered about things like that.