TT at Model World Birmingham Live

[Moccasin]

The 66 is interesting. It was originally due late last year but is now arriving a year late. Did they take a few steps back to try to widen its appeal/scope?  It was always a cheap model too - cheaper than the 08 and below £100 at launch.

[GMD]

I think the 66 was delayed largely because they gave its slots away to the second batch of Easterner and Scotsman sets. It certainly seems to have benefitted from the upgrades that are coming on stream, compared to the first locos, and yes, for those who were prudent enough to get in with quicks orders - an absolute steal! 

 

[Generic Hornby Username]

33 minutes ago, GMD said:

I think the 66 was delayed largely because they gave its slots away to the second batch of Easterner and Scotsman sets. It certainly seems to have benefitted from the upgrades that are coming on stream, compared to the first locos, and yes, for those who were prudent enough to get in with quicks orders - an absolute steal! 

 

Agreed. I also remember that employees from Hornby’s European division sent over additional materials on European Class 66 variants. In order to incorporate these additional variants, the roll out had to be slowed. 
 

I’m thinking these Class 66s could sell several thousands copies. There’s a possibility that this ends up being the most successful TT tooling thanks to the affordable price, many liveries, and European appeal. 

[Rallymatt]

I genuinely think the BR Standard 9F will be the best ever….. I mean imagine all those rods and that valve gear, all those wheels, all that black paint that huge tender….. every home will want one 😁

[Generic Hornby Username]

8 minutes ago, Rallymatt said:

I genuinely think the BR Standard 9F will be the best ever….. I mean imagine all those rods and that valve gear, all those wheels, all that black paint that huge tender….. every home will want one 😁

That’s the steam locomotive I’m looking forward to most- it’s a must purchase!
 

9F for High Fell! 😆

[Silver Fox 17]

42 minutes ago, Rallymatt said:

I genuinely think the BR Standard 9F will be the best ever….. I mean imagine all those rods and that valve gear, all those wheels, all that black paint that huge tender….. every home will want one 😁

What about all the green with Evening Star too?

[ntpntpntp]

26 minutes ago, Silver Fox 17 said:

What about all the green with Evening Star too?

Got to have one of those in TT to go with my N and OO versions 🙂  Good old original 1971 shiny green version in OO, but it's what I had and loved as a kid in the 70s so had to get hold of another 🙂 

[Moccasin]

I got a second hand Hornby Evening Star as a youngster after being hauled by it at the NYMR but it never ran very well. The 66 version is on order so having the 9F as well will be good. I hope they announce it soon, maybe in the autumn?

[Rallymatt]

Black, grubby and hard working …. It’s the only way a 9f should be 🤣, Evening Star is a hero loco though 

[Tim Allen]

5 hours ago, Peachy said:

@Dave the Busker I agree, although I get the feeling the 70’s 80’s & 90’s might be where they shift their focus. Perhaps the lack of interest of the era11 HST (compared to the era 7&8 versions) might put them off of the really modern stuff?

I mentioned this when I spoke to them Saturday. I asked if the 1980s BR stuff had wider appeal / easer to sell as some folk like to model their area, if I bought some modern locos / coaches it would be EMR, Cross Country and Northern who cover where I live. I was told that they are looking to release modern regional liveries "later on".  Seeing as era 7 & 8 HSTs are popular it seems logical an APT should be considered (I would pre-order right now if they did!).

 

[PeterM67]

BR blue works for me especially anything reasonably region agnostic so there would have been a possibility of seeing it run in the western region. The era 7 & 8 HSTs fall into this camp although they have eastern running numbers but I can tolerate this aberration as long as I don't look too closely 😂

I can understand that more modern stuff due to the regional liveries could be a little more problematic. I was happy to buy a GWR Green HST as it made sense but if it had been launched in GNER blue it is unlikely I would have placed that order simply due to the livery being wrong. Paradoxically if they launched a TT120 version of something like a Javelin or a Flirt I might be tempted simply down to them being interesting even though I would never see one running locally.

As for running steam - I was 1 year old in the last days of steam so have no nostalgic memories of steam trains. I'm happy to run them but I think it makes me a little more tolerant of things from out of region which is probably a good thing given the Eastern region bias we currently have 😂

[PeterM67]

BR blue works for me especially anything reasonably region agnostic so there would have been a possibility of seeing it run in the western region. The era 7 & 8 HSTs fall into this camp although they have eastern running numbers but I can tolerate this aberration as long as I don't look too closely 😂

I can understand that more modern stuff due to the regional liveries could be a little more problematic. I was happy to buy a GWR Green HST as it made sense but if it had been launched in GNER blue it is unlikely I would have placed that order simply due to the livery being wrong. Paradoxically if they launched a TT120 version of something like a Javelin or a Flirt I might be tempted simply down to them being interesting even though I would never see one running locally.

As for running steam - I was 1 year old in the last days of steam so have no nostalgic memories of steam trains. I'm happy to run them but I think it makes me a little more tolerant of things from out of region which is probably a good thing given the Eastern region bias we currently have 😂

[BritInVanCA]

Selfishly I hope they don't focus too much on modern image. I know they need to catch up and grab those modelers but I have no interest in non-steam. I never saw steam in service but my modelling has always been steam probably influenced by my father. 

I did order the era 5 08 in a moment of weakness when no steam shunter seemed imminent but that is it. I'm not cancelling it because I still think it might come out first.  

[moawkwrd]

Ditto, no real interest in modern stuff for me. I’ve no interest in capturing what I see now on the railway. It’s too boring.

[Silver Fox 17]

8 hours ago, Rallymatt said:

Black, grubby and hard working …. It’s the only way a 9f should be 🤣, Evening Star is a hero loco though 

I agree and hopefully I will be able to get both.

Evening Star did not last long enough in BR days to get grubby, 5 years I think.

Edited April 30 by Silver Fox 17

[taunmarc88]

I’ve found it quite hard to stick with one time period, I identify least with 70s/80s era as I was born in 88. I prefer steam myself but I’m also captured by modern image locos that I have seen even though I had I been asking prior to starting in TT if I would buy them I’d likely say no. I’m so impressed that some of you are adamantly sticking to one period - the way I see it if I buy too many locos I will be unable to buy lots of stock for them to pull. I love High Fell’s long trains so perhaps less locos and more stock is a good way to go. It’s hard not to be tempted to preorder a load more locos though.

[Moccasin]

12 minutes ago, taunmarc88 said:

I identify least with 70s/80s era as I was born in 88

Go and wash your mouth out young whippersnapper. 

[Rallymatt]

With the range in its infancy it’s hard with TT:120 to be too picky on era correct locos and stock. That will get easier as more new models arrive. I have gone for a general mid 60’s period because there was a good range and there was a level of flexibility at the ends, early/late crest locos steam locos and even early blue diesels and a few coach liveries (although I have ended up with all maroon due to a couple of s/h bargains I couldn’t refuse!) It’s also been useful for me to aim at an ‘era’ to help set the feel of High Fell and keep spending in check, but anyone can do whatever takes their fancy. To me TT:120 means in the space I have can mean some longer trains, although they are still half the length of the real thing! 
Out of likes but in full agreement @Moccasin 🤣

Edited April 30 by Rallymatt

[PeterM67]

There will one day be a 9F Evening Star in my collection being one of the iconic "must haves". Will I get a black one for freight duties? Who knows although from experience I suffer a bit of mission creep with my purchases so there is a high probability 😂

With TT120 especially in these early days I think having an eclectic mix and am open mind is helpful hence a lot of A1, A3 and A4s when in an ideal world I would have probably just got a Mallard and a Flying Scotsman. It will be interesting to see what my collection will look like in a few years. I suspect over time it will become more biased towards diesels and electric locomotives with a more modern look. However I remember watching the "Hornby a model world" episode where they interviewed Jules Holland and he was asked what he ran. Basically he had an eclectic mix but what was run on a particular day would match - this appealed to me 😃

[Rallymatt]

1 hour ago, Silver Fox 17 said:

I agree and hopefully I will be able to get both.

Evening Star did not last long enough in BR days to get grubby, 5 years I think.

Quite a few 9fs barely made double digit service life. BR banning mainline steam in ‘68 was a hard cut off but probably the best plan or things would have dragged out over decades. It’s incredible to think the many diesels have had way longer in service than many steam classes, 125 much longer than A4s. 

[Moccasin]

Many 37s and 47s introduced in 1960 onwards are still going strong so are over 60 years old. Even the 91s could reach their 40th birthday.

I was reflecting the other day that the 91s have aged well in terms of how they look, particularly with LNER’s oxblood livery. Unless that’s my unconscious bias towards the 80s-90s era locomotives?!

[Kenneth-365689]

Getting back to Model World Birmingham, and all of @PeachyTT120's promises of the 'Bright New Future' which I really do hope will come to fruition, the Elephant in the Room, for me at least, was so far in this thread I haven't heard anything regarding Peco's forward plans in TT120. Did I miss something? 🤔🚂🚃 or are there more 7 planks on the way. I want some of the Colmans but can't find any in my local stockists. 

[GMD]

That's a good point @Kenneth-365689. Next up is certainly their signals. What comes after that is less clear. I do know that they were pleased with the sales of their wagons, so I would hope they are investing further in TT. However being all-british based for manufacturing means they are not always able to be speedy in terms of production. 

[Rallymatt]

Not seen anyone covering Peco at KMWL, did Peco have a stand? I don’t think it’s a case of being a British manufacturer means you can’t be speedy, perhaps it’s more a case of demand on existing products is taking priority. 

[Silver Fox 17]

Peco told me at the York show they had plans for some different wagons but wanted to wait and see what Hornby were going to bring out.  I cannot see anything Hornby have mentioned would be worrying them due to the era's planned.