Hornby 2022/23

[RodTT]

Here in the UK there's currenty a TV series about Hornby. One of the episodes a couple of weeks back featured their venture into TT and particularly the design and build of the Flying Scotsman. The shooting for the program had obviously been going on for some time, though some of it was obviously carefully rehearsed and some of the scenes must have been 'backdated'. Even so I'm just amazed they managed to keep it all such a secret until the launch.

[Bill Dixon]

It was a nice day, sunny, no rain, not much wind so I dragged two tables up to the sundeck and set up my Hornby TT train sets.

The inner curve is the R3 from the train set. The outer R4.
Both trains ran well. The Blink Bonny from the Scotsman set has a basic ESU decoder. The William Whitelaw from the Easterner train set currently has a SoundTraxx North American steam decoder. Neither will easily MU with each other. When the adapters I have ordered arrive, both will be changed to SoundTraxx UK Steam decoders. When they are finally available I will try the Hornby Blue Tooth decoders.
The display needs to be a bit longer so I will be ordering some more straights.
Setting up like this with loose track on the table top is not ideal. I may have to make a proper 3'6" x 5'6" layout surface to mount the track to.

20230221_152711.jpg (22.34 KiB) Viewed 483 times

I set up a few of the building I purchased. I learned that the station needs to be on a platform about 1/2" thick. Will check basswood pieces at the store.
A three car train is about right for the inside loop. Four cars might work as well.
Five cars is too long for the outside loop.

20230221_Hornby TT120 Test.mp4

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This video plus another one showing the trains running backwards has been posted on Youtube.

The weather stayed good until after 4 PM, then the sun went behind clouds, rain started and a cold wind came up. It went from cool shirtsleeve weather to F'n COLD. Did a fast pack up and went inside.

Still it was a great day. I got to run in both my train sets and test the display for Nanaimo.

[ConducTTor]

Bill what's the link to your YT channel?

[Richard-B]

From Railway Modeller [UK] 2023-03 issue:

A VERY interesting backgrounder on Hornby's TT 120 launch... and the thinking behind it:

Hornby TT 120 RM-2023-03.pdf

Hornby TT - RM_2023-03

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...and a review of the Hornby Scotsman start set:

Hornby Scotsman in TT RM-2023-03.pdf

Hornby Scotsman RM_2023-03

(1.94 MiB) Downloaded 10 times

[ConducTTor]

Cool interview. It makes me more confident that this will be a success.

[Richard-B]

It makes me more confident that this will be a success.

I suspect this is the largest single investment EVER in TT-scale...

[ConducTTor]

Without a doubt. They're doing it the only way for possible success: BIG. It's what we've been talking about for over a decade - you have to basically provide a full line or nobody will be interested enough to get the scale off the ground. Maybe a decade from now one of the NA manufacturers (fingers crossed it's Rapido) will do the same. Until then we have a small but wonderful selection from our favorite cottage industry members

[Marquette]

Maybe a decade from now one of the NA manufacturers (fingers crossed it's Rapido) will do the same.

That's part of why I hope Hornby's will be a resounding success.

[ConducTTor]

^^^ exactly

[TiTan downunder]

interesting news - elriwa.de are advertising Hornby TT available for forward order.

> Damit wir den aktuellen Bedarf genau ermitteln können, bieten wir Ihnen bis zum 13.03.2023 Vorbestellpreise an und bitten bei Interesse um Ihre Vorbestellung

>> bing translates as = So that we can determine the current demand exactly, we offer you pre-order prices until 13.03.2023 and ask for your pre-order if you are interested.

Ian