Hornby DCC again.

Dont be hesitant, tell us what you really think.

Simon

Is this the set with ye olde inside framed 08 and a Jinty? - wagons selected using the " what have we got overstocks of" methodology ;-)

wrote

Yeah, that's the one.

John.

Can anyone explain the logic behind Hornby Boxed Set R1066? Did LMS 8Fs ever actually haul Pullmans?

The message from MartinS contains these words:

Don't knock the Stanier 8F! I've got a photo somewhere (in an old Railway Magazine) of a pair of 8Fs on the Royal Train...None of yer cheap Pullman rubbish!

I am not an expert of matters midland, but 8F's did haul the royal train on occaision, and on the S&D at least, 8F's did haul the odd passenger train.

Did LMS have any Pullman trains?

The first of the Hornby DCC trainsets came into stock today. I can't be arsed to test one though as it's only got one of their cheap & nasty little locs in, and it's only the very basic DCC controller.

Well if it's so " cheap & nasty " how about donating a set to my son ..... he'd love it !

Chris

"Dragon Heart" wrote

I said cheap not free! ;-)

John.

John Turner wrote: "Dragon Heart" wrote

Well if it's so " cheap & nasty " how about donating a set to my son ..... he'd love it !

I said cheap not free! ;-)

Yes John !

By " cheap & nasty " I assume you as saying ' no unnecessary bits to fall off or get broken by a child & a simple to use basic controller that's child's play to use '

My son will be delighted ( and so will I ) if we get a set that runs direct from the box. I have a feeling Hornby have released this set as a bit of a ' shake down cruise ' like they have on new liners.

The 'Mixed Goods' set has two ' basic' loco's that are tried and tested, a few trucks, an oval of track and a siding what more could a young child, new to model railways, want ?

"Dragon Heart" wrote

I remember as a young kid in the 1950s getting an Hornby Dublo 3-rail 'Duchess of Montrose' train set for Christmas, whilst my best mate got a Tri-ang 'Priness Elizabeth' set.

I ridiculed him for having an underscale length loco, whilst he retorted saying that a real 'Duchess' didn't need 3-rail track!

We'd be about 6 or 7 years old at the time, so to suggest that youngsters are not aware of the inadequacies of any particular model is to underestimate their knowledge, or ability to research their 'toys'.

The 08 shunter included with the 'Mixed Goods' set is an absolute abortion when it comes to prototype fidelity. Don't be surprised if your son realises that it should have outside frames!

John.

Good grief, are they still making that one? It must be 50 years old now.

It has been updated a couple of times (last time in the late 70's I think) but it is essentially the same model.

John Turner wrote: "Dragon Heart" wrote

The 'Mixed Goods' set has two ' basic' loco's that are tried and tested, a few trucks, an oval of track and a siding what more could a young child, new to model railways, want ?

I remember as a young kid in the 1950s getting an Hornby Dublo 3-rail 'Duchess of Montrose' train set for Christmas, whilst my best mate got a Tri-ang 'Priness Elizabeth' set.

I ridiculed him for having an underscale length loco, whilst he retorted saying that a real 'Duchess' didn't need 3-rail track!

We'd be about 6 or 7 years old at the time, so to suggest that youngsters are not aware of the inadequacies of any particular model is to underestimate their knowledge, or ability to research their 'toys'.

The 08 shunter included with the 'Mixed Goods' set is an absolute abortion when it comes to prototype fidelity. Don't be surprised if your son realises that it should have outside frames!

Hi John

Perhaps I should mention our son is Autistic ! He has got a very tidy mind with an almost photographic ability but I am sure he will be very happy with anything 'train' related for Christmas.

You may well be right ! Are children of today less grateful for their toys ? At the same age you say you received your '3 rail' set I was still an 'only child' and was over the moon at my Mum & Dad getting me a second hand '3 rail' set for my birthday. Even after getting a Scalextric set ( and a brother ) I still used to play with the train set having run around the inside of the car track.

I enjoy building the layout for our son, it's mostly 2nd hand bits with a few donations from a neighbour who's son is now 30. The engine shed and bridge is made of wood off cuts, brick effect printed labels, some textured paint and a sheet of A4 laminate for the windows & roof lights.

The DCC set we saw at The NRM in York priced at =A3132 was not good value but the one due in at Rails Of Sheffield for =A395.50 is !

Model railways is like a lot of other hobbies ...... I recall the heated debates between owners of Honda & Suzuki motorbikes and those between owners of Amiga & Atati computers ..... but at the end of the day the hobby is made up of people who want different things. Whilst you and others may crave perfection my son simply wants a train set that he can play with without our help.

Chris

"Dragon Heart" wrote

Hi Chris,

We have several autistic children as customers and they are generally a delight to deal with as they tend to know EXACTLY what they want. We have a couple in their teens who are both Thomas-the-Tank engine obsessives, and are currently waiting keenly for 'Emily' to appear.

The NRM do not offer value-for-money in their sales shop, but use the profits to further the hobby, so in that respect I suspect they get support from some quarters.

I'm told that Hornby have now sold out of this digital starter set, so if you're commited to buying one then I'd go for it without delay. Once current stocks are sold out it's unlikely there will be more before Christmas.

John.

John, is there any shortage of the Bachmann Digital Starter Freight set, the one with the Class 25 diesel?

(kim)

Before I realised the elite had a computer interface I was going to get this as my DCC set. Plenty of features and a Hornby Jinty as well (would have dumped the diesel cos its a diesel). have mentioned before that the jinty is a lovely runner as a shunter - does benefit from some extra wieght though. Mine is permanently on the layout to move wagons etc about. Suprised you think a significant number of 6-7 year olds require such detail. Having never seen one - although keeping an eye rebuilding the one in GC's Loughborough shed - even I'm not really bothered about the detail. Anyway could always add a few bits - at that price can afford to rebuild and heavily weather it as an added bonus of pleasure. Go for it ..

(The Bachmann Jinty doesnt come out of its box, maybe it will get a new motor/gearset one day).

Simon

John Turner wrote: "Dragon Heart" wrote

Perhaps I should mention our son is Autistic ! He has got a very tidy mind with an almost photographic ability but I am sure he will be very happy with anything 'train' related for Christmas.

Hi Chris,

We have several autistic children as customers and they are generally a delight to deal with as they tend to know EXACTLY what they want. We have a couple in their teens who are both Thomas-the-Tank engine obsessives, and are currently waiting keenly for 'Emily' to appear.

The DCC set we saw at The NRM in York priced at =A3132 was not good value

The NRM do not offer value-for-money in their sales shop, but use the profits to further the hobby, so in that respect I suspect they get support from some quarters.

I'm told that Hornby have now sold out of this digital starter set, so if you're commited to buying one then I'd go for it without delay. Once current stocks are sold out it's unlikely there will be more before Christmas.

Hi John

I accept the NRM sell all their model railway stock at the manufacturers recommended retail price ( or what ever they call it these days ) and I also accept why they do it, what other exhibition of that size and quality can you visit for free these days ?

I was simply attempting to illustrate that for a little under =A395 via an Internet shop you could have two loco's, chipped and ready to run, plus a simple controller, trucks and track ( I think you also get the new track mat ).

When we visit model rail shows with our son people are amazed he is autistic, many of the other children keep having to be told to keep off the layouts but our little nipper is as good as gold .... except when it's time to go ... then he sometimes gets upsets as he's enjoying himself so much.

We were surprised to find out last year in a show in Derby ( I think as we visit so many ) that many of the exhibitors had some connecting to teaching or caring for autistic and other special needs children. Must be the therapeutic effect of the hobby that keeps them calm.

I think autistic children have a 'thing' for railways because one of their traits can be to line toys or other objects up.

Thanks for the advise, still waiting for Rails of Sheffield to get their stock in !

Chris

"kim" wrote

Do you mean the Bachmann one? If so there should be no shortage of these, but that does have the rather naff early Bachmann DCC trainset controller.

John.