Live Steam

"Rob Kemp" wrote

It was never going to be a replacement for electric propulsion because of the lack of practicality to fit it to small shunting locos, and because of the chosen system's incompatibility with either conventional analogue or DCC systems.

I was always of the opinion that it was a commercial blind alley, and that it would have a relatively short shelf life as with most 'novelty' items. I don't really expect Hornby to develop the range much, if any, further.

Having said all of that Hornby claim that the publicity they achieved far outwayed the development costs, so in that respects I guess they backed a winner - at least in the short term.

John.

Yep, I kinda thought that John, shame though, as a stand alone layout it is kind of fun. I do like the smell of hot oil and steam in the basement. You going to selling them off cheap then :-) Rob

"Rob Kemp" wrote

There's still a very small demand - so we keep a solitary set and a single loco in stock at all times. They're much better value now that Hornby have now heavily discounted the price of the A4s.

John.

Really?

Tell that to the guy who builds OO9 narrow gauge live steam models:

one of the conventions in 2004.

What one enthusiast does for themselves does not make something a practical commercial proposition; either for manufacture or use by a typical home enthusiast owner. (And the model above is nothing like the smallest live steam model; smallest I know of is Arthur Sherwood of Australia who produced working live steam models at 1:240th scale).

If the work of one enthusiast dictated the commercial production, we'd have

1:240 live steam, and 1:480 electric propulsion rather than the more normal OO. (And have lost most of the models up the hoover !)

- Nigel

"Nigel Cliffe" wrote

Exactly, I would have said just that if you'd not beaten me to it.

John.

Happy looking chap! :-)

On 17/04/2007 18:03, Rob Kemp said,

You sure that isn't a chapesse?

Yeah, now you mention it, what is it? Rob