Hornby Announce TT120

[Georgeconna]

Just came out a short time back.

Loco look very nice too. only Available on line from the Big H.

Now was there not a Accurascale box with TT marked on it doing the rounds :).

Seems to be the next big thing to make a few quid off of with Peco, Heljan etc starting the flow.

Hope it kicks off would be a nice thing to have choice of this year ago as a 125 in this scale would be Ace.

 

 

[DoctorPan]

More of interest will the supply of chassis for 00n3 models. How long before we see Swilly tanks  using these new TT models as a basis.

[jhb171achill]

54 minutes ago, DoctorPan said:

More of interest will the supply of chassis for 00n3 models. How long before we see Swilly tanks  using these new TT models as a basis.

Very good thinking indeed - or donor chassis for 141s in that scale? It's interesting to look at my own available layout space and imagine what extra could have been included at 3mm scale. It's probably an ideal scale for portable mini-shunting layouts.

[murphaph]

It's a brilliant scale. I have always liked it (you see a lot of it here in the east of Germany as it was popular in the little GDR flats I presume).

[connollystn]

What a boring video, it's enough to put me off railway modeling forever! The guy interviewing the Hornby fella seems to be as interested in the subject matter as I am in womens formula one motor racing.

Have been to lots of model shops in Germany and don't recall ever seeing TT scale models. I'm too invested in OO/HO to consider changing down scale, however, if I was starting out again it'd be something I'd consider.

[Galteemore]

Should make some very nice layouts with proper length trains - not always easy in 4mm in modern houses with smaller space. 

Edited October 12, 2022 by Galteemore

[murphaph]

31 minutes ago, connollystn said:

What a boring video, it's enough to put me off railway modeling forever! The guy interviewing the Hornby fella seems to be as interested in the subject matter as I am in womens formula one motor racing.

Have been to lots of model shops in Germany and don't recall ever seeing TT scale models. I'm too invested in OO/HO to consider changing down scale, however, if I was starting out again it'd be something I'd consider.

I am assuming you haven't visited any model shops in the former east. Here's a website from a shop based in Saxony for example:

https://www.elriwa.de/Produkte/Loks/Spur-TT/

Even in the local "Toys R Us" type shop here the TT selection is about the same size as the H0 one.

[jhb171achill]

4 hours ago, connollystn said:

What a boring video, it's enough to put me off railway modeling forever! The guy interviewing the Hornby fella seems to be as interested in the subject matter as I am in womens formula one motor racing.

Have been to lots of model shops in Germany and don't recall ever seeing TT scale models. I'm too invested in OO/HO to consider changing down scale, however, if I was starting out again it'd be something I'd consider.

Couldn't agree more! Great scale, great models, truly awful interviewer and interviewee.................

[Horsetan]

On 10/10/2022 at 3:20 PM, murphaph said:

It's a brilliant scale. I have always liked it (you see a lot of it here in the east of Germany as it was popular in the little GDR flats I presume).

Tillig were long time leaders in Continental TT for many years. Roco also invested millions in the scale.

[irishthump]

50 minutes ago, Horsetan said:

Tillig were long time leaders in Continental TT for many years. Roco also invested millions in the scale.

Tillig make some lovely stuff. I seriously considered TT when I was getting back into the hobby, the only issue was availability.

[Horsetan]

11 hours ago, irishthump said:

Tillig make some lovely stuff. I seriously considered TT when I was getting back into the hobby, the only issue was availability.

It seems to me that TT, pound for pound, works out more expensive than HO.... Not by much, but the price tags are still sobering. 

[BosKonay]

Helena have also now backed out.

 

[murphaph]

That's a real shame but who could blame them.

[connollystn]

I've a feeling that Hornby aren't very good at coming up with their own ideas. IRM won't have to worry about competing with them in the Irish market, at least.

[jhb171achill]

28 minutes ago, connollystn said:

I've a feeling that Hornby aren't very good at coming up with their own ideas. IRM won't have to worry about competing with them in the Irish market, at least.

Not the first time, evidently, that Hornby have ridden on the coat-trails of someone else's initiative. However, maybe IRM will be the first with Irish TT stuff!

There was a layout in 3mm scale, which I am sure many here will be familiar with - I just can't remember it's name. It was based on a GNR line somewhere on the INWR section or Derry Road, and was simply a circle of track. It was on display at several exhibitions in those idyllic far off days before covid, trump, putin, johnston, brexit and inflation. For such a small scale, the standard of modelling both of the models, the railway and the surrounding scenery was quite simply unbeatable - absilutely the best. This shows what's possible in this scale.

Personally, I think that close up, N gauge is just getting that bit TOO small - especially as scale track in that gauge would need to have rails as thin as fuse wire - and the couplings are a scale 5 feet long, I'm sure (not that traditional 00 ones are great, either!) But that little GNR layout was one of my favourites ever.

[Galteemore]

2 minutes ago, jhb171achill said:

Not the first time, evidently, that Hornby have ridden on the coat-trails of someone else's initiative. However, maybe IRM will be the first with Irish TT stuff!

There was a layout in 3mm scale, which I am sure many here will be familiar with - I just can't remember it's name. It was based on a GNR line somewhere on the INWR section or Derry Road, and was simply a circle of track. It was on display at several exhibitions in those idyllic far off days before covid, trump, putin, johnston, brexit and inflation. For such a small scale, the standard of modelling both of the models, the railway and the surrounding scenery was quite simply unbeatable - absilutely the best. This shows what's possible in this scale.

Personally, I think that close up, N gauge is just getting that bit TOO small - especially as scale track in that gauge would need to have rails as thin as fuse wire - and the couplings are a scale 5 feet long, I'm sure (not that traditional 00 ones are great, either!) But that little GNR layout was one of my favourites ever.

Ballyconnell Road - built to proper 5’3 too.http://andrewsrailways.com/3mm-layouts/balleyconnell-road/

[jhb171achill]

3 minutes ago, Galteemore said:

Ballyconnell Road - built to proper 5’3 too.http://andrewsrailways.com/3mm-layouts/balleyconnell-road/

THAT's the one. Just look at the artistic detail on it too - the scenic detail, the ultra-realistic weathering of wooden bodied wagons, and so on. Pristine goods stock ancient and modern alike always looks to me to be far too toy-like - it's like a model of a gleaming shiny JCB in the middle of a model of a very muddy building site!

[GSR 800]

4 hours ago, Horsetan said:

It seems to me that TT, pound for pound, works out more expensive than HO.... Not by much, but the price tags are still sobering. 

Isn't N quite expensive for it's size too?

Really is more about the space available IMO. Weird that they've focused on getting the big express locomotives out (which makes sense) but the only shunters and smaller locos I can see are the 08s. I'm sure they'll add to the range shortly but surely a few smaller steam locos like panniers or jintys or something?

Long as they don't produce the speed breaking 0-4-0s en masse..

 

At the same time I understand where Hornby is coming from, at 00 they are stuck with legacy couplers, very substandard controllers for sets and a lot of legacy moulds. I quite like the scale, which is quite ironic considering I've been thinking about moving into O gauge. 

Hornby 'leading' the charge into the scale though, meh.

 

[connollystn]

1 hour ago, GSR 800 said:

Hornby 'leading' the charge into the scale though, meh.

 

Can just see them taking a good idea and making it bad. It was the toyish looks of their models which put me off OO.

[Horsetan]

2 hours ago, GSR 800 said:

....Hornby 'leading' the charge into the scale though, meh.

When the news broke, I thought we were getting the Return of Triang.

[ttc0169]

3 hours ago, connollystn said:

I've a feeling that Hornby aren't very good at coming up with their own ideas. IRM won't have to worry about competing with them in the Irish market, at least.

Unless they bring back the Hymek….

[irishthump]

On 13/10/2022 at 8:55 AM, Horsetan said:

It seems to me that TT, pound for pound, works out more expensive than HO.... Not by much, but the price tags are still sobering. 

Oh that’s for sure. I was just looking purely at available space at home for a layout. TT would give a little extra layout in the available space.

[Noel]

It's certainly and interesting business gamble.  Hope it helps the iconic brand survive the demographic sunset. Having track to correct gauge for the scale would be an attraction. Perhaps they are hoping to reestablish themselves in the Christmas and Birthday toy market that they utterly dominated 40 and 50 years ago. Will watch with interest as this evolves.  Personally not sure there will be a place for TT in the smaller Irish market. Had been flirting with a small O gauge end to end for next project due to the sheer size and presence of the models. Good luck to them. At least Simon has a vision and sense of what's happening to the evolving market. Only time will tell if this pays off.

[DJ Dangerous]

1 minute ago, Noel said:

It's certainly and interesting business gamble.  Hope it helps the iconic brand survive the demographic sunset. Having track to correct gauge for the scale would be an attraction. Perhaps they are hoping to reestablish themselves in the Christmas and Birthday toy market that they utterly dominated 40 and 50 years ago. Will watch with interest as this evolves.  Personally not sure there will be a place for TT in the smaller Irish market. Had been flirting with a small O gauge end to end for next project due to the sheer size and presence of the models. Good luck to them. At least Simon has a vision and sense of what's happening to the evolving market. Only time will tell if this pays off.

 

Feels like Hornby only entered the market to take a potential share from Heljan, rather than to actually embrace the market. As if success came secondary and hurting another company was the primary aim.

[Noel]

1 minute ago, DJ Dangerous said:

 

Feels like Hornby only entered the market to take a potential share from Heljan, rather than to actually embrace the market. As if success came secondary and hurting another company was the primary aim.

Sorry unfamiliar with the recent history of TT, from your post I presume Heljan were first to break ground with introduction of BR outline TT products, and Hornby are just covering their move? Wonder what caused Peco to launch track? What came first?

[DJ Dangerous]

39 minutes ago, Noel said:

Sorry unfamiliar with the recent history of TT, from your post I presume Heljan were first to break ground with introduction of BR outline TT products, and Hornby are just covering their move? Wonder what caused Peco to launch track? What came first?

 

Heljan and Peco made moves several months back, in unison so to say. The Hornby range, covering the Heljan models, is new.

 

On 13/10/2022 at 10:56 AM, BosKonay said:

Helena have also now backed out.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 24, 2022 by DJ Dangerous
Added video

[Noel]

Hi risk perhaps for consumers buying models that could become prematurely obsolete if the trend doesn't stick. 

[DJ Dangerous]

6 minutes ago, Noel said:

Hi risk perhaps for consumers buying models that could become prematurely obsolete if the trend doesn't stick. 

 

Definitely possible, although it sounds like Heljan, Peco and Gaugemaster were planning the launch for quite a while, and probably wouldn't have invested in it if they didn't feel that it would not just survive, but thrive. Hornby's bulldozing is unfortunate and probably unforeseen by the others.

[Noel]

9 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

 

Definitely possible, although it sounds like Heljan, Peco and Gaugemaster were planning the launch for quite a while, and probably wouldn't have invested in it if they didn't feel that it would not just survive, but thrive. Hornby's bulldozing is unfortunate and probably unforeseen by the others.

Will be very interesting watching from the side lines how this evolves in the future.

[Ironroad]

TT has come and gone before.  It was a brave move by Heljan but by deliberately duplicating models Heljan intended to produce, Hornby have gotten it horribly wrong and have effectively killed any chance that TT scale might succeed this time round. Had Hornby entered that market with alternate models complementing those proposed by Heljan, that would wet the appetite and be a lot more tempting to new entrants and those who might switch scales.   I have never liked the business practices of Triang/Hornby (of which this is another example) and as a matter of principle have never purchased their products.  

Edited October 24, 2022 by Ironroad
typo

[DoctorPan]

It is a bit harsh to blame Hornby when they have already got EP and CAD models while Helijan and Gaugemaster were asking for expressions of interest. 

[DJ Dangerous]

21 minutes ago, Ironroad said:

TT has come and gone before.  It was a brave move by Heljan but by deliberately duplicating models Heljan intended to produce, Hornby have gotten it horribly wrong and have effectively killed any chance that TT scale might succeed this time round. Had Hornby entered that market with alternate models complementing those proposed by Heljan, that would wet the appetite and be a lot more tempting to new entrants and those who might switch scales.   I have never liked the business practices of Triang/Hornby (of which this is another example) and as a matter of principle have never purchased their products.  

 

Agreed. Market killer for a quick buck.

 

5 minutes ago, DoctorPan said:

It is a bit harsh to blame Hornby when they have already got EP and CAD models while Helijan and Gaugemaster were asking for expressions of interest. 

 

Hornby had their CAD done months before the June announcements by Heljan and Peco?

[DoctorPan]

1 hour ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Hornby had their CAD done months before the June announcements by Heljan and Peco?

Considering the Class 66s are expected to hit shelves Jan/Feb next year and the Class 31s mid 2023, they were well into production by the time Heljan announcing their interest and opening the order book. Indeed it seems that Hornby have been quietly developing this range since 2017, considering how much they have in the pipeline for the next 12 months of TT.

 

Hornby have practices to be rightfully called out on, this isn't one of them.

[Ironroad]

But Hornby did not announce, it's too much to be just coincidence

[Warbonnet]

Oh the stories we could tell about this whole saga! It's been bubbling along for over 5 years now. There will be a good book in it one day...