Hornby’s “70 Years at Margate” range is cheap junk

[@LYR_375]

Hit tweet follow me! Jay pin me or else I’m not sending you any more trains

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

Well alright but I’m not “loving” the comment Oomfie xx

[@trainworms]

I really don't understand why they didn't use this as an opportunity to breathe life into the railroad range to give a boost to the more budget end considering they're old toolings.

[@newobanproductions999]

While you have a point regarding the old Nellies, a think to remember is that some of these old models have a tendency to siphon more power from the tracks compared to their modern counterparts. I have one of the last releases of these as No. 7178 in SDJR Blue (released 1976-77, the final run of the tooling) and these had different motors compared to the X04 seen on Nellie, Polly and Connie. Mine was what I referred to as "old stubborn wheels" because under a modern Hornby or even a Gaugemaster controller and despite being serviced, it wouldn't budge an inch and even worse, it totalled the two controllers (so they're useless). Luckily, I found a more powerful controller about five years ago and finally the ba**ard budged. Ran well until I decided to turn it into a C14 and while it ran fine, the motor finally had enough and killed itself. So, I'm going to give a mid-1970s model on a chassis dating from the late-1950s with a more modern motor. As for the new "70 years of Margate" range, who says you always need to keep them as is because we know the tooling's still in production, who's gonna one or two used for kit-bashes?

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

With the right power source, and a well serviced motor with a strong magnet and good coils, the X.04 motor is a brilliant unit which still holds up well today, not to mention the replacements offered by Horns & Whistles(?) and Peter’s Spares Think about it, a rewheeled Nellie chassis with a fresh motor, far more powerful than the plastic tat we’re getting now

[@newobanproductions999]

@@Hacksworth_Sidings Sadly, Peter's Spares is out of the question when decided to give mine a new motor (I live in Australia and as a result, the shipping isn't cheap) and the main reason the old 0-4-0 chassis has more power is because it's made of die-cast as opposed to plastic which is lighter and cheaper, but the plastic chassis has that longer life as from what I've heard, old models with die-cast do suffer from zinc pest.

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

@@newobanproductions999 I’ve never had zinc pest issues with any Triang models, Lima locos like the crab and the 0-6-0s, all GraFar OO stock, and the prewar Dublo batch suffer, but I’ve never seen a Triang with the dreaded zinc pest, though I do recall they had factories overseas, maybe those overseas batches had issues?

[@rogerking7258]

I'm an old scrote, so I remember when a Tri-ang Jinty cost around 30/- (thirty shillings) which is £1.50 in today's money. The current price is proportionately way more when taking inflation into consideration. Not only that, but these earlier ones kept employment in the U.K. and were far sturdier and far more serviceable in their construction. I still have one from the early 1960s and it runs perfectly even though it's using a motor dating back to 1958 (I nicked the original motor to fit in another model and then rebuilt the 1958 motor at a later date). The irony is that Hornby moved production to China to lower costs.

[@ScarfNJam]

2:23 this scared me with how much sense this actually makes. The last thing I need today is to see Thomas in the owl house or whatever the hell those “people” can get their hands on

[@ScarfNJam]

K I know I’m commenting again but i genuinely think that if hornby had the chance to take back the European/UK license to manufacture Thomas products, they’d take it in a heartbeat, it’s obvious considering the constant amount of 0-4-0 Thomas clones they’ve made since losing the license, they’d love to be able to actually make something with that design that people would actually BUY.

[@DangerAngelous]

Really doesn't help Hornby's image at the moment of "what's the easiest way to make a quick buck"

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

This range would’ve been so much better if they just made the 0-4-0s better resemble the original models from the 60s

[@Gatherleymodeller.]

These are overpriced because they have paid off all tooling costs and the loco will cost around £5 to build!

[@Trainskitsetc]

Fiver to build, plus shipping, plus costs of the hornby staff, then if its sold in a shop, the shop needs it's cut on top of what ever it pays wholesale, none of this is instantly realised either so essentially add in the cost of having money tied up in stock waiting to sell and then minus the costs of running your shop, supporting your family etc and we see why even if it cost a fiver to make the price is where it is at in order to let the smallest retailer make money. Now admittedly hornby could just start selling them on their website at a price that reflects what they need to make per unit in order to be all good on their end but this would basically destroy the retailer network even more so than the likes of hattons and rails already do with their ability to slash prices due to cost efficiencies in their businesses however I don't think hornby are keen to wipe out hundreds of small shops just like that, it would be bad for the brand and generally bad for business hobby wide. We're here because this is where the price needs to be to A. Ensure we have local model shops and B. Ensure we have a hornby. There's no actual profit in it even at that price, hornby hasn't turned a profit in a while now mainly because it is trying to dig its self out of a very deep hole dug by the incompetence of past managements choices on what to make and how to sell it. Only way out of this is to work with what we have, to undo the lame choices of the past, to realise that all those dirt cheap models were previous generations being greedy and incompetent to frankly gross degrees. They got theirs and now, they use your desire to emulate the scale of their collecting and hoarding to make the company they destroyed look bad for clicks and view time. You, the new generation of modellers, you need to not fall for their nonsense or well... we might end up with so much bad blood between hornby and new generation that it tanks them, benefiting who? Let me see, not you, not I, oh wait people who hoarded and took advantage to get lots which would become rather collectable once the beast is dead and its parts split to those wishing to buy anything left. 😊

[@Gatherleymodeller.]

@@Trainskitsetc My friend owns a model shop- he says Hornby barely gives him any profits… I accept that some stuff they sell is a reasonable price, but this certainly isn’t. And I reckon the staff in China are paid very poorly 🤒

[@AbbeyYard]

Mum, can we get Hornby Nellie? No we have Hornby Nellie at home. Hornby Nellie at home:

[@TheWeatheringWorkshop]

MADAX here This was a very good watch, and full of very good points , and I was pleasantly surprised to see me!

[@RobA500]

I think your title should have said cheap looking expensive junk. I have one of the original 0-4-0's and it is a far superior model.

[@thomasmills6427]

Tbh I am sort of with you, however I have recently picked up The Limted Edition Office Block and Factory of the Hornby 70th Anniversary and I will say they lovely models, and I dont normally even buy buildings now as I have run out of room, however I just had to have those two for My layout the rest of it as you say is junk, but I dont agree the factory and office block is as those two are probably they only items, worth going for out of the Hornby 70th anniversary set

[@gavinblackburn3105]

These new loco's will be on special offer at most outlets soon, can't see them selling at full RRP .

[@christopherbellamy639]

They should have retooled the jinty and the Conny, Nelly and the other 0-4-0T for their 70th at Margate range

[@cec_oregon]

As an american im tired of paying 82727 dollars to get a british 040 (not including shipping).

[@AdiPullen]

Original triang 0-4-0 polly ect are freelance and the designer own the right to it that why hornby dont mske it any more

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

The original tooling was butchered for some push along model iirc, nothing to do with copyright

[@User-3O3]

The tooling used for the 70 Years range is freelance also and was originally created to be the 0-4-0 Thomas you see in the video.

[@gerardburton3741]

A slight correction over the Jinty body. The body they are using is the reworked body from 1978. You can tell the difference by the fact it is glazed, Has handrails and has the little indents on the middle of the water tanks. But IMHO yes they are ripping people off with them. Just being used as a cash cow product.

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

That retooled body from 78 dates back to the Triang one of 54 though, correct? Or was it a completely new tooled body?

[@gerardburton3741]

Hi, I believe it was a retooled body with extra detail such as glazing, separate handrails, brake pipes etc. I remember Hornby making a big deal about the detail of this model when it came out.

[@StormmyStormmy]

Hornby are not the company of old, lack of reality in some products has left them far behind Accurascale and Bachmann, they cut corners and produce some items that are just bloody awful and then they have the cheek to put a pants down price on them, their customer service department is woeful and I’m speaking from experience so those whom say I’m Hornby bashing can go and do one! I only by their products when they’ve been heavily discounted. If that’s all they can do for their 70th year celebration then they might as well shut up shop and leave the hobby for the other companies who take the hobby seriously, thanks for sharing.

[@waylander1697]

Well, to me, it's quite intriguing, and interesting to say the least. Cheers, From Michael

[@scmorton2370]

Celebrity Margate ????? Thought they closed factory went to chana did they not

[@Sponge1999-9]

Tbh these limited edition 0-4-0s belong in the trash

[@TrentonLightninghammer]

I have to disagree with you about the modern railroad 0-4-0 slower chassis. You probably had a bad apple with your motor that burnt out. After getting the 2020 centerary Smokey Joe, I started collecting other modern Hornby railroad stuff and those modern Railroad 0-4-0's are easily my best runners. Perfect slow and to scale speeds. I've even gone about upgrading my older "pocket rockets" with their newer modern chassis counterparts for that reason. That being said, out of the 18 I've gotten, one of mine did burn out within a month, but the other 17 are brilliant.

[@petersmith4455]

hi, the thing is why didn't the clowns use the original Nellie mouldings ? yes these new locos are ghastly

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

As I said, if memory serves correctly they used resin casts for the Basset Lowke Steampunk models, what’s stopping them from modifying a Nellie body to fit the new chassis, and casting that?

[@MilkshakeFloof]

1:32 - either repaint them or put them back in their box and put them in their attic for 50 years also, at this rate of crap models and over-priced shit - hornby might just go down (even doe it would probs be in like 30 / 50 years from now) if they dont sort their shit out

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

The problem is that Hornby CAN make good models, from what I’ve heard the BR 2MT and the new tooled P2 were critical successes, likewise with their Pecketts and Rustons, and many of their TT models, but then there’s things like the new 5MT, looks amazing but severely flawed, and the laughing stock that is the current Railroad range They CAN make good models, but they’re very hit and miss

[@MilkshakeFloof]

@@Hacksworth_Sidings yea, they keep cooking but sometimes they burn their stuff

[@JohnDavies-cn3ro]

Sorry, but the images change far too quickly for me to read the comments, or follow the arguments. Lets just say that I totally agree - this shambles is pathetic!

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

My apologies for the quick succession with the photos and images, first time trying to make a video in this sort of format, and I didn’t want to drag this video out

[@dutydruidfilms11]

What is the green locomotive in the background?

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

Tyco Mantua Crescent Limited, trying to sell it but having no luck

[@hornbyman4474]

It’s a nice layout

[@bendavis1575]

Great video. Thinks only nice is wagon. I'm same with jinty as in the 2024 range video there show the buffer paint red with sliver. Plus if have a number on smoke box based on the first would front of getting it. But there are over price. Hornby wonder not the top company any more in this hobby. But great video.

[@ModelRailwayNewsReviews]

Good points 👍

[@garymckinnon6903]

Too bad Hornby butchered the original 'Nellie' body to make a really cheezy/cheap push toy back in the late '80's. I have one for the novelty of it!!!

[@monsvillerailways5736]

Good points. I have the originals of all of the 70 Years at Margate range. The Thomas tooling looks rediculous. As you say, the originals run better and will outlast the current Hornby versions even though they are 60 plus years old already. Hornby today is just a rip off company of Tri-ang and Hornby Dublo it seems, with much less to no quality control. Happy Modelling

[@bobsemple07]

i knew it was cheap junk from the start

[@donniblanco5239]

Zackly 💯 I’ve only been involved in the Hobby since 2020 and Most of My Stock is 40 years Old, Why Would Anyone want to Spend £300 plus on 1 Loco - I Just Don’t Get it 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

For some people, the high detail and features of modern locomotives is worth that cost, but look at companies like Accurascale pumping out high quality locos for good prices, that both run well and look good Though for us modellers working to a tight budget? The older stock is our saviour, most of my collection is from between the 50s and the 90s, all run like clockwork when kept in good nick

[@harrisonallen651]

70 years of Margate?

[@gamerfan8445]

Meanwhile, bachmann just retooled their URSA 0-6-0.

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

I’ve never actually used one of those before, certainly interested by them

[@gamerfan8445]

@Hacksworth_Sidings mainly because it a US model

[@User-3O3]

The Nellie and Connie locomotives aren't even accurate to the original models they're based on from the 1970's. If they no longer have the original tooling or aren't prepared to recreate it, why bother releasing these models?

[@raymondleggs5508]

Poorly done trains.

[@cec_oregon]

4:59 i have one of those too

[@davidballoid2118]

I'd rather have an optional choice between a steam loco or a modern diesel loco or a shunter loco for that price. Honestly IMO, We could deal without a played-out cartoonish two axle tank engine from Thomas and Friends.

[@LYR_375]

I doo doo’d in your future Nellie chassis :)

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

I doo doo’d in Roadford’s motor xxxxx

[@LYR_375]

@@Hacksworth_Sidings it’s already doo doo though, fix it you know kits

[@Hacksworth_Sidings]

@@LYR_375 he’s on a Triang chassis, he’ll be easy enough to fix lmao

[@2428matt]

4:18 4:17 5:59 HOLY SHIT IS THAT GERALD