HORNBY | MEMORIES - Simon Kohler

[@briansewell7263]

I'm proud to call this man my friend. Known him since early 2000s and he always has time for a chat. My favourite memories was when I was on a day out to NEM with the wife going in the the archives to do some research and Mr K was in the Great Hall meaning a Hornby stand solo. My wife had never met him and he was so interested to meet her and talk to her. We stood talking for ages. We later met up at Barrow Hill when I was manning the A1SLT stand and my wife came with me. Simon was staying in the same hotel and insisted on talking us out for dinner. The following day whilst I was working the A1SLT stand, she helped Simon who was again solo on his stand. I'm sure there is a documentary on this amazing man. So thanks for all your hard work Mr K you have been a good friend as well as steering the Hornby ship over what can only be called turbulent times, please keep going, we in this hobby owe you and your team alot. Stay safe and see you at another show

[@andrewwood8491]

My brother bought Triang and Hornby trains when i was born. I am now 60 and my brother died 4 years ago ,he has left me with lots of memories. I wish he was still here to see all the new sound and steam you are now bringing out he would have loved them .I am slowly trying to collect some myself thanking you Andrew Wood .

[@6202Turbomotive]

Congratuations to Simon for such a good account of his experiance with Hornby. I am an electronics technican by trade and a model shop owner. I sold Hornby and Hammant & Morgan products in my shop and to hear Simon say he worked for H&M realy made my day. I was thrilled when H&M went electronic producing the H&M 500 and the analogue HM 300. I own and use 3 HM 3000s and three H&M Walkabouts. Strange as I was involved in the devellopment of an electronic controller which must have been a pain in Simons side - the KPC feedback controller. Good luck with the bluetooth equipment for analogue control and I am pleased to see it has been given a HM prefix for the model number. Tom Jenkins former service dealer No R20009

[@paddycoleman1472]

What an absolute Gent. Such a decent and thoroughly nice chap.

[@michaelsibley3290]

Met Simon at Bridport in 2009 and found him to be a great listener and had great understanding of how a modeller thinks and what he might want. My father was the inspiration for me to show an interest in railways. He had a Bassett Lowke O Gauge loco hidden up high on a wardrobe and I wasn't supposed to touch it. I was determined later to climb up and touch it. Years later we built an O gauge model railway, mainly Hornby in a shed. Evebtually it went out side and came back inside the shed. Wonderful but moving abroad I lost the interest... until one day my son was born and we had to buy him a train set. Well, the memories came flooding back and I was hooked for life and been modelling ever since. More and more I was seeking greater realism and if the manufacturer did not provide it I would 'improve' it. Today, there is very little to improve just personalising the model and creating the setting to make it come to life. Welcome back Simon to your real home. We may meet again in Australia!

[@cliffordison5004]

What a super video from every railway modeller's friend Simon Kohler. What a lovely man who always has time to talk at exhibitions. Well done, Simon!

[@TrentValleyRailway]

Hope we get another tv documentary on Hornby soon as it’s always great to see Simon in the working environment and behind the scenes

[@paredding]

+1 The dealer meetings at the HQ were quite interesting and the Rails banner contretemps at the NEC were amusing to say the least :-)

[@skyfall2360]

what a legend...perfect guy for a great company for a brilliant hobby...lovely guy to talk to also...and i agree live steam utter perfection...great video to all involved..thanks..

[@richardswiderski4985]

Loved Simon Kohler taking about his early days at Hornby.I think he is a real genuine person.Keep safe and well at Hornby.😀

[@MARKETMAN6789]

Really enjoyed this nice man telling us about his life in the model train industry .very enjoyable

[@Calvertfilm]

I owe a lot of thanks to Simon. Incidentally that Hobby Shop at 6:17 is in Elm Park in Essex, and is my local shop. They are closing their doors after a very long history end of August 2020. They just have a little bit of stock now, just a few plastic kits. Laurie.

[@nealhove]

Thanks Simon

[@SammyBFilms]

I'm really pleased he said Live Steam. I have 2 of them and love them! I kinda want them to do a new series of premium live steam models, and new engines. :-)

[@clivecobbold6815]

Hi Hornby great video i really injoyed it

[@TEA_Tims_Eisenbahn_Adventure]

Nice Story great work 🙂

[@petersmith4455]

i love my old triang railway locos especialy the davy crockett wild west loco and dock shunters !

[@bentullett6068]

Great interview from Simon. Have got to ask are you going to interview James May who is a fan of hornby model railways as it is rated as his top number one toy?

[@Krislights1]

From a driver, as we always say, 'Safe and omward Jorney'.. right aeay, drive!🤔❤️🚂🚂🚂🚂👍

[@martinpattison4018]

A very nice and frank video, unfortunately, I have watched it on another sad day for Hornby and Rails of Sheffield as they have parted company after35 years. Simon, you must have a lot on your plate now and I hope that some good will come out of what has happened and you may become aware of my other comments on video's I have watched today. Martin. (Thailand)

[@paddycoleman1472]

I am sure you could make a series of Simon reminiscing about his life at Hornby.

[@johnsalter3591]

i remember working on the machine making the rocket at hornby.

[@terrier_productions]

Hi Hornby, do you have a rough release date for the Limited Edition NHS Class 66? I have pre-ordered one BTW..

[@alexdrennan7654]

Love the video , one question have hornby thought have doing the BR Networker classess as they offer the railway modeller different aspects of the class from the 465/466 of the south eastern division to the class 165/166 or even the duel voltage class 365s it would make an interesting addition

[@lakotathierauf3882]

I wish Hornby would come out with more live steam engines. I’d love to have some.

[@michaeldavies9600]

Watching Simon on the James May program i thought he came across as a top bloke,watching this he really is :)

[@johnd8892]

Somewhere I watched Simon explain the basis for the very successful Smokey Joe locomotive being a photograph of the original locomotive with a chalked in name on the saddle tank. Shown to Simon by the dealer principal of Railmail of Watford. Would love to find it again to have this important but of history on record. Can anyone direct me to the KZbin video where I saw this interview? Have looked at numerous Simon interviews without Success.

[@euanhood]

Is Simon really mr Hornby for his life there. An icon as it wete

[@mrhaggit]

are there any plans of making a class 375 electrostar unit?

[@MrDavil43]

Surely he must know I want a K class mogul of the LBSC, yet he never mentioned it! Actually, big thanks to Simon and his team for the lovely models produced over recent years which have rekindled my interest in the best of hobbies.

[@AllensTrains]

The distinction between a toy and a model is that a toy has a life of its own whereas a model is lifeless. A miniature railway is a real railway built to a small scale, whereas a model railway purports to represent a stretch of line based on some prototype. Hornby Dublo purported to be the 'perfect tabletop railway', not a scaled-down representation of the real thing - it had unrealistic tinplate three-rail track. Tri-ang was a toy manufacturer, but it produced more realistic OO gauge two-rail track which modellers could use to represent a stretch of line. The combination of Tri-ang and Hornby, of model and toy provided the foundation of OO gauge. A toy made to a very high standard and designed to be played with brass gears and a good motor is better than an accurate model with a small motor and plastic gears. Which is the toy and which is the model? Sometimes it is hard to tell, but the model will break and the toy will keep running around your layout!

[@terrier_productions]

Mr Hornby himself.. I think

[@terrier_productions]

WiltoTheCollector your welcome lol

[@TrentonLightninghammer]

When does it become a "Toy Train" or a "Model Train?" It's simultaneously both, and neither. It's all within the perspective of the user. A kid will see a Toy, and adult model, yet it's the same train.

[@tonypetts6663]

It goes from toy train to model railway when the wife finds out just how much your latest locomotive cost😋

[@vaughanlockett658]

It’s the same as having a coloring book and then becoming an artist .

[@andersonambroise346]

Horlby