HORNBY 2021 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Despite the challenging economic and retail circumstances of 2020, Hornby remains focused on new product development, and despite delays to some of its models, the manufacturer isn't shying away from investing in new products, some of which came as a welcome surprise.

Hornby Playtrains

Hornby’s new Playtrains range is a remotecontrolled battery-powered train set, suitable for 3-to-6-year olds. Joining the manufacturer’s 2021 product range will be different locomotives with sounds, working lights and three forward and reverse speeds. Train sets, train packs and expansion packs are also to be made available.

The standard basic train set is designed to be just that – you’ll get a circle of track, a locomotive and rolling stock (that's coaches, wagons or both) and a controller at an entry-level price. It’s enough to get started with a small setup – the train can stop, speed up, slow down or travel in reverse. Wagons or coaches can couple up, too.

‘Flash’ the local express (R9332) contains a three-car express train, which has working lights, sounds and three forward and reverse speeds. Inside, four straight lengths of track and eight curved lengths are designed to easily clip together to form an oval of track.

Battery control has an advantage, too – no track cleaning means reliable operation every time. All you need are four AA batteries for the trains and two AAA batteries for the remote control.

The Playtrains system can be expanded with a number of packs. Train packs each provide an additional locomotive, rolling stock and controller, while track packs – of which there are currently four – allow for more complex track setups.

A maximum of two trains can be used with Playtrains at any one time – these are paired with each controller via a switch to the underside (A or B) that allow them to operate with controller A or B. Rolling stock couples together or pulls apart with magnets for reliable operation, too. It’s all kept very simple.

Playtrains is set to replace Hornby’s Junior range, whose global sales between its Paddington and Express Train variants have totalled more than 40,000 units – it’s a lucrative market. Not only is the new range promising more features and the possibility to expand, which its previous offering couldn't, it’s also introducing the Hornby brand to a younger audience – its potential future client base. With a range promising much more fun than previous generations of train sets, that's surely a positive move.

The return of Dublo

Hornby Dublo is a brand name that the manufacturer recently revived as part of last year’s 100th-anniversary range. Sales must have performed well because the manufacturer is introducing more models in retro packaging. Locomotives hark back to the origins of the manufacturer too, with die-cast bodies rather than injection-moulded plastic, making the models heavier and hence providing more tractive effort – useful for those with heavier or longer trains. Tenders remain injection-moulded in plastic, however, as per models in the latter days of Hornby Dublo, re-using existing tooling from Hornby's present range. Three locomotives are to be produced:

(R3918) Princess Coronation City Of Leicester

(R3970) Merchant Navy Elders Fyffes

(R3971) Merchant Navy General Steam Navigation

Expected to arrive first is the Coronation 'Pacific' in February 2021, followed by the two 'Merchants' around July. RRP is anticipated to be around £264.99, each.

LNER P2 2-8-2

A surprise came as the manufacturer unveiled plans to re-tool its Railroad P2 2-8-2 locomotive Cock 'o The North – a less than seven-year-old model. This all-new model will cater for variants among the class, from new-build No. 2007 Prince of Wales, to No. 2002 Earl Marischal or streamlined No. 2003 Lord President. Models are expected late-2021, with an RRP of £209.99 each.

Their release to market is timely, considering that new-build P2 No. 2007 Prince of Wales is expected to hit the rails around the same time – coincidence?

BR 9F 2-10-0

Continuing the theme of powerful locomotives, Hornby is also re-visiting its Riddles 9F 2-100 locomotive, too. Models are catering for standard versions initially, though Hornby didn't rule out investigating Crosti-boilered variants, or those allocated to Tyne Dock and fitted with Westinghouse pumps to power the Tyne DockConsett iron ore wagons. Double chimney, single chimney and mechanical stoking variants are being made possible, with an impressive five variants of the BR.1 tender being catered for.

New A1 and A3 4-6-2

LNER steam locomotive fans have another model to look forward to – an all-new A1 and A3. Four variants have been proposed, with models expected to be delivered in September 2021. A die-cast footplate will feature, assisting the tractive effort of these models over previous iterations, in addition to a flickering firebox feature. Models carry an anticipated retail price of £209.99, subject to change.

Gresley's Class A3 Pacific was a development of Gresley's GNR A1 design originally introduced in 1922. The first A3 was an A1 conversion, LNER 4480 (later BR 60111). Several more followed before new build locomotives were fitted from new with the diagram 94HP 220lbs boiler. The first engine built as an A3 was LNER 2743 (later BR 60089) in the summer of 1928. Subsequently, all remaining A1s were converted, the last being 60068 in December 1948.

Ruston & Hornsby 88DS

Who could argue that Hornby's Ruston & Hornsby 48DS hasn't been popular? We've seen numerous layouts created around it. Small locomotives sell, hence this new addition to the range comes as no surprise – the Ruston & Hornsby 88DS 0-4-0. Interestingly, this model – the larger cousin of the 48DS – isn't to be provided with a match truck. And, if its model of the 48DS is anything to go, we can expect it to carry many liveries over the coming years. However, in its launch year, we can look forward to the following, expected to arrive in July, 2021:

(R3894) North British Distillery Co. Ltd, 0-4-0, No. 4 (Era 6)

(R3895) 0-4-0, No. 3 (Era 11)

(R3896) 0-4-0, No. 84 (Era 6)

(R3897) 0-4-0, No. 20 (Era 7)

Other key products announced

• Maunsell dining saloon thirds and composites

• Mk. 4 coaching stock with DVTs

• An SR bogie luggage van

• Mk. 1 BCK

• A number of Railroad and Railroad plus items

• Stephenson’s Rocket train pack