BUDGET-FRIENDLY MODELS

Hornby's 2022-year range will see a wealth of new liveries applied to its OO gauge Railroad range of locomotives. Dubbed ‘Railroad Plus', these new models will feature more detailed livery applications than its standard ‘Railroad' range, while striving to maintain a sub-£100 RRP.

Its Class 31 is to be issued as 97203 in Derby Railway Technical Centre livery (R30197) and as 31454 The Heart of Wessex in Fragonset retro Intercity livery (R30196), while its Class 37 tooling will be released in Intercity livery as 37152 (R30180), and in BR ‘large logo' blue as 37116 Comet with cabside Railfreight branding (R30185). Joining these is departmental Class 40 97407 in BR blue (R30191), and Class 40 D232 Empress of Canada in BR green with small yellow warning panels (R30192). Meanwhile, its Class 47 tooling will emerge in the guise of 47803 in the yellow, white and red stripe livery of BR Infrastructure (R30186), 47598 in Network Southeast (R30187) and 47656 in BR ‘large logo' blue livery (R30179). Further additions include 57603 Tintagel Castle in GWR livery (R30181), 67029 Royal Diamond in silver with DB branding (R30178) and 67023 Stella in Colas Rail livery (R30184). All models will carry an RRP of £96.99.

Joining these, and at the same price, are further liveries to its Class 66. The Co-Co cavalcade continues this year with 66432 in Direct Rail Services blue (R30223), 66748 in GBRf grey with orange bodyside logo and numbering (R30150) 66796 The Green Progressor in GB Railfreight blue and green HS2 promotional livery (R30151), and lastly, 66793 in BR Railfreight construction livery with GB Railfreight logos (R30152).

Striking a balance between acceptable consumer prices and products with cutting-edge detail, against a backdrop of rising production and shipping charges, is a challenge all manufacturers have faced recently. It is hoped that these models will provide an affordable entry for many newcomers to the hobby, their more attractive price point a better proposition for modellers looking to set up from scratch.