Hornby TT

I took the opportunity to look at the TT display on Hornby’s stand, and overall was impressed by the stock in particular.

Having ordered an 08 I was pleasantly surprised to see the blue version on the stand. At first glance it certainly captures the look of the prototype, apart from the nose ladders which are incorrect for this livery. The details such as cab door, side window, bonnet hinges and vents all look a plausible configuration, I’ve not checked against the running number yet. The chassis and side rods in particular look good, the crankpins and rod ends are much less chunky in their appearance than corresponding Farish N gauge details.

For my industrial leanings paring the 08 up with 21T MDV’s really sets the imagination working! I wish they had introduced the BR 20t brake van and 16t mineral in this first tranche, as despite their everyday utilitarian lives, key mainstream items like that would I feel generate more interest.

Also on display were the MGR hoppers, HST EP and 14t tank wagon which caught my eye. All have a quality look to them and whilst the display layout was very much in the traditional 6×4’ style the decoration of the Mk1’s and Pullman cars was very good too. I still think this scale has an exciting potential, and I hope that there’s a clear supply chain to ensure easy access into this scale. With the emphasis very much being on attracting new hobby blood and scale swappers into this genre, the decision to be a direct sales, sole supplier, is a very bold one.

Dapol

Dapol were showing a few new products that caught my attention. Having recently spent time looking over a real J94, the EP’s look like doing justice to this ‘plain Jane’ prototype.

High and low bunker variants were in the showcase with differing saddle tank details. It’s good to see the more humble steam types being introduced in O scale, I think this one will do well for them.

Livery samples for the OO gauge Great Western Toplight suburban coaches were in evidence, and I can see these being used as generic suburban/branch line stock on many a layout!

The O gauge BR Standard class 3 2-6-2t is one of those classes that always turns my head. Possibly because of the early Triang model of it, and the stunning Kemilway examples we used to see at MRM at Kings Cross but an 82xxx lights the fires for me!

Accurascale

Kings Cross and 31’s are forever linked for me, from seeing them on the ECML to the nearly ten years of regular commuting they’ve always featured in my life experience of railways.

The display case shelf full of varieties of class 31’s shows what a lifespan and miriad of detail options there will be within this staple class of modelling British Rail, and the post privatisation era.

Also lighting the blue touch paper like the 82xxx’s are the OO GWR Siphons. Another excellent choice in terms of variety and liveries.

So that concludes my brief look at some of the items that caught my eye. It was a show I really enjoyed, despite not seeing much of the layouts. The real benefit for me was just catching up with many of my friends both in the trade and modellers like me, just out for the enjoyment of seeing each other again for the first time in a few years. Well worth going just for that.