Hornby/Arnold enter British N Gauge market

[tim-pelican]

I would say that if an N Belle is a commercial success for Hornby then they'll be back.  So get all yor friends to go out and buy one.....  3rd Rail Rocks....

Apart from... y'know... modelling the damn thing.  The 4CEP catches my eye greatly too, as does the Belle, but the thought of trying to build a third rail on top of all the other track I'm not getting round to finishing...

[Railwaygun]

Anyone interested in an N gauge Pendolino should look here - this may be the solution to the HST problem! Ie 3D printing

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/61710-n-gauge-pendolino-2nd-attempt-this-time-with-cad/

Nick R

[EtchedPixels]

Providing you stick to the High Speed lines, modelling those in 1:160 should be quite possible. As mentioned, there's already Eurostar and Velaro, there's a Class 66 and obviously container wagons and some ferry vans already available in 1:160.

For Snow Hill I've deliberately put the HS2 lines at the back of the layout when in the station area. That combined with the larger stock involved will be sufficient.

Alan

[Ollie3440]

I really hope this works out for Hornby. There are numerous items in their OO range i would like to see shurnk (Pendo and Pullmans top of the list!). So even though i have no third rail on any of my layouts i've still pre-ordered an umber and cream set

Ollie

[Pengi]

thanks Ollie, didn't know you can pre-order so I've pre-ordered the umber and cream set from Rails (plus the add on coaches)

[moogle]

I think this is great news!
Whilst I've no need for any arcy sparky stuff, I hope they sell like hot cakes.
Then Hornby will shrink other stuff and we'll all start to benefit, even if its just chassis wise.
A third big player in the N gauge r-t-r market can only lead to good things!

[longbridge]

I just hope they knock out a few steam locos that the others haven't made, (just wishful thinking).

[Greybeema]

Thanks Ollie didn't know you could pre-order..

Now I have just done two things I have never done before:-

1) Pre Ordered a product (especially when I don't know the price).
2) Ordered something from Rails of Sheffield (usually use Hattons).

Looking forwards to it arriving (but not for the bill) at least I might have the time to save up.  Need to look into what decoder would be best.  Perhaps Douglas at Wickness could advise??

Also going to look into a Parcel Motel service so that it effectively becomes UK postal delivery...

[Southernboy]

There's also a thread on RMW about this

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/66488-brighton-belle-in-n/page-1

Including:
"This should have been announced at the Nuremberg Toy Fair later this month but it seems as though Arnold were keen to get the information out there. Simon Kohler is currently creating a leaflet for the product but some of the product information available is as follows:

HN3000: LB&SCR, electric railcar "Brighton Belle", original version of the luxury Pullman train set as it was in service between London Victoria and Brighton from 1934 on, 3-unit set
HN3500: LB&SCR, electric railcar "Brighton Belle", original version from 1934, additional 2-unit set
HN3001: BR, electric railcar "Brighton Belle", blue/grey livery, version from 1969-1972, 3-unit set
HN3501: BR, electric railcar "Brighton Belle", blue/grey livery, version from 1969-1972, additional 2-unit set

Scale: 1:148

Availability: Late 2013

Price: TBC at Nuremberg"

[daveg]

A new Hatton's newsletter says that prices will be announced 'next month'.

That'll be interesting/terrifying depending on if you, like me have pre-ordered one!

Dave G

[Pete Mc]

I reckon,and this is just my opinion,that Hornby,with the help of Arnold,are testing the waters with British N gauge products.Having read on RMweb and NRM,there are thoughts from people there that Hornby are after some of the n gauge market due to its expanding market share,others say its about getting even with Dapol for moving back into the oo scale market place,having previously sold all their oo gauge lines to Hornby and creating a supposed "gentlemen's agreement".
As we all know,Hornby had a lousy year financially last year,so anyway they can recoup some if their losses by expanding into other markets is only understanding,its a dog eat dog world we live in,as has been demonstrated by the recent high street store collapses.
If Hornby is indeed muscling in on the n gauge market to get even with Dapol for manufacturing and launching oo gauge products,then Dapols move into the o gauge market could spark something from Heljan perhaps.
Its an interesting thought,I think you'll agree,and even though I have had no issues with Dapols supposed build and quality control,it can only help improve matters with regards to running reliability and new levels of detail,particularly as Arnold chassis are supposed to be really good,not that I have any experience of them myself.
The thought of all the various loco's being produced by Hornby and Heljan that have the potential for being put under the shrink ray is quite a mouthwatering prospect in my opinion,although I won't hold my breath.
Could be quite interesting times ahead for us and bumpy times for others,I suspect.

Pete

[Karhedron]

I doubt Hornby give 2 hoots about Dapol moving into 00 and I seriously doubt it is any kind of "retaliation". Getting personal in business clouds judgement and leads to (expensive) mistakes. Hornby have made enough of those recently without trying to "get even" with Dapol.

Now the N gauge market is the only section of the Hobby that has continued expanding during the recession and I can logically see Hornby wanting to see if they can get a slice of that cake.

[Pete Mc]

I share your views,Karhedron.I thought the retribution aspect was a bit far fetched as well but you know that people will have their opinions and stir things a bit even though they have no connecrion to either business.
The truth is this,Dapol have said nothing on the matter,well,not to my knowledge anyway,so this shows there are no ill feelings between the manufacturers.Competition is good for us and keeps them on their toes as well,although Dapol are significantly smaller than Hornby.
I hope that the emergence of Arnold into the british n gauge market pushes innovation forward,such as dcc sound equipped loco's etc.If this were to be the case,then both Farish and Dapol would be forced to compete as well,even though both have been quoted as saying they won't be producing n gauge dcc sound equipped products any time soon.
I do,however,prescribe to the view that Hornby have missed out on an expanding market and want a slice of the action,so to speak.So it would seem this experiment,if a success,would give us all a more diverse product line up and as I have already stated earlier on in this thread mean I may have an n gauge APT one day,or even two,as we are beginning to see quite a few blue era layouts appearing on this very forum.
One just hopes that Hornby don't duplicate what the others are doing or have done in the past by producing the same classes of loco,such as the Dapol/Farish Voyager,66 etc.
I think choice is a good thing,however,a larger range of loco's etc is what we all want to see.Who wants to see all the main protagonists producing the same thing?

Pete

[Newportnobby]

Now the N gauge market is the only section of the Hobby that has continued expanding during the recession and I can logically see Hornby wanting to see if they can get a slice of that cake.

Interesting statement. As one who regularly 'pimps' the forum and our gauge, have you facts to back that up please?
I could certainly use them

[woodbury22uk]

The truth is this,Dapol have said nothing on the matter,well,not to my knowledge anyway,so this shows there are no ill feelings between the manufacturers.Competition is good for us and keeps them on their toes as well,although Dapol are significantly smaller than Hornby.
Pete

Pleased to read on Dapol's Facebook site in answer to a comment on the "Brighton Belle" Joel replied "we are all winners". This is consistent with the positive feedback from DapolDave's to various Farish new items.  I do not think that Hornby/Arnold presence in the Uk N market poses a threat to Dapol or Farish. It will help to grow the total N market and the greater the viability of the N market. That should attract enough investment for a steady flow of new items. However DapolDave on RMWeb recently commented on the poor sales of the Class 86 and the poor sales of 3rd rail EMUs, which suggests to me that the Class 92 and the Pendolino are likely to remain firmly on the back burner in the near term not least because of the possibility of Hornby dusting off their 00 models to shrink to N if the Brighton Belle venture succeeds.

Mike