Last weekend I had the privilege to be assisting fellow High Wycombe and District MRS members Alan and Simon Paley with their delightful Pre-Grouping layout Loughborough Road (on which most of the pictures below were taken) at the excellent RMweb live event in Coventry. It was also a chance to catch up with a number of the manufacturers and see their progress on some Southern related models.
Firstly further progress is being made with the Kernow Model Centre’s ex LSWR Adams O2 locomotives and I am pleased to advise the second engineering prototypes (EP’s) have now been received. Unlike the first EP’s received that were a bit of a mix of some of the tooling options these samples combine the all the correct tooling options for the each of the seven variants being produced.
Also a couple of issues highlighted from the first EP’s have also been corrected. Now that these models are being project managed by Dave Jones of DJ Models the development has moved on a pace and the livery details can now be completed. As I reported here the Kernow Models Gate Stock sets also being managed by DJ Models have recently been signed off for tooling to commence.
Hornby were represented at the RMweb Live show by Simon Kohler, now working as a consultant to them, and with his kind permission was able to take a close up look at some of their new items either just released or in development.
Firstly the Drummond 700 this model was first announced at the end of last year is now also at the 2nd EP stage.
They have certainly captured the look the prototype and I am advise they hope to have these in the shops before Christmas. The changes made to the originally announced number and livery versions that I reported here back in January, following my discussion with Hornby, has now been confirmed to all retailers. They will be producing E695 (Maunsell pre-1931 lined black) , 30315 (BR Late Crest) and 30693 (BR Early Crest).
The well documented supply chain difficulties experienced by Hornby over the last few years do actually appear to be finally resolved with a flow of new production appearing to arrive, including further batches of the 2 Bil and R3194 Hornby Schools Class 30937 ‘Epsom’.
Just starting to hit the shops now is the brand new R3260 2 HAL EMU looking very smart in SR olive green livery, the first of a number of livery variants due, that like the Drummond 700 was first announced at the end of last year.
Simon also had on display and running the first production sets of the Hornby/Arnold 5 Bel Brighton Bell sets in the later blue and grey and livery and these should be available during October with the Brown and Umber versions to follow before the end of the year. I was very impressed by the models that also include lit table lamps that appears nice and subtle with now signs of any flicker. The unit running was also very smooth, although I did notice that one compromise that had to be retained was that the solebars do have a couple of cut outs to allow the bogies to swing, however the effect was not as obvious as I first through it would be from the initial EP’s seen. As first announced here these models are only available via www.Hornby.com and orders can now be taken via their website here..
It’s good to see such positive progress on a number of the Southern related models over the last few weeks, and I am happy to say that some progress, behind the scenes, of some of the other already announced models has also been made (I have had Cads for checking from many sources recently) . Long may this continue and I will endeavour to continue to provide the latest updates on this blog along with any new Southern related announcements that may or may not already be in the pipeline (was that enough of a tease?)