Hornby have today announced their forthcoming range for 2021. The highlights from a Southern Railway perspective being new versions of the Merchant Navy’s with diecast bodies and Hornby Dublo branding, new Maunsell catering vehicles and a long awaited completely new tooled Ganywayed bogie luggage vans.
Locomotives
Although technically no new locomotive tooling for Southern modelers; however we see the introduction, following lasts years diecast models as part of the Centenary range, the introduction of two Merchant Navy Pacifics as limited editions (500 each) under the Hornby Dublo brand. One of which is close to my heart being 35011 General Steam Navigation, as a Trustee and Director of the General Steam Navigation Locomotive Restoration Society that aims to restore her back to original condition with chain driven valve gear. To find out more about the project click here.
New liveries for the ex LBSC A1/A1X Terrier appear along with version of the Merchant Navy in the main range (although we are still awaiting a number of Merchant Navy versions R3632 35024 in BR Blue announced in 2018 and R3649 35029 BR Green, R3716 35022 in BR Green and R3717 21C7 in SR Black from 2019 announcements).
- R30005 – K&SER A1 class 0-6-0T No.3 “Bodiam” in K&ESR Blue livery as carried between May 1901 and the early 1930s. [Q3]
- R30006 – BR 0-6-0T No. 32646 A1X class “Terrier” in BR unlined black with British Railways with no coal rails in SR sunshine lettering (as gained on the Isle of Wight when numbered W8) and new BR number in Gills Sans as she carried after returning from the Isle of Wight in August 1949 until approximately December 1951. [Q3]
- R30008 – BR 0-6-0T No. 32640 A1X class “Terrier” in BR lined black and early crest and no coal rails as she was following a general repair at Eastleigh in March 1951 and subsequently working on the Hayling Island branch. [Q3]
- R3866 – BR 4-6-2 No. 34051 “Sir Winston Churchill” Battle of Britain class with cut down tender in BR lined green with late emblem and speedometer fitted. As she ran from January 1960 and into preservation. Railway Museum collection. [Q1]
- R3861 – BR BR 4-6-2 No. 35017 “Belgian Marine” Merchant Navy class in BR Green and early crest, no front fairing and black nameplate as she ran between March 1953 and being rebuilt in March 1957
- R3970 – Hornby Dublo – BR 4-6-2 No. 35016 “Elders Fyffes” Merchant Navy Class in British Railways Malachite Green with Sunshine lettering as she carried between May 1949 and April 1950 (although at this time she retained the front fairings) – Die Cast body [Q3]
- R3971 – Hornby Dublo – BR 4-6-2 No. 35011 “General Steam Navigation” Merchant Navy Class in BR Green early crest without front fairing as she carried between May 1953 and August 1957 – Die Cast body [Q3]
Additional new tooled locomotives for 2021 include the LNER 2-8-2 P2 Class in both original and rebuilt form and a brand new BR 2-10-0 9F class. The A1 and A3 classes get an upgrade with die cast running plates. The only diesel or electric new tooling is a new industrial shunter in the form of the Ruston and Hornsby 88DS (the big brother to the previously released 48DS). The BR Standard 6MT “Clan’s” also reappear.
Coaching Stock
2021 sees new tooling for both the Maunsell Diagram 2652 Dining Saloon Thirds and their conversions in July 1947 to Third / Composite Dining Saloons to Diagram 2658.
The SR Gangwayed Bogie Luggage Van GBL (COR PMV as classified by BR), that has been regularly in the range since the days of Tri-ang has at long last been totally retooled to modern standards. These were introduced to Diagram 3099 built on ex LSWR 53’3″ chassis between 1929 and 1931. Thirty five were built to this diagram and most were withdrawn by 1960.
The BR MK1 range is also expanded with the addition of the Brake Corridor Composite (BCK) to Diagrams 171 and172 but not yet released in BR(s) Green.
We also see another set of the Bulleid 59ft ‘Shortie’ Coaches, see review here, in BR(s) green to make up set number 967 following repainting from crimson and cream in September 1957.
- R40030 – SR Maunsell Third Class Dining saloon No. 7864 to Diagram 2652 in SR Lined Olive [Q4]
- R40030A – SR Maunsell Third Class Dining saloon No. 7867 to Diagram 2652 in SR Lined Olive [Q4]
[Edit 29/01/21] Hornby appear to have changed the running numbers of these to be their later Open Third guise, to be Nos. 1363 and 1366 respectively.
- R40031 – BR(s) Maunsell Dining Saloon Third / Composite No. S7841S to Diagram 2658 in BR(s) Green. This coach is preserved on the Bluebell Railway. [Q4]
- R40031A – BR(s) Maunsell Dining Saloon Third / Composite No. S7843S to Diagram 2658 in BR(s) Green [Q4]
- R40029- BR(s) Maunsell Kitchen / Dining First No. S7998S to Diagram 2655 in BR Crimson and Cream livery [Q4]
- R40029A – BR(s) Maunsell Kitchen / Dining First No. S7955S to Diagram 2651 in BR Crimson and Cream livery [Q4]
- R40101 – BR(s) Maunsell Open Third No. S1338S to Diagram 2005 in BR(s) Green
- R4888D – BR(s) Bulleid 59′ Diagram 2121 corridor brake 3rd No. S2849S from Set 967 in BR(s) green livery [Q1]
- R4888E – BR(s) Bulleid 59′ Diagram 2121 corridor brake 3rd No. S2850S from Set 967 in BR(s) green livery [Q1]
- R4886B – BR(s) Bulleid 59′ Diagram 2316 corridor composite No. S5713S from Set 967 in BR(s) green livery [Q1]
- R400025 – BR(s) Mk1 Restaurant Buffet S1696 to Diagram 24 in BR(s) Green livery [Q3]
- R60020 – SR GBL Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van No.2362 to Diagram 3099 in SR Olive Green livery [Q3]
- R60020A – SR GBL Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van No.2471 to Diagram 3099 in SR Olive Green livery [Q3]
- R60021 – BR COR PMV Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van No.S2477S to Diagram 3097 (modified from Diagram 3099 with centre door droplights fitted 1945) in BR Crimson livery [Q3]
- R60021A – BR COR PMV Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van No.S2467S to Diagram 3097 (modified from Diagram 3099 with centre door droplights fitted 1945) in BR Crimson livery [Q3]
- R60057 – BR COR PMV Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van No.S2464S to Diagram 3097 in Pullman livery as used as Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral hearse on 30th January 1965 (see also R3866 above) [Q3]
Additional new tooling for coaches in the 2021 are a range of BR Mk4 coaches.
Generic Coaches
Hornby are also releasing a range of 4 and 6 wheel coaches and 4 wheel baggage brakes, that appear to be generally based on a number of LBSC Stroudley designs. These are going to go head to head with, and no doubt compared to, the Hattons range of Genesis coaches they announced in October 2019 but are yet to arrive. They are being released in a number of livery options including 6 wheelers in SR lined olive, and 4 wheelers in LBSC and LSWR liveries. They are being offered with or without fitted lighting (lighting unit can be retro fitted to the non fitted versions. A number of the versions (GNR, BR Crimson and LNER) will be immediately available Q1. 
Wagons
- R6992 – SR 14T 6 wheel Milk tank wagon United Dairies No. 4430 a representation of a Diagram 3161 tanker.
No new wagon tooling has been announced for 2021.
Railroad range
The Railroad range sees what appears to be the ex Thomas tolling (as Hornby no longer have the rights to produce Thomas the tank engine products) modified sans face R30039 in a pseudo SECR livery number 326 (that would have been H class) perhaps they would have been better to produce it in LBSCR livery as one of the extended tank E2 class?). The range also includes R3911 Class 71 electro-diesel as 73965 in GB Railfreight blue and orange livery.
Outstanding SR/BR(s) items
In addition to the four Merchant Navy pacifics the following iterms from previous announcements are still outstanding, and I do not have any available update, but are collated here for reference.
- R3507TTS – BR 4-6-0 ‘30832’ Maunsell S15 Class, Urie style tender – BR Black early crest. [2017]
- R3731 BR 0-4-0T No. 31177 H Class in BR lined black with early crest, pull push fitted. [2019]
- R3732 – BR 4-6-0 ”Sir Walter Raleigh” No. 30852, Maunsell Lord Nelson Class in in BR Brunswick Green with early crest, Lemaitre chimney, smoke deflectors and high sided tender. [2019]
- R3733 – BR 4-6-0 ‘Robert Blake’ No. 30855 Maunsell Lord Nelson Class in BR Brunswick Green with late emblem, Lemaitre chimney, smoke deflectors and high sided tender. [2019]
- R3763 – SR 0-4-4t H Class No. 1552 SR black, with non shaded lettering but shaded number. [2020]
- R3862 – SR 4-6-0 Lord Nelson Class No. 864 ‘Sir Martin Frobisher’ SR Malachite Green. [2020]
- R3863 – LSWR 4-4-0 T9 Class No. 120 in LSWR Green as preserved. [2020]
The full Hornby 2021 range can be found on the Hornby website here of the RMweb forum here and of course all items can be pre-ordered / purchased from our friends at the Kernow Model Rail Centre
Welcome news; particularly given the world-wide disruption from the ongoing pandemic.
Is there currently any information regarding the differences between the plastic and metal bodied air-smoothed Merchant Navy locomotive models?
For example detailing or is this a move towards cast bodies or a new range under the Hornby Dublo brand?
Whilst it is a shame that the Bulleid 59′ multi-door door isn’t yet appearing in CLC livery (https://www.bloodandcustard.net/Bulleid59ft01.html) the new COR PMV will hopefully be an absolute winner!
The difference for those under the Dublo brand is that the bodies are diecast and they are limited editions. The chassis is the same. Whilst Hornby are making more use of diecast parts in their models these are effectively a new range under the Dublo brand.
Clarification much appreciated (wallet starts to groan) – thank you!
Bulleid 59′ multi-door set 967 was new in Malachite 21st February 1946 being repainted twice at Lancing Carriage Works – CLC (March 1955) and BR(S) Green (September 1957).
Allocated to the S&B in 1961 this 3-coach set was disbanded end-1963 although some individual coaches survived until 1967.
Thanks for this Graham. Some good news. For me the SR Maunsell lined restaurant car and the luggage van are particularly welcome. The 4 and 6 wheelers strike me as petty and unless there are huge benefits for them I will support the Hattons versions. More choices from Hattons too by the look of it.
The biggest surprise to me is the announcement of ‘generic’ 6 and 4 wheel coaches, in direct competition with Hatton’s. I have a number of Hatton’s on order. This is going to be interesting. I hope it doesn’t get nasty!
Thank you very much for the posting Graham, there’s a few things I’m going to need especially the GBL and the C/C dining saloon and finally a 70a Merchant Navy.
Disappointed not to see a Merchant Navy from the first series 35001 to 35010 with early BR emblem. BB Winston Churchill is a surprise as this appeared relatively recently (with the current tooling) in a funeral Train Pack R3300.
Yes, me too on the 01 to 10 Merchant Navies. I have ordered Belgian Marine though! The Simon Kohler videos generally stress the importance of collector items so with the new luggage van I guess Winston Churchill was inevitable.
I too had hoped to see further Merchant Navy locos in original SR livery; the first two issued sold out very rapidly! Grahan’s list of what remains outstanding probably shows why sdding further MN’s to the list would not have been high on Honby’s agenda!
What’s the difference between:
R60020 – SR GBL Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van No.2362 to Diagram 3099 in SR Olive Green livery
and
R60020A – SR GBL Gangwayed Bogie Luggage van No.2362 to Diagram 3099 in SR Olive Green livery
Normally, these might have different running numbers, but they appear to be the same.
Hi Nigel
Apologies R60020A should be No.2471, I have corrected the post now.
S2450 – should this be R4888D? And the R4886B below it seems to have the same running number as R4886A?
Hi Stuart
The joys of cut and paste, I have corrected the post now. Thanks
Any more information on “die cast body” Pacific’s. Would it make it easier to fit the etched RT original style cab?
The entire body is diecast not sure what else I can add. The RT Models etched cab is for Light Pacifics and would not be suitable for Merchant Navy’s.
Will the Bogie Parcel Van fit in the headshunts on Canute?
Should do!
Whilst one should never look a Southern gift horse in the mouth, I am rather puzzled why Hornby should produce a diagram 2658 composite dining saloon when they never ran with the.dining firsts, also produced by Hornby, but with Diagram 2659 kitchen/buffet rebuilds.
You are not the only one..
Isn’t there an example preserved on the Bluebell Railway?
Perhaps the answer is simply an example exists which they can copy ‘in semi-isolation’ without any deep deliberations towards how it fits into the remainder of their range.
For example, Hornby’s selection of 5 BEL models appears disjointed when you want to run two date-compatible units together – I suspect Hornby doesn’t appear to understand there are quite a few modellers who will be running 10-car formations.
Really pleased with the CC liveried kitchen diners which fills a big gap on early BR(S) stock. Surprised at the new dining cars as I thought the SO coaches would in Hornby’s mind, have been sufficient. I checked expected delivery dates and they are all due this year along with my delayed blue Merchant Navy and Pecketts.
What’;s even worse than some of the above is the person at Hornby who seems to think that TfW will be running full length Mk IV sets….
Indeed, Hornby have stated that when they initially planned the releases the details of the TfW sets was not available… They have been advised of the correct TfW formations and it has been suggested that they amend the split of vehicle types and numbers before the actual release.
Really good to see the new Maunsell Dining Thirds/composites. However, just as it’s strange to produce the new dining open composites (D 2658) without the Kitchen Buffet Cars (D 2659) with which they were paired, it’s equally strange to be offering the same bodyshell as two of the 1927 third-class Dining saloons (D 2652) (carrying the numbers they had only from 1927 to 1930) without any of the 1927-built lined olive Kitchen Dining Firsts (D 2651) that they ran with over those three years!
Hopefully we’ll see the appropriate Kitchen cars to go with them. And clearly at some stage they have to appear in olive numbered 1363-1368 as open thirds in due course for Hornby to maximise their investment.
Particularly good to see S7841S coming. The last time I went inside it (under its tarpaulin) it remained in really sound condition, eminently restorable as a follow-on project to 7864 which we’re hoping to start work on once we’ve completed Maunsell Hastings brake 3687. Our fundraising for 7864 is approaching our initial guestimated target of £100,000 and a year ago I managed to get hold of several tons of second-hand teak, surplus from the rebuild of the Cutty Sark, which will provide most of the new structural timber.
I agree a strange choice of options for Hornby to do. I am drafting a future post to try and explain the different types etc.
7841 will get a mention and a link.
Good to hear that she is on track for restoration.
Look forward to that. It’s a confusing enough story even for those of us who immerse ourselves deeply in it! I initially got very excited by 7864 in lined olive, until I quickly realised it was the earlier 1927-built 7864 (which I really hadn’t been expecting!) rather than our 1932-built one with the same number.
Graham, thanks again for keeping these pages up as I try to understand the complexities of the Maunsell dining sets, especially towards the end of their service.
If I understand the situation at the moment for the Hornby RTR Maunsell dining cars, the following Diagrams are/have been suitable for the BR period (the earlier Dia 2652 carriages all having been converted into other Diagrams before 1948):
Dia 2651 RFK
BR(S) Green as S7946S (R4817) and S7858S (R4817A)
CLC as S7955S (R40029A)
(Carriages S7946S and S7858S appear to have been the only two Dia 2651s which were not converted into Dia 2666 / Dia 2667 Buffet / Buffet Kitchen or transferrred into Departmental service, remaining as Dia 2651 until withdrawal.)
Dia 2655 RFK
CLC as S7998S (R40029)
(Carriages S7880S, S7933S, S7997S and S7998S appear to have remained as Dia 2655 until withdrawal, and so would be useful releases in BR(S) Green.)
Dia 2656 RFK
SR Unlined Green as S7869S (R4816) and S7865S (R4816A)
(Carriages S7868S and S8000S appear to have remained Dia 2656 until withdrawal, and so would be useful releases in BR(S) Green.)
Question: the differences in the body shells appear to be focussed on the size of kitchen windows – smaller on Dia 2651, larger on Dis 2655 and Dia 2656 – is this replicated on the models, and are there other differences between them? If there are, do Hornby intend to release the Dia 2655 and Dia 2656 models in BR(S) Green?
Dia 2658 RCO
BR(S) Green as S7841S (R40031) and S7843S (R40031A)
(These two along with carriages S7842S and S7844S remained Dia 2658 until withdrawal).
Dia 2005 (R)SO
BR(S) Green as S1314S (R4538), S1327S (R4538A), S1338S (R40101).
Question: you’ve helpfully previously noted that the SOs drafted in to be (R)SO trailers were in the group S1369S – S1400S. I had understood that these were earlier builds, and had a single lav ventilator rather than the double vents on the model. Do I have this right?
Very many thanks as ever!
Toby
Hi Toby,
I am not party to Hornby’s future release plans so unable to comment in that respect.
Yes the differences in the diagrams where produced by Hornby are correctly replicated.
Re the diagram 2005 Open thirds they are correct to have double vents.