This post is a bit of a smorgasbord of updates including product development updates from Hornby and Hatton’s, a new announcement from Oxford Rail, Fisherton Sarum’s next outing and finally the 2017 British Model Railway Awards…

Hornby SR Lord Nelson 4-6-0

Announced only earlier this month as part of the 2018 range Hornby have, via their Engineshed Blog here, shown off how much of an advanced stage in development the model is at, with the first fully decorated Engineering Prototype sample having been received. Hornby are already aware that a few slight tweaks are still needed but that is the point of such samples.
Generally the process of the development of such a model is around two years, so it demonstrates how much work had been competed before the announcement earlier this month.
To see more images and a video of the model running click here.

Hattons ex SECR P Class 0-6-0t

Hatton’s have this week confirmed that the majority of the production run of their ex SECR P Class 0-6-0t locomotives are on their way to them and will be arriving in two batches. Product codes H4-P-003 to H4-P-012 will be arriving on Friday 9th March 2018 whilst H4-P-001 and H4-P-002 will arrive in May 2018.

Originally only announced in September last year the progress made on these models has been excellent, although the over delivery dates have been delayed slight from that first stated, I feel that Hatton’s can be excused for such a slight slip in the delivery schedule.
Having had the pleasure to handle and indeed run some of the Engineering prototypes I can safely say it will be worth the slight additional wait.

For more information and to see all the sample photos, click here.

Oxford Rail announce Rail Mounted Guns

• OR76BOOM01 WWI Boche Buster – Camouflage and ROD2330 (Dean Goods locomotive)
• OR76BOOM01XS WWI Boche Buster – Camouflage and ROD2330 (Dean Goods locomotive) with DCC Sound
• OR76BOOM02 Railgun Gladiator WWII

Some might be wondering why I have mentioned this here on a Southern related blog, however I am reliably informed via a number of sources that the Gladiator rail mounted gun was for a while based on the Elham Valley Railway in Kent during the Second World War. Apparently, although it was never actually used in anger it has certainly been recorded that at least one test firing broke lots of windows in the area. See here for more details on the prototype.

The have also announced a further ex LSWR 4-4-2 Adams Radial in a presentation box as OR76AR008 25th Oxford – Southern Late Sunshine Lettering 3520. New wagons to be added to range include 5 plank mineral wagons and 12 ton tank wagons.
See the full announcement on the Oxford Rail website here.

Fisherton Sarum to appear at Milton Keynes Exhibition Sat 10th February

Making its second and possibly last appearance this year Fisherton Sarum,on Saturday 10th February, will be at the Milton Keynes Model Railway Society exhibition being held at  Stantonbury Leisure Centre, Stantonbury, Milton Keynes. MK14 6B

This popular and large show will comprise of over 40 layouts, including scales T, Z, N (including BR(s) Bodmin General), H0 (including Prospect Point from the High Wycombe and District MRS) , 00, 009, EM and G. Also attending will be over 30 traders. The show is open between 10am and 4.30pm.

Please drop by and say hello.

British Model Railway Awards for 2017 (a shameless plug)

Voting for this years British Model Railways Awards promoted on RMweb and British Railways Modelling Magazine is now live and open for voting until 31st January, so you don’t have long to vote, with the winners being announced in the Spring edition of British Railways Modelling Magazine and on RMweb.

As well as giving you the chance to vote for your favourite models and manufacturers of the year, the categories also celebrate excellence and innovation in the wider British model railway scene such as websites and exhibitions. There have of course been a number of Southern / Southern Region related models released during 2017  so I urge you to support the production of these models by choosing your best in the relevant category and voting accordingly.

I am also very humbled to see that this little corner of the blogosphere of mine has once again been nominated for the third year running, within the website of the year category, so and this is a bit of a, well a big, shameless plug, please feel free to vote for it, if you have enjoyed my ramblings over the last twelve months.

Also if like me you have received excellent service from a particular retailer such as Kernow Model Rail Centre or maybe Hatton’s please also vote accordingly.

Please make sure you vote counts to support the Southern / Southern Region models that have been produced in 2016 by voting here before the 31st January.

Here endeth the shameless plug…