I keep on hearing how some of the hornby models are so great witch a lot of them are not even close to accurate. Like Hornby Thomas It doesn't even look like that in the book series only the face is accurate, same with Henry, although Henry partially looks like that in the book( the tender is all wrong). Bill and Ben are to big compared to Bachmann engines and the faces look exactly the same. Oliver has that wire in his forehead, and Duck's face is to dark and Is to tall if you ask me the wheels need to be shortend. Don't even get me started with Gordon, Edward, Emily, Spencer. James is to long and so is his tender, Percy is to dark a green and has a green stripe on his funnel only the face is accurate. Toby has no bell. Diesel, Arry, and Bert's body's need to be reshaped and Arry and Bert are Green! Bear and the Flying Scotsman are good but F. Scotsmann needs a bonus tender. Rolling stock for hornby is pretty good in my opinion like the coaches, scruffy, vans ext. But Annie and Clarabel never looked like that! In conclusion why don't we just wait for Bachmann to make Duck, Oliver Diesel ext. ;)
Answer: Hornby is lazy.
True that. But not all his complaints are right. That "wire in Oliver's forehead" is part of his smokebox handrail, and it is there in the books.
Quote from: ZeldaTheSwordsman on April 22, 2010, 11:57:22 PM
True that. But not all his complaints are right. That "wire in Oliver's forehead" is part of his smokebox handrail, and it is there in the books.
Yeah but they didn't need to drill a screw in his forehead to keep it in place. Talk about pain. :P
The Hornby Thomas, Henry, Gordon, James, Percy, Duck, Oliver, Bear and Stepney models are all decent models. Not the best, but they are pretty nice models. The rest of the engines get two thumbs down from me. The rolling stock I like too, some rolling stock I prefer over Bachmanns (IE express coaches, tankers, etc.)
Most of the Hornby models I didn't like though have been sold except for Toby since he is one of my favorite characters. :P
Hornby though has much better and accurate buildings then Bachmann does.
So Hornby isn't at all that bad...but most of Bachmanns engines and some of their rolling stock are better then the Hornby models. Edward and Emily to name a few.
However with Hornby's current progress they aren't doing well, they're barely making anything for their Thomas range right now. Whereas Bachmann is starting sell models like crazy and is soaring to success.
Total Hornby has made 19 engines in the past 25 years with their small lack of effort put into the engines alone.
Bachmann on the other hand has made 15 (including the four new engines) with PLENTY of effort put into each model in the past EIGHT years. If this keeps up in the next two to three years Bachmann will end up with more engines then Hornby.
Bachmann and Hornby both have their ups and downs, but I'm starting to think that one of these days Hornby's Thomas range is gonna be in trouble...
Quote from: Chaz on April 23, 2010, 01:25:36 AMBachmann and Hornby both have their ups and downs, but I'm starting to think that one of these days Hornby's Thomas range is gonna be in trouble...
There's truth in this. UK stores have been importing Bachmann Thomas models, and the number of them doing so has been dramatically rising the last few years. Bachmann already won the license to sell G scale Thomas in the UK. I wouldn't be surprised if OO was next.
It doesn't help much that they list HO/OO on the boxes, instead of just HO... :P
Quote from: Sparks on April 23, 2010, 01:34:22 AMIt doesn't help much that they list HO/OO on the boxes, instead of just HO... :P
Since when have Bachmann done this? :o The models I have came with HO if I recall correctly.
I would disagree with the proposition Hornby is lazy, and in fact that statement should not be made on this forum.
Hornby put OO/HO on the boxes because thats precisely what it is and I hate to say this so is Bachmann Thomas
Bachmann Branch lines is the UK outline Bachmann
What the marking on the box means is OO scale 4mm = 1' HO 16.5mm gauge.
What you have to remember is Bachmann make the TV trains
Hornby make the proper scale Thomas trains both have there markets
The Hornby Thomas trains cannot help but be scale models,
when you have Stepney being a very real Brighton "Terrier" which Hornby Have produced and the real one is preserved on the Bluebell railway.
You then have the Thomas Stepney which is based on you guessed it
a Brighton Terrier if you where Hornby would you not use the same mold.
Hornby also have to match it with there pre existing range a thing Bachmann did not have to do.
There is a reason all English trains are OO scale and it goes back to clock work train days being able to fit the smallest motor in a HO scale US locomotive.
But because the English trains are smaller than the US ones that smallest clock work motor would not fit in an English loco at HO scale.
regards John
Quote from: buzz on April 24, 2010, 10:18:41 AM
I would disagree with the proposition Hornby is lazy, and in fact that statement should not be made on this forum.
Hornby put OO/HO on the boxes because thats precisely what it is and I hate to say this so is Bachmann Thomas
Bachmann Branch lines is the UK outline Bachmann
What the marking on the box means is OO scale 4mm = 1' HO 16.5mm gauge.
What you have to remember is Bachmann make the TV trains
Hornby make the proper scale Thomas trains both have there markets
The Hornby Thomas trains cannot help but be scale models,
when you have Stepney being a very real Brighton "Terrier" which Hornby Have produced and the real one is preserved on the Bluebell railway.
You then have the Thomas Stepney which is based on you guessed it
a Brighton Terrier if you where Hornby would you not use the same mold.
Hornby also have to match it with there pre existing range a thing Bachmann did not have to do.
There is a reason all English trains are OO scale and it goes back to clock work train days being able to fit the smallest motor in a HO scale US locomotive.
But because the English trains are smaller than the US ones that smallest clock work motor would not fit in an English loco at HO scale.
regards John
Actually, Bachmann's Thomas models are scale to Hornby's. Heres a link where I asked why Bachmann's and Hornby's Thomas trains are the same size. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php/topic,8593.msg70678.html#msg70678
Quote from: buzz on April 24, 2010, 10:18:41 AM
I would disagree with the proposition Hornby is lazy, and in fact that statement should not be made on this forum.
What?
We have rights to what we think. Scale is hardly a factor anyway. I was just saying that "OO" being there means they could appeal to a UK market.
I doubt anyone really cares the "scale" of a Thomas model, as long as its not too noticeable, doesn't ram into station platforms or can't fit into tunnels. (I say this because the Tomix range gets HUGE praise, despite the fact they're oversized :P)
But if Hornby weren't so lazy, I'd like them to at least try custom molds. They did it during their first years, but then just decided to "recolor" engines. Bachmann could of easily done the same thing.
At the end of the day, they are toys guys. Stop getting so stressy about them.
Quote from: StanierJack on April 24, 2010, 04:50:27 PM
At the end of the day, they are toys guys. Stop getting so stressy about them.
Looks like we got mail for Knuckles.
:P
Quote from: StanierJack on April 24, 2010, 04:50:27 PM
At the end of the day, they are toys guys. Stop getting so stressy about them.
Last time i checked they were models! ;D
Quote from: Sparks on April 24, 2010, 04:25:14 PM
Quote from: buzz on April 24, 2010, 10:18:41 AM
I would disagree with the proposition Hornby is lazy, and in fact that statement should not be made on this forum.
What?
We have rights to what we think. Scale is hardly a factor anyway. I was just saying that "OO" being there means they could appeal to a UK market.
I doubt anyone really cares the "scale" of a Thomas model, as long as its not too noticeable, doesn't ram into station platforms or can't fit into tunnels. (I say this because the Tomix range gets HUGE praise, despite the fact they're oversized :P)
But if Hornby weren't so lazy, I'd like them to at least try custom molds. They did it during their first years, but then just decided to "recolor" engines. Bachmann could of easily done the same thing.
yes you have rights and one of them is to obey forum rules,
and it is against the forum rules to bad mouth other manufactures
Who are not here to defend them selves.
Feel free to give Hornby the hundreds of thousands of pounds it would cost to make dedicated molds for a very limited market.
I like Hornby Thomas just the way it is it fits in well with my UK models
I also Like Bachmann Thomas Just the way It is as it fills the cartoon train market long may it stay so.
If you want to compare Hornby And Bachmann at least have the good manners, to write a revue that will be published in an open public domain
where if both the companies don't like it.
They can both respond.
regards John
Quote from: jettrainfan on April 24, 2010, 09:53:18 PM
Quote from: StanierJack on April 24, 2010, 04:50:27 PM
At the end of the day, they are toys guys. Stop getting so stressy about them.
Last time i checked they were models! ;D
Hi
Models or Toys not important.
Are they fun to play with very important.
But in using our own rights we must be carefull not to infringe other's rights.
I guess I am lucky, I can get both ranges to suit both ideas and not be tied to licencing agreements that tie up the UK and US markets.
regards John
Quote from: buzz on April 24, 2010, 10:32:18 PM
Quote from: Sparks on April 24, 2010, 04:25:14 PM
Quote from: buzz on April 24, 2010, 10:18:41 AM
I would disagree with the proposition Hornby is lazy, and in fact that statement should not be made on this forum.
What?
We have rights to what we think. Scale is hardly a factor anyway. I was just saying that "OO" being there means they could appeal to a UK market.
I doubt anyone really cares the "scale" of a Thomas model, as long as its not too noticeable, doesn't ram into station platforms or can't fit into tunnels. (I say this because the Tomix range gets HUGE praise, despite the fact they're oversized :P)
But if Hornby weren't so lazy, I'd like them to at least try custom molds. They did it during their first years, but then just decided to "recolor" engines. Bachmann could of easily done the same thing.
yes you have rights and one of them is to obey forum rules,
and it is against the forum rules to bad mouth other manufactures
Who are not here to defend them selves.
Feel free to give Hornby the hundreds of thousands of pounds it would cost to make dedicated molds for a very limited market.
I like Hornby Thomas just the way it is it fits in well with my UK models
I also Like Bachmann Thomas Just the way It is as it fills the cartoon train market long may it stay so.
If you want to compare Hornby And Bachmann at least have the good manners, to write a revue that will be published in an open public domain
where if both the companies don't like it.
They can both respond.
regards John
If I don't like Hornby products, then I don't. That's the beauty of a Free Market. We have the right to think what we want about them, and choose which one we want. To make us soften our opinions just because it's nice or "politically correct" is ridiculous. I doubt Hornby really cares what a bunch of kids talking about their Thomas trains even
cares what we think.
Might as well not criticize the President since he can't defend himself. Or HiT, or any company, or any TV show, or just about anything for that matter. ::)
We've all bashed both Bachmann and Hornby in the past for various reasons, it's nothing threatening or something to take serious heart to. Maybe if we were a powerful organization of modellers, then sure we'd need that rule enforced a bit. But we're just a bunch of kids who are talking about model trains the same way we would an X-Box, Wii, or PS3 against the other. We've even criticized the Thomas models made within the recent years "Edwards cab windows are too small," "Saltys cab is too big," heck I made a whole topic criticizing the Bachmann Thomas, Percy and James. Should I of not said anything, because it's unlikely that the people who made them will defend their case? Maybe. But criticism, nonetheless, is a suggestion. We may negatively criticize Hornby, but everything has room to be criticized, so it can be
improved! I doubt any of us ever intend financial, or emotional harm when we say what we think about Thomas merchandise, episodes, etc. We just have opinions, and some people express them nicer than others.
I don't mean to attack or disrespect the Bachmann Forum or it's rules (I rarely if ever even stray outside the Thomas and Friends section!), but it seems strange to see someone attack the few of us for something we've done for a long time and never have had problems rise before.
Fact and matter is this. Whereever you go, Bachmann Forum, Hornby board, youtube, SiF, school, sports, politics, even dining (Which I just dealt with...waiting an hour for food is no fun and especially when you still don't get it. :)). But on the serious topic here, there's critisim everywhere you go. People need to accept that and move on, not everyone will agree with ideas or events that have happened. Companies like Bachmann, Hornby, even ones like Atlas and Athearn I'm sure get critisisms all the time. Companies alone I'm sure have gotten plenty, and they'll either put into some consideration or ignore it. An example that may be considered would be something like "I don't like this James model, please find a way to improve this model." One of many that could be ignored is "I hate Emily because she's a stupid character >:(" I'll admit I do point things out things that aren't quite right, including Bachmann and Hornby and maybe even especially Hornby. I think out of all Thomas electric ranges I would have most complaints about would be Lionel's range... I don't even need to start explaining at that one. But all I'm trying to say is, you can't say "Stop critisizing" when really it's just common upon all forums and websites on the internet. Like I noted, Bachmann gets complaints on their own board sometimes. There's no reason to stop people for stop critisizing because they do have rights to. The companies can either ignore it or make things work out to satisfy us.
Hi chaz
Our right to critisize runs out, when it infringes on the critisized parties right
to fair treatment in this case the right to defend themself.
Oh I can assure you your president is more than capable of defending him self, and he does when its called for what he doesn't do is infringe other peoples rights.
You don't get to be the President without being the business.
No disrespect intended.
regards John
Quote from: buzz on April 25, 2010, 02:29:37 AMOur right to critisize runs out, when it infringes on the critisized parties right
to fair treatment in this case the right to defend themself.
Like I said, I doubt they really care what we, maybe 8 people at most, think of their products. Mainly because we're not even in the UK.
I'll just say this, if companies REALLY cared about what people thought of them then Lionel's Thomas range would be history...
Seriously buzz, all you're trying to do here is just prove a point with people with your opinion while Sparks and I are giving you very well known facts. Manufacters don't care about people's opinions regarding their products, and more importantly you shouldn't care about what the manufacters think of the opinions people throw at them with their ranges for Thomas the tank engine. If they did care they would have made plenty of dramatic changes in the ranges alone.
I can't get you to listen to me and Sparks on this one but you gotta accept the fact that here in this very world there is critisizm anywhere you go or whatever you may do. This isn't directed to you personally, it's towards everyone including myself. It's one of the many things in life people cannot avoid. If you can't accept that then you're obviously not ready for critisizm in the real world... It's not always a bad thing either. Critisizm in some ways is actually a good thing, it's probably the most helpful kind of response regarding feedback. Again not meaning anything will change, but it will help give the manufacters ways to IMPROVE the ranges for the near future. Compare the Bachmann James to the Bachmann Edward and you will see what I mean.
I think we are all getting trolled here ::)
It is called FREE SPEECH and we are well within our rights to discuss our opinions about HORNBY even though some people may not agree with them because the only time people seem to care what you say is when you say something they don't agree with.
I personally love Oliver and Stepney and am Using Duck out of necessity but hope BACHMANN will make them soon.
Quote from: Chaz on April 25, 2010, 12:55:19 AM
Companies like Bachmann, Hornby, even ones like Atlas and Athearn I'm sure get critisisms all the time.
I bet Athearn's been getting alot of critism lately for discontinuing their blue box kits. ;D
Maybe hornby could make a better tidmouth sheds. :D
What's wrong with the one being made? The turntable could be fixed, as well as the entrance tracks to the shed. Besides that just get two extra stalls for series 9 to now. If you want a classic roundhouse, you could do with that Vollmer shed that seems popular.
Quote from: StanierJack on April 25, 2010, 05:00:39 AM
I think we are all getting trolled here ::)
Wow I just almost died laughing when I seen that.
I just don't see why people like the Hornby Thomas, it doesn't look like the Thomas in the TV or book series. :-\
Yes it look like the railway series thomas but is not extremely accurate to that either.
It is, however, more practical to modify to be RWS accurate.
Quote from: ZeldaTheSwordsman on May 01, 2010, 01:30:57 AM
It is, however, more practical to modify to be RWS accurate.
Quote from: thomasj219 on April 30, 2010, 09:43:47 PM
Yes it look like the railway series thomas but is not extremely accurate to that either.
Yeah that's what I was thinking, the blue paint in my opinion is to dark. There is someone on youtube who did modify the hornby Thomas to make it look like the Re. W. Awdry's. Thompsonline I believe.
Henry Blue I thought
Quote from: PasqualeCS96 on May 01, 2010, 09:26:22 AM
Quote from: ZeldaTheSwordsman on May 01, 2010, 01:30:57 AM
It is, however, more practical to modify to be RWS accurate.
Quote from: thomasj219 on April 30, 2010, 09:43:47 PM
Yes it look like the railway series thomas but is not extremely accurate to that either.
Yeah that's what I was thinking, the blue paint in my opinion is to dark. There is someone on youtube who did modify the hornby Thomas to make it look like the Re. W. Awdry's. Thompsonline I believe.
(http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/rr326/StanierJack/05506f92.jpg)
Still some bits to sort, but it's getting there. Got a newer chassis now too, need to take pictures :p ;)