From Miniature to BIG

I like that they come with their own engineers/brakeman? Are they exclusive or general sitting figures?

I believe they are standard models, the first ones of them I saw were supplied with one of the recent Hornby Dublo models (A4 Bittern) and they were the same.  Hornby always used to provide a driver and fireman model with every locomotive.  But, they were just black plastic mouldings, not as detailed and of course meant the buyer would have to paint them their-selves resulting in various results depending on their ability and eyesight .  They seem to have stopped making/supplying that type in recent times, but now these new higher detail painted versions seem to be coming with the larger steam (pacifics or similar) locomotives.  It is a nice finishing touch bearing in mind how well they detail the cabs now.

My latest addition to my OO Gauge fleet, a Hornby collector club special and for a change for me a Diessel in the form of a class 66 in special royal purple livery to commemorate the coronation of King Charles III.  It comes with a set of etched name plates which you can fit if you desire along with a few other detail parts.  It is also fitted with one of the new HM7000 digital bluetooth sound decoders, this features lighting control, speed/direction (naturally) and a full set of correct to class sound effects plus one special one - It plays the national anthem "God Save the King" (I still think that sounds odd as its been so long "God Save the Queen").  Anyway here's some pictures;

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Love that color and the waving Union Jack. I agree and must admit that after decades of only hearing "God Save the Queen" this is the first time I have heard/seen "God Save the King". Since I am not British and it sounds weird to me I can only imaging how odd it sounds to those who are British and have only heard God Save the Queen their entire life. Pretty cool that the train plays the National Anthem. Is this a model of a real trains livery of the coronation?

Weird hearing that version of the national anthem doesn't even come close, it sounds to me almost like blasphemy lol

I have to admit I love the livery as well, of course I would have preferred a steam loco in these colours, but unfortunately I missed that model when it was released some 18 months ago.  Despite going on the site to try to order one as soon as I got the email it was already sold out.  However it is still a nice model with a quite unique livery, as to whether it is modelled on a real one I really don't know to be honest.  I'll have to get on google and find out

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I would love to have seen the steamer also

I would have loved one myself, it is one of my favourite locomotive classes as well a west country class locomotive. It is now selling for stupid money due to the greedy scalpers out there who ordered them not because they collect or are even interested in model trains, but simply to screw a profit out of people who do.

Here's one example of one on eBay https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/334583631138?...R8S1vsDYYg

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Wow...even the shipping looks steep. I was hoping for a waving Union Jack also.

Ok, after the coronation we have the latest Hornby Pre-Order i had which has arrived (well I've also got the latest 5 'Beatles' box cars, but they can be posted another day).  Here we have the revolutionary and one of the last of the innovative steam locomotives in the British Isles, the classic 'Turbomotive'.  This was an evolution of the very famous, successful and adored 'Princess' Class locomotives.  Not many were made, but apparently it was quite successful.  I believe this is the first 'ready to run' versions of this model that has been made by a manufacturer and is fully loaded including one of the new bluetooth sound decoders!  Enjoy!

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RIVETS!!!! 😃

I found it interesting that the Turbomotive always had to be facing forward because even though it was running on Turbines, the reverse was a smaller one that couldn't handle a heavy rake of coaches.

I knew you'd love the rivets lol  Something you always seem to get with LMS locomotives, I think the LNER ones used to be designed with flat rivets, but that probably had something to do with the air streamlining of locomotives such as the A4 (Mallard for example) class.  It is always interesting some of the restrictions these innovative designs had, I wonder if the model is similarly deliberately handicapped if running in reverse?  I mean it wouldn't surprise me in some ways as they are constantly trying to make the models more and more realistic