From Miniature to BIG

Ok, well after the big O gauge models, today I received a package from Hornby, this contained a pre-order item that has finally arrived after having been ordered over a year ago!  The other two items are from their current spring sale and were 50% off.

To start with lets have the sale items, if you follow this thread you will remember the 'Lion' train pack I bought last year.  Well to go with it Hornby decided to sell the sister loco 'Tiger' train pack at half price as well as a coach pack which is technically meant to complement the 'Rocket' train pack, but of course which is the same era as Lion and Tiger.

So here we go, a couple of pics of each.  The 'Tiger' train pack instead of containing coaches like the 'Lion' did instead came with 3 'coal' wagons.  I didn't take pictures of those yet as they are tiny and until i get the train out of the pack properly it would be pretty much impossible to get a decent picture of them.

















The other item in the parcel was my pre-order item.  This is the brand new P2 class steam locomotive 'Prince of Wales'.  The P2 was one of the last steam locomotive classes to be built before diesel and electric came along and spoiled everything.

This model is similarly ground breaking as for a start it is a beautiful looking locomotive, but on top of that it comes fully loaded with one of the new HM7000 bluetooth enabled sound DCC decoders and a first for recent Hornby models a steam generator.  Unlike older steam generators that used to use a hot element that evaporated 'smoke oil', this one actually runs on plain water, a bit like the old Tomy Thomas with the smoke function.  The difference being this is (supposed to be) better as the there is no need for an LED to illuminate the smoke to make it visible and the puffs of smoke are actually syncronised with the 'chuff chuff' sound from the HM7000 sound decoder.  At the moment there are only the pictures of the model, but if I can find time this weekend I intend to test it out and run it generating steam!!  Till then, enjoy!