Hornby - A Model World

[ChemicalChaos]

Just came across this new series on the Yesterday channel today - it's a brilliant series following all the companies under the Hornby brand - Hornby, Scalextric, Airfix etc. as the staff design and research new releases. It also catches up with private enthusiasts - everyone from private attic layouts to Pete Watermans' cathedral-sized public exhibition, and gives an inside look at the premises and their development too.

10/10 would reocmmend!

[ChemicalChaos]

Talking of which, have they changed the voiceover lady from S1 to S2? This one sounds slightly less "Northern"

[ChemicalChaos]

chris watton said:

Doofus said:

Why did it have to be diecast rather than plastic?

I think the reasoning is that more weight is better for pulling carriages/wagons. However, this is also heavily dependant on the quality of the motor and running gear.

This. Rail traction both IRL and on models is heavily dependent on friction induced by weight. A lightweight plastic train would just spin its wheels and go nowhere.

[ChemicalChaos]

Been playing catch up with S2... I was most surprised to see they made the big scale Lotus (an absolutely stunning model!) in full JPS livery. I thought that was long banned, and people had to convert with their own decals once bought?

Doofus said:

Montana can think on her feet, though.

She's definitely got a lot of novel ideas (the 3d scanned Simon, the "my first train set" etc) which must be the benefit of having a young trendy mind paired with the older veterans like Simon.

Anyone else beginning to get a bit of a crush?

[ChemicalChaos]

droopsnoot said:

FiF said:

I had a Minic set, wanted a Scalextric but parents went for the cheaper Minic

I had the "Matchbox Motorway", a bright orange track (I think) with long coiled springs that ran in a slot in the track. Standard Matchbox-sized cars could be used just by sticking a little pin underneath the car, and there was a big cog somewhere that moved the spring around the slot. I seem to recall spending more time trying to un-knot the spring than actually playing with the kit - I suspect it was intended to be left set up all the time.

Never heard of that but it sounds an intriguing setup!

My dad apparently used to have a set called Total Control Racing, which even in the 80s was capable of the on-demand lane-switching that Scalextric digital only managed to offer in the 2000s?