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Hornby Vs Bachmann

Hornby Vs Bachmann

  • Hornby

  • Bachmann


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PeterC

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Quite a few decades since I did any modelling so I can't give an up to date comment. Back in the 70s I did have the feeling that Hornby's marketing was pitched more at the toy market rather than at modellers.
 

SCH117X

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Trouble with modern Hornby is that a lot of the fine detail is in very fragile plastic - often unnecessary with whistles for example made out of plastic whereas Bachmann use metal castings
 

Cowley

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Yes Bachmann for me.
Although Hornby have made some great models in the last 10-15 years, personally having both in my collection I find that the Bachmann models are less fragile, marginally cheaper and slightly more reliable.
That said though - compared to what was available in the 1980s/1990s, both make beautiful models...
 

317666

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Out of the two I'd say Bachmann - although it's been some time since I bought any UK outline models, I much prefer the HO scene these days.
 

Bevan Price

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I would agree that detail on both has improved considerably over recent years -- but, that is tending to make some models increasingly unaffordable. A few years ago, a tolerably acceptable (unpowered) coach could be bought for maybe £15 to £20. Now, some coaches cost over £50. I feel that the model companies are in danger of pricing themselves out of the market if this trend continues. Yes, super-accurate detail looks nice - but plenty of people are unable to afford it.
 

SCH117X

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Raising costs, particularly labour costs in China are more the reason for price increases and their are rumours over Hornby moving production elsewhere. Bachmann being owned by Kader are tied to Chinese production.
 

Cowley

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I would agree that detail on both has improved considerably over recent years -- but, that is tending to make some models increasingly unaffordable. A few years ago, a tolerably acceptable (unpowered) coach could be bought for maybe £15 to £20. Now, some coaches cost over £50. I feel that the model companies are in danger of pricing themselves out of the market if this trend continues. Yes, super-accurate detail looks nice - but plenty of people are unable to afford it.
Very true.
I’ve been considering going N gauge for my next project.
The models are slightly cheaper (especially the coaches) and Bachmann have done wonders with the Graham Farish range.

This is my friends display layout with his sons Bachmann 24 (97201) running around in the snow...
9B3EB601-8567-4DA5-A33F-81BA5CEAF1D6.jpeg

Amazing quality considering how tiny it is.
Typical Bachmann reliability too.
Although his Dapol 33 is a bit of peach too...
B9F42D22-C2DB-4C64-A12D-B003EE750030.jpeg

(Ignore the 14xx. It’s not important right now)
 

Cowley

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Some models are just as detailed as OO but half the price!
Definitely, and the range just gets better.
I’m considering a model of a post-closure Seaton Junction in the seventies.
There’s no way that I could afford to do it in 00 (let alone having the space).
But I’ve been bitten by the bug having spent a weekend operating his layout at an exhibition.
 

whhistle

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Depends what model.

The Hornby 08 and Bachman 08 are pretty good equal contenders.
 

Peter C

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Depends what model.

The Hornby 08 and Bachman 08 are pretty good equal contenders.

Exactly. I have a few different engines, from all sorts of time periods dating back to Mainline and Airfix, but most of them are Hornby. I have two Bachmann engines, and I think that they are superb. However, they came in the Jubilee 2014 train pack, so I'm not sure if they were specially detailed for the occasion, if you will!
The Class 47 came with a driver in one cab, and the option to fiddle around with what lights were lit when activated on the controller. The Jubilee 5P came with an opening smokebox door and cab roof vent. I have a Hornby Class 50 and King which both came with none of these features, and proved to cause many issues. The Bachmann engines seem to be better in this case, but the Hornby engines, to me, have a certain charm about them.

-Peter
 

SCH117X

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From the point of view of having exhibited Bachmann locos are far more easily handled and are direct descenders of the Mainline ones , Hornby locos have far too many highly fragile parts including quite ridiculously plastic whistles; seems to largely down to plastic used in that other makes that use plastic for small parts that has some resilience but Hornbys is brittle in the extreme. Its a pity detail suppliers are few and limited in what they produce as there is I suspect a ready market for brass replacement parts for Hornby models.
 

LUYMun

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In terms of train sets, Hornby has more of these but aren't extensive as the Flying Scotsman, Highland Rambler, East Coast Express, etc are more focused on steam, whereas some modellers prefer to go on the modern side. There are also some that are completely different, like Hornby Junior, Paddington Bear's Train and Hogwarts Express. I don't mind unrealistic layouts, but Bachmann has more sense in terms of its marketing when people prefer modern multiple units over GWR steam engines.
 

Journeyman

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Quite a few decades since I did any modelling so I can't give an up to date comment. Back in the 70s I did have the feeling that Hornby's marketing was pitched more at the toy market rather than at modellers.

I think everything has improved since then, but certainly for a while during the eighties, I felt that Lima models were better than Hornby ones in terms of detail and realism. Of course, an eighties Lima model doesn't look too great these days, but it's telling that a lot of Lima moulds from that era are now being used by Hornby, because they're better than the Hornby ones of the day.
 

underbank

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At least Bachmann are consistent with their quality and seem to have a clear idea of their target market. Quite simply, more or less, you know what you're going to get.

Hornby are schizophrenic as they're trying to be all things to all men. Level of detail varies enormously from item to item. I'm not just talking about the difference between their Railroad range and their main range either. Even within each range, there are enormous differences at similar price points. You really can't anticipate what a model will/won't have until you physically see it - that's just plain wrong on so many levels.
 

Journeyman

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At least Bachmann are consistent with their quality and seem to have a clear idea of their target market. Quite simply, more or less, you know what you're going to get.

Hornby are schizophrenic as they're trying to be all things to all men. Level of detail varies enormously from item to item. I'm not just talking about the difference between their Railroad range and their main range either. Even within each range, there are enormous differences at similar price points. You really can't anticipate what a model will/won't have until you physically see it - that's just plain wrong on so many levels.

Didn't Hornby introduce some new design philosophy a few years ago, to maintain high levels of detail but simplify the production process? I think the issue is that some things conform to it and some things don't, depending on when they were introduced. That said, a lot of models don't seem to be manufactured for very long now. It does seem hard to tell what you're getting. Back in the day, with a few exceptions, the standard across the board was fairly consistent, with only a few very glaring exceptions (the short Mark 3, Southern coaches just being green GWR ones).

I think the Railroad range is a good concept, as many of the models in it are pretty decent for the price and helpful if you want to build up a decent-sized fleet on a budget, but even within that, there's good models and terrible ones.
 

SCH117X

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Yes, Design Clever which proved quickly to be unclever and has been abandoned.
 

underbank

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I think the Railroad range is a good concept, as many of the models in it are pretty decent for the price and helpful if you want to build up a decent-sized fleet on a budget, but even within that, there's good models and terrible ones.

Trouble is that the Hornby brand itself isn't particularly highly regarded in the "serious" modeller community, so bringing in the lesser Railroad range basically gives you two shades of poor reputation for quality etc. They tried to "up-sell" the Hornby name into high end and I don't think it has worked. Would have been better to leave "Hornby" brand as the cheaper/toy end instead of creating Railroad brand, and used one of it's other brand names for the top end, such as Jouef, Arnold or Rivarossi to create two completely different brands.
 

Spartacus

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Until fairly recently I always thought Hornby were given a pretty easy ride when something wasn't right, such as the front end of the Black 5 which wasn't criticised anywhere despite it's obvious flaws. Bachmann always seemed to get a rough ride over their 'delays', even after they explained that when they announced something new it was at the start of development, not most of the way through it like Hornby were doing. I always preferred that way myself as it meant I wasn't buying soon to be outdated models or starting a kit that would soon have an rtr equivalent.
 

FrodshamJnct

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Depends what model.

The Hornby 08 and Bachman 08 are pretty good equal contenders.

It does. Compare the Bachmann and Hornby 66s - but you get what you pay for. Will be interested to see how the Hatton’s 66 fares. The Dapol 68 deserves a mention here - stunning model.
 

SCH117X

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Its weird how Dapol can get the 68 so right (if you ignore the livery blunder on the first batch of DRS ones) and yet blunder so badly with the 73 (troublesome pick ups and poor liveries - wrong shades, lettering wrongly proportioned). The Western is an irritant, fine providing the lifting eyes for separate fitting but they could have least designed them to slot into the roof with a fold over tap to secure them to the inside of the roof. In terms of the ones they do supply varnish has been suggested to me as a way of fitting them but its not a strong hold on them and any slightly uncareful handling sees them fall off, so the alternative is to leave them off but then the roof is covered in strange slits.
 

trainmania100

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Both are very good in terms of detailing now
At first, bachmann was always my preference due to the smooth running, but now I go with Hornby wherever possible.
This is due to my co-co bachmann locos derailing on points when going left or right. The wheel comes out of the rail on the junction and derails. My Hornby models don't. It's a shame as it restricts my usage
 

FrodshamJnct

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Its weird how Dapol can get the 68 so right (if you ignore the livery blunder on the first batch of DRS ones) and yet blunder so badly with the 73 (troublesome pick ups and poor liveries - wrong shades, lettering wrongly proportioned). The Western is an irritant, fine providing the lifting eyes for separate fitting but they could have least designed them to slot into the roof with a fold over tap to secure them to the inside of the roof. In terms of the ones they do supply varnish has been suggested to me as a way of fitting them but its not a strong hold on them and any slightly uncareful handling sees them fall off, so the alternative is to leave them off but then the roof is covered in strange slits.

Yeah, it is. Also don’t think they’ve got the shade of blue around the cab windows quite right on the TPE version.
 

centraltrains

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In terms of modern trains, Hornby tend to make more high-speed trains... Class 142, Class 153, Class 156, Class 466, Eurostar, Class 390, Class 395, Class 800...
Where as Bachmann make more commuter trains: Class 150, Class 158, Class 166, Class 170, Class 220, Class 350, S Stock

I prefer commuter trains so Bachmann, in reality I'll buy from whoever makes it! Would be nice to see more modern trains, could start making wishlist's but RMWeb is for that!
 
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