Reviews

Featuring
Thumbnail

REVIEWS

Read all the latest product reviews from the Hornby Magazine team covering 'OO', 'N' and 'O' gauge as well as a broad spectrum of model eras and product types. Plus, look out for the Video tag for feature videos included within reviews as well as the Hornby Magazine Express Video tag for our quick overview videos.

Review Premium

Revised Hornby 4-VEP arrives

BEN CHURCH

With a preserved example recently raising the profile of these important EMUs, BEN CHURCH assesses Hornby’s latest version of the 4-VEP in ‘OO’.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

‘Big Four’ Fowler ‘4P’

BEN CHURCH

With the first half of Hornby’s ‘Big Four’ collection having already arrived (HM200), commemorating the centenary of the formation of the ‘Big Four’, the latest representative in the quartet of models is now available in the form of the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) Fowler ‘4P’ 2-6-4T.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Flangeway updates ‘Salmons’

BEN CHURCH

Following the initial release of its ‘Salmon’ bogie rail carrier wagons in 2022 (HM183), Flangeway Models has released a new contemporary-era version of the popular ‘OO’ gauge vehicles.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Accurascale’s Class 66 Revival

MIKE WILD

The Class 66 is a locomotive virtually no modern layout can be without. Accurascale has taken on and re-worked the Hattons Originals product for ‘OO’ gauge – MIKE WILD takes an exclusive look at the first production samples.

MIKE WILD
Review Premium

Commonwealth of Australia

BEN CHURCH

In recent months Hornby has released a significant number of Gresley ‘A4’ 4-6-2s,primarily in its Hornby Dublo range as part of the Great Gathering 10th anniversary collection. This new ‘OO’ gauge ‘A4’ arrival is from the main range, but no less exciting as it represents one of the five Commonwealth-named ‘A4s’ in original condition, finished as 4491 Commonwealth of Australia.

BEN CHURCH
Kernow Model Rail Centre GWR Steam Railmotor. Review Premium

Kernow GWR Steam Railmotor

BEN CHURCH

A decade after its announcement, BEN CHURCH reviews this distinctive GWR train and asks whether the wait has been worthwhile.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

BR Wagons Vol. 5

BEN CHURCH

This latest volume in the series from Crecy about the acquired wagons of British Railways covers open goods wagons and continues from its predecessors and other books by David Larkin, providing a wealth of knowledge and insight.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Speedlink Freight

BEN CHURCH

From Crecy Publishing comes this comprehensive guide to the ill-fated Speedlink wagon service, employed by British Railways from 1977 to 1991.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Scottish Evolution

BEN CHURCH

In this 57th volume of Britain’s Railway Series, Ian Lothian turns his attention to the railways of central Scotland showing how they, the landscape, motive power and usage have changed over the last 40 years.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Welsh Inspiration

BEN CHURCH

North Wales, the Snowdonia National Park and its surrounding landscape offer picturesque views of coasts, mountains, valleys and hills. Combined with the traditional slate industry that dominated the area, the region’s railways traverse very harsh environments whether on the North Wales Coast line or through the mountains.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

1980s Motive Power

Andrew Walker/Vaughan Hellam

At the dawn of the 1980s the East Coast Main Line (ECML) was still the domain of the legendary Class 55 ‘Deltics’. Change was imminent though, as the 1980s saw the culling of several classic British diesel designs.

Andrew Walker/Vaughan Hellam
Review Premium

Colourful Class 31s

BEN CHURCH

New from Key Publishing comes this illustrated guide for one of the most unappreciated British diesel designs. The Class 31s were built by Brush Traction from 1957 to 1962 and were born out of the modernisation plan of 1955, which called for the wholesale replacement of steam with diesel and electric traction on a like-for-like basis.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Rannoch Station

BEN CHURCH

Modellers of the picturesque West Highland line will be pleased to see two new kits from Peco, bolstering its range of laser-cut wood kits (HM195) and providing new options for modellers of this scenic route.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

3D Printed Armco Safety Barrier

BEN CHURCH

New from West Hill Wagon Works are these ‘OO’ gauge 3D printed packs of Armco style safety barriers.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Mini Roller

BEN CHURCH

From Mini Roller comes this useful painting aid for your stock of modelling essentials.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

New Peco Wagon Load Kits

BEN CHURCH

Peco has issued six useful kits to help detail ‘OO’ and ‘N’ gauge wagons with loads, suitable for wagons of all sizes.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

New Grafar rolling stock rolls in

BEN CHURCH

Bachmann’s Graham Farish range of British Railways Mk 1 and Mk 2f coaches has been significantly expanded with new liveries and running numbers.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

1:76 scale Sultan

BEN CHURCH

Trains4U has expanded its scope of British military 1:76 scale kits with a model of a FV105 Sultan army control and command vehicle.

BEN CHURCH
Review Freemium

Rusty Rails Trackside details

BEN CHURCH

Rusty Rails has expanded its catalogue of 4mm scale trackside details with the addition of new Rawie fixed buffer stops and lineside telephones and signage poles.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

EWS exclusive Class 37/4

MIKE WILD

The Bachmann Collectors Club range features this fine model of EWS liveried Class 37/4 37422 Cardiff Canton. MIKE WILD checks out the finer details.

MIKE WILD
Review Premium

BR 16ton steel mineral wagon for ‘N’

BEN CHURCH

British Railways’ 16ton steel mineral wagon was one of the most ubiquitous wagons on the rails for decades and this all-new ‘N’ gauge wagon from Peco gives modellers another option for this versatile vehicle.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

All-new Iron ore tippler in ‘N’ gauge

BEN CHURCH

New from Peco is this newly-tooled ‘N’ gauge 27ton iron ore tippler wagon. They ran in block trains and as their name suggests they could be turned upside-down in a special tippler machine to unload their contents.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

RailRoad Plus ‘Deltic’ with sound

BEN CHURCH

New to Hornby’s RailRoad Plus range is this ‘OO’ gauge Class 55 ‘Deltic’, factory-fitted with Hornby’s innovative HM7000 Bluetooth and Digital Command Control (DCC) Triplex Sound (TXS) system. 

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Upgrade for RailRoad Class 110

MARK CHIVERS

Hornby’s venerable ‘OO’ gauge Class 110 Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) makes a welcome return to the RailRoad Plus range with enhanced decoration and improvements to the mechanical specification.

MARK CHIVERS
Review Premium

Hornby's Ruston 88DS 4wDM shunter lands

MARK CHIVERS

This delightful-looking ‘OO’ gauge model is now available. MARK CHIVERS finds out whether its performance matches its appearance.

MARK CHIVERS
Review Premium

EFE Rail’s Southern Electric ‘Boosters’

MIKE WILD

The 1940s Southern Railway ‘Booster’ electric locomotives are the subject of an all-new tooling from EFE Rail for ‘OO’ gauge. MIKE WILD inspects this new arrival.

MIKE WILD
Review Premium

Great Gathering anniversary collection – Part two

BEN CHURCH

Last issue (HM200) we looked at the first half of the new Hornby Dublo Great Gathering tenth anniversary collection, and now the three remaining Gresley ‘A4s’ - 60007 (Cat No. R30266), 60008 (R30265) and 60009 (R30263) in BR condition are here.

BEN CHURCH
Cavalex Models OO gauge Class 56 model review. Review Premium

FIRST REVIEW: Cavalex Models Class 56 for OO gauge

MIKE WILD

Cavalex Models’ debut powered model arrived at the end of January. MIKE WILD takes an exclusive look at the first production versions of this highly-anticipated ‘OO’ gauge locomotive.

MIKE WILD
Review Premium

DCC Power Bus Terminator

BEN CHURCH

A further addition to the Hobby Trax range of electronic components is this pack of Digital Command Control (DCC) ‘Spike Buster’ terminators.

BEN CHURCH
Review Premium

Beattie Well Tank Crew

MARK CHIVERS

MODELU has further expanded its range of engine crew designed for specific classes with this new pack for the diminutive LSWR ’0298’2-4-0WT in ‘OO’ gauge.

MARK CHIVERS