Really pleased that this scale has come out - I have loved model trains since I was about 6 - and I'm 62 now! But with a family and a normal family sized home, it was never going to happen - but now, I can build a layout - not sure yet where I'll get the space for the full sized layout that will run an Easterner, but I'm a proud owner and at the moment trying to build a shunting layout to fit on an old shelf!
This gauge is going to set many young modellers off into our hobby. Seasoned modellers may not be interested, but I think Hornby have reopened a market in this scale ! Thumbs up for me too! Thanks for sharing your review Jenny!
Not just young ones, I'm 48, I've not had a train set since I was a kid and I'm considering getting into it again with this scale. I don't have much room for a set, basically just a dining table That is currently being overtaken by Lego sets so I think this slightly smaller scale would be ideal.
I've been giving serious consideration to swapping to TT120. Like many others I got back into the hobby during lockdown and have made a basic layout in my spare room. It was always meant to be a temporary/practise layout that I could use to get my hand back in, try out ideas, play with my trains, etc so I've not invested a lot of time and effort into it. The long term plan was to make a more extensive layout in the loft one day, however the loft needs a fair amount of time and money spent on it before it will be ready. If I switch to TT120 then I could have a pretty extensive layout in the spare room which has a useable space of about 10'x8'. That's enough for an okay OO gauge, but not as extensive as I'd like and there's a compromise between the number of lines I can have, ideally I'd like 4 and room for landscaping. I haven't done a proper plan yet but I think that may be possible with TT. There are of course pros and cons to TT. The first of these is more extensive layout as opposed to the larger model size of OO which I prefer. I'm still debating which is more important to me. Others include: Pros: - Takes up less room than OO so I can have a decent sized layout in far less space. - Significantly cheaper price of (new) models compared to OO. e.g. about £125 for a TT A4 compared to £190+. TT Coaches £27 compared to say £40-60 for OO. Second hand OO is similar to TT for locos and coaches, though a bit more for wagons. - To scale for those bothered about such things. Cons: - Currently a limited range of products. However based on Hornby's phased roll out info there should be enough for a decent start up layout within 2 years and I suspect they'll be a reasonably extensive range within five. - No established pre-owned market yet. Other things to consider: - Currently only available on line, not in model shops. I can see why Hornby choose to do this: 1) The trend is to buy online rather than the high street these days. Not everyone has access to a nearby model shop and many prefer the convenience of online shopping. 2) TT is already established in the US, Europe and Japan and is a world rather than mostly UK market like OO. Making it online makes it easier to distribute to these markets. 3) It cuts out the middleman keeping costs down and making TT120 more attractive to new comers. Which is crucial in getting TT established. It also gives Hornby control of the product so they can do their own discounts and deals without upsetting retailers. 4) It sounds like Hornby sounded out some retailers and they were happy for Hornby to take the intial risk. Hornby have said they may consider retailers selling TT in the future once it's more established. In fact they are already doing so for Australia where an established retailer will be selling it for them. 5) With OO Hornby lose out on a huge amount of sales to the secondhand market, plus rivals. With TT they currently have a near monopoly and whilst this will change over time for the moment it's likely to provide a big cash boost despite the initial outlay. Remember Hornby have been posting financial losses for years and it would be bad for the hobby if they went under. This might just make the difference. 6) The age profile of the average OO modeller is quite old. Every year more die off than new modellers joining the hobby. What happens to Hornby then? It makes sense to make a more home friendly and affordable product that's likely to appeal to a wider selection of people, especially those with limited space. Hopefully it will bring more people to the hobby.
I was in the process of changing from N Gauge to 00. When Hornby announced this I decided to go TT:120. Today I finished dismanteling my N gauge layout and will start the TT in the next few weeks. I have the Scotsman set and have preordered two more locos ( silver King and the class 08 shunter ) + extra track. FYI Horby said the track needs to be pined down to eliminate the bow. There are also a few youtube videos of how to remove the bow which according to Simon Kohler is due do the manufacturing process . Also apparently the bow causes the rubbing sound as the carriges go around the curves. I Have not had a chance to prove that yet. This will be an interesting new project for me as I an 75 this year and N gauge was getting to small to be comfortable. started modeling again when my kids got to the right age . Origanall had a 3 rail hornby Double0 when I was a kid :-) All my N gauge was DCC and so will be TT. As a retired electronics engineer I love all the things you can do with DCC.
Thank you for providing the coach running numbers, small detail but I wanted to learn this before buying any extra coaches at the same time as this set E 15480, E 15488, E 34731
Just bought an Easterner set as a new to railway modelling at 67,the detail looks so good to me and the perfect scale for small spaces,I almost went to N gauge but so pleased I went for TT120.
Hoping the TT takes off in the States. I love the UK locomotives and equipment. I usually "play " with O gauge and Standard gauge, that is 2 7/8" wide track, so more than double O gauge. Was debating about N scale but im loving the TT!
TT:120 is a lovely scale and I'd like to see it gain even more popularity, too. Zoë, who edits these videos, has said before that if TT:120 had arrived before she invested in N Gauge locomotives, she would have gone all-in on TT instead.
Being an N gauge modeller I can appreciate the larger size. Robustness is also a factor. I learnt early on that N is too fragile for most children, especially when using steam locomotives. The TT looks much better.
The track geometry issue is really getting on my goat. I have the Scotsman and the Eastener sets and have no issues. One youtuber made a big deal about it and now its used as a stick to bash Hornby TT. TT was meant to draw new people into the hobby not push them away. Before that fellows review was posted nobody noticed and issues. Soon as he did it was hot topic number 1 Nice review Jenny
Track geometry is crucial, it is quite typical of Hornby to get essentials wrong but more importantly as good track laying is essential to good operation so is precise geometry. Hornby is driven by Phoenix asset management who want to get their disastrous investment in Hornby back , unfortunately they continue to make one poor decision after another and the Hornby shares are consigned to penny share status as a result. For the consumer if Hornby keep the range to themselves there will be no support in terms of advice from the supplying source as in general there are not the staff in Hornby to do so , they sacked most of them a few years ago .
@@pmb9172 Hornby will not keep the range to themselves. Peco has already got flexible track and decent points. Once other manufacturers see the potential, expect them to introduce models of their own. Heljan were about to dip their toe in the water and then withdrew, shame really citing duplication. Of course, if their offerings were better, then the duplication would not be a problem as we already see in the various competing models in OO.
@@janeswift9961 entirely the opposite has already occurred, Heljan and Gaugemaster have pulled out , it’s destined to go the way of Hornby live steam .
@@pmb9172 The sets have come in stock and sell out within 48 hours in the last 2 months. The youtube views on TT 120 are huge, Simons Shed got 95,000 views on his Scotsman review. There are tons of videos of people joining or getting back in the hobby because of TT. I always take a glass is half empty POV on life but even I can say TT is a hit for Hornby. And thats good for everyone in the hobby
It’s directly out of the box, not run in and running on a table that also has the microphone on top of it. We were hoping the cloth would deaden the sound a little. It does make a noise but not quite as much as it seems here.
hoping to get here in the U.S .A i have a bunch of old tt scale trains from the 50s and 60s in AMERICAN AND BRITISH trains the power pack in that set is not that good and wont work over here but i love this new stuff !!.
i haven't owned a train set since i was a kid in the early 80s but thinking of getting into this scale, i do own a corgi Harry Potter Hogwarts Express model and thought that was how big TT was but it seems TT is bigger!!, i like the balance between scales that TT offers, also, random, i have to admit i got a bit distracted watching this by your Penguin popular classics book collection in the background lol. i got about 30 up until they went and changed the covers, always wanted more.
Nice to see a comparison to N and OO. This scale will lend itself to shelf layouts very well! Think Inglenook shunting layout in TT120. You would only need a small loco like the Gronk Hornby are going to do and an assortment of wagons. A Terrier in TT120 would be a good seller and no problem to make either as Dapol do them in N. But what about a Pug? Never been done in N, only OO!
Thank you for the video which I enjoyed and it's reassuring that the track geometry appears to be good. My favourite bit however was the line "daily dose of vitamin train" - that cheered me up. Thanks again.
What would be interesting would be to compare the size with an HO version which is the correct scale size for the 16.5 mm track used for HO & OO. OO scale is so over big I feel. Am amazed it wasn't done away with say back in the 70's. I want to get back in to this & do like this TT:120 but am leaning towards full HO & get stuff from wherever but obviously not Hornby except track maybe.
Warms the Heart to see such positivity about a new direction in railway modelling. But sadly, you’ve got to be a realist to run a multi-million pound business. And I always thought Hornby had lost the plot with TT-120 and its accompanying fantasy PR/Marketing. As it’s turned out they have. And it’s crippling a once great company.
My set arrived with a faulty point. There was no power in the siding. Checked the underside and found a faulty clip. Pushed it to fit and the point works. Check the underside of the point. Not a great mechanism
The noise is wheels off the coaches rubbing on the coach body.its an OK system but the tillig ,piko tt is a lot better.the track is OK but triang tt track makes a smaller circuit. Hornby wouldn't send me a set even though I specialise in tt on my channel.i had to buy one.check the whistle on the loco many are upside down.
Hello Jennifer, been watching for a while and love your content, The track corners need to be relaxed as in massage them. Hold the corners in both hands and slightly twist hands in opposite directions to relax the track there do not need much its just the inner rail is too tight so one this exercise has been completed the rails will sit flat.
How can you not mention the crazy scratchy sound of the coaches caused by the wonky track? Hornby say it isn't a problem but it sometimes thought you had a sound decoder in there!
The geometry is fine, once the tension of the inner rail is tweaked the track sits flat and in a perfect circle. Hornby are aware of the issue and hopefully have passed it back to the factory to sort before packaging
A lot of Hornby set track is like that, I have had the same issue with Hornby H0 set track supplied in their train sets, not an issue for me personally, as I use Peco.
Nice review Jenny. I have the set plus one of Hornby's new TT A3s. Am in the process of designing and building a new TT layout. I'm not walking away from OO but am fortunate to have enough space in my spare bedroom to have a separate layout in this smaller gauge where I wouldn't have enough room for another OO layout. Most of my OO collection being steam era the idea being to have a separate modern era layout. So what do I buy - more Gresley pacifics!!! Overall I'm very pleased with the Easterner set. The detail I think is amazing and I think the set is good value for money. I do agree there are a few 'teething issues' here. Hopefully Hornby will get to grips with the issue of the slightly 'out' geometry in the 3rd radius curves. Admittedly I didn't notice a problem when I had mine laid out on the kitchen table. The other negative for me is the A4 chime whistle. Again I didn't notice it until my attention was drawn to it but now I've seen it it does bug me a bit even though I have to look really closely to see it with my eyesight. It does indeed look like it has been fixed upside down though some modellers dispute this and say its just a design flaw. I did have the sister A4 'Falcon' on preorder but cancelled this particular model until hopefully this flaw has been rectified. But all in all I'm pleased with my growing collection of TT. I really hope this will be a success for Hornby and I wish them well with it.
Hi Jenny. There have been several other YTers who have made a review video of this train set. In comparison, your video has been somewhat kinder; not in what you *did* say, but more what you *didn't* say. In most people's experience, the track geometry is so poor that gaps between some adjoining rails (notably where a curve joins a straight) were too large and didn't form a perfect curve. You also didn't mention the noise coming from the coaches as they negotiated the curves. The leaning of the loco and coaches on the curves *is* because the track was not fixed to the running surface. You didn't mention that the controller was the most basic in the Hornby range and not really suitable for the more serious modeller. Although not audible in your video, several other owners of this set reported a buzzing noise caused by the controller. Lastly, some owners (myself included) have reported that there have been loose items falling off the loco found in the box during unboxing and also a piece of tape under the front bogie that ought to be removed before running the loco. I suspect that your train set was "sanitised" by Hornby before sending it to you for review.
First of all nice library Jenny. Very intellectual choices. It’s really obvious because of your mic placement that the carriages are rubbing on the curves. Others have found this and I’m surprised you didn’t pick up on it. Personally it seemed a bit of a “soft” review but I always enjoy your perspective. I’m eagerly awaiting my digital Easterner this summer. Perfect scale for me. I’ve no space for OO anymore and N seems too fiddly
Well someone has built a TT120 Layout with a miniature railway on it , have a look on the Hornby TT120 forum, it's the "Betws y Coed progress " thread, utterly brilliant what some modellers can think up .
I was hoping for a more in depth and honest review, I noticed your Eastener set is the same as mine and that of many others. That is a serious design flaw in the track, an Indi style banking on the curves because the track doesn't fit together right. If you were to put just the curves together you will see that they will not fit as they overlap by a considerable amount. At first I thought once the track is glued/pinned it will be ok but this will will put stress on the rest of the track. The Loco front bogie on mine and many others actually pull a bit of a "Wheelie". After running in I attached the coaches and like your set they make a terrible noise when coming off the curves. Hornby are well aware of the serious problems but are keeping tight lipped about them. Don't get me wrong , when the TT 120 was announced I was really excited as all my life I've wanted to build a full layout (I'm now in my 70's) but never had the space or money to do it. now I still don't have a lot of either but with the TT I planned on building a 5X4 ft layout and have it stand on its side next to my wardrobe. So I ordered the Eastener and put in a massive amount of pre orders. However with all the problems I cut my losses and cancelled the lot and my Eastener train set ended up in my local charity shop. I put an honest review on the Hornby website but they refuse to publish it. Is the TT 120 dead before it really takes off? I hope not.
David the track issue is not apparently a design flaw but a manufacturing flaw in that the track has come out of the moulds "stressed". It can be "De-Stressed" very easily by gently flexing the track and you can actually hear the rails moving into the correct position,I know it to be correct as I had the same issue and followed the advice of others, now my track is perfectly flat with little noise now coming from the coaches. Hornby are aware of this issue and have taken steps to remedy this as was stated by Simon on the web. Please don't throw the baby out with the bath water yet David give TT120 a chance and I'm sure that you'll really enjoy building your layout as am I
@@bhopkins8101 no no no, we must call it a design flaw and not report or acknowledge the simple fix already being talked of this will get us the most views. This is the way of the youtuber.
@@bhopkins8101 Thanks, I've never heard anything about that solution. I would have thought that Hornby would have made the information public rather than keeping quiet about it.
@@davidharle952 equally, you would expect the people presenting the "news" that talks about it to a large audience to have yknow, checked what hornby has to say, and checked what the community has to say, then reported that A. Hornby hasn't said owt and B. the community has a solution that is really simple that they wouldn't mind being put out there more. Buck doesn't stop with hornby, it goes onto the model railway media who are meant to serve the community not just stir the pot.
@@HamStrains I agree with you, some of the community has helped more than Hornby. But I'm annoyed that Hornby have kept tight lipped about it and not reported on the problem. Possibly in case people stop buying the product as I did. I'm afraid I've lost faith in them. And yes there is a solution but why buy something new and have to "Massage" the track to put things right? There are a number of other faults with the Eastener sets as well.
It doesn't matter what gauge you make a model railway, the price is always going to be too expensive. The younger generation is addicted to their mobile phones. they can take them where ever they go including the bathroom. here in Thailand, it is just the same. My colleague and I are going to start teaching Summer School to our students who did not pass the course. (playing with mobile phones) The starter sets are the same way Triang-Hornby started the OO scale, but they had a lot of tracks and buildings and trees etc, etc from the word go. I can see those kids, quickly becoming bored with a roundy-roundy layout and pushing it under the bed where it will be forgotten. Can parents afford the price of TT 120? I would bet a lot of them cannot as I have heard that in most households both parents have to work just to make ends meet. I think Hornby has once again rushed a product to the market without the infrastructure to go with it. Martin. (Thailand)
This comment has proven very prophetic. I never believed Hornby’s PR at the start. You’ve only got to attend a model railway show in Britain to see the demographic. Combine that with the Elephant in the room, that all the new companies in the last 10 years have done OO and N. I don’t know what Hornby were thinking. But their current share value in the Christmas period has shocked even me. What ever the story is at Hornby, it is sad to see a great name dragged down this way.
When I was a young teen over the space of a summer me and my uncle built a OO layout and it was around 15 foot by 5 foot I'm wanting to make a table top layout at some point a put 6 foot by 4 if possible Not sure if n gauge or TT is going to be the best There doesn't seem to be any n gauge starter packs like there is with TT or OO and the benefits to n gauge is a massive second hand market So I'll keep a close eye on TT
Wheel scraping is a known issue for the mk1 coaches. The TT:120 Forum on the Hornby website is a useful resource that discusses this among other topics. Look on the Community tab. I have not noticed this as nearly so prominent on my set. Apparently it is possible to cut away a small protrusion on the bogey frame. The track is also partially stressed and can result in reverse camber on bends. This is sorted if you fix the track with glue or pins. Not good if you are relying on a temporary set up on a table. But again it is possible to workaround by manually de-stressing the curves. Tt:120 has brought me back to the hobby but I am very inexperienced. Utube is a great resource. Jenny has some of the Peco buildings. I have also used some Metcalfe N gauge bridges, tunnel and viaduct. These are slightly over scale for N and under scale for TT but work fine for me. I think improvisation when layout building is called for until Hornby and others release more kit.
Love your style Jenny. I’m looking forward to seeing what your creative mind comes up with if you decide to make up a TT layout. Ps, only a suggestion, but next time you end up being a bit behind in the reviewing (I know you’ve been properly I’ll) perhaps have a look at the other CZcams reviews, it would have been really cool for you to show the quick fixes of the noises from the coaches (removing the offending little pops of plastic that hit the wheels) the issues with the twisted track (just needs manipulation to fix) and the use of a better power pack which reduces the noise from the loco. Or do you fancy doing a short video showing how to “Fix” these? Ps sorry if this was what you’ve already planned.
My question is do we need an other scale range again? All the model producers are complaining that the model industry is declining and that production cost are sky rocketing. But here we see Hornby with a complete new range and tooling… What's even worse, Hornby is cutting out all retailer businesses, why? Is this one of Hornby's jokes again, like the oo gauge live steam range and suddenly stopped it, or the 3.5 gauge live steam adventure with rocket, and dropped it again. Is TT becoming the new failure ones the new is out of it… I understand the 009 range being developed lately, it's an interesting side line of OO, specially for people who like to build the odd industrial side branches. Personally I wish they had invested more of their time and money developing more realistic early 1era rolling stock, or these rare and special models that where interesting in rail history.
Not everything in the world is perfect, including our toy trains. @HighFell only exists because of Hornby joining the TT:120 scale. It’s been a fantastic journey back into modelling and I know it will continue. I do understand the fear from some modellers that manifests itself as unpleasant comments towards the TT:120 community, many people are frightened of change or anything different, but if TT:120 isn’t for you it’s fine, keep enjoying the hobby as you are. The phrase ‘progress before perfection’ does seem appropriate. Now let’s all play nicely..
18:55 that lean is because the geometry of the track is incorrect. Chadwick Model Railways and Sam's Trains covered it. Really poor workmanship from Hornby
I think the day TT will be legit is when a 4-8-8-4 big boy is made in the scale. WHY? Outside that new smaller than Z scale trains, I have seen it in all scales, brands, even as kits and snap bricks
Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole , if you want smallish you would be better off with OO9 , where you have the advantage of small track so fits easily with OO body proportions, easier to handle and most importantly much bigger range choices from quality manufacturers as well as support from model shops , which you won’t be getting much of around Hornby TT .
The idea is to be comparable with existing tt120 stuff from outside of the UK. The 1st global scale as it were. 3mm scale would just isolate us. Again.
I agree actually. I've modeled German TT for years, and of course with the size of German equipment its smack in the middle of N and H0. TT120 British stock seems to be quite close to N in size. The compatibility with continental TT I think may be overrated. I don't see many modelers of the Reichsbahn running Deutches Krokodils through the settle and Carlisle or A4's through Konigsberg. But they've done TT and it's a good thing, I'm keen to get a set but it's awkward as it won't really fit in the Woods of the Hollentahlbahn
The scrapping sound is from some little blobs of casting plastic coming in contact with the wheels, it seems to only be on these first batch of BR Mk1’s, they just need nipping off with a scalpel
Hi Jenny. You had a lot of fun with your TT:120 set! I made a video on making a trakmat for it. czcams.com/video/1cjlScDxz_Y/video.html Thanks for uploading Xxxxx
I've seen a couple of other reviews on this particular set, and it looks like your track is suffering from the same problem as had been shown in other videos. The circle of track is not a true circle and causes the inside track to lift. Clearly seen in your video. Hornby needs to sort out this fundamental problem. Enjoy your videos. 👍
Hi Jenny, at 1:50 you mention that the Hornby TT120 range will be quite comprehensive. From my point of view this is the biggest drawback of this new scale. British locomotives and rolling stock is only supported by one manufacturer (Hornby), so the range of products will be very limited. For example in OO gauge I model 1970s Western region (hymek, 37, warship, 47, 50, westerns for example), and I can choose from at least six manufacturers. I doubt that Hornby would ever provide such a wide range in TT120, and certainly not at the same time. Also other manufacturers seem to provide quite a range if liveries for each model, but Hornby TT120 Class 50 for example is only listed in two liveries, neither of which fits my era.
Hasn't really caused much issue with prior tt manufacturers Zeuke, Berliner, tillig (now expanded of course. Also Z was under the sole proprietorship of Marklin. N was trix for a while, S American Flyer in the US. 3 rail 0 was lionel for pretty much decades, and in the US I believe is 2nd after H0. Hornby had 00 until triang showed up, and even then the two were completely incompatible. Realistically theres been lots of occasions where sole manufacturers have provided a scale. Sometimes it's worked, other times not
General consensus.. nice idea, Simon, true to scale, as opposed to HO OO, but they are a bit naff. Think RHDR.. and someone needs to do some work on the track.. and some maths.. anti-camber, and a circle doesn't match up. As Charlie would put it, don't buy shares in Hornby.. And the Bluetooth decoders don't fit, you elitist numptie.. Engineers are picking holes in the work and you are outnumbered.. They are beautiful, though. The carriages rattle like Bez on heat, and the motion has issues..😏👍
Really pleased that this scale has come out - I have loved model trains since I was about 6 - and I'm 62 now! But with a family and a normal family sized home, it was never going to happen - but now, I can build a layout - not sure yet where I'll get the space for the full sized layout that will run an Easterner, but I'm a proud owner and at the moment trying to build a shunting layout to fit on an old shelf!
Bought this set yesterday, but with sound. I has to be the start of my first lay out ever !
This gauge is going to set many young modellers off into our hobby. Seasoned modellers may not be interested, but I think Hornby have reopened a market in this scale ! Thumbs up for me too! Thanks for sharing your review Jenny!
Not just young ones, I'm 48, I've not had a train set since I was a kid and I'm considering getting into it again with this scale. I don't have much room for a set, basically just a dining table That is currently being overtaken by Lego sets so I think this slightly smaller scale would be ideal.
I've been giving serious consideration to swapping to TT120.
Like many others I got back into the hobby during lockdown and have made a basic layout in my spare room. It was always meant to be a temporary/practise layout that I could use to get my hand back in, try out ideas, play with my trains, etc so I've not invested a lot of time and effort into it.
The long term plan was to make a more extensive layout in the loft one day, however the loft needs a fair amount of time and money spent on it before it will be ready.
If I switch to TT120 then I could have a pretty extensive layout in the spare room which has a useable space of about 10'x8'. That's enough for an okay OO gauge, but not as extensive as I'd like and there's a compromise between the number of lines I can have, ideally I'd like 4 and room for landscaping. I haven't done a proper plan yet but I think that may be possible with TT.
There are of course pros and cons to TT. The first of these is more extensive layout as opposed to the larger model size of OO which I prefer. I'm still debating which is more important to me. Others include:
Pros:
- Takes up less room than OO so I can have a decent sized layout in far less space.
- Significantly cheaper price of (new) models compared to OO.
e.g. about £125 for a TT A4 compared to £190+. TT Coaches £27 compared to say £40-60 for OO. Second hand OO is similar to TT for locos and coaches, though a bit more for wagons.
- To scale for those bothered about such things.
Cons:
- Currently a limited range of products. However based on Hornby's phased roll out info there should be enough for a decent start up layout within 2 years and I suspect they'll be a reasonably extensive range within five.
- No established pre-owned market yet.
Other things to consider:
- Currently only available on line, not in model shops.
I can see why Hornby choose to do this:
1) The trend is to buy online rather than the high street these days. Not everyone has access to a nearby model shop and many prefer the convenience of online shopping.
2) TT is already established in the US, Europe and Japan and is a world rather than mostly UK market like OO. Making it online makes it easier to distribute to these markets.
3) It cuts out the middleman keeping costs down and making TT120 more attractive to new comers. Which is crucial in getting TT established. It also gives Hornby control of the product so they can do their own discounts and deals without upsetting retailers.
4) It sounds like Hornby sounded out some retailers and they were happy for Hornby to take the intial risk. Hornby have said they may consider retailers selling TT in the future once it's more established. In fact they are already doing so for Australia where an established retailer will be selling it for them.
5) With OO Hornby lose out on a huge amount of sales to the secondhand market, plus rivals. With TT they currently have a near monopoly and whilst this will change over time for the moment it's likely to provide a big cash boost despite the initial outlay.
Remember Hornby have been posting financial losses for years and it would be bad for the hobby if they went under. This might just make the difference.
6) The age profile of the average OO modeller is quite old. Every year more die off than new modellers joining the hobby. What happens to Hornby then? It makes sense to make a more home friendly and affordable product that's likely to appeal to a wider selection of people, especially those with limited space. Hopefully it will bring more people to the hobby.
The idea of taking the train set box away on holiday for use on rainy days is just brilliant.
I was in the process of changing from N Gauge to 00. When Hornby announced this I decided to go TT:120. Today I finished dismanteling my N gauge layout and will start the TT in the next few weeks. I have the Scotsman set and have preordered two more locos ( silver King and the class 08 shunter ) + extra track.
FYI Horby said the track needs to be pined down to eliminate the bow. There are also a few youtube videos of how to remove the bow which according to Simon Kohler is due do the manufacturing process . Also apparently the bow causes the rubbing sound as the carriges go around the curves. I Have not had a chance to prove that yet.
This will be an interesting new project for me as I an 75 this year and N gauge was getting to small to be comfortable. started modeling again when my kids got to the right age . Origanall had a 3 rail hornby Double0 when I was a kid :-) All my N gauge was DCC and so will be TT. As a retired electronics engineer I love all the things you can do with DCC.
Thank you for the video, a very well documented look at the TT120
Very informative! Many thanks
Hi Jen , thanks for explaining new system ! best wishes from Wales .
Thank you for providing the coach running numbers, small detail but I wanted to learn this before buying any extra coaches at the same time as this set
E 15480, E 15488, E 34731
Finally coming up on Amazon US, but has a long ship time. A bunch of the TT gear just got posted this week
Wonderful trains
Great review 👌
Just bought an Easterner set as a new to railway modelling at 67,the detail looks so good to me and the perfect scale for small spaces,I almost went to N gauge but so pleased I went for TT120.
Hi getting the Scotsman and all five track packs how many power points will I need to control all five packs on the layout
What is making the chuffing sound? Is it sound fitted?
Hoping the TT takes off in the States. I love the UK locomotives and equipment. I usually "play " with O gauge and Standard gauge, that is 2 7/8" wide track, so more than double O gauge. Was debating about N scale but im loving the TT!
TT:120 is a lovely scale and I'd like to see it gain even more popularity, too. Zoë, who edits these videos, has said before that if TT:120 had arrived before she invested in N Gauge locomotives, she would have gone all-in on TT instead.
Being an N gauge modeller I can appreciate the larger size. Robustness is also a factor. I learnt early on that N is too fragile for most children, especially when using steam locomotives. The TT looks much better.
The track geometry issue is really getting on my goat. I have the Scotsman and the Eastener sets and have no issues. One youtuber made a big deal about it and now its used as a stick to bash Hornby TT.
TT was meant to draw new people into the hobby not push them away. Before that fellows review was posted nobody noticed and issues. Soon as he did it was hot topic number 1
Nice review Jenny
Track geometry is crucial, it is quite typical of Hornby to get essentials wrong but more importantly as good track laying is essential to good operation so is precise geometry. Hornby is driven by Phoenix asset management who want to get their disastrous investment in Hornby back , unfortunately they continue to make one poor decision after another and the Hornby shares are consigned to penny share status as a result.
For the consumer if Hornby keep the range to themselves there will be no support in terms of advice from the supplying source as in general there are not the staff in Hornby to do so , they sacked most of them a few years ago .
@@pmb9172 Hornby will not keep the range to themselves. Peco has already got flexible track and decent points. Once other manufacturers see the potential, expect them to introduce models of their own. Heljan were about to dip their toe in the water and then withdrew, shame really citing duplication. Of course, if their offerings were better, then the duplication would not be a problem as we already see in the various competing models in OO.
@@janeswift9961 entirely the opposite has already occurred, Heljan and Gaugemaster have pulled out , it’s destined to go the way of Hornby live steam .
@@pmb9172 The sets have come in stock and sell out within 48 hours in the last 2 months. The youtube views on TT 120 are huge, Simons Shed got 95,000 views on his Scotsman review. There are tons of videos of people joining or getting back in the hobby because of TT. I always take a glass is half empty POV on life but even I can say TT is a hit for Hornby. And thats good for everyone in the hobby
The sound it was making!?! Is it possessed?😲
It’s directly out of the box, not run in and running on a table that also has the microphone on top of it. We were hoping the cloth would deaden the sound a little. It does make a noise but not quite as much as it seems here.
@
It was not so much the amount of noise it was making, but what kind!😉
@ if you run it with a quality power pack rather than Hornby’s land fill disposal one, most of that noise will disappear
Worse than possessed, QA issue where the wheels are rubbing on the frame .
Not only into trains, but also has a superb book collection and a SMLE on the wall. This woman is a legend!
hoping to get here in the U.S .A i have a bunch of old tt scale trains from the 50s and 60s in AMERICAN AND BRITISH trains the power pack in that set is not that good and wont work over here but i love this new stuff !!.
@@bentullett6068 yes we do but the tt stuff is not avibil in the USA only in there part of there world at there headquaeters at this time !!.
i haven't owned a train set since i was a kid in the early 80s but thinking of getting into this scale, i do own a corgi Harry Potter Hogwarts Express model and thought that was how big TT was but it seems TT is bigger!!, i like the balance between scales that TT offers, also, random, i have to admit i got a bit distracted watching this by your Penguin popular classics book collection in the background lol. i got about 30 up until they went and changed the covers, always wanted more.
Nice to see a comparison to N and OO. This scale will lend itself to shelf layouts very well! Think Inglenook shunting layout in TT120. You would only need a small loco like the Gronk Hornby are going to do and an assortment of wagons. A Terrier in TT120 would be a good seller and no problem to make either as Dapol do them in N. But what about a Pug? Never been done in N, only OO!
Thank you for the video which I enjoyed and it's reassuring that the track geometry appears to be good. My favourite bit however was the line "daily dose of vitamin train" - that cheered me up. Thanks again.
Jenny :Was it the A4 making the strange noise or was it jus bad reception , it stopped when you were summingt up.
The sets are on the dear side from £194 onwards ?
What's that grinding noise?
What is that odd sound that emanates from the train as it gies around? Sounds a bit like water going down a drain
What would be interesting would be to compare the size with an HO version which is the correct scale size for the 16.5 mm track used for HO & OO. OO scale is so over big I feel. Am amazed it wasn't done away with say back in the 70's. I want to get back in to this & do like this TT:120 but am leaning towards full HO & get stuff from wherever but obviously not Hornby except track maybe.
Warms the Heart to see such positivity about a new direction in railway modelling.
But sadly, you’ve got to be a realist to run a multi-million pound business. And I always thought Hornby had lost the plot with TT-120 and its accompanying fantasy PR/Marketing. As it’s turned out they have. And it’s crippling a once great company.
hi jen,, what is the price of tt.
My set arrived with a faulty point. There was no power in the siding. Checked the underside and found a faulty clip. Pushed it to fit and the point works. Check the underside of the point. Not a great mechanism
Well done Hornby ,I model n gauge but as you say ,very small, and my main gripe is the figures. So would be tempted to TT120, great video
The noise is wheels off the coaches rubbing on the coach body.its an OK system but the tillig ,piko tt is a lot better.the track is OK but triang tt track makes a smaller circuit. Hornby wouldn't send me a set even though I specialise in tt on my channel.i had to buy one.check the whistle on the loco many are upside down.
What is that noise on the bends?
Hello Jennifer, been watching for a while and love your content, The track corners need to be relaxed as in massage them. Hold the corners in both hands and slightly twist hands in opposite directions to relax the track there do not need much its just the inner rail is too tight so one this exercise has been completed the rails will sit flat.
How can you not mention the crazy scratchy sound of the coaches caused by the wonky track? Hornby say it isn't a problem but it sometimes thought you had a sound decoder in there!
i too thought it had sound, watched a couple of times as i thought i must have missed the decoder fitting
I believe the lean on the track is because the geometry of the track curve is not correct
I've seen that mentioned on other video about Hornby's TT track. It would be better to use Peco TT track.
The geometry is fine, once the tension of the inner rail is tweaked the track sits flat and in a perfect circle. Hornby are aware of the issue and hopefully have passed it back to the factory to sort before packaging
A lot of Hornby set track is like that, I have had the same issue with Hornby H0 set track supplied in their train sets, not an issue for me personally, as I use Peco.
@@stuartaaron613 Do Peco do tt Setrack?
@@davidbale5913 according to their website right now they have two turnouts and flextrack in TT.
Nice review Jenny. I have the set plus one of Hornby's new TT A3s. Am in the process of designing and building a new TT layout. I'm not walking away from OO but am fortunate to have enough space in my spare bedroom to have a separate layout in this smaller gauge where I wouldn't have enough room for another OO layout. Most of my OO collection being steam era the idea being to have a separate modern era layout. So what do I buy - more Gresley pacifics!!!
Overall I'm very pleased with the Easterner set. The detail I think is amazing and I think the set is good value for money. I do agree there are a few 'teething issues' here. Hopefully Hornby will get to grips with the issue of the slightly 'out' geometry in the 3rd radius curves. Admittedly I didn't notice a problem when I had mine laid out on the kitchen table. The other negative for me is the A4 chime whistle. Again I didn't notice it until my attention was drawn to it but now I've seen it it does bug me a bit even though I have to look really closely to see it with my eyesight. It does indeed look like it has been fixed upside down though some modellers dispute this and say its just a design flaw. I did have the sister A4 'Falcon' on preorder but cancelled this particular model until hopefully this flaw has been rectified. But all in all I'm pleased with my growing collection of TT. I really hope this will be a success for Hornby and I wish them well with it.
Hi Jenny. There have been several other YTers who have made a review video of this train set. In comparison, your video has been somewhat kinder; not in what you *did* say, but more what you *didn't* say. In most people's experience, the track geometry is so poor that gaps between some adjoining rails (notably where a curve joins a straight) were too large and didn't form a perfect curve. You also didn't mention the noise coming from the coaches as they negotiated the curves. The leaning of the loco and coaches on the curves *is* because the track was not fixed to the running surface. You didn't mention that the controller was the most basic in the Hornby range and not really suitable for the more serious modeller. Although not audible in your video, several other owners of this set reported a buzzing noise caused by the controller. Lastly, some owners (myself included) have reported that there have been loose items falling off the loco found in the box during unboxing and also a piece of tape under the front bogie that ought to be removed before running the loco. I suspect that your train set was "sanitised" by Hornby before sending it to you for review.
The question is, with your love of 08 shunters, are you going to buy a TT120 scale 08?
Zoë already has her eye on one...
Unfortunately, I'm not convinced. I'm going to N-Gauge. The loco's and rolling stock just isn't there, let alone scenics, buildings or signals.
An interesting review. I like the comment about being a precise/exact scale. I guess the $m dollar question, is will you be buying a set Jen?
First of all nice library Jenny. Very intellectual choices. It’s really obvious because of your mic placement that the carriages are rubbing on the curves. Others have found this and I’m surprised you didn’t pick up on it. Personally it seemed a bit of a “soft” review but I always enjoy your perspective. I’m eagerly awaiting my digital Easterner this summer. Perfect scale for me. I’ve no space for OO anymore and N seems too fiddly
Who is going to be first to run a TT set as a 'miniature' railway, at the side of their larger scale one?
Someone with O gauge or gauge 1...
The idea has crossed the mind
Well someone has built a TT120 Layout with a miniature railway on it , have a look on the Hornby TT120 forum, it's the "Betws y Coed progress " thread, utterly brilliant what some modellers can think up .
Great video Jen it does look good but I have too much 00 to go into TT:120.
Looks nice but too much n guage DCC to see myself changing. Probably would have if it was around before, like most space is my issue.
My house isn't getting any smaller. It's as big as it was when it was built.
MY house is not getting smaller just filling up...Thank you Hornby😁
I was hoping for a more in depth and honest review, I noticed your Eastener set is the same as mine and that of many others. That is a serious design flaw in the track, an Indi style banking on the curves because the track doesn't fit together right. If you were to put just the curves together you will see that they will not fit as they overlap by a considerable amount. At first I thought once the track is glued/pinned it will be ok but this will will put stress on the rest of the track.
The Loco front bogie on mine and many others actually pull a bit of a "Wheelie". After running in I attached the coaches and like your set they make a terrible noise when coming off the curves. Hornby are well aware of the serious problems but are keeping tight lipped about them.
Don't get me wrong , when the TT 120 was announced I was really excited as all my life I've wanted to build a full layout (I'm now in my 70's) but never had the space or money to do it. now I still don't have a lot of either but with the TT I planned on building a 5X4 ft layout and have it stand on its side next to my wardrobe. So I ordered the Eastener and put in a massive amount of pre orders. However with all the problems I cut my losses and cancelled the lot and my Eastener train set ended up in my local charity shop. I put an honest review on the Hornby website but they refuse to publish it.
Is the TT 120 dead before it really takes off? I hope not.
David the track issue is not apparently a design flaw but a manufacturing flaw in that the track has come out of the moulds "stressed". It can be "De-Stressed" very easily by gently flexing the track and you can actually hear the rails moving into the correct position,I know it to be correct as I had the same issue and followed the advice of others, now my track is perfectly flat with little noise now coming from the coaches. Hornby are aware of this issue and have taken steps to remedy this as was stated by Simon on the web. Please don't throw the baby out with the bath water yet David give TT120 a chance and I'm sure that you'll really enjoy building your layout as am I
@@bhopkins8101 no no no, we must call it a design flaw and not report or acknowledge the simple fix already being talked of this will get us the most views.
This is the way of the youtuber.
@@bhopkins8101 Thanks, I've never heard anything about that solution. I would have thought that Hornby would have made the information public rather than keeping quiet about it.
@@davidharle952 equally, you would expect the people presenting the "news" that talks about it to a large audience to have yknow, checked what hornby has to say, and checked what the community has to say, then reported that A. Hornby hasn't said owt and B. the community has a solution that is really simple that they wouldn't mind being put out there more.
Buck doesn't stop with hornby, it goes onto the model railway media who are meant to serve the community not just stir the pot.
@@HamStrains I agree with you, some of the community has helped more than Hornby. But I'm annoyed that Hornby have kept tight lipped about it and not reported on the problem. Possibly in case people stop buying the product as I did. I'm afraid I've lost faith in them. And yes there is a solution but why buy something new and have to "Massage" the track to put things right? There are a number of other faults with the Eastener sets as well.
What Era is the train ?
Should be Era 3.
just what I need !@@frostedbutts4340
It doesn't matter what gauge you make a model railway, the price is always going to be too expensive. The younger generation is addicted to their mobile phones. they can take them where ever they go including the bathroom. here in Thailand, it is just the same. My colleague and I are going to start teaching Summer School to our students who did not pass the course. (playing with mobile phones) The starter sets are the same way Triang-Hornby started the OO scale, but they had a lot of tracks and buildings and trees etc, etc from the word go. I can see those kids, quickly becoming bored with a roundy-roundy layout and pushing it under the bed where it will be forgotten. Can parents afford the price of TT 120? I would bet a lot of them cannot as I have heard that in most households both parents have to work just to make ends meet. I think Hornby has once again rushed a product to the market without the infrastructure to go with it. Martin. (Thailand)
This comment has proven very prophetic.
I never believed Hornby’s PR at the start. You’ve only got to attend a model railway show in Britain to see the demographic. Combine that with the Elephant in the room, that all the new companies in the last 10 years have done OO and N.
I don’t know what Hornby were thinking. But their current share value in the Christmas period has shocked even me.
What ever the story is at Hornby, it is sad to see a great name dragged down this way.
When I was a young teen over the space of a summer me and my uncle built a OO layout and it was around 15 foot by 5 foot
I'm wanting to make a table top layout at some point a put 6 foot by 4 if possible
Not sure if n gauge or TT is going to be the best
There doesn't seem to be any n gauge starter packs like there is with TT or OO and the benefits to n gauge is a massive second hand market
So I'll keep a close eye on TT
Wheel scraping is a known issue for the mk1 coaches. The TT:120 Forum on the Hornby website is a useful resource that discusses this among other topics. Look on the Community tab. I have not noticed this as nearly so prominent on my set. Apparently it is possible to cut away a small protrusion on the bogey frame.
The track is also partially stressed and can result in reverse camber on bends. This is sorted if you fix the track with glue or pins. Not good if you are relying on a temporary set up on a table. But again it is possible to workaround by manually de-stressing the curves.
Tt:120 has brought me back to the hobby but I am very inexperienced. Utube is a great resource. Jenny has some of the Peco buildings. I have also used some Metcalfe N gauge bridges, tunnel and viaduct. These are slightly over scale for N and under scale for TT but work fine for me. I think improvisation when layout building is called for until Hornby and others release more kit.
Love your style Jenny. I’m looking forward to seeing what your creative mind comes up with if you decide to make up a TT layout.
Ps, only a suggestion, but next time you end up being a bit behind in the reviewing (I know you’ve been properly I’ll) perhaps have a look at the other CZcams reviews, it would have been really cool for you to show the quick fixes of the noises from the coaches (removing the offending little pops of plastic that hit the wheels) the issues with the twisted track (just needs manipulation to fix) and the use of a better power pack which reduces the noise from the loco.
Or do you fancy doing a short video showing how to “Fix” these?
Ps sorry if this was what you’ve already planned.
My question is do we need an other scale range again?
All the model producers are complaining that the model industry is declining and that production cost are sky rocketing.
But here we see Hornby with a complete new range and tooling…
What's even worse, Hornby is cutting out all retailer businesses, why?
Is this one of Hornby's jokes again, like the oo gauge live steam range and suddenly stopped it, or the 3.5 gauge live steam adventure with rocket, and dropped it again.
Is TT becoming the new failure ones the new is out of it…
I understand the 009 range being developed lately, it's an interesting side line of OO, specially for people who like to build the odd industrial side branches.
Personally I wish they had invested more of their time and money developing more realistic early 1era rolling stock, or these rare and special models that where interesting in rail history.
Haven’t seen you in ages…….how ya doin there cup cake ?
So nice to hear a nice review of tt120, sick of hearing so many naysayers. I’m currently really enjoying my tt120 experience so far.
Not everything in the world is perfect, including our toy trains. @HighFell only exists because of Hornby joining the TT:120 scale. It’s been a fantastic journey back into modelling and I know it will continue. I do understand the fear from some modellers that manifests itself as unpleasant comments towards the TT:120 community, many people are frightened of change or anything different, but if TT:120 isn’t for you it’s fine, keep enjoying the hobby as you are. The phrase ‘progress before perfection’ does seem appropriate. Now let’s all play nicely..
I guess Hornby wants to enter the East German market (TT is very popular over there!), hence "The Easterner".
Shame about the A4cab roof, should be flush with boiler casing. Looks a bit odd.
18:55 that lean is because the geometry of the track is incorrect. Chadwick Model Railways and Sam's Trains covered it. Really poor workmanship from Hornby
I think the day TT will be legit is when a 4-8-8-4 big boy is made in the scale. WHY? Outside that new smaller than Z scale trains, I have seen it in all scales, brands, even as kits and snap bricks
It sounds like a bag of spanners, a nice set though
Wouldn’t touch it with a barge pole , if you want smallish you would be better off with OO9 , where you have the advantage of small track so fits easily with OO body proportions, easier to handle and most importantly much bigger range choices from quality manufacturers as well as support from model shops , which you won’t be getting much of around Hornby TT .
I think they should have gone for 3mm.
Seems too close to N.
The idea is to be comparable with existing tt120 stuff from outside of the UK. The 1st global scale as it were. 3mm scale would just isolate us. Again.
I agree actually. I've modeled German TT for years, and of course with the size of German equipment its smack in the middle of N and H0. TT120 British stock seems to be quite close to N in size. The compatibility with continental TT I think may be overrated. I don't see many modelers of the Reichsbahn running Deutches Krokodils through the settle and Carlisle or A4's through Konigsberg.
But they've done TT and it's a good thing, I'm keen to get a set but it's awkward as it won't really fit in the Woods of the Hollentahlbahn
What is making that annoying "scraping" sound as the train is running? Is it Hornby's fake trailing bogie like they do in OO scale?
The scrapping sound is from some little blobs of casting plastic coming in contact with the wheels, it seems to only be on these first batch of BR Mk1’s, they just need nipping off with a scalpel
Hi Jenny. You had a lot of fun with your TT:120 set! I made a video on making a trakmat for it. czcams.com/video/1cjlScDxz_Y/video.html
Thanks for uploading Xxxxx
I've seen a couple of other reviews on this particular set, and it looks like your track is suffering from the same problem as had been shown in other videos. The circle of track is not a true circle and causes the inside track to lift. Clearly seen in your video.
Hornby needs to sort out this fundamental problem.
Enjoy your videos. 👍
Hi Jenny, at 1:50 you mention that the Hornby TT120 range will be quite comprehensive. From my point of view this is the biggest drawback of this new scale. British locomotives and rolling stock is only supported by one manufacturer (Hornby), so the range of products will be very limited. For example in OO gauge I model 1970s Western region (hymek, 37, warship, 47, 50, westerns for example), and I can choose from at least six manufacturers. I doubt that Hornby would ever provide such a wide range in TT120, and certainly not at the same time. Also other manufacturers seem to provide quite a range if liveries for each model, but Hornby TT120 Class 50 for example is only listed in two liveries, neither of which fits my era.
Hasn't really caused much issue with prior tt manufacturers Zeuke, Berliner, tillig (now expanded of course. Also Z was under the sole proprietorship of Marklin. N was trix for a while, S American Flyer in the US. 3 rail 0 was lionel for pretty much decades, and in the US I believe is 2nd after H0. Hornby had 00 until triang showed up, and even then the two were completely incompatible.
Realistically theres been lots of occasions where sole manufacturers have provided a scale. Sometimes it's worked, other times not
Those Peco buildings are quite childish ...
A year on and Hornby have failed to deliver on nearly everyone of their ideas the supply of tt120 locos and carriages is so poor 😡
Twisted track and rubbing wheels straight out of the box does not inspire confidence in their quality control.
General consensus.. nice idea, Simon, true to scale, as opposed to HO OO, but they are a bit naff. Think RHDR.. and someone needs to do some work on the track.. and some maths.. anti-camber, and a circle doesn't match up.
As Charlie would put it, don't buy shares in Hornby..
And the Bluetooth decoders don't fit, you elitist numptie..
Engineers are picking holes in the work and you are outnumbered..
They are beautiful, though. The carriages rattle like Bez on heat, and the motion has issues..😏👍