Hornby International - Ex Rivarossi/Lima/Jouef Models To Be Rereleased

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

The Hornby International web site has been updated with release dates and the ex Rivarossi Big Boy is due for release Q1 2006. Try this link for more info:-

http://www.hornby.com/hornbyinternational/index.aspx

Great times ahead!

Extract from a web site in the UK:-

I think I have just worked out the model codes being used on Hornby’s International web site.

HLxxx = ex-Lima
HJxxx = ex-Jouef
HRxxx = ex-Rivarossi

Pre Hornby’s acquisition, I would have put the quality, in order lesser to greatest, as Lima - Jouef - Rivarossi. Not to say the first two weren’t good quality, especially as Lima had made great progress in the years prior to its production ceasing.

However, if modellers are looking for improvements post Hornby takeover, it will be the Lima models that will be scrutinised first and most carefully.

Still, even if they are just reissues without upgrading, providing the prices are competitive, I’m sure our model starved colleagues in Europe and America will whisk them off the shelves.

America is big on N gauge and I’m sure if Hornby reissues the ex-Rivarossi N gauge models sometime in the future there will be excellent sales.

Now that Skaledale OO and Liddle End N models are established, I’m sure it will not take much to develop HO and N gauge buildings based on Europoean and American prototypes. Another big market.

What I’m more concerned about now is how will Hornby secure all the production capacity that I can see it will need in the future.

2

If past history is any indication, you don’t have to worried about production capacity. Though some rave about Rivarossi, sales were always a problem which is how AHM and later IHC made a living dumping Rivarossi on the market. Way back, they were dumped in Kresges and Woolworth for pennies on the dollar. Even the passenger cars were dumped because production exceeded sales. The reason for the presumed shortage now is much of the stuff has’t been made for many years and just the remnants were available. Last time I checked Walthers still had some of the new tooling coach available. The reason for the shortage of the 60 cars is they were interupted mid-production by the bankruptcy when RR could no longer pay the bills.

3

I think it was Christmas of 1966 or 67 – Woolworth’s had a post Christmas sale where you could get the AHM Y6b 2-8-8-2 for, as I recall, $29.95. Normal price was $35.95. Even then that was considered cheap.
Dave Nelson

4

I was wondering about the old Joef narrow gauge range, discontinued back in the 1970s. Did some other firm take that over, was it included in the Hornby buy up? I presume it would be too small to fit with the current Hornby range but it would be nice to think it might surface again one day.