Hornby has announced its 2025 range of OO gauge products, showcasing an impressive lineup of over 130 new items. The collection includes a variety of steam, diesel, and electric locomotives, rolling stock, train sets, and accessories. Here’s a look at some of the key highlights:
S&DR – 1925 – Locomotion No.1
‘Locomotion No. 1’ earned its place in history as the world’s first steam locomotive to haul a passenger train on a public railway, when it ‘opened’ the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 1825.
Its importance was recognised at an early stage, and it became one of the first locomotives to be preserved when it was rescued from scrap in 1856 by Joseph Pease and his family. It was steamed again for the S&DR’s Golden Jubilee in 1875, but for most of the time between 1892 and 1975, ‘Locomotion No. 1’ was on static display at Darlington Bank Top station.
During 1924, however, it received a full cosmetic restoration in readiness for the centenary celebrations of the S&DR in 1925 and, during the celebratory cavalcade, it hauled ten replica chaldron waggons and the ‘company coach’ propelled by a petrol engine hidden in a specially built tender.
This model comes fitted with a Next 18 pin socket but due to the locomotives size limitations sadly it cannot take a HM7000 Next 18 pin decoder.
Class 08 – EWS – 08512
This RailRoad Class 08 Shunter is the ideal model for arranging wagons in a goods yard and is suitable for model railway layouts large or small. It comes DCC-ready with a Next 18-pin plug, so you can upgrade it to run on DCC or with our HM7000 Bluetooth-controlled system, which also includes sound via a speaker inside the locomotive.The Class 08 350hp diesel electric shunter was the standard BR general-purpose shunting locomotive with 996 examples built between 1952 and 1962. They could be found shunting large marshalling yards and smaller goods depots. With the decline in the handling of individual goods wagons and the need to assemble trains, by 2000 there were just 100 left in service, with large numbers either scrapped, exported or sold into industrial use.Many of these useful locomotives found their way into the fleets of freight operating companies and 08512 is depicted as a typical EWS fleet member in the company’s eye-catching red and gold colour scheme.
Midland – Pullman – Class 43 – HST
The iconic Blue Pullman livery returned to Britain’s railways in 2020 when Crewe-based Locomotive Services Limited relaunched one of its HST sets in Nanking blue and white livery, comprising of powers cars 43046 and 43055 and nine Mk3 coaches. The livery was originally carried by BR’s Met-Camm luxury Pullman diesel train which operated from 1960 to 1973. Both power cars were previously operated by East Midlands trains and 43046 carries the name ‘Geoff Drury 1930-1999 – Steam Preservation and Computerised Track Recording Pioneer’, which is a contender for the longest name carried by an operational locomotive on Network Rail. The striking Pullman set is used principally on rail tours and charters.
Class 55 – BR – 55002 ‘The Kings own Yorkshire Light Infantry’
This RailRoad Class 55 ‘Deltic’ diesel was built for high-speed express trains making it the perfect diesel for pulling a rake of coaches. It comes DCC-ready with a Next 18-pin plug, meaning it can be upgraded to run on DCC and with our HM7000 Bluetooth-controlled system, which also includes sound via a speaker inside the locomotive.The production ‘Deltics’ were a powerful Type 5 locomotive, designed for high-speed express passenger services on the East Coast Main Line. When introduced in 1961, these were the most powerful diesel locomotives in the world. Powered by two big Napier diesel engines, these locomotives – later known as Class 55s – were capable of speeds of up to 117mph (188km/h) and all were given names in the best tradition of East Coast express locomotives.Known affectionately as ‘KOYLI’ by enthusiasts, 55002 is finished in a two-tone green livery, reminiscent of the early 1960s, but with full yellow ends and the classic white cab window surrounds.
Class 58 – BR – 58020 RailFreight ‘Doncaster Works’
This RailRoad Class 58 is a wonderful freight locomotive to add to your layout, carrying a BR grey paint scheme with a large BR logo on its side. This model comes with a socket for an 8-pin decoder, so you can upgrade it to run on DCC or with our HM7000 Bluetooth-controlled system, which also includes sound via a speaker inside the locomotive.First delivered in 1983 the BR Class 58 was designed and built for heavy freight. Its narrow body with a cab at each end earned it the nickname of ‘bone’ in the railway community. Fifty of the class were built and lasted for around two decades until finally being withdrawn in 2002 with the introduction of the Class 66’s. Most of the class were sadly scrapped but there is one example still operational and a number of them in storage or under restoration.
Class 58 – BR Mainline – No.58046 ‘Asfordby Mine’
This RailRoad Class 58 comes in a striking blue BR Mainline paint scheme and would look perfect pulling freight on a model railway layoutThis model comes with a socket for an 8-Pin decoder meaning it can be upgraded to run on DCC and with our HM7000 Bluetooth controlled system, which also includes sound via a speaker inside the locomotive.First delivered in 1983 the BR Class 58 was designed and built for heavy freight. Its design of having a narrower body and a cab at each end earnt it the nickname of ‘bone’ in the railway community. In total fifty of the class were built and lasted for around two decades until finally being withdrawn in 2002 with the introduction of the Class 66’s. Most of the class were sadly scrapped but there is one example still operational and a number of them either being stored or under restoration.
Class 66 – Aggregates Industries – 66711 ‘Sence’
This RailRoad Class 66 diesel was built for freight trains and operates across the UK making it the perfect locomotive for your model freight train. It is compatible with many wagons from Hornby. It comes DCC-ready with a 21-pin plug, meaning it can be upgraded to run on DCC or with our HM7000 Bluetooth-controlled system, which also includes sound via a speaker inside the locomotive.This GBRf-owned locomotive is finished in the attractive turquoise, blue and silver colours of Aggregate Industries, at whose quarry at Bardon Hill it was named ‘Sence’ in July 2015. The name refers to the River Sence which has its source just north of the quarry.
Class 66 – GBRf – Chinook 66723
This RailRoad Class 66 diesel was built for freight trains and operates across the UK making it the perfect locomotive for your model freight train. It is compatible with many wagons from Hornby. It comes DCC-ready with a 21-pin plug, meaning it can be upgraded to run on DCC or with our HM7000 Bluetooth-controlled system, which also includes sound via a speaker inside the locomotive.The Class 66 is a heavy-freight diesel-electric locomotive, a development of the earlier Class 59 which was a great success in the UK with Foster Yeoman. Like its predecessor, EMD Co-Cos have all been built in North America, with 480 supplied to UK operators between 1998 and 2008 and 2014 and 2015. Many more were bought secondhand from mainland European operators, so it is no surprise that these machines handle the lion’s share of freight traffic in the UK today. Despite being called ‘sheds’ by enthusiasts because of their shape, they have carried many colourful and innovative liveries.No. 66723 ‘Chinook’ is in GBRf blue and orange livery, and is named in honour of the RAF’s 7, 18 and 27 Squadrons based at Odiham in Hampshire. This is also the home of the CH-47 Chinook heavy lift helicopter, one of which adorns each side of the locomotive’s body.
Class 73 – BR – 73132
This RailRoad Class 73 diesel has been used for both passenger and freight trains over the years, so it is suited to many model railway layouts. It comes DCC-ready with a 21-pin plug, so you can upgrade it to run on DCC or with our HM7000 Bluetooth-controlled system, which also includes sound via a speaker inside the locomotive.Introduced by BR in 1963, what is now known as the Class 73 is an electro-diesel locomotive, which are also referred to as EDs. As well as operating on the Southern Region’s 650-750v DC third-rail network, these locomotives have a 600hp diesel engine, allowing them to work over non-electrified routes and into sidings and yards where there isn’t a third rail power source. From new, all 49 locomotives were fitted for push-pull working with Southern Region multiple units.
Class 91 – 91130 ‘Lord Mayor of Newcastle’
Entering service as 91030 in January 1991, this locomotive was originally named ‘Palace of Holyrood House’. It lost its name following privatisation of BR in 1997, when it was put into GNER colours, but in September 2001, it was named ‘City of Newcastle’ and renumbered 91130 following refurbishment by Adtranz. By 2004, the name had been removed. Under Virgin Trains East Coast, it was named ‘Lord Mayor of Newcastle’ from December 2016. A new livery of LNER red and white was applied when the franchise changed hands in 2018 and the name was retained. The locomotive is still in operational condition.
Class 91 – 91124 ‘Reverend W Awdry’
Introduced in September 1991 as part of BR’s InterCity fleet as 91024, it was part of the Adtranz rebuild between 2000 and 2003. It was renumbered 91124 and given the name ‘Reverand W Awdry’. Following the privatisation of BR in 1996/7, the East Coast fleet was operated by GNER and a new livery of blue and red was adopted, which was carried until 2007 when the franchise was lost. Since then, the franchise has passed through various operators, most recently LNER. With the introduction of new ‘Azuma’ trains, the Class 91 fleet was gradually stood down and put into store.
Class 91 – 91031 ‘Sir Henry Royce’
A total of 31 Class 91s were built between 1988 and 1991 for high-speed express passenger train haulage as part of the East Coast electrification programme of the late 1980s. Also known as InterCity 225s in anticipation of their service speed of 225km/h (140mph), they were also referred to as ‘Electras’ by BR during their development phase.No. 93031 was the last locomotive to be built at Crewe Works and, as a result, earned its place in preservation and is currently on display at the Museum of Scottish Railways.
Network South East – Class 423 – 3193 ‘4 VEP’
Network SouthEast was created in 1982 as one of three British Rail passenger sectors. Prior to 1986 it was known as London & South Eastern. Despite its title, its territory stretched as far as Exeter in the west and to parts of East Anglia, although the Class 423 4-VEPs it inherited were restricted to South London and urban services in the densely populated south-east on account of them operating on the 750v DC third-rail network. A good number of these units were cascaded to the three privatised southern train operators and were among the last slam-door stock in operation on Britain’s railways.
Avanti West Coast – Class 805 – 805005
Source: https://railwayprune.co.uk/2025/01/14/h ... 025-range/