Matt Dawson

I, personally, do not see Lego ever re-using it for flesh minifigs... Either way, it shouldn't be too hard to re-colour the design. After all, the machines who print them won't care what colour they are, provided it's printed correct!

I don't either. EDIT: see MATN post below

The light section doesn't look very realistic...but at least it's got some greenery with it!

Have you considered using model railway point motors? They're quite easy to wire up, and are quite small, provided you choose the right ones. Cargo wise, you'll have to build your hopper carefully for the operating mechanism. Another alternative is to 'revolve' the freight truck 180 degrees to a waiting storage bin - it has been done before, and is easy to hide if the unloading section is done as a large building, as most coal etc. unloading facilities are.

I think this was a promo, but no-one seems to have much info. The instructions are available on bricklink if you wanted them.

Bear in mind lego trains are supposed to be freelance...but '3d Lego' 's suggestion is the more accurate one to date...though compared with the lego set, it isn't the right size... the class 71, as I suggested, was closer scale wise...

I, personally, believe it was partially based on the British Rail class 71 in yellow:

It looks like the bridge part could do with a bit more curavture, in my POV. But it looks good none the less.

I, personally, can't see why Lego doesn't offer a non-motorised version of each set, and then gives you a discount code so you can buy the PF parts in one go to bring it upto full set price - they'll hardly lose any money, especially as a person could buy it in two seperate parts...

personally, I believe the second (i.e. the prelim stamped one) looks the best - but with the tap from the MOC

Well done! It looks extremely close to the original

For those interested, here's the Hornby 2010 range at-a-glance - thanks, Model Rail January... GWR 2800 & 2844 2-8-0s Hawksworth coaches (5 types: Brake Third, Brake composite, Corridor Third, Corridor Composite and Passenger Brake) 4098 'Kidwelly Castle' (BR) with sound LNER B17 4-6-0 (new loco with loco drive, 2 different tenders) L1 2-6-2T SR Schools class 'St Pauls' with Sound BR/Modern Image 4-VEP class 423 EMU (both original and re-furbished) Class 90 re-motored. class 08 with sound. Scotrail 'Saltire' class 156 2-car DMU Railfreight Large Logo '56040 Oystermouth' Advenza Freight blue '66842' class 153 diesel railcars in Arriva Trains Wales & London Midland liveries BR/Modern Image Wagons/Coaches Royal Train mk3s KFA Intermodal comntainer wagons (available with 20ft, 40ft and ISO tank containers) OTA Timber wagon (previously announced) RAILROAD class 33 (as introduced BR Green 'D6537' with snowploughs) and class 40 (in BR blue '40 152') from ex Lima range - with new 5-pole motors and 8 pin DCC sockets. Looks like NEM coupler pocket fitted. LMS Patriot 4-6-0 re-motored (as 5532 'Illustrious') GWR County (ex Dapol) re-motored (as 1016 'County Of Cornwall') SETS (now with redesigned packaging) 'Blue Rapier' with simplified detail 395 (extra car in RailRoad range) 'London 2012' with standard detail 395 in special livery 'The Night Mail' with Jinty, mail van (operating) and Coach. 'Flying Scotsman' 'Eurostar' TRAIN PACKS class 90 in Virgin train pack with DVT and mk3 coaches EWS Class 90 and Virgin 'pre-tendolino' mk3 DVT Wrexham & Shropshire class 67 & DVT East Midland Trains HST pack 'Flying Scotsman USA 1969' with USA livered Flying Scotsman with bell, snowploughs and 2 tenders, with Pullman observation car Barry Freeman 'Days of Rad and Gold'; LMS Red/Gold striped Streamlined Coronation '6239 City of Chester' and 3 matching coaches Barry Freeman 'Fireworks at Chilcompton'; BR green 'West Country' '34042 Dorchester' and 3 BR Maroon LMS coaches Barry Freeman 'Rare Bird'; BR lined Blue A4 '60024 Kingfisher' and 3 ex-LNER teak coaches 'Imperial Airways' with SR T9 4-4-0 '338' Maunsell BSK, Pullam Kitchen 'Ibis' and SR Baggage car (ex-Lima?) SKALEDALE & LYDDLE END LNER Immingham Coaling Tower (only 600 produced, £50) GNR Station building range new DIY store, bike shop, 'Golden Dragon' Takeaway, and charity shop. NO NEW lyddle end in 2010 SKALE AUTOS (most seen in Corgi Trackside range) 'Green Goddess' Fire engine steam road roller Pickfords Scammel ballast tractor & low loader various 1960s vans Scammel Handyman Ferguson & Fordson tractors ARRIVALS Castle (Earl Cairns, at Hattons now) and DVTs in January CANCELLATIONS 'Seahorse/Sea Urchin'

I think the US should consider themselves lucky...my local TRU doesn't have any 2010 sets...

Now that we have a proper prelim pic , the range looks good. The PF included is a battery box, reciever, proper motor bogie and controller (and wires as necessary..). Sounds like the train sets themselves are expensive. Let's hope that they are available readily. TRU, Argos, etc; please stock 'em. Pretty please? EDIT: I said the train looks like

Personally, I think she looks like she's trying to appear normal..afterall, we can't see what's happening around her waist...if you get my drift... The Station set looks like it includes like a modern version of 7822 , with an island platform, station building and taxi. It looks like it includes 4 pieces of stright track, like the previous station set. The footbridge looks a bit too high, personally. Looks like it might be easily modified to fit two tracks inbetween the platforms. The level crossing looks like it features 3 pieces of stright track with road baseplate, small ground-level signal box, signal and Unimog-style cherry picker/maintenance roal/rail truck. The red passenger set looks extremely similar to the previous one that was released, but modified. The non-cabbed middle coach looks extremely small... The freight set. WOW! looks like it contains a yellow loco (looks like a cross between a British Rail 71 and the playmobil one to me), tanker, container wagon, flat wagon, Container crane (have they been looking at mine?...) and a container lorry. Looks like a new, single cab piece - though it looks good to my eyes! Looks good - I wonder when we'll see pictures (and decent ones!)...

The main reason I suggested this crossover is to get rid of the need for batteries - it also means that one track supply could feed many trains - one battery can't... However; there's nothing stating that you wouldn't do away with the battery all together; a similar arrangement is used on real electric trains - the 'battery' ensured that the motors kept turning until track power was regained. Theidea was also floated a couple fo years ago to enable electric freight locos to go onto un-electrified track to shunt a few wagons...

'Greyhounds' weren't named as far as I'm aware. The site British Steam Locomotives carries databases for all companies, and I've queried the T9 class and none were named. The Southern E-Group site doesn't mention any loco being named either.

Here would be a system that would allow the best of Power Functions and 9V - and no, not DCC (though similar). As with 9V, the track is fed from a wall mounted transformer; however, this is just to provide a stable voltage - around 9.5V - which is roughly the voltage for PF. No controller would be between the transformer and the track. The track is the same as 9V, except that special 'converter' pieces were available for loops etc., which would have a small, 5mm plastic rail section in the middle to allow a change-over in track polarity. To power the trains, a motor, similar to the 9V one, would be available, though this one would feature a small flywheel. It would have a new 2x2 4 contact PF connector bit, which would connect to a new reciever. A 2x2 plate would be available to convert the motor for 9V use. A new reciever, based on similar lines to the new one, would feature one normal and one new lead with 2x2 4 contact PF electrial comnnector, split into two pairs; 1 pair for track power collection, one pair as a motor feed. It would also feature a small 'detection' sub-circuit that would allow the detection of a polarity change, and alter the motor feed accordingly. If you needed to use/feature 2 motors, a duplicate trackfeed/motor socket would feature on the underside but not feature a lead - a special one with the new 2x2 4-piece plate connection would be available seperately. So the benefits of this new system? 1. Track feed from the wall-mounted transformer would do away with the bulky battery, 2. Track feed would also allow for extra current collection if needed, for heavy loads, hills etc. 3. The motor is 9V compatable (depending if the 4 contact connector was of 9V or PF style, lights also), pleasing the train fans which needed new 9V motors. 4. The controller from the current PF range would still be usable with the new system. 5. Allows the return of 9V style track, which is another boon for the 9V community. What are anyone's thoughts?

I wonder if we'll get something like this:

I'd still prefer a monorail...unless Lego did some road with inbuilt tram tracks...

Nice! I take it that it's a 66/9?

If that set is available locally, I'll be buying it. I don't care if it's "kiddyish" - it means I'll have a nice stockpile of buffers, wheels etc. to build MOCs. And I won't have to go on Bricklink either. LMS 4-4-0? A distinct possibility now that i don't have to buy an Emerald Night or bricklink the parts. I just have to bricklink some slopes, a few of these and those... Some of us don't have hundreds to spend on Lego, ya know Plus there's ebay for those the figures...

I wonder if lego have ever reconsidered making a modern version of this set...

Not even from Shop-At-Home? Disgraceful The UK is in (probably) the worst recession of europe and WE can buy the impulses!

Lego trains have never sold well - and it's not Lego Company's fault (though tbf it partly is - see later in post). Neither is it the AFOLs. It's the retailers, who insist on never purchasing ANY train sets or wagons - many people would buy them because there isn't any other MOVING item in the City range (i.e. moves on it's own). It doesn't help that Lego left the train line to rot like old wagons, then blame US (not the country) for poor sales! Look at the 1991 era - plenty of seperate wagons, track etc. to keep adults and child alike buying to expand their collection - "We can buy Timmy a train set for christmas and then he can buy extra wagons or track when he wants - and we can buy him them for his birthday too". Not any more. Lego needs to realise that AFOLs WILL buy the 'kiddies' sets - because they SHOULD be cheap enough for us to buy, then customise. That's what being a AFOL is partly about - buying a set then detailing it/tweaking it so it'll look/perform better.