Dean Park Model Railway 343 | NEW Hornby TT:120 Class 43 HST 

I started watching your channel a few years ago when I was getting a hankering for a model railway, but I just didn't have the space for a 00 layout. I've started out in TT:120 and I'm having a great time building my railway. Nice to see you taking a look at the models even though it's not your scale, thanks! 😀

I like the outtakes at the end. Has also got a RU-vid channel on TT 120, you just give me an idea well done.😂😂😅

The outtakes are amazing. I can’t stop laughing at it

That opener of “Don’t adjust your screens or go to Specsavers” was an absolute peach, Dave. An excellent review as always.👏👏

Love the video. Quite interesting, hope you had an amazing Easter holiday

Love the outtakes and review Dave! 😂

I wasn't convinced on TT:120 when they announced it in Oct 22. But when I was at my local club's open day in 2023 (supposed to be operating the 0 gauge Addison Road, but got stuck on the Drive-A-Train layout most of the day), I decided I would build a TT:120 layout for the 2024 open day. I settled on 1978-1983 ECML between York and Thirsk, so pre-InterCity and pre-electrification, but as a What-If. What if the smaller stations on the route survived post-Beeching, and what if the small village of Birdforth had a station instead of the nearby Pilmoor and Sessay. The layout is operational, but there's a lot of scenic work to do before its first exhibition in June. So far, I have 3 blue class 08s (2 renumbered and modified, the 3rd simply weathered), 5 TTA tanks (for a future Speedlink rake), and a Toad E repainted into departmental olive green (as per one that survived until at least 1975, seen on Paul Bartlett's site). I'm really looking forward to getting 254004 as a full 2+8 set (should this one have 2 buffets, or just one?), but my financial situation isn't brilliant atm, so I may need to suffice with a shorter-than-accurate rake for the first exhibition. I'm also split between going for sound or not, because a Valenta running for several hours may be overwhelming.

We know you went mad ages ago, and that's the whole charm! Excellent review

I love my blue/grey and Swallow liveried power cars. I went for a full 8 car set of Mk3s. However, the power cars don't perform well at all with this load. Just for scientific purposes, I tested with an equally long set of Mk1s and the power car had no trouble at all. Upon further examination, I noticed the Mk3s are not free-rolling like the Mk1s. I decided to file a little off the needle points on the axles of one of the Mk3s. It instantly became free rolling. As I'm in the middle of a house move, I didn't get to experiment with the full, modified, rake of Mk3s but my guess is that the power cars will no longer have issues. As you say, the powered car (and dummy) are weighty. I did toy with applying home made traction tyres to the power car but I'm glad I seem to have found a workaround.

The HST is really good looking . I really fancy one and TT would allow a full size train . I’d like a bit more by way of models though to run a proper layout . I know the 37 is coming but I’d like a 47 too before I might consider a secondary layout . Thanks for reviewing

Thanks for straying into TT. Hornby seem to have done well with these HSTs. I'm pretty sure my next layout will be TT, but probably in some fantasy Brigadoon-like setting where Hornby, Arnold and other TT models can run together.

it good to hear suh a positive review. I am not sure about this myself. I tried N scale briefly before giving up on modelling completely. Bought some G scale when the kids were young. Going back to HO scale is not appealing. Trying OO scale has similar issues for me as I will always want bigger than what I have space for. So thanks for looking at this alternative and showing off what you have achieved with your own Dean Park layout.

A good video here Dave, I have to say that even though I am a OO gauge modeller these HSTs in TT do look quite good, it is great to se them based on the more premium tooling which currently in OO gauge I only have one pack of the premium HST power cars from hornby compared to many of the older hornby and Lima ones that I also have, I’m currently hoping that that will change though as I do intend to pick up the new GNER ones announced in hornbys OO gauge 2024 range, going back to these TT ones I have to say I am tempted especially with the train set one that was announced the other day or what I might do is wait and see if the swallow one will be done as a train set, might just pick one up as a small novelty item to have but I won’t be making a complete change to TT, good video overall Dave.

I hope TT scale doesn’t impact your speech 😂 thanks for the outtakes

Interesting Dave. I’d love an HST as that’s the memories of my 70s- 80s childhood…expecting accurascale or someone to do an HST…in OO. Quite excited by the TT version due 10’ space in my model room but too many cock ups by Hornby again….seam lines very visible both on the classic and the GWR ( over the cab )

One advantage appears to be that the quality of the models themselves appears to be consistent across the range unlike their OO, where there are some excellent models and others with mistakes/issues. Will be interesting to see how it develops

Once you get the giggles,that's it, you have to walk away 😂

If they put out an Inter7City set, I'm up for one though that's about as far as I would 'probably' go. I dumped OO 35 years ago because of the scale/gauge issue. If TT120 UK models were available then I would have stayed with British outline but instead went HO for much more accurate and better performing European models.

Jings , the "Customers " on the platform are awfy big 😊

I'll stick with OO gauge, but it'll be interesting to see if the likes of Accurascale go into it big time! Also, thanks at the end, for reminding me I'll be getting my first reading glasses on Thursday next week! The errors I made typing this, I badly need them!

I was intrigued by the 37 feature on the April announcements, newly scanned from one next door in the 1;1 collection as they don't have any 00 scans they can refer to. If they had announced new tooled 37's and 66's there would have been cries of duplication, so if they can ramp up the roll out of theses classic loco's, then this scale and Hornby have a chance. The new IFA container wagons were already scheduled as Arnold branded models, so at last the cross pollination is working for Hornby, makes you wonder what if the UK and Hornby had gone down the Ho route when Lima entered the market instead of Lima doing a U-turn which gave us undernourished Deltic’s, 40’s and even the undersized class 50 bogies.

I wish the 08 shunter had more features like lights. Good video, l enjoyed the outtakes.

Lovely that you take the care to get things right, but don't take yourself too seriously by showing the blooper track. TT120 was a brave move by Hornby but, judging by the product quality, they're giving it a good go. Thanks for the review, but I'll be sticking to OO.

Its a pity the GWR ones haven't got the Castle nameplates. 43187 would be Cardiff Castle and then I would buy one. Very good.

Its a shame that even on the box artwork for the set that the power cars don't match the ride height of the coaches.

Like yourself, first saw TT up close and real at MRS. It does actually look pretty good quality. However … not for me, I do wish Hornby well …

I like the idea of TT but I don't like the idea of being stuck with one manufactuer. For all we know Hornby could the scale, it was after all another one of Kohler's mad ideas in my opinion. (I'm not a fan of Kohler tbh).

I think Hornby was a bit mad introducing a new scale when the entire hobby has a far-from-certain future, but maybe that is exactly why they thought the gamble was necessary. The models do look great though, no question about that.

I don't want to be negative but i do believe in ten years TT will just be a memory.

Sound is horrendous. Instant mute of the video.