Hornby Mk3 Length

[GusB]

When I was a nipper, I received a HST pack as a Christmas present (oh, how I wish I'd kept that box...)

As I got older and joined the local model railway club, I was informed that the Hornby Mk3s weren't to scale length-wise and I soon realised this when I purchased a Lima Mk3 buffet and a set of Jouef Mk3 coaches. At what point did Hornby discontinue the "short" Mk3s?

 

[hexagon789]

At what point did Hornby discontinue the "short" Mk3s?

Late 90s I believe.

Approx 1997 for loose vehicles, 1999 for those sold within 'Train Sets'.

There were also two versions of the 'shorties' - the originals had 7 windows. From 1985 Hornby altered them to the correct 8 windows but without correcting the scale length of the coach.

 

[sprinterguy]

Late 90s I believe.

Approx 1997 for loose vehicles, 1999 for those sold within 'Train Sets'.

Yep that'll be about right: Hornby tooled up their own scale length mark 3 First and Standard Opens and Modular Buffet cars which first featured in the 1999 catalogue, subsequently adding the ex-Lima TGS in 2006.

 

[GusB]

Thanks for your replies, folks. I didn't realise it was quite as long ago as the late 90s that they re-tooled them, but then I have been somewhat out of the loop (no pun intended) for quite a while. I'll have to dig out my Mk3s at some point and see what condition they're in; they were acquired for a Scotrail push-pull set, along with a Mk2 Airfix brake which was intended to be converted to a DBSO.

 

[fgwrich]

Yep that'll be about right: Hornby tooled up their own scale length mark 3 First and Standard Opens and Modular Buffet cars which first featured in the 1999 catalogue, subsequently adding the ex-Lima TGS in 2006.

It was always a strange decision that - We'll tool up a basic Mk3 bodyshell for both TS / TF / TSO / FO versions and a 3 window buffet, but no TGS or RFM. Even until recently, they were using the 3 window buffet (407XX) as an RFM, then integrated the ex Lima buffet into the range as a RFM come TRSB (402/404/409). It's only until the last year or two we've finally seen dedicated, proper HST Mk3s tooled up from Hornby in both 3 and 4 window versions, though they do also now have LHCS versions through their acquisition of Oxford Rail.