Hogwarts Express: OO Hornby vs HO Bachmann

Bueller?  Bueller?  Bueller?

I'm guessing none of my fellow OGR's that run HO/OO have this set then.

I used to have the Bachmann set and it was OO gauge which is 1:76 scale. The Hornby set is also 1:76. I have some OO gauge equipment and it looks similar enough to HO to run on an HO layout without too many out-of-scale issues. 1:87 figures look a bit odd next to 1:76 trains, but that's okay. I never had any real issues with overhanging equipment when running them. I will say that the Bachmann set was set up to run on really tight curves (many OO gauge layouts in the UK feature extremely sharp radius curve tracks) and in that regard the train looked a bit toy like. Sort of like some 0-27 trains that overhang on sharp curves. I later sold the Bachmann set.

I may purchase a Hornby set myself, though, as they look nice.

Sorry I can't be of any further help.

@BenLMaggi posted:

I used to have the Bachmann set and it was OO gauge which is 1:76 scale. The Hornby set is also 1:76. I have some OO gauge equipment and it looks similar enough to HO to run on an HO layout without too many out-of-scale issues. 1:87 figures look a bit odd next to 1:76 trains, but that's okay. I never had any real issues with overhanging equipment when running them. I will say that the Bachmann set was set up to run on really tight curves (many OO gauge layouts in the UK feature extremely sharp radius curve tracks) and in that regard the train looked a bit toy like. Sort of like some 0-27 trains that overhang on sharp curves. I later sold the Bachmann set.

I may purchase a Hornby set myself, though, as they look nice.

Sorry I can't be of any further help.

Actually, you helped a lot with your input and it provided me with the details that I need.  With the Bachmann being 1:76, that solidifies to me that I should purchase the Hornby as it is more detailed. 

Thanks!

As Ben stated, I believe both sets are OO scale. They operate on HO gauge track.

OO is used as the British prototypes that are modeled, are smaller in size to comparable US or European locomotives and cars. The OO scale allows for upsizing the model to be closer to HO model dimensions.

The set will look fine with HO equipment. Pretty much any British prototype models will be OO. The one exception that comes to mind, is the Roco USA 2-8-0 that is 1/87 scale and the original prototype was built in the US to British standards and clearances. It looks tiny compared to American locomotives of the same scale…

Tom

From what I understand, "upsizing" the British trains originally began because electrical motors couldn't be manufactured small enough to fit inside the tiny British steam engine models. So, they had to make their models larger so that the motors could be used. And it stuck... to this day.

Of course, the British have now adapted various modeling scales all based around 1:76 but which use a proper track gauge (slightly wider than HO scale) as well as compromise scales.

This Bachmann Branchline OO scale Freightliner Class 66 is sitting next to some US HO diesels:

Thanks for the responses.

I looked up the prototype LMS Stanier Coach and they were 65 feet long, not 75 or 85 feet that I thought they were prior matching the length of American rolling stock.  That 65 feet would translate to 10.3 inches in OO Scale and 9.0 inches in HO scale.  That's okay with me and my visitors will never know/care about that small difference (to them all passenger cars look the same unless double decked), just like they do now when they see 1:43 vehicles next to 1:48 scale train cars or my OO British Leyland National 40-foot bus next to my HO 40-foot Fishbowl buses.

For the record, Lionel's "non-scale" Stanier coaches are 15 inches long or 1:52 scale.

@PRRMP54 posted:

This Bachmann Branchline OO scale Freightliner Class 66 is sitting next to some US HO diesels:

The Freightliner class 66 is actually an EMD product. I don’t know if they were made in the US or built overseas under license…

Tom

Kevin, when the British bug bites you, and it will, you can look at Dapol, Heljan and  many other British prototype model makers! I think Bachman Branchline is also a surviving company that produces fine wagons and locomotives…

Tom

@Krieglok posted:

Kevin, when the British bug bites you, and it will, you can look at Dapol, Heljan and  many other British prototype model makers! I think Bachman Branchline is also a surviving company that produces fine wagons and locomotives…

Tom

LOL Tom.  Growing up in Jamaica in the 1970s, the "railway " books I read were all British featuring rolling stock with the round buffers at each end, although all the model trains that I played with were American (Tyco).  One of the too many unstarted projects that I have in my head is to use the Lionel Hogwarts coaches to represent the Jamaican Railway Corporation trains in the 1950s.

The Hornby Hogwarts Express seemed to have good detail and was nice.  The controller and track not so much, average for current starters, but it really seems to be the only game in town at this time.  I bought the set, but ended up returning it because it was damaged (cosmetics).  It had some nice details.  I never got a replacement because my main HO sets are all 3-Rail Marklin.  Marklin made a version, but it is no longer made and was not of the highest quality. I actually think it was a collaboration with Hornby at the time.  If I had a serious collection of two-rail HO or was just starting, I would get the Hornby set again for the basics and the Hogwarts design.