Apparently Hachette made some reproductions of Hornby O. Does anyone know about this? When were these made? What was made, etc. Any background on this would be interesting.
Bill
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Look here: http://www.binnsroad.co.uk/railways/hachette/index.html, most of it ware remakes of French Hornby items
The Hachette items were made of a much thinner tinplate and rather flimsy; the one clockwork engine I have spins its wheel but does not run.
Regards
Fred
Hachette has made a large range of trains similar to the Hornby M series maybe 15 years ago. They cannot compare in anyway to the original ones, poor quality of clockwork mechanism, very light tin, the litho was not too bad.
They made many never was pieces, just inspired by Hornby products. Some collectors enjoy to modify the locos to electric ones by using original Hornby motors.
For me it is just Chinese junk but it is only a personal opinion…..
If you make a search through goggle you will see the entire line of models.
https://www.google.fr/search?q...x4UKHQNtCcUQ_AUIDygC
Very best, Daniel
Many were offered as bonuses for purchasing a train magazine. I have a set of the PLM streamliner that I use for static display only. Have never tried to run it. Flimsy is the correct word for the sheetmetal too. I think there were about 140 different items offered, Fred's website has a complete list, I believe.
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Thanks for the replies. Odd today to think about a print magazine offering tinplate trains as a promotional item.
Bill
They were not so much a promotional item, as it was a part work magazine, whereby you got a magazine and a train item every week for the duration of the series, which was something like 45 or 50 issues. As the others have said, they are made from thin tinplate, but they are very colourful and have the virtue of being cheap! Most of the people I know who have them have removed the clockwork motors, truly the most awful bit of all of it, and fitted ETS electric mechs.
Cheers, Mark
A very good reason to remove the original Hachette motor is because it lacks a speed governor. When I wound up my example, it traveled about 200mph and left the layout! It was only after the fact that I discovered the cause. Kids would love these as delivered!
Eric Hofberg
TCA, LCCA
when were they made, one on epay now that says 1930;s
thanks
2002 -4 ... Part of a "Buy the Magazine , get something free" deal .... very cheap , nice to look at but thats about it .. the one small exception is the BB 8051 as although light it will run and tug a few carriages ... if you just have to have some be also aware they are easy to tarnish , so handle with clean hands if you want to keep corroasion at bay ... Ideally if you want to own and run these , but a half decent power unit with some weight like a Marx and adapt that to fit in 
Novelty value 8/10
Appearance New ( 8/10) Old ( 2/10 )
Runnability 2/10 on a good day
Shelf queen 9/10 ...
