Category
😹
FunTranscript
00:00This is Britain's biggest model-making company, home of four iconic brands, Hornby, Airfix,
00:13Scalextric and Corgi.
00:16That's terrific, that really does look good.
00:22In this series we'll follow the designers as they strive to shrink a new generation
00:27of mighty machines.
00:28Literally the real thing in miniature.
00:31This is where as a kid I used to spot, I thought if we could recreate that, that's what model
00:36rowers are all about.
00:37And everybody knows this logo doesn't they, it's iconic.
00:41And it's running absolutely beautifully in the wrong direction.
00:45From century old steam engines to cutting edge racing cars.
00:49It's going to be really exciting to be able to put that onto that smaller scale.
00:54This is what we do, we make pieces of art.
00:58I think we press the button, we go into production, let's get them in.
01:01And we'll marvel at some of Britain's best home builders.
01:04This is our layout, four seasons in one rotation.
01:08I think everybody likes something in miniature.
01:10There is my grandmother's shop.
01:12Creating entire worlds fit for these mini masterpieces.
01:23This time.
01:24So it is an icon of the nation.
01:27Classic locomotive Flying Scotsman gets a reinvention.
01:31I can't believe how good it looks really.
01:34As part of Hornby's most ambitious development in decades.
01:39We're starting a new scale, with new thinking, something perhaps a little bit more radical.
01:48A Welsh port gets a modeler in a sticky spot.
01:51Oh, out.
01:52Bane of my life.
01:53Out.
01:54Yeah, that was hot.
01:56And it's double trouble for John in repairs.
02:00This has got to work first time.
02:02Trying to save two broken rockets.
02:05And it's running absolutely beautifully, in the wrong direction.
02:15In over a hundred years, Hornby has developed all manner of locomotives.
02:21Attracting a loyal band of enthusiasts.
02:24This is sheer magic, isn't it?
02:26And keeping customers happy is key to this success.
02:29Welcome to Hornby, you're speaking to Matt, how can I help?
02:33Matt and Glenn.
02:34Well, how desperate are you for sound, on a scale of one to ten?
02:38Are on the front line, manning the help desk to assist.
02:41Yeah.
02:42However they can.
02:43Do you know the product code?
02:45It will be on the original packaging, if you have it.
02:47Is that long gone?
02:48I thought it might have been.
02:53We like the lifeboat service, you get that sinking feeling, and we're there to rescue
02:57you.
02:58They're the first port of call for customer repairs.
03:01We'll certainly take a look at it for you, we'll do as much as we can.
03:05And arrange for non-runners to be sent in.
03:08Just make sure it's parceled up adequately, so it doesn't get damaged during transit.
03:12However, today something a bit more unusual has happened.
03:15So I'll pop down and have a chat with them.
03:18Morris and Carol have come to the visitor centre with two prized possessions, which
03:22are in a sorry state.
03:24Hello, I'm Glenn, you've got an issue with some locomotives?
03:28Yeah, there's two rockets actually, I'll show you.
03:35One is the limited edition one, which I took out the case and I broke two wires on it.
03:40So that's a tender connection, isn't it?
03:42Yeah, yeah.
03:43Oh, I see, yeah.
03:44And that one, a friend of mine decided to try and fix it for me, he said I'll rewire
03:49it for you, and it doesn't work at all or anything now, so.
03:52Yeah, we can look at those for you.
03:54Fingers crossed that you will repair that for us.
03:56Yeah, yeah.
03:57Yeah, what we can do...
03:58These intricate replicas of Stevenson's revolutionary loco are just 85mm long, and can be incredibly
04:05difficult to fix.
04:07When he first bought them and they come home, I said, do not take them out, but he did.
04:15And now we know how fragile they are, that's why they're never going to come out of the
04:19box again.
04:24This is going to be a fiendish challenge, even for an expert.
04:27Let's see what we've got.
04:29The repairs team are very, very good at repairs, they're like magicians over there.
04:35Restoration whiz John will need every trick in the book to put these rockets right.
04:40Oh, blimey.
04:44Keeping customers hooked is integral to progression.
04:49And for the next innovation, product director Simon Kohler is hoping to take inspiration
04:54from his own personal treasure trove.
04:59In here is probably the best part of 40 years of working at Hornby.
05:07They'll be models that I've collected over the years.
05:10Oh, did I tell you about the rats we have in here?
05:18My history with Hornby goes back many, many years.
05:21I mean, when I worked in the model shop in Northampton, I was 21, and I worked there
05:26for seven years.
05:27And then after that, I went to work for Hornby as their marketing brand manager.
05:33It's been part of my life ever since.
05:37My heart and soul is part of Hornby.
05:40And I'm a lucky guy.
05:43Well, this brings back a lot of memories.
05:47This is Flying Scotsman, a special one we produced to celebrate the millennium.
05:53What makes it really special is that all the metal parts have been covered in 18-carat
06:06gold.
06:07It means a lot to a lot of people.
06:09Wherever you see Flying Scotsman, you'll be sure to find a crown.
06:14Flying Scotsman was named after the daily London to Edinburgh rail service, which had
06:18started in 1862.
06:24It was the first steam locomotive to travel at 100 miles an hour.
06:30And with various modifications over the years and stints abroad, it's enabled model makers
06:35to capitalise.
06:39When it's over in the US, it was fitted with a cowbell, cowcatch, et cetera.
06:44It's had lots of different liveries.
06:46Because of its popularity, we've been able over the years to produce different variations
06:51of the actual locomotive.
06:54Astonishingly, the company have produced 47 different versions of Flying Scotsman.
06:59But that in itself has created a new problem.
07:05Eventually, you know, you will run out of variations.
07:09And so where do you go from there?
07:17So Simon has a hugely ambitious plan to pitch to engineer Ed and designer Phil.
07:22Morning Simon.
07:23Hello there.
07:24Morning.
07:25Morning.
07:26Simon?
07:27Hello.
07:28Now, does this look familiar?
07:31Flying Scotsman has always been a major part of Hornby's history, really, in one thing
07:39or another.
07:40The reason I'm showing you, I have become sort of concerned that as we progress and
07:49we develop new locos, et cetera, and the popular locos, like Flying Scotsman, we are actually
07:57going to run out of suitable subject matter.
08:00We should be looking at something perhaps a little bit more radical.
08:05If we were to start model railways again, you know, no 00, no nothing, what scale would
08:13you go for?
08:14Bearing in mind what the houses are like these days, the space available, et cetera, my thinking
08:20is we would begin with TT.
08:24That would be the ideal scale.
08:26And of course, try and produce TT, tabletop.
08:30It was a good size, not too big, and you can get an awful lot in a small area, but
08:36there were limitations.
08:37Over 50 years after tabletop production was phased out in the UK, Simon's gambling that
08:44his team can reinvent the scale, which at 1 to 120th will be roughly two-thirds the
08:50size of 00.
08:53We're starting a new scale, with new thinking, with new marketing, with new sales approach.
09:00It's quite a big thing, isn't it?
09:02Bam, you know, this is where we're going to go, so I think we're going to need time to
09:06digest and take it in.
09:08Yeah.
09:09It feels like a really brave move for us to be doing this.
09:14But what we must do is keep it under wraps.
09:18Yeah, so we're looking at secrecy within the company as well.
09:21So it would be just us as a group.
09:23Yeah.
09:24Obviously, we need Phil, you know, because of his expertise and all the rest of it.
09:30And you've no idea how that sticks in my throat.
09:32That really hurts, doesn't it?
09:34Yeah.
09:35Ooh, ooh, it's like a knife to the heart.
09:38However, jokingly.
09:41With Flying Scotsman chosen as the TT's flagship loco, the project will be so secretive, only
09:47a select few can know about it.
09:50Removing any risk of rivals getting wind of what's afoot.
09:55When you're starting from ground zero, you know what Scotsman looks like, but you never
10:00quite know what is going to be hiding around the corner.
10:04It'll be interesting to see what little nuggets come out of the woodwork, actually.
10:20At Hornby, work has begun on a top-secret tabletop range for modern living.
10:26However, even seasoned designer Phil, who's been with the company almost 20 years, is
10:31battling to get to grips with the new size.
10:35It looks really big on the screen, but in reality, it's tiny.
10:39It really is tiny.
10:41The way stuff is scaled from 76.2, which is 00, we normally work with, but it's actually
10:4800, we normally work with.
10:50Once you go down to TT, that's 120th scale.
10:53So if stuff is reduced down the scale, down from 00, what you end up with is a much smaller
11:00wood thickness that wouldn't actually be able to be moulded at all, because it'd be like
11:05a knife hedge.
11:06We've always done the Flying Scotsman.
11:08It is exciting, because it's one of the first models I worked on when I joined the company.
11:13It's like a step back now, so I'm seeing how I could maybe even improve it again.
11:19With Phil determined to get his dimensions spot on, he sent researcher Sam on a recce
11:24to the East Lancashire Railway Works to see the iconic loco itself.
11:30This is my first trip out to see Flying Scotsman, so it's a pretty special one.
11:34And so I just need to hope that I can get everything that we need.
11:41Sam's meeting engineer Johnny, who's preparing the legendary loco for a centenary tour.
11:46Well, here we are.
11:49This is the old girl as it is.
11:50Yeah, I hope I look this good if I get to 100 years old.
11:54Well, the old bagger as well.
11:56So what work actually is being done?
11:58For its 100th anniversary, it's coming for a boiler overall, so all the tubes that run
12:02from that section there right to the front, which carry all the hot gases and air through
12:09the tubes which boil the water, have got to be replaced and checked.
12:13You can go up on the cab if you want and have a look.
12:18Just like you're climbing a set of ladders, one arm each side and then be careful not
12:21to fall off.
12:22There's just so much stuff in it, I look overwhelmed to be honest.
12:28And then this big lever here that goes all the way to the other side, that's the magic
12:32one.
12:33That's the go button.
12:34That's the go button, yes.
12:35That's your accelerator.
12:36So what is it like to work on the Flying Scotsman?
12:38See, it is an icon of the nation.
12:40It does get hot, it does get dirty, it does get very long days when things aren't quite
12:45going right.
12:46But no, it's magical to be out with it and, you know, you see little boys and girls' faces
12:52just light up.
12:55But Sam can't just marvel at the complexities of the cab all day.
12:59So back on the shed floor.
13:01That's it.
13:02Right, I shall leave you to measure your bits.
13:06He needs to size up the boiler bands.
13:12God, I can hear scratchy noises.
13:20It'll get a good clean before it goes back out, don't worry.
13:24Next, Sam's getting the low down.
13:26Let's get somewhere we can get in nice and close.
13:29On the wheel spokes.
13:32So I make that to be around about an inch.
13:35To scale that down 120 times is certainly going to be a challenge for the designers
13:39to get onto the model, I would have said.
13:42Back in Margate, Sam's findings are indeed proving quite the head-scratcher for Phil.
13:50This area around the wheel would in fact be so small that the customer might not be able
13:56to see it clearly.
13:57So it's a case of bringing that out a little bit.
14:01The boiler bands have also undergone similar enhancement.
14:05What I've been doing is actually increasing this and bringing the size of the boiler band
14:10up just big enough so that it's visible.
14:14It's only 0.1 of a millimetre in itself here.
14:17But if it's what it would be scaled, you wouldn't see it at all.
14:20And it would be a detail missed.
14:25This isn't the first time Phil's had to work to such minute detail.
14:31As he was lead designer on the recreation of Stevenson's Rocket.
14:36One of the smallest locos ever produced for the 00 range.
14:43But designing is one thing, fixing it is another prospect entirely.
14:48And this is really fiddly.
14:51John in repairs is starting work on the first of customer Morris' broken ones.
14:57It's a heck of a challenge to repair.
15:00Getting to the motor means actually taking half the body off.
15:04We did tell Phil, yes.
15:06And he explained that actually that was the easiest that they could possibly make it.
15:13It's just such a small model and so intricate a design.
15:17This I think is where I go for extra eyes.
15:21Right.
15:23Somebody, I think, has tried to get into the loco
15:29and they've actually put this piece of chassis back down and it's snapped the wire.
15:36John roots around for a potential remedy.
15:39It's engines that have come back that we couldn't repair.
15:43As a modeler, I have this inbuilt hatred of throwing anything away.
15:48Whenever we're clearing the office of bits that we have lying around,
15:52it still pains me because I think of something that can be used.
15:57This policy pays off with a discarded contact plate he's found in his collection.
16:04I think that might be the answer.
16:11It's just a case of putting all the detail back that I had to move
16:16to get the contact plate out in the first place
16:20and then trying to make sure that I install it without trapping any of the wires.
16:30I've got absolutely no spares for this whatsoever, so this has got to work first time.
16:47And now, hopefully, when I apply some power, we should get some life.
16:56We have life.
17:03There we go.
17:04Okay.
17:12Perfectly happy.
17:14It runs incredibly well for something as small as it is.
17:20But John's only halfway there, as Maurice's really run-down rocket remains.
17:27This is possibly the second worst rocket I've ever seen.
17:36As top-secret plans for the TT progress,
17:39Phil is all but ready to sign off on Flying Scotsman's design.
17:44Yeah, I think I'm comfortable with the way it looks at the moment.
17:49Oh, Lyndon!
17:50But even at this relatively early stage, Simon's already thinking about promotion.
17:56It is pretty urgent, actually.
17:59And he needs backing from CEO Lyndon Davis
18:02for a new engagement with the National Railway Museum.
18:06Okay, well, this won't take too long, actually.
18:09I hope.
18:10Next year, as you are aware, Flying Scotsman, 100-year.
18:18We have an opportunity to be the lead sponsor.
18:25Now, um...
18:27Hang on, hang on, hang on.
18:29Hornby's had a lovely relationship with the National Railway Museum.
18:34When I heard about the 100-year celebrations, Hornby has to be involved.
18:39It has to be a partnership between Hornby and the National Railway Museum.
18:46It has to be. It can't be anything else.
18:48I'll back you on this one.
18:50I'll back you on this one.
18:52It has to be a partnership between Hornby and the National Railway Museum.
18:55It has to be. It can't be anything else.
18:57I'll back you on this one.
18:59Okay, great, great.
19:00Love it, love it, love it.
19:02An arrangement with the National Railway Museum
19:05will add extra urgency to get the TT Flying Scotsman ready.
19:11And when it does hit the shelves,
19:13Simon's hoping enthusiasts with limited space will lap it up.
19:18Modellers like Cathy Millett in Folly Hall are a ready-made target audience.
19:23My main workbench is in my kitchen.
19:26Every single cupboard is just...
19:29There's no room for food.
19:30It's all full of just modelling stuff now.
19:34Specialising in bespoke pop culture and fantasy scenes,
19:37as well as model railways,
19:39Cathy's left her job to dedicate herself to modelling full-time.
19:44It's quite a big step.
19:45I went from being a very well-paid accountant
19:47to earning very little money but doing something that I love.
19:53Cathy's latest project is to recreate Port Dinorwig,
19:57an old Welsh port which processed slate from the mines of nearby Snowdon.
20:02For inspiration, she's using films from the period...
20:08..and her own photos from visits to the site.
20:11Once I've got my reference photos,
20:13I've created this building from scratch in a 3D design software.
20:20It's a lot of work.
20:22I had to recreate everything from the scalloped slate sides
20:25to the slate roof, the chimney parts, the windows.
20:29One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten...
20:34..but the time-consuming process has its benefits.
20:38Nobody else has this building.
20:40I can't buy it as a kit.
20:42I can't create it any other way.
20:45This is the perfect way to do it.
20:49After printing overnight,
20:51the dockmaster's office is ready to go into her micro layout.
20:58Mmm!
21:01There's a problem.
21:03I printed it at the wrong size.
21:05I did it at 1100, not 176.5, which is 00 scale.
21:11So, although it fits nicely there,
21:14if we put a person next to the door,
21:18they don't actually...they wouldn't even be able to get in.
21:22I'm going to have to reprint.
21:25Kathy will retain the building for use on another project,
21:29but this is an early setback on a substantial to-do list.
21:33I've got to design each one of the buildings.
21:36Then it's just about getting the scenery in,
21:39getting that dock front and giving it some atmosphere.
21:55Flying Scotsman has been an integral part
21:58of the company's history for decades.
22:02It's a locomotive that's been in our range continuously.
22:06It's synonymous, if you like, with Hornby.
22:09As the famous loco approaches its centenary,
22:12there's a top-secret mission to bring out a new model on a smaller scale.
22:17So, we've got the stereo samples in of the PT Flying Scotsman.
22:22A long time coming.
22:26Today, Simon and Ed have finally got their hands on a 3D print
22:30to the exact dimensions that the new Flying Scotsman will be.
22:35That's terrific.
22:37It's lovely. It's a really nice size, isn't it?
22:40Yeah, it is. This is a lovely scale. No, I love it.
22:43Well, what's nice is I can talk about it to people like you
22:47without people glazing over.
22:49It's lovely just to see it start to come together.
22:53This is part of Hornby's future. I know it is. I'm convinced it is.
22:59I think it's an excellent starting point.
23:01I think there's so much mileage in this specific loco
23:07But the outlook doesn't look quite as rosy for the second broken rocket.
23:15Oh, dear. It's going to be one of those days, is it?
23:19There's just so many bits that are damaged.
23:23Repairman John faces major difficulties on the miniscule model.
23:29As far as the soldering's concerned, I have seen worse,
23:33but I'm not sure when.
23:36Pre-loved pieces abound in John's stores
23:39and he's hoping to combine an engine he's saved from another repair
23:43to rescue this one.
23:46The plan is to use the whole rod assembly from the customer's engine
23:51and put it back together.
23:56But this is easier said than done.
23:59It just doesn't want to play.
24:01No, damn you.
24:03Oh, I got it.
24:05Really did.
24:08Gotcha.
24:10It's in, it's on.
24:14Right, next, I've got to take the ribbon connector from the customer's engine
24:20and solder it onto the wiring on this engine.
24:25Drop it.
24:27John must solder four wires,
24:29each barely more than a hair's breadth, onto this tiny component.
24:34Right, OK.
24:37That's that one.
24:40Yeah, I actually taught myself to solder.
24:42I was modelling a railway at the time and I needed something soldering
24:47and this is what I did.
24:49I was modelling a railway at the time and I needed something soldering
24:54and decided I couldn't wait for anyone else to do it,
24:57so did it myself.
25:00Let's just say I've learned a lot since then.
25:05Right, time for the real test now.
25:07Let's see if it works on the track.
25:20And it's running absolutely beautifully in the wrong direction.
25:28With the customers due to collect their rockets tomorrow...
25:31It should be running backwards at the minute,
25:34but it's very definitely running forwards.
25:37..John might have to put his afterburners on
25:39to get the rocket heading in the right direction.
25:43Come on.
25:46In Solly Hull, non-runners are also a problem for Kathy Millett
25:50on her Port D'Norwic micro layout.
25:53If I put this on...
25:55BUZZER
25:57..it's not happy.
26:00The port was served by slate-carrying diesels,
26:03which Kathy intends to recreate,
26:05alongside a larger loco which hands over to John.
26:09The really exciting thing is the locos.
26:12This is going to be the loco that I run.
26:14It's a Jinty.
26:16The Jinty will need a chip
26:18to enable it to run on the current she's using,
26:21but that's not the only vehicle encountering difficulties.
26:24So this building goes here, but the big problem...
26:28Lorry. Road.
26:30Meh.
26:32It's a bit of a mess.
26:34It's a bit of a mess.
26:36It's a bit of a mess.
26:38Meh.
26:40I don't fit.
26:42I have a solution.
26:44So the first building I printed...
26:46I did it at the wrong scale.
26:49But the next one I printed...
26:52I printed smushed.
26:54It's the correct size all the time,
26:57except front to back.
26:59So it's just squashed.
27:01And I can get my lorry down the road if I put that one in.
27:05So the back here...
27:07I need...
27:09Basically, it's ivy-covered slopes at the back.
27:12So I need to make some ivy.
27:14I've got green polyfibre.
27:17And let me just take these out.
27:20And I need to stretch it across the back here.
27:24Oh.
27:26Oh, we lost a tree.
27:28Oh, well.
27:30I'm also going to use some hot glue.
27:32Ooh. Out.
27:34Trying not to destroy anything.
27:36I have quite a few blisters over the years from hot glue.
27:40Bane of my life.
27:42Out. Out.
27:44Yep, that was hot.
27:46Out. Yep.
27:48I've still got a few more trees, probably, to fill these gaps.
27:50But I might put bushes, just for variety.
27:53After that, there's a bit of housekeeping,
27:56as a tidy micro-layout suits Cathy perfectly.
28:00I can do a specific scene
28:03and put a huge amount of effort into the detail
28:06because it's not too big.
28:08And I can't stress how important it is for me
28:11to be able to actually finish a project.
28:17At HQ, time is also of the essence,
28:20with the hope that the tabletop-flying Scotsman
28:23will be ready to launch in line with the actual loco centenary.
28:29So today is crucial for Ed.
28:33So, let's have a look and see what we've got.
28:36Ah, yes.
28:38After months of top-secret development,
28:40Hornby's first-ever TT engineered sample has arrived.
28:44It looks really good.
28:46With two extra-special, extra-small accompaniments.
28:50That's one brake coach and one saloon.
28:54And that should just connect together.
29:00But before Ed can take the train for a spin...
29:03Hi, Red.
29:05Hi, Phil.
29:06Oh, that's nice, tabletop on there at last.
29:09Phil arrives with another delivery.
29:12Ah, OK, thanks very much.
29:14Hopefully that's everything you need.
29:16Oh, yeah, there's some more body styles here
29:20and tenders as well, so they're lovely, aren't they?
29:24That's brilliant, isn't it?
29:26Modellers have got particular models that they like modelling
29:29and so you can't afford not to do all of the variants.
29:33Yeah, the coal's very different there, isn't it?
29:36And for some reason, they've created a coal form here
29:41which is basically too small.
29:43And even in scale-wise, that looks like...
29:46They look like apples or something like that.
29:49We're used to working in 00s
29:52and to suddenly shrink something down even more down to TT,
29:55it is a challenge.
29:56And if it's a challenge for us in the design process,
29:58it's going to be a big challenge for our vendors as well.
30:01Shall we give this a go then? I'd like to see it go.
30:04Let's do it.
30:06There you go.
30:08Oh, that's terrific. I like that.
30:11I'm so impressed with this. It does look good.
30:13It's really nice, yeah.
30:14I've been working with 00 for so many years to see this
30:18and with amazing detail as well.
30:26But it's not long before some imperfections come to the fore.
30:30It's quite bobbly as well, isn't it? It is.
30:33What do the axles feel like in the actual boxes?
30:36Are they a little bit loose? They're a little bit loose, yeah.
30:39The loco's sort of rocking and rolling a little bit around the track.
30:42That wouldn't be acceptable to me or the company.
30:45It wouldn't be acceptable to the modeller.
30:48There may be a few glitches, but on the whole,
30:51this hugely significant debut has been a positive one.
30:57I was working on 00 for 30 years, which seemed the right size,
31:03but actually the more that I see TT and the size of TT,
31:09the more I can see the benefits for the modeller.
31:13I can't believe how good it looks, really.
31:17Back in repairs, John is switching the two motor wires over.
31:21OK, one quick swap.
31:24That one needs to go on there now. There we are.
31:27Hoping that will enable the rocket to travel the right way.
31:33There we go. OK.
31:47It's now running in the right direction.
31:50And it's just in the nick of time.
31:52Hallelujah.
31:54Ah, they're back half, eh? Good.
31:57Glenn, on the help desk, is tasked with their return.
32:01We get the start. We don't see much of the middle,
32:04but we get to hear the appreciation from our customers.
32:09While they wait, Morris and Carol eye up extra models for their collection.
32:14Yeah, is that the flat one?
32:17I like that. That's posh. I like that.
32:20Hello. Hello. How are you?
32:23Nice to see you again. And you.
32:26All done for you. Oh, my goodness. Oh, brilliant.
32:29Thank you. Can I have a look?
32:31Oh, yeah.
32:35Yes, it's my babies.
32:37Lovely. You don't know how much that means to me.
32:40No, you're welcome. Get them back.
32:42Thank you very much. Very grateful to you.
32:44You're welcome. Bye.
32:47Starting off again, eh? Yeah.
32:49The passion from our customers and collectors is...
32:53It's unbelievable.
32:55You know, you just see how much they care.
32:58We never thought we'd get them fixed, but we have got them fixed, so...
33:02They must have had the patience of a saint to get them sorted out.
33:06Yeah, John, I'll let him know and give him that feedback,
33:09give him a bit of a big up.
33:11Always makes me feel better.
33:25It's Monday morning at Margate HQ
33:28and designer Karl is checking the post.
33:33This is one of the highlights of the week, really.
33:40Yeah, that is... This is one, I think, so...
33:43Yeah.
33:46He's hunting for eagerly awaited Flying Scotsman decoration samples.
33:50What the hell's that?
33:52No, that's not it.
33:54This is the trouble, you see.
33:56It's a lot of finding the needle in the haystack sometimes.
34:02That's nothing.
34:04Where have they put it?
34:07Ah, this one.
34:09He finally finds what he's after,
34:12but something's not quite right.
34:15I really thought they would be sending the locomotives through,
34:19but it looks like it's just the coaches.
34:23Wow, that does look fantastic, though, doesn't it? Look at that.
34:27I'm going to go and show this to Simon and get his opinion.
34:33Hi, Simon.
34:35This will be the first time Simon has seen any decorated models
34:39from the tabletop range he's spearheaded.
34:42Oh, I say.
34:44These look very good.
34:46They do look good.
34:48Yeah, let's just have a look, you see.
34:53That's stunning.
34:56Oh, what else have you got?
34:58Oh, blood and custards.
35:00Yeah.
35:02They look really good. Look at that.
35:05I tell you what.
35:07They talk about printing the Lord's Prayer on a pinhead.
35:12They could do that with this.
35:15No smoking.
35:17It's all visible.
35:19That's superb.
35:21Just need the loco now.
35:23Yeah, that would be handy.
35:25It's been a long time coming, isn't it?
35:28And a fair amount of heartache.
35:30Yeah.
35:31But it's there.
35:33It looks really good, doesn't it?
35:35Yeah, yeah.
35:41Back at Cathy Millett's, exquisite detail has also been achieved.
35:48With her Porte de Norwich micro layout on the point of completion.
35:54So I finished off the buildings.
35:56I painted them and used oil washes to weather them.
36:00I've designed slate piles.
36:02There's gates, there's signs.
36:05Everything that's on here got 3D printed or made from scratch.
36:11But I couldn't resist putting a couple of Welsh collies in.
36:14It's a North Welsh stock. You've got to have them.
36:18Cathy has also managed to get her jinty running.
36:27Though some diesel-towed slate wagons are having less success.
36:31There's no way they should be this finicky.
36:35There's none of the right wheels in the country.
36:38So I can't buy metal wheels, so I 3D printed these.
36:42And I just don't think they're quite good enough.
36:45So definitely some work needed.
36:50All in all, though, her replica achieves a very specific sense of realism.
36:55She was striving for.
36:57It really captures that last day of mainline steam at Porte de Norwich.
37:01It's a little bit grey and miserable.
37:04It rained earlier. There's some puddles still around.
37:07And I just wanted a little bit of mist in there.
37:13Cathy has just the apparatus to create an authentic microclimate.
37:19This is a homemade vape machine.
37:21You can get nicotine-free vape fluid.
37:23And it creates a small cloud. It's not huge.
37:28It's really cool. It's like the steam train's been through
37:31and left some in the atmosphere.
37:34When the smoke clears,
37:38Cathy can reflect on a job well done.
37:43It's been worth it to get it done,
37:46to concentrate on it sort of full-time for eight weeks.
37:50I'm really pleased. It looks like a completed scene.
37:54It's finished. It is such a relief.
38:04At Hornby, Flying Scotsman's coaches have one more test to pass
38:09before they can be signed off.
38:11You can see they flow nice and easily around the track.
38:14There's no friction there.
38:19That's very nice.
38:21So Ed's using the loco's engineered sample
38:24to see how the tabletop set will perform on the track.
38:29I'm quite happy that it's hauling seven coaches, actually.
38:33And looking at the speed of the valve gear and the wheels,
38:37they look as if they're going around about the right speed
38:42for the actual speed that the loco's going.
38:47Flying Scotsman and its coaches are on the final lap.
38:53It is running quite nicely.
38:55You can see that they're staying on the track now.
39:01But if they're going to fly off the shelves,
39:04the company will need the support of a key ally.
39:08So, having secured sponsorship of Flying Scotsman's centenary,
39:13Simon's come for a vital meeting at York's National Railway Museum.
39:23And here you are, evening star.
39:26Flying Scotsman is still away for maintenance.
39:29With it going, it is poetry in motion.
39:31I mean, look at it all.
39:33But Simon can't resist a whistle-stop tour of other famous locos
39:37with curator Anthony.
39:39I mean, where the hell do you start?
39:41I mean, really, putting all this together and drawing it,
39:45actually all coming together and working, I think it's amazing.
39:49The person Simon must really impress is Head of Marketing Amy,
39:53Chief Organiser of Flying Scotsman's celebrations.
39:57Coming together for the centenary is just going to be magnificent
40:00and I'm really excited about what we're going to do together.
40:03It's going to be great.
40:04But there's a lot more riding on this meeting.
40:08Nobody outside Hornby knows anything about this.
40:12Once I tell you, I may have to kill you.
40:15LAUGHTER
40:17So, that might be a little bit extreme.
40:20But there is another scale, and that scale is TT.
40:25And TT stands for table top.
40:28And TT stands for table top.
40:30You're the first person to see the packaging,
40:32you're the first person to see what is in there.
40:35I can't believe it.
40:36And that is Flying Scotsman.
40:39So...
40:40This is amazing! Oh, look at it!
40:43It's a thing of beauty!
40:45Can you get it out of the box? Yes, I certainly can.
40:47I want to be able to have a look at it.
40:51Hello, Flying Scotsman.
40:54Well, it's a lovely thing.
40:56I could actually just look at this all day.
40:58The interesting thing, you're looking at it in grey.
41:01You know, you wait until it's, you know, in the apple green...
41:04Yeah, yeah, yeah. ..and it's fully decorated.
41:07I think, you know, you will...
41:09You will be amazed.
41:11I feel privileged.
41:13I would also like it, because of all your planning,
41:17you're putting together,
41:19if you wish to consider TT in your plans,
41:23if it could be incorporated, that would be all to the good.
41:27I will absolutely make sure that that happens,
41:30because this, to me,
41:32embodies the love and passion and celebration of Flying Scotsman.
41:36So we can build excitement together,
41:38A, about the fact that it's a TT model and that's exciting,
41:41and that can act as a launch pad
41:44for us to celebrate, more generally, Flying Scotsman.
41:47Well, I'm pleased you like it, and I think my job's done.
41:50I'm going to have to shoot off. OK.
41:52I am going to have to take it with me. Oh, no, no!
41:55Oh, yes.
41:59Everyone's accounted for, as they say.
42:02We are actually on to a winner with TT.
42:05I know it is the right decision.
42:08I know the time is right.
42:11But I won't know until it's out there...
42:17..and it's selling.
42:19And, you know, it's a gamble.
42:23Yeah, it's a gamble.
42:25Might be a small gamble, could be a big gamble, but it's a gamble.
42:35For Simon, Ed, Carl and Phil,
42:40Flying Scotsman is a major design achievement,
42:43marking the dawn of a brand-new scale
42:46and a bold leap forward into Hornby's future.
42:52Next time, Simon and Chris get up close to their favourite loco...
42:56Would I be able to just get in the cab and have a look?
42:59..for a prototype with all the bells and whistles.
43:04Model railway layouts go a bit rock and roll.
43:07I go on tour in Europe using the Eurostar.
43:09There's me on it, look.
43:11..for a 100ft layout tucked away in the loft.
43:13Setting out a city, can't think of anything more enjoyable.
43:16And a plan to woo the next generation...
43:19Too cheek!
43:21..is pinned on a Victorian tank engine.
43:23It's got quite a bit of character to it. It has, yeah.
43:43Ooh!