Hornby 00 Gauge Trains on Film Titfield Thunderbolt Steam Locomotive Train Model

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The original production company that made the film no longer exists and Studiocanal/ inherited the assets of many British movies. I think it's likely that Lion has been in the works since 2020, when it became clear that there was a strong market for Rocket, and they figured it was worth seeing if they could get the licence for Thunderbolt as well. We’ll probably never know the truth, but: It’s perfectly credible that Hornby independently started developing a Lion model off the back of their Rocket offerings. Therefore their range was being developed before the Rapido intervention and Hornby are not copying Rapido. So I think the proverbial jury will be out as to whether this will be a good move - Lion is a very niche interest product to have 2 competing products and with Hornby hurting their chances by playing games with their retailers.

Hornby won’t let the finer detail of this get on the tv programme, they’ll demand it doesn’t as part of the filming as it would be so potentially damaging to image. And, having spent development money up front before thinking to check the license situation, Hornby could get their Lion to market before Rapido’s TT. But we still have the idiotic situation of two manufacturers producing a model of Lion, which is likely to be of limited interest. Now, I wish to make it clear that, if that is the case, I am not accusing Rapido of copying Hornby, but equally if that is the case it would be an unfortunate case of two companies working on 'secret' projects, each without being aware of the other. I agree that it's rediculous, I mean, why waste time and money on making Knockoff Lego when they could be using resources to make new thing people actually want or delivering the products they said they would!I’m not really affected by this personally but, as a point of interest, will the previous Titfield Thunderbolt sets Hornby has issued in the past be affected in some way by the licensing issues? But we couldn’t do anything without securing permission from STUDIOCANAL, which owns the rights to Ealing Studios' archive. Rapido Trains are producing a range of five newly tooled models inspired by 'The Titfield Thunderbolt', the iconic film in which a group of villagers try to keep their branch line operational after British Railways decide to close it. Boldly, and perhaps against the grain I'd predict that this will be a good move for Hornby once all the pitchforks have been put down.

In this scenario, at some point someone in Hornby decides, after the company has already spent money on development work on Lion, that marketing a model as “Titfield Thunderbolt” would generate extra sales over and above sales to the people who bought Rocket.

per lot thereafter Some exclusions apply for larger lots such as dinner services, please contact our offices for a quote with regards to larger or bulkier lots. Nothing secretive about it, there didn’t need to be, Rapido acquired the licensing rights from Studio Canal in a legal and professional manner. It seems that Hornby have had a policy for some time of nipping in quickly when smaller manufacturers announce a new product to take some of their market share by producing the same thing themselves. This isn't the first time Hornby have made a Titfield-related set; their 2013 catalogue lists R3186 - "Trains on Film: 'The Titfield Thunderbolt' Train Pack", containing an all-over black 14xx, attempt at Dan's house on the Loriot Y, and a brakevan.