We at Trains Hoover are proud to announce that our engine sheds will be available this fall, and we are wanting some feedback on the designs we have so far. As many of you probably know, Darstaed has been planning an engine shed for some time, and that shed will be available soon from Trains Hoover and Weaver as well. The Darstaed shed is lovingly modeled after the original Hornby shed, I personally reproduced that artwork here in the USA. I tried carefully to match the colors and details, so the Darstaed shed will look at home alongside a Hornby shed. I also created two other designs, the American shed and the Fieldstone shed.
The American was also Hornby-inspired, Hornby fans may notice the roof is similar to the one on the Hornby Wayside Station (circa 1928). It is brightly colored in the style of early Hornby tinplate, with a classic keystone above every arch and a "red white and blue" color scheme that shows pride in the country in which it was designed.
For those who prefer something less loud, I created a Fieldstone version that will look at home in a big city or small town styled layout. I am considering one final version that has a brick pattern similar to (but not identical to) the Lionel Backshop, which inspired it.
As you can see by the photos of the Darstaed shed in production, the arrival will be soon for that version, followed by other versions in the fall. As the sheds are a bit of an investment, we know that most people will be buying only one. We want to know what your favorite design concepts are, so we are asking here.
All sheds are expandable from 13.5 inched to 27 inches. A Darstaed Pannier or Lionel Jeep should fit comfortably in a standard shed, and a long engine like a Duchess of Southerland will find the expanded sheds a nice home. At this time only the Darstaed sheds will be available in single engine models, but if demand is popular, the other sheds have single engine model artwork we can use. Prices will start at $245 USD for the single engine Darstaed model, $325 for the expanded model, and of course if you get a standard model, extensions will be available separately. All double sheds will be priced at $295 for a standard and $395 for an extended. For more information and bigger images, see the Trains Hover website.
