Hornby Products and Availability

[falcons1988]

Modern technology allows us to do much more in creating products. 

Have a few basic or famous products, like Tornado, Flying Scotsman, Mallard etc...
However, I think it would be prudent to change from of having a range of locomotives, have a range of locomotive classes, take on a photobox type model, excuse the pun. 

For example, I would like to buy a GWR Castle Class locomotive. I go to the Hornby website select steam locomotives/railway/gwr. I then select castle and from a drop down menu I choose the locomotive, Caldicot Castle. 

It suits genuine hobbyists who may want different locomotives of the same class
It can suit parents buying something for children, especially as people relate to stuff they know. Why buy a Manchester United fan a B17 called Liverpool?
Also, one can allow it to be personalised as well. An HST could have a family photo, precious moments. 

A few thoughts for you. 

 

[walkingthedog]

With GWR/WR locos it is a piece of cake renaming/numbering. A few days ago I purchased the County of Hants and within 10 minutes it is the County of Bucks thanks to Modelmaster etched plates. 

 

I guess all companies could produce locos without any name or number and leave it to us to add our own.

 

Most names and numbers are available from specialist companies for a small ish price. I have changed quite a few.

[96RAF]

Airfix always used to provide a sheet of transfers with different registration markings, squadron badges, colour schemes, etc so I am surprised that this idea was never carried over to Hornby products in times past, in particular for wagons and coaches where having unique IDs is paramount.

 

Obviously with locos and brass nameplates this could be impracticable but a sheet with various livery  matching font running numbers, etc would be handy as I find it a nightmare trying to find the correct replacement for size and shade.

Rob

[LCDR]

 Versions of this suggestion have appeared before, but this might cause complications if you wanted to buy Hornby products from a dealer rather than direct from Hornby. That said I have bought locomotives in just such a manner, from ACE Trains, where my Schools class was bespoke as "Dulwich" and my Battle of Britain was "Spitfire" but then I was paying £600 -£700 for each one! I suspect offering a bespoke service would add considerably to the price.

 

As already said changing the name and number is not a particularly difficult task and can be done easily in an hour or so.. There are a number of firms who sell the necessary transfers and etched plates in adequate variety and many come with a matching coloured panel so that you don't even need to take the original number off first.

There are also firms who offer customising services which can include weathering, as well as changing the identity.

It could be a double edged sword, some people are not too bothered about the number and name but can't be fussed to change the number and name themselves.

 

One issue that is probably less well catered for nowadays is rhe conversion or detailing to cater for the numerous variations that could be found between locomotives of nominally the same class.  Years ago Crownline made kits that catered for all manner of bits and pieces that you could add to your model to enhance it, but these haven't been available for ages.

[Fazy]

I can see there is maritime to your suggestion. However this would mean hornby having to hold parts names and number plates etc in the hope someone wants them.

 

Plus  as LC&DR as said even same classes can hold problems. Just take the Princess royal. There are 2 boilers 2, smoke box doors, 3 valve gearsetc, 3to4 tenders, 2 different  frames fronts. Etc. What should hornby? Let the buyer  have the loco they want even if the detail is wrong.