Arjun-365760 Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 The headlights on the Hornby GWR R1230M starter set are designed incorrectly. I would like to know whether it is possible to go to a shop and get the correct headlights installed. I'm new to model railways and that was my first set so sorry if I asked a stupid question. Any help would be appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 Are you talking visually in that the lenses are wrong or operationally in that the lights do not show prototypically.There are folk who specialise in reworking locos so they are accurate in all respects but they have to be sourced and commissioned. The average model shop does not normally do that sort of thing if indeed they do any repairs/rework. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjun-365760 Posted August 31, 2023 Author Share Posted August 31, 2023 Hello,To answer your question, I was talking visually. It was a design fault.To understand this more, we need to view the background of this model.It is a refurbished old Lima set from a company which presumable wasn't GWR.GWR's sets have the two headlights arranged differently and there is space between the grid at the front and the headlights.I'm wondering whether it would be cheaper to buy a better model of the train or to find someone that reworks these trains.Thank you ever so much for your information.Yours truly,Arjun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjun-365760 Posted August 31, 2023 Author Share Posted August 31, 2023 Also, I understand that it's defo unfair for you but I haven't really seen any reworkers per-se. Might you recommend one to me? Tysm if you can. The only ones I found are repairmen and women. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted August 31, 2023 Share Posted August 31, 2023 I have no direct links to such people, so you would have to trawl the model railway magazines for adverts or hope to trip over them on social media.Sorry not to be able to offer any better help than that, but I am one of those modellers who just wants to run trains, no matter if they are accurate or not, but I appreciate there are many others who demand total accuracy.There is a guy on the Airfix forum who reworks model ships to an incredibly accurate state in great detail and I admire his skill and ability. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
What About The Bee Posted September 1, 2023 Share Posted September 1, 2023 Hi ArjunYou asked"Would it be cheaper to buy a better model of the train, or pay someone to rework" my current train.Arjun, without a specific quote from an individual, giving a specific level of accuracy and finish, you really can never know. You may find a perfectionist who works for the joy of doing it. You may find a poor excuse for a modeler who just takes your money BUTIn general, I cannot think of a situation where you will get an average person to do the work necessary, without charging you more than the price of a new locomotive, unless that person is you. Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjun-365760 Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 Dear all,I have found someone who appears to be able to do this but I don't know if this job is even possible. Please tell me whether this loco can even be reworked in term of headlights? Thank you for your replies so far.Yours,Arjun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 Are these the headlights you are looking for. If a simple re-body may be the quick and economical way forward. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjun-365760 Posted September 2, 2023 Author Share Posted September 2, 2023 Oh my, yes! Those are exactly the ones I need! Thank you so much! I found a shop (Jane's Trains) and I think they might be able to do it! You're a lifesaver! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Spare Posted September 2, 2023 Share Posted September 2, 2023 @96RAF - I fear a body-swap such as you suggest may not be a straightforward matter because the GWR-style body uses, I think, the old Lima tooling mounted on a motor-bogie chassis whereas the East Coast-style has appeared only on central-motor chassis, and body/chassis fixings will be different.Also, the GWR body will have other non-prototypical features such as the guard's compartment and possibly changes to grilles.Edit: typo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 @GSI am now thinking more along the lines of a nose change. Someone once produced a nose swap to make the HST prototype, so I wondered if a scrap body with the correct lights could be chopped and the nose section mounted to the old body, unless of course the body cross section profile has changed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Going Spare Posted September 3, 2023 Share Posted September 3, 2023 Yes, a possibility if two scrap bodies can be found.Another avenue to pursue might be to cut out the GWR light lenses & grille area and replace it with the S9689 light lens unit (Peters Spares) from the Hornby HST which, being clear plastic, might lend itself to being altered/painted to represent the more modern lights/grille arrangement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arjun-365760 Posted September 3, 2023 Author Share Posted September 3, 2023 True, thanks!Arjun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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