Starlight Express

[Moccasin]

I was amused by the horrified comments on Hornby’s social media posts about the Starlight Express 40th anniversary locomotive (uniquely liveried Merchant Navy). Ok so this is NOT aimed at serious modellers, but it clearly has a heritage link with the original (as presented to HM The Queen in 1984) and will likely sell well to nostalgia markets amd fans of the show  

Hornby is a company that has many links to this and similar tie-ins. If they can make money from it, then why not? That is ultimately what they’re there for after all

 

[Dave the Busker]

Did the social media posts not say it was a one-off? I wasn't getting the impression it was even something they were actually putting into production, just something they'd done to tie in to the 40th anniversary of the show?

[Moccasin]

5 minutes ago, Dave the Busker said:

Did the social media posts not say it was a one-off? I wasn't getting the impression it was even something they were actually putting into production, just something they'd done to tie in to the 40th anniversary of the show?

Not clear whether it can be bought. Might be a merchandise item for the revival. Don’t really mind. Just loving the outrage! 

[Bulleidboy]

Under a Hornby headed banner it says "The iconic West End show is now back and celebrating 40 years since its original production in London! To mark the special occasion, we are proud to present a one-off replica of the Hornby 'Starlight Express' in the exact colours as the original and have added 2024 to the sleek silver and blue livery".

I would interpret that as saying it was going to be for sale - who will buy it is another question. If it was fitted with a TXS sound decoder I assume it would play "Starlight Express".  From the side-on pictures it has wires plugged into the tender!!

I saw the show in London back in the eighties. 

Edited March 28 by Bulleidboy

[LTSR_NSE]

I took ‘one-off replica’ to mean a single item just like the original…

However I would imagine the post has been written with deliberate ambiguity - so that production could be considered (if the response is overwhelmingly positive) - but equally it can remain a reasonably inexpensive marketing novelty (if response is overwhelmingly negative/horrified.)

[Rana Temporia]

From Pat Hammond’s third book in the Rovex/Tri-ang/ Hornby series Hornby have done this before in 1984 releasing a set with the very rare CO CO diesel. They also produced a BOB in blue and silver for the gala performance and presented it to the Queen. Pat says this is now in the National collection in York. 

Nether the set or the BOB loco appear to have been available to the public. 

[Rallymatt]

40 years! 😳 

[Going Spare]

I, too, took the "one-off" reference to imply that it was a commemorative presentation item rather than being intended for quantity production.

[JJ73]

That is a great show - I saw it back in the day!!! 🙂🚂

[Aussie Fred]

Thank you all for drawing my attention to this, I had never heard of it, but decided to research and found a video of the show (1 hr 28 min) so Iam going to sit downand watch it in full. From what I saw, it was fascinating. 

[Going Spare]

Simon Kohler has posted a very interesting background to Hornby's involvement with the 1984 show and the models that were produced for use at the Apollo Theatre as well as the locomotive that was presented to Her Majesty The Queen.  It is on his kohlercoms.com website, in the 'Kohler Confidential' section, "Simon Says - reloaded" - well worth a read.

[ntpntpntp]

I must admit I loathe musicals in all their forms,  but I did buy this Minitrix model in N gauge last week - purely because it's a livery/decoration of the class 101 which I didn't have.  The model dates from around 1998/9.