"New" four plank wagons

[rayarpino]

Hornby, when are we please going to see the end of these re-editions of 4 plank wagons. They are totally uninteresting and totally inaccurate.

Looking at them brings me back in time. I am 66 now but when I see these "new" items on th site and elsewhere, it more or less reminds me looking at the same "new" items some 40 years ago or more. I bought them then and they are still running. They are mutton dressed up as lamb, or rather Robert Stephenson impersonating Sir Nigel Gresley..

[LCDR]

The problem for the 'purist' is that these colourful private owner open wagons are typical of rolling stock pre-First World War, but there are no matching locomotives or guards vans. They do look a bit silly behind a Grouping or later steam locomotive and completely ludicrous behind a diesel or electric loco.

I do think Hornby needs to take a long hard look at their range of goods rolling stock. I am not in favour of one manufacturer duplicating the products of another, (why oh why did they both bring out a detailed model of that most useless of vehicles, the GW shunter's truck!) but a range of wagons that complements and matches the locomotives in production I believe is a necessity. As most of the steam outline types are post Grouping, and generally in post Nationalisation liveries the freight stock really ought to match.

The 'B' company does have a more appropriate range at present providing you can actually find the ones you want in the shops!  The 'D' company have a huge range but may of them are former Hornby Dublo types and perpetuate the errors especially of underframes, that Meccano were famous for.

So come on Hornby, let us have some better wagons, post Grouping or post Nationalisation for the steam era. There are one or two nice ones (the Shark and the Trout are superb) but where are the ordinary 20 ton guards vans in BR bauxite liveries, anchor mounted petroleum tanks, diagram 1/108 & 1/109 mineral wagons, RCH 12/13 ton mineral opens in weathered ex PO liveries but with 'P' numbers, 'Big 4' style covered vans (after all you inherited many of the basic mouldings from Airfix), Plate wagons, Flatrols, Conflat L with L containers (Triang's containers were excellent but you need a better more accurate wagon), continental ferry vans, Bogie Bolster 'E' etc. etc.

[96RAF]

Interesting that the 2014 special edition plank wagon is less than a tenner but the older 2003 and 2011 versions found in the store cupboard are just short of 15 quid. Based on the previous comments would/could anyone run these as anything other than a Hornby special train.  

[Graskie]

I think they're horrendous. They're just an advert really, aren't they? Sorry, but I only buy blue box wagons, mainly weathered, which look far more realistic.

[walkingthedog]

Me too Graskie, and the Welsh ones.