GWR HST

[Revolution Mike B]

Very pleased that Hornby are going to release the Green GWR HST and coaches to match.

 

Not so pleased that the initial art work shows the livery is wrong on the cab.

 

Also not so pleased at the £100 price hike!

[Roy Langridge]

Very pleased that Hornby are going to release the Green GWR HST and coaches to match.

 

Not so pleased that the initial art work shows the livery is wrong on the cab.

 

Also not so pleased at the £100 price hike!

What do you think is wrong with the cabs?

 

Roy

[James Makin]

I've not spent any time looking at the current GWR livery or the Hornby mock-ups revealed this week, but I think there's a small error somewhere in Hornby's new-tool power cars, when masking the cabs for the yellow warning panel on FGW Fag Packet colours, it was very difficult to get it sitting on the model in the same way as the prototype, I think Hornby's lights are either too long/short somewhere!!

 

Still better than I could scratchbuild so no point complaining though haha!

[James90012]

The omission of the TFO is pretty damn serious at that price..

[Roy Langridge]

I've not spent any time looking at the current GWR livery or the Hornby mock-ups revealed this week, but I think there's a small error somewhere in Hornby's new-tool power cars, when masking the cabs for the yellow warning panel on FGW Fag Packet colours, it was very difficult to get it sitting on the model in the same way as the prototype, I think Hornby's lights are either too long/short somewhere!!

 

Still better than I could scratchbuild so no point complaining though haha!

The criticism is of the artwork, and that looks spot on to me. In respect to the cab, green, yellow ending in line with the window, fire handle in red, cant rail stripe as good as you will see on a model.

 

Roy

[Gwiwer]

The omission of the TFO is pretty damn serious at that price..

 

I agree but Hornby has seemingly always taken the approach that its customers do not have infinitely deep pockets and might prefer to accumulate a representative set over a little more time.  A complete HST has not always been available at the same time in any livery.  And not everyone has space for even a half-set given that would be two power cars and four trailers.  What would you have?  TGS+TS then what?  Buffet and TF?  Alternatively which do you omit?  A full 2+8 takes up a lot of layout space.

[James Makin]

The criticism is of the artwork, and that looks spot on to me. In respect to the cab, green, yellow ending in line with the window, fire handle in red, cant rail stripe as good as you will see on a model.

Roy

I think Hornby did a fantastic job on the power cars, and they're the best out there without doubt, but I'm saying when I've come to physically repaint the power cars for another project, when it came to masking off the yellow warning panel, the relationship between the Hornby's front cab window and the positioning of the front headlights doesn't quite match real life, it's funny as you'd never notice normally haha!

 

I'd love it if Hornby did the FGW Barbie on the new-tool power cars, now that would be amazing!

[MGR Hooper!]

Very pleased that Hornby are going to release the Green GWR HST and coaches to match.

 

Not so pleased that the initial art work shows the livery is wrong on the cab.

 

Also not so pleased at the £100 price hike!

Can you be a little specific as to what you feel is wrong? I've checked a number of images online and I cannot see anything wrong. Moreover it's only a photoshopped image of the Hornby HST and I don't think it should be taken seriously. However it's worth sending them a note sharing your concerns (try facebook or Twitter for an assured reply). Or send Paul Isles a message on RMweb.

 

The price is wrong, upping the price because it's a limited edition isn't the best way to get money. It would've been better if Hornby (incase they weren't aware of the demand), to have like an order book open until a specified date where they could then produce it exactly to the order book or that plus a few more. Unfortunately I'm not impressed with that price at all.

[Roy Langridge]

I think Hornby did a fantastic job on the power cars, and they're the best out there without doubt, but I'm saying when I've come to physically repaint the power cars for another project, when it came to masking off the yellow warning panel, the relationship between the Hornby's front cab window and the positioning of the front headlights doesn't quite match real life, it's funny as you'd never notice normally haha!

 

I'd love it if Hornby did the FGW Barbie on the new-tool power cars, now that would be amazing!

I don't disagree, but the OP says the artwork is wrong, it would be good to know how so that either it can be corrected or people don't spend £300 without knowing the problem. Given the artwork I have seen is side-on, I don't think it is light related.

 

Roy

[James90012]

The Artwork also doesn't show the 'matt' upwards strike to the right hand side of the carriage. Definitely going to hold back with this one until it gets here!

[ruggedpeak]

The Artwork also doesn't show the 'matt' upwards strike to the right hand side of the carriage. Definitely going to hold back with this one until it gets here!

Don't do that, look what happened on the Peckett forum when people held back and then couldn't get one when they turned out to be the best model of 2016/ever! It all kicked off and even had accusations of moral improprietary by Hornby. Made Brexit look like a walk in the park

 

As for HST's, the price is steep and with the Virgin TTS HST's this should be TTS at the price. £300 and no TTS is taking the proverbial in my view. OK its limited availability, but they need to be careful as the Virgin ones can be got for £165. We shall see but these may sit too, and be nice and inexpensive in a few months.......some of us have been burnt before and still remember. Only a few people will be so keen on these they will pay £300 and not get upset if in a few months they are at £150.

 

Not easy for Hornby as I note Ebay is awash with Virgin HST's with the TTS removed at around £120 each. Just shows the demand for TTS units.

[Roy Langridge]

Don't do that, look what happened on the Peckett forum when people held back and then couldn't get one when they turned out to be the best model of 2016/ever! It all kicked off and even had accusations of moral improprietary by Hornby. Made Brexit look like a walk in the park

 

As for HST's, the price is steep and with the Virgin TTS HST's this should be TTS at the price. £300 and no TTS is taking the proverbial in my view. OK its limited availability, but they need to be careful as the Virgin ones can be got for £165. We shall see but these may sit too, and be nice and inexpensive in a few months.......some of us have been burnt before and still remember. Only a few people will be so keen on these they will pay £300 and not get upset if in a few months they are at £150.

 

Not easy for Hornby as I note Ebay is awash with Virgin HST's with the TTS removed at around £120 each. Just shows the demand for TTS units.

Why do so many people compare list price against retail? If you are going to compare either compare list prices or retail, not a mix.

 

Roy

Edited January 7, 2017 by Roy Langridge

[ruggedpeak]

Why do so many people compare list price against retail? If you are going to compare either compare list prices or retail, not a mix.

 

Roy

List is £320, many retailers have it at close to £300 when rounded up and postage included (Hattons, GM etc). However you dress it up Hornby are pitching it as a £300 model and perhaps trying to set a tone, which is substantially above the list £279.99 for the Virgin TTS version. The Virgin ones are now available retail at under £160.

 

Interestingly Colletts seem to have dropped their price on the GWR set, currently £246.35 but the DuckDuckgo search result showed £255.99, which I assume was an earlier search bot result. https://www.collettsmodelshop.co.uk/Hornby-r3510-gwr-hst-125-train-pack-limited-edition

 

Even more interestingly as a comparison, is Rails doing the Virgin powers cars with 5 coaches for £295. Based on their £160 for the power cars, that £2 off each coach (retail) https://www.railsofsheffield.com/Hornby-r3390tts-virgin-class-43-hst-pack-with-tts-sound-plus-5-coaches-JJJA32361.aspx . Not bad, £300 (rounded) for a decent length (for a layout, not reality) HST set. So for the nominal £300 you can have a sound equipped Virgin HST train versus GWR power cars and one coach. And Rails do the same 5 coach set up with the non-TTS Blue Grey "Limited Edition" Anniversary set.

Edited January 7, 2017 by ruggedpeak

[Roy Langridge]

List is £320, many retailers have it at close to £300 when rounded up and postage included (Hattons, GM etc). However you dress it up Hornby are pitching it as a £300 model and perhaps trying to set a tone, which is substantially above the list £279.99 for the Virgin TTS version. The Virgin ones are now available retail at under £160.

 

Interestingly Colletts seem to have dropped their price on the GWR set, currently £246.35 but the DuckDuckgo search result showed £255.99, which I assume was an earlier search bot result.

And that is my point, you didn't compare the "good deal" on virgin power cars with a "good deal" on the GER ones which is £50+ less than your quoted £300.

 

The virgin power cars were released quite some time ago now, prices have risen since then.

 

As I said in another thread, I think that they are too expensive, but not by a huge amount.

 

Roy

[amwells]

Interesting points on TTS - having heard that fitted to the Virgin set, I think it is awful and would never buy a TTS fitted model if that is a true representation of their quality.

[ruggedpeak]

And that is my point, you didn't compare the "good deal" on virgin power cars with a "good deal" on the GER ones which is £50+ less than your quoted £300.

 

The virgin power cars were released quite some time ago now, prices have risen since then.

 

As I said in another thread, I think that they are too expensive, but not by a huge amount.

 

Roy

The point I was making was that the Virgin ones have dropped dramatically in price in a relatively short space of time. I didn't make a direct comparison between the GWR at list and the Virgin reduced price, but was alluding (clearly too subtly for some) that the same fate might befall the GWR ones i.e. after a list and retail in the £300 region, they could end up south of £200 or even £150. Try reading para 2 as a whole as it renders your original point null and void. You are raising a different point.

 

Which linked to the first paragraph and the post I was responding too about holding off buying one, as whilst that might result in the same traumas as we've seen with Pecketts, in fact the GWR ones may also end up being nice and cheap in a few months, well below even the current discounted retail prices. Hope that helps clarify my point.

Edited January 7, 2017 by ruggedpeak

[MGR Hooper!]

Interesting points on TTS - having heard that fitted to the Virgin set, I think it is awful and would never buy a TTS fitted model if that is a true representation of their quality.

 

TTS decoders for their price are very good and excellent value for money. I've heard decoders and speakers in excess of a 100 bucks sound bad too. Cannot complain for their price.

[scottrains29]

The omission of the TFO is pretty damn serious at that price..

It really is! Who knows if they'll even do the TFO. The mk2e TFO was missing from last year's Virgin releases and still no sign of it this year. I really wish Hornby would state their intentions of producing the full range of coaches, even if some won't be released until the following year(s). This would give us confidence that we will be able to complete the set.

 

When Hornby released the (old livery) Virgin mk3 TGS a few years ago they messed up the livery by painting it as a loco hauled coach rather than the HST coach, thus making it oddly and annoyingly stand out in the set. To this day Hornby have still not produced an all matching Virgin HST rake. It's almost 18 years now since they first released the full length Virgin TF, TS and buffet HST mk3 coaches!

[Roy Langridge]

It really is! Who knows if they'll even do the TFO. The mk2e TFO was missing from last year's Virgin releases and still no sign of it this year. I really wish Hornby would state their intentions of producing the full range of coaches, even if some won't be released until the following year(s). This would give us confidence that we will be able to complete the set.

When Hornby released the (old livery) Virgin mk3 TGS a few years ago they messed up the livery by painting it as a loco hauled coach rather than the HST coach, thus making it oddly and annoyingly stand out in the set. To this day Hornby have still not produced an all matching Virgin HST rake. It's almost 18 years now since they first released the full length Virgin TF, TS and buffet HST mk3 coaches!

Has anybody who is interested in this set and is worried tried PMing Paul (Islesy) at Hornby to ask?

 

Roy

[Shoey]

Why can't Hornby release/produce coaches and power cars to match all at the same time? Those wanting to replicate a scale length HST set can do so without the fear of not being able to acquire a full set and have peace of mind knowing that the colours will match perfectly without any variation from being released at a later stage...

[GordonC]

Can you be a little specific as to what you feel is wrong? I've checked a number of images online and I cannot see anything wrong. Moreover it's only a photoshopped image of the Hornby HST and I don't think it should be taken seriously. However it's worth sending them a note sharing your concerns (try facebook or Twitter for an assured reply). Or send Paul Isles a message on RMweb.

 

The price is wrong, upping the price because it's a limited edition isn't the best way to get money. It would've been better if Hornby (incase they weren't aware of the demand), to have like an order book open until a specified date where they could then produce it exactly to the order book or that plus a few more. Unfortunately I'm not impressed with that price at all.

 

I think the lights look a little deep in height and not wide enough. If you look head on at the model and head on at an actual HST the model doesn't quite look right. Different liveries perhaps show it up more with how the yellow meets the light clusters

[Roy Langridge]

I think the lights look a little deep in height and not wide enough. If you look head on at the model and head on at an actual HST the model doesn't quite look right. Different liveries perhaps show it up more with how the yellow meets the light clusters

But you are talking about the model. The OP says that the artwork is wrong but has not elaborated.

 

Roy

Edited January 7, 2017 by Roy Langridge

[newbryford]

Interesting points on TTS - having heard that fitted to the Virgin set, I think it is awful and would never buy a TTS fitted model if that is a true representation of their quality.

 

I have two TTS decoders - a 37 and 67. Replacing the speaker and installing it properly made a huge improvement to the original setup on the Hornby loco. (Albeit now fitted to a ViTrains 37..........)

 

I will have a play with speaker installation on the 67 soon.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Gwiwer]

In terms of "complete" HST sets I run two 2+8 formations.  The Lima-style (but Hornby-badged) GWT 'merlin" livery set has no TGS but an additional TS in its place because - until recently - I had thought no TGS was ever produced in that livery having been unable to locate one.  Other than that the set is matched.  The newer-style Hornby IC set runs with a Lima TGS again because Hornby didn't seem to produce one which means the window tint differs visibly, the moulding is coarser all round, the seating is a different colour and the roof ribs more prominent.  The Hornby coaches still wear their loco-hauled stock numbers.  But both sets pass muster as they run past the observer and as such I'm in no hurry to spend out on the "missing" coaches which both turn up from time to time on various second-hand sites.

[martin_l_jones]

I have to say the livery although plain looks very smart. Perhaps Hornby will give us information on the missing coaches at a later release.

 

Just trying to think where I can muster the money from !

 

Would really like to complete my collection as have most liveries....