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Class 31 Why So Few liveries?


slg

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Since the release of the class 31 there have been very few liveries released! 

 

BR Green, BR Blue (both in again this year), Dutch(1), Regional Railways(1), Network Rail(2), DCR(1), Railfreight(2), Fargonset(1) & Subsector Construction(1), Patroleum(1) (sound only) & Coal ( limited edition only). 

 

I know there have been lots of one off liveries but that means there's lots to choose from!

 

Mainline Intercity, Mainline Blue, Subsector Distribution, Transrail Dutch or Grey, Civil Grey or the limited numbered liveries like EWS, RTC, Pink Wessex, "Seven Valley Railway" Blue, or even Railtrack.

 

I would just like to see a few more livery options being made available of this excellent model each year. 

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I think Hornby seem to like doing quirky livery combinations, rather than the usual day to day rank and file locos, and there have been some quirky ones, Transrail 60 with dual branding or Class 153's in First North Western blue with Northern Rail branding (twice!).   But then again we do have plain old usual Class 67's in EWS livery filtering through.    

 

I wonder if they will eventually capitalize on train packs with the class 31's with the new Mark 2 coaches, as mentioned- Fragonset 31's in Black for the Bedford-Bletchleys, only two coaches needed!  or Pink ones for Wessex with matching coaches anyone?  

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Since the release of the class 31 there have been very few liveries released! 

 

BR Green, BR Blue (both in again this year), Dutch(1), Regional Railways(1), Network Rail(2), DCR(1), Railfreight(2), Fargonset(1) & Subsector Construction(1), Patroleum(1) (sound only) & Coal ( limited edition only). 

 

I know there have been lots of one off liveries but that means there's lots to choose from!

 

Mainline Intercity, Mainline Blue, Subsector Distribution, Transrail Dutch or Grey, Civil Grey or the limited numbered liveries like EWS, RTC, Pink Wessex, "Seven Valley Railway" Blue, or even Railtrack.

 

I would just like to see a few more livery options being made available of this excellent model each year.

 

I agreed with you and I was awaiting for mainline intercity class 31 405,407,420,422,423, choice one number and I like class 31 mainline intercity

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When Heljan make a model diesel, they release it in almost every livery there was.

 

When Hornby make a model, they keep you waiting and waiting. I'm still waiting for a Schools in late crest BR green with the original chimney, for example, and a late crest King Arthur with a 6 wheel tender. I gave up waiting for Class 31s and bought Lima ones, and put the new RailRoad chassis under them (the ochre & blue experimental ones & the green one with full yellow ends), but even then I'd like a green SYP with indicator discs, and plain green with 4 character headcode box, like the old Airfix one.

 

If I was a model manufacturer I would want to get as much income in as soon as possible from the new tooling. Hornby seem to want to string it out for decades, even though it means releasing several versions of the same livery, the later ones being consigned to the bargain bin because most people don't want more than one or two the same.

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Since the release of the class 31 there have been very few liveries released!

 

BR Green, BR Blue (both in again this year), Dutch(1), Regional Railways(1), Network Rail(2), DCR(1), Railfreight(2), Fargonset(1) & Subsector Construction(1), Patroleum(1) (sound only) & Coal ( limited edition only).

 

I know there have been lots of one off liveries but that means there's lots to choose from!

 

Mainline Intercity, Mainline Blue, Subsector Distribution, Transrail Dutch or Grey, Civil Grey or the limited numbered liveries like EWS, RTC, Pink Wessex, "Seven Valley Railway" Blue, or even Railtrack.

 

I would just like to see a few more livery options being made available of this excellent model each year.

The 2 Railfreight examples were also in the later revised 'Red Stripe' livery. I for one would welcome an example in the original 'Large Logo' Railfreight livery to be produced.

 

Like you say slg there are plenty of examples to chose from and even more variations especially when you consider the 'skinhead' and including Class 31/4 examples.

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I think that Hornby don't have any enthusiasm for modern image to be honest .

 

However 31407 in mainline blue would be a bit of a niche product due to limited scope of operations - maybe a ltd edition in future ?

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I think that Hornby don't have any enthusiasm for modern image to be honest .

 

However 31407 in mainline blue would be a bit of a niche product due to limited scope of operations - maybe a ltd edition in future ?

 

If a shop commissioned it as a limited edition they could also get an inspection saloon done in the same colours ( if it's the correct tooling?) 

 

As for limited scope of operations, I've seen pictures at Hither Green, Par, Exeter, Peterborough & Warrington to name a few, some location because of the advantage of railtours.

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I'd think the disintegrating chassis probably discouraged buyers too ... and the prices of the super detail Class 31s have rocketed since they were first released. I'm not entirely convinced Hornby has chosen well with the liveries it has brought out so they might be getting classed in the 'poor sellers' category

 

Heljan have a completely different sales approach ... bring everything out at once and if you want a particular version you need to grab it ... til the unpopular ones get left in the bargain bin

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If a shop commissioned it as a limited edition they could also get an inspection saloon done in the same colours ( if it's the correct tooling?) 

 

As for limited scope of operations, I've seen pictures at Hither Green, Par, Exeter, Peterborough & Warrington to name a few, some location because of the advantage of railtours.

Well that's true, but I've rarely seen a picture of that one on anything other than a rail tour.

From the 90s what really is missing is a 31 with roof boxes in Dutch . There were so many of these.

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The most popular/demanded livery / body style combination seems to be the one they have done the least of: green livery, off-white bands, small yellow panels, with four character headcode box.

I think that's what you've got for 2016 , not that it's easy to tell from the yearbook listing, but there is a picture of a layout in there and it does show a four character head code green with small yellow panels loco.

 

I think to answer the question posed by OP it's just that they are generally clueless about what sells in "modern image"

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Hormby's behaviour with the class 31 does seem particularly bizarre, even for them.

 

I have to agree with SR man in #2 above, that right up there at the top of demand has to be GSYP lined. When these first came out they all sold with virtually no trade discount ( I know as I looked, and at the time they were my most expensive diesel loco purchase) which should have been an  indicator of market interest.

 

I don't think the BR blue has had wide issue either, certainly not in unweathered form, and it was unfortunate that one of these, albeit weathered, was a victim of the chassis debacle.

 

I suspect that as time has gone on and on, many have gone for the Lima/ Railroad option outlined by Locoholic, and perhaps by now, particularly when faced with a price tag heading for £150, a lot of folk will pass on a new issue even in these popular liveries.

 

John.

 

Edit, and just another thought. Whilst the mechanism on the 31 may be excellent, the body is not, as discussed at length elsewhere in this forum, further strengthening the argument for the Lima/ Railroad option.

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Locoholic:

 

When Heljan make a model diesel, they release it in almost every livery there was.

When Hornby make a model, they keep you waiting and waiting.

 

But then if Hornby had released every version of the 31 (or the Schools) at one time - even allowing that they probably would not be able to schedule such a production slot - I wonder how many people would then want 3,4 or more livery versions.  I also wonder how many would be able to afford that many models at one swoop.  I can see now the complaints on RMWeb about releasing them all at once and not being able to afford version x and now it's all sold out.  Why cannot Hornby stagger their releases!

 

It is a bit different for Heljan releasing relatively rare prototypes with relatively few livery versions and where the market demand for multiple versions is rather less.

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Without wishing to knock Hornby, the thread sums up the life of Hornby

/triang, take the 1970's when blue was the colour and the market crying out for a rtr class 47 ,and what did they do ...bring out a single green one rather than blue and green at the same time.

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Locoholic:

 

When Heljan make a model diesel, they release it in almost every livery there was.

When Hornby make a model, they keep you waiting and waiting.​

 

But then if Hornby had released every version of the 31 (or the Schools) at one time - even allowing that they probably would not be able to schedule such a production slot - I wonder how many people would then want 3,4 or more livery versions.  I also wonder how many would be able to afford that many models at one swoop.  I can see now the complaints on RMWeb about releasing them all at once and not being able to afford version x and now it's all sold out.  Why cannot Hornby stagger their releases!

 

It is a bit different for Heljan releasing relatively rare prototypes with relatively few livery versions and where the market demand for multiple versions is rather less.

I just get the impression that Hornby aren't really trying, or they don't know their customers. The new Class 31 has been available for 10 years or so now. Just a handful of different liveries each year would be OK. The current situation means that Hornby aren't anywhere near maximising the potential income from their outlay on the tooling.

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The 31 was a popular loco and certainly tHere was and is demand. Hornby are not the modellers friend when it comes to range. I went back into the hobby thanks to Bachmann and Heljan. Too many things about Hornby products had been frustrating years ago. Early on I made the mistake of buying some Hornby track pins. They didn't fit the holes in the track and had round heads! Did they have engineers? I notice they're still on sale.

More seriously Hornby are too quixotic and supply is erratic. There are some good models but I feel these have come about due to the competition from rivals. Without the competition I'm sure most Hornby would be railroad standard.

 

They had a much better period up to say 2010 when they produced some high quality kit, but recently they have seemed to have been in meltdown.

 

The skinhead 31 in 2008 or so was superb and I'm sad that they haven't produced more to make up for the dreadful rot episode. For a diesel this is an easy win yet Hornby can't see it.

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