Why doesn't Hornby produce FGW/GWR Special Vinyl HSTs?

[sc2016]

Hi, 

 

Why don't Hornby produce special vinyl HSTs that have been carried by GWR/ FGW power cars. I know they are cutting back on producing new items but with these items all they need to concentrate on is the artwork as the tooling is already been done. Surely it would be worth it for Hornby as other special editions have sold well of other Vinyl HSTs.

 

I know some people won't be able to buy new sets but couldn't Hornby just produce the artwork onto a dummy power car or power car and sell as a single unit. 

 

Included in the post there is a poll of what special vinyls are on the GWR network so you could chose which ones you would go for if Hornby were to produce them.

 

Thanks,

 

Samuel

[Shoey]

Great idea! I'd go for either 027 or 163.

[brianusa]

Better still, just provide the vinyls to stick on the power cars. Cheaper that way, if they can be made thin enough.

 

Brian.

[sc2016]

Better still, just provide the vinyls to stick on the power cars. Cheaper that way, if they can be made thin enough.

 

Brian.

 

It depends if they would work out any cheaper because you would have to buy a donor HST first and the vinyl on top. Also you would have to spend time placing the vinyl onto the HST.

 

Samuel.

[Glorious NSE]

(Pedant alert - 43002 isn't vinyl, it's painted....)

I'm not in the market, but i'd suggest Hornby aren't likely to be interested in producing one you can decal yourself - you might be able to get a decal producer to do you decals to let you do that though? 

I'd not have thought that the interest in most of the advertising liveries would be that great, but I'd have thought that a twin pack of 43002 and 43027 might sell okay though? Lots of 'railfans' love 002, and i'd have thought a certain market would exist for 027 as well, selling both to both markets could be worth a go?

[sc2016]

(Pedant alert - 43002 isn't vinyl, it's painted....)

 

43002 Sir Kenneth Grange is vinyled not painted. I asked the question to GWR about the livery and they confirm that the livery was applied using vinyl.

 

Samuel.

[Andy Hayter]

I think your poll answers the question of why Hornby don't produce any of the vinyl liveries.

 

Nearly 1 week in and only 31 results, split over a number of different liveries, and with 9 votes the maximum for any one livery.  So you could say guaranteed sales somewhere between 9 and 31.

 

Compare that with the annual wish liost where there are items with over 250 votes that have not yet been produced.

 

I know that view will be a disappointment, but Model manufacturers have to take a realistic view on potential sales, and too many versions which split loyalties is not going to help promote a manufacturer to make the necessary model.

[dibber25]

Hi, 

 

Why don't Hornby produce special vinyl HSTs that have been carried by GWR/ FGW power cars. I know they are cutting back on producing new items but with these items all they need to concentrate on is the artwork as the tooling is already been done. Surely it would be worth it for Hornby as other special editions have sold well of other Vinyl HSTs.

 

I know some people won't be able to buy new sets but couldn't Hornby just produce the artwork onto a dummy power car or power car and sell as a single unit. 

 

Included in the post there is a poll of what special vinyls are on the GWR network so you could chose which ones you would go for if Hornby were to produce them.

 

Thanks,

 

Samuel

Simple answer to why: Most of the vinyls applied to the real thing are time sensitive. They are put on to mark a particular occasion. Once that is past, the level of interest drops off. Hornby simply cannot turn round a new product that quickly. Look at Model Rail's BBMF Class 91 for example, eventually available over a year after the event at which it was to be launched. (CJL)

[Glorious NSE]

43002 Sir Kenneth Grange is vinyled not painted. I asked the question to GWR about the livery and they confirm that the livery was applied using vinyl.

 

Samuel.

 

Hmmmm....looking at my pics closely, I think it's a bit of a hybrid, the flat sides are vinyld (you can find the joins if you look hard) - but there's an awful lot that to my eye is painted - not just detail (there's no FGW blue showing anywhere, unlike all the other vinyls!)...

[amwells]

Simple answer to why: Most of the vinyls applied to the real thing are time sensitive. They are put on to mark a particular occasion. Once that is past, the level of interest drops off. Hornby simply cannot turn round a new product that quickly. Look at Model Rail's BBMF Class 91 for example, eventually available over a year after the event at which it was to be launched. (CJL)

They did manage it with the Harry Patch set for Locomotion though (if not the Great Gathering / Goodbye)...

[brianusa]

Simple answer to why: Most of the vinyls applied to the real thing are time sensitive. They are put on to mark a particular occasion. Once that is past, the level of interest drops off. Hornby simply cannot turn round a new product that quickly. Look at Model Rail's BBMF Class 91 for example, eventually available over a year after the event at which it was to be launched. (CJL)

That's my point. All you need is one, after all they don't have a fleet all the same. In other words do as the industry. If it were possible in the first place.

 

Brian.

[dibber25]

They did manage it with the Harry Patch set for Locomotion though (if not the Great Gathering / Goodbye)...

Presumably thanks to a very long advance notice. it's complicated because you don't just need the OK from the train operator, you need the full involvement of the artist, too. (CJL)

[steve1023]

I would be interested in 002, but only if twinned up with a standard FGW liveried power car - not a vinyled one.

[Removed a/c]

I have always thought it would have been a great idea to buy single powers cars no matter the livery. 

[Revolution Mike B]

I actually think that if they did one in the new GWR green, they'd sell like hot cakes.......but then again, we'd be waiting another 3 years for the coaches!

[NickC]

Has the HST painted in GWR green been used on the run down to Plymouth and Penzance? I've only ever seen the FGW versions, but with only one in green I suppose it would be easy to miss it.

[royaloak]

Has the HST painted in GWR green been used on the run down to Plymouth and Penzance? I've only ever seen the FGW versions, but with only one in green I suppose it would be easy to miss it.

There are now 2 painted green LA15 and LA16, power cars 43005, 041, 187 and 188 although they now seem to be treating the power cars as normal ones and putting them on blue sets ad putting blue power cars on the green coaches.

 

They have been down to Penzance on numerous occasions when the green sets were entirely green.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

Why don't Hornby produce special vinyl HSTs that have been carried by GWR/ FGW power cars.

 

Quite aside from the apparent lack of interest and sales there is licensing to consider.  No-one many make commercial reproductions of a livery and offer them for sale without permission as the artwork will be copyrighted.  Licensing also costs money which is something Hornby seems to be short of right now.

 

Hornby did an excellent job of the black class 153 in Cornwall promotional livery some time ago but its release was delayed for reasons never made public though suggested to be in connection with licensing the original.  That in turn contained multiple images each owned by the original photographers.

 

 

 

Has the HST painted in GWR green been used on the run down to Plymouth and Penzance?

 

Yes as royaloak has already mentioned.  The overnight sleeping car sets are almost all green now as well.