Hornby Thompson Suburban Coaches - LNER Teak issues

[adb968008]

Apart from the body, the rest looks ok, maybe there's a chance to buy below the body line for other projects & to repair good bodies from earlier releases now sitting on damaged chassis

[Classsix T]

Not even that is it? The paint job is the horror. In three months time, if you want brown or crimson Thompartment (I just invented that,you're welcome) coaches, you'll be like a porcine in plop, 'cos possibly they'll be shifting these as fast as possible.

 

C6T.

[dibber25]

I seem to recall being told, at one of the Broadstairs Christmas meetings, that the early Gresley teaks (the ones with the grain running the wrong way on the doors but otherwise an excellent teak effect) involved 38 printing processes and hence the high cost. I haven't seen these in the flesh but it looks to be a single pass printing which has produced a 12in:1ft grain effect. (CJL)

[G-BOAF]

Well there is still a market for 'top quality teak' - given the poor result of '1 pass teak' maybe they could issue two versions - full fat for those willing to pay (even if buying fewer) and lesser for those who want a longer rake. Maybe produce 50/50 of each.

The fact is that these have not been marketed as 'teak celver'/railroad, but are advertised, as per catalogue images, as good as the original (excellent) offering...

[The Blue Streak]

Going back to those Early BR Gresley Corridor teaks from a few years ago that Hattons are now listing as Ex Hornby Shop stock.

I seem to recall when I bought a few at a knockdown price of 25 quid,  that one version - R4602 the sleeper car - didn't look so terrible.

It was in fact the only one of the newer batch I kept, selling the others on!

 

This version , although still not quite as good as the earlier SK releases, is still quite acceptable, just due to the fact that they have omitted that horrible 1:1 Knotty Pine finish. So Hornby's new factory can still make a decent job of it obviously. They've just chosen not to with the majority of the later Gresley batch and so it appears, with these new Thompson's..

 

See for yourself - http://www.hattons.co.uk/262423/Hornby_R4602_OB_ex_LNER_Gresley_first_sleeping_car_E1149_in_BR_teak_livery_Open_box_Ex_Hornby_/StockDetail.aspx

 

Compared to - http://www.hattons.co.uk/262422/Hornby_R4601_OB_ex_LNER_Gresley_restaurant_buffet_E9126_in_BR_teak_livery_Open_box_Ex_Hornby_S/StockDetail.aspx

 

Surely someone at Hornby has clicked to the fact that the earlier SK production Teaks sold like hotcakes and are still demanding premium prices second hand (if you can find one) but the later versions with the El Cheapo Knotty Finish were being sold brand new for as little as 25 quid at one point (and took some time to shift even at that price).

[Hilux5972]

I seem to recall being told, at one of the Broadstairs Christmas meetings, that the early Gresley teaks (the ones with the grain running the wrong way on the doors but otherwise an excellent teak effect) involved 38 printing processes and hence the high cost. I haven't seen these in the flesh but it looks to be a single pass printing which has produced a 12in:1ft grain effect. (CJL)

I thought they had originally said that they involved over 100 printing processes.

[micklner]

Quote

Surely someone at Hornby has clicked to the fact that the earlier SK production Teaks sold like hotcakes and are still demanding premium prices second hand (if you can find one) but the later versions with the El Cheapo Knotty Finish were being sold brand new for as little as 25 quid at one point (and took some time to shift even at that price).

 

 

 

Well if someone at Hornby have clicked, then they need to now kick ass because it hasn't worked   . 

 

The BR teaks were the start of the Hornby Teaks demise, which then sadly spread to the Gresley suburbans and now the even (if that could be possible) worse Thompsons.

[GNR Dave]

I saw these in the flesh over the weekend. Not good. I also looked at the Gresley suburbans at the same shop. It's the same finish on them but it doesn't look as bad due to the small panels and beading. I think the problem with the Thompsons (and the 63' mainline coaches) is that the larger panels and lack of beading is less forgiving of the simplified paint job.

I noticed that the original Sanda Kan releases are now going for £60 on a certain on line auction site.

[Willie Whizz]

Has there been any comment from Hornby on this, or are we all just moaning to each other?

[Ian Hargrave]

Has there been any comment from Hornby on this, or are we all just moaning to each other?

No and I suspect yes. Do not hold your breath.Other turkeys have passed this way to the boneyard ignored and unlamented.And not just from Hornby.Look at it this way....stuff happens.

[Cor-onGRT4]

I was looking some time ago for an Gresley surburban composite coach from the first batch in 2011, those that have the fine grain.

There are still some stores who have some of them, but in December Hattons offered the complete rake weathered by TMC pre owned, very good done and the composite was only 50, - pound with posting to the Netherlands 51,50, a bargain for something good, about the same money as I had paid for with the store I found who had it new, plus posting always higher posting from small stores.

The 3rd class was 60,- pound, but they were all gone in two days, even for these prices.

There are some of the old type teak  grain available, but you have to dig for it and search, still some Gresley's surburban available new, but mostley from the not well known shops.

If you find one and want them, buy them, because they will only become hard to find.

I bought about 30 different Gresley types over the last 10 years all the good teak grain,I paid from 20,- till about 35,- pound each, if I would put a new type of teak grain beside them, it would look awfull, so won't buy any new release, till Hornby got it right again in future, but I dought it.

Look at the picture's of the TMC weathered one, how good they are , I'm glad I bought it.

[Pint of Adnams]

Just received the regular Hatton's e-mail that includes these Hornby carriages. The accompanying illustrations are of the varnished pine toilet seat finish, so at least some honesty there even if they have not decided to return them to Hornby as not being 'as described'.

[Widnes Model Centre]

If anybody is looking for a brand new, R4518A, LNER Gresley Suburban 3rd Class Brake coach. £48.49p plus post. Please delete if not allowed.

[vcltel]

I'd be quite happy to repaint them if they were about £15 a throw but with the cost of the decals added on to the paint I couldn't see me spending any more. Having repainted three sleeping cars from blood and custard to teaks, I know just how much time and effort (not to mention frustration) is involved. (I only paid £15 each for the second hand sleepers so that's my price.

[No Decorum]

These Thompsons seem to be cursed. The early Gresley non-gangwayed models were lovely but the first Thompsons had lining which was out of register – correct in the middle but getting farther out from where they should have been towards the ends. Then the close coupling mechanisms held the coaches too far apart, which enabled short Kadees to be fitted (for gentle curves) but left huge gaps between vehicles using Hornby’s so-called close couplers.

[phil-b259]

Has there been any comment from Hornby on this, or are we all just moaning to each other?

 

No - and I don't expect there to be. If Hornby do say something then it will only further highlight the fact that the printing is not a patch on what was previously achieved and given they need to sell the current batch, keeping quiet is actually the best business strategy.

 

If Hornby sit tight then inevitably modellers angst / fury / attention will wane as other things to complain / get angry about come to prominence.

[gwrrob]

Reviews by the modelling press should highlight the error to the buying public.Hornby may choose to respond.

[Ian Hargrave]

Reviews by the modelling press should highlight the error to the buying public.Hornby may choose to respond.

Nice one,Robin.I wonder if Hornby Magazine will accept the challenge ? I can however think of one whoi'll not let it pass by.As to an official response,i'm with post 67 on this.They'll play doggo while the storm passes and hard to swallow for the punter though it might be ,in commercial terms it's not in their best interests to go public on it. In the world of model railways as it currently is,perhaps we must accept that from time to time,stuff like this happens

 

That is not to say we shouldn't complain vociferously about it when it does....indeed far from it.Hopefully,it will be a learning experience for Hornby.It appears from one post on this thread that corners may have been cut in the production of this particular batch.That  in itself should serve as a wake up call to tighten up on procedures to prevent a recurrence of such a fundamental error.

 

However,one glimmer of hope is remembering Hornby's reaction to their mistake over production and distribution of WC 34001 "Exeter" a few years ago.To make up the chronic shortfall,Hornby acknowledged the problem and arranged for another production run.That however did not help the many retailers who lost out as a result of the initial blunder,it must be said and doesn't help them now with perhaps holding stocks of coaches they may not be able to sell . Maybe we'll have another run of these Thompsons with paintwork of an accurate nature in a while ? After all,Bachmann returned their Thompson faux teaks to the factory because they were not satisfied

[jukebox]

I know it's a pain, but it would be *very* handy if someone who has the knowledge could post a list of the catalogue numbers to avoid on this thread, so we have something to use as a reference.

 

Is is just  R4572A, R4573A & R4574A?

 

Those of us in remote parts of the globe don't have the luxury of inspecting-before-buying most of the time, so a primer for mail orders would be greatly appreciated.  This could extend to corridor stock if so afflicted.