Hroth Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Hmmmmm... Surely a private matter? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted August 10, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 10, 2014 Yes, but given the shortage of manufacturing slots , you have to wonder why they bothered. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Indeed if you were to make a list of Mk3 liveries awaited I doubt this would be on it.....! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
icphotos Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Trying to find pix of the prototypes, any idea who operates these and what pulls them? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 43300 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Trying to find pix of the prototypes, any idea who operates these and what pulls them? Nobody. They are all long withdrawn. The RFM is stored at Carnforth and is a spares donor for the Mk3s in the Royal Scotsman set (it was stored at Doncaster or years before that). The others three all at Long Marston - the TGS belongs to Arriva; the other two to Porterbrook. It's fairly unlikely that any of them will ever run again now, and if they do it will only be after an extensive overhaul which would no doubt include a repaint. The TGS couldn't operate with the others anyway, as it's an HST vehicle so has a different electrical system. If Hornby's aim was to produce a charter rake which might have used ex-Virgin Mk3s shortly after they were withdrawn, then the brake coach would probably be a Mk2 BSO. I seem to recall that Cotswold Rail ran some charters using Mk3s, but whether it included any of these particular ones I don't know. It is a very strange choice of carriages to produce - I really cannot see who the intended market is. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold mcowgill Posted August 10, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 10, 2014 The TGS is an odd choice as it's an HST vehicle. I mentioned these to Simon Kohler years ago suggesting they could run with the 'ONE' class 90, didn't expect he'd produce them!!! They are suitable for the Great Eastern main line during 2005 when we had a period of patchwork 'anything goes' trains as the fleet cutover from class 86s to 90s and Mk2s to Mk3s. All the new trains (locos and stock) were ex-Virgin West Coast and turned up in that livery. Martin 90003 'Raedwald' at Bentley, 09/04/05 90012 at Brantham with a complete ex VWC rake 21/04/05 90010 propelling a mixed rake north past Brantham 23/04/05 Mk3 set with Anglia Mk2 DBSO leading, Belstead 29/04/05 Mostly Ex Virgin set passing Bentley, 27/05/05 Strangers on the GEML, Cotswold Railways 87008 & 87007 with an ECS working from Crown Point to Oxley 28/06/05 EWS RES liveried 90019 'Penny Black' on hire to National Express approaches Diss 16/07/05 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
icphotos Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 Thanks, I have seen a de branded virgin rake run through hartlepool a couple of times but never had time to notice if they were mk 3 or2 coaches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 43300 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 The carriages depicted aren't ones which ended up on the Anglia route though, and the FO depicted is a Mk3a, whereas all the FOs transferred to Anglia are Mk3b. But yes, I suppose if you aren't bothered about the individual coaches you could run the open carriages and the RFM with a ONE-liveried 90 and DVT. The TGS is still completely useless though! As regards Hartlepool, wasn't that a rake of Mk2s used by Grand Central before their HSTs were ready? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan452 Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Trying to find pix of the prototypes, any idea who operates these and what pulls them? As well as the Anglia 'transition period' illustrated in the photos above (very tatty loooking Class 90's!) the periodic re-introduction of a locomotive hauled set to Virgin West Coast from 2006 prior to the intoduction of the WB64 'Pretendolino' produced a de-branded set. (Shown on the 'A Busy Day at Rugby' circa 2006 DVD with Porterbrook Purple 87002.) Also I think (from what I saw on one of the AC electric traction DVD's) some of the FO's worked with Cargo 'D' Blue Grey TSO's on various charter workings. But lightly weathered and not in 'Long Marston' condition! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted August 11, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 11, 2014 A nice batch of Scotrail Mk3s (no RFM or TGS obviously) might have sold better, to go with the Bachmann Push Pull 47 and forthcoming DBSO. Intead we have a range of coaches that from the off, two years ago, people told Hornby they didn't want and would be of limited use! Ah well at least its something Hornby to put on shelves! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfsup Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 The TGS is an odd choice as it's an HST vehicle. I mentioned these to Simon Kohler years ago suggesting they could run with the 'ONE' class 90, didn't expect he'd produce them!!! 2005_06_346.jpg Strangers on the GEML, Cotswold Railways 87008 & 87007 with an ECS working from Crown Point to Oxley 28/06/05 Rather surprised to spot the first Mk3 in that - is one of the 3 Mk3 BFOs which found use with First Great Western's Night Riviera! Another small use for these Mk3s - again minus the TGS! But with the DVT - Is on the short lived ScotRail loco hauled formation which was used on the Edinburgh Waverly to North Berwick services back in 2004-2005. But unless your modelling a hotch potch GEML Rake, or the ScotRail North Berwick Flyer, The WB64 set in previous guise (but never like those modelled!) or a stored HST Set on the West Somerset or Long Marston then these Mk3s do seem to be a very odd choice indeed given that 3 of the 4 are Loco Hauled and then there's the TGS - Unless Hornby are pulling off a sneaky by releasing the TGS in lieu of the BFO instead? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted August 11, 2014 Share Posted August 11, 2014 Hmmmmm... i dont need a written "hmmmm" to know that you have done some thinking Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
surfsup Posted August 13, 2014 Share Posted August 13, 2014 I am however going to give them a hmmmm. Cant quite decide whether it looks accurate or odd, possibly because I don't think I've seen a Mk3 as brown as that weathering seems to be. http://www.ehattons.com/StockDetail.aspx?SID=51164&utm_source=OOGaugeNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20140813 http://www.ehattons.com/StockDetail.aspx?SID=51165&utm_source=OOGaugeNewsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20140813 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
47164 Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Very odd choice....however they could be real bargains from hattons later in the year if they cant. Shift them.! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cradley Bridge Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 Having seen one of theses models in the flesh can't say I'm that impressed with either the livery variant or the weathering Would much rather they had been another run of the unweathered Virgin livery - means I can finally finish off my HST set and not have to pay eBay prices then!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMartin90125 Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 Some of the many "supply problems" with Sanda Kan, perhaps? Hornby had to pay them off to get tools and stock from them if I recall rightly. I wonder if something about these will turn up in an issue of Simon Says. As has been mentioned above, coming soon to a bargain bin somewhere (or mystery prizes from Hornby for their Collectors Club). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan452 Posted September 29, 2014 Share Posted September 29, 2014 I do hope that Hornby took the time and trouble to read the reviews, both in Rail Express Modeller and BRM. Ben Jones (in the latter) didn't mince his words when he stated that the 'TGS is pretty much useless without its companions'. That said I have aquired a few of the loco hauled variants, if only as an insurance policy should Hornby not produce any more Virgin Mk3's (you never can tell). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david12345 Posted September 30, 2014 Share Posted September 30, 2014 Somebody must be buying them. Hattons have hardly any TGS left. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan452 Posted October 11, 2014 Share Posted October 11, 2014 Somebody must be buying them. Hattons have hardly any TGS left. Now all gone. Interesting.................................. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottrains29 Posted November 19, 2014 Share Posted November 19, 2014 Still plenty of buffets and 1sts available at Hattons. With such high demand for the TGS coach, surely it's time Hornby finally released the pristine HST TGS in Virgin colours. I know they did release R4278 Virgin TGS but this had a number of errors and was incorrectly painted as a loco hauled coach. Hornby didn't paint the window surrounds silver. Virgin HST mk3s had silver surrounds, loco hauled stock did not! Hornby have produced both so no excuses there. Also R4278 strangely has thinner stripes and virgin logos than their other Virgin mk3s meaning it stands out like a sore thumb in my full rake (all scale length silver window examples). Looking at the ex-virgin TGS Hornby seem to have corrected the thin stripes but again they didn't paint the window surrounds even though the computer generated pre-release image clearly shows it with them. The inaccurate R4278 are like hens teeth and go for crazy prices so if you're reading this Hornby, PLEASE bring out the matching Virgin TGS. We've been waiting over 15 years now!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottrains29 Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Hornby are now offering a four coach bundle (1 of each) for only £69.99. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonathan452 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Just read the Nigel Burkin article in the January 2016 BRM (Page 56). As well as fitting table lamps to the FO in question he has successfully removed some of the weathering (from the windows at least) with isopropyl alcohol (IPA). How easy is the latter and where would I source the solution from? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhydgaled Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 these Mk3s do seem to be a very odd choice indeed given that 3 of the 4 are Loco Hauled and then there's the TGS - Unless Hornby are pulling off a sneaky by releasing the TGS in lieu of the BFO instead? I think you might be spot-on there, since there's a TGS currently listed on the Hornby website as "Ex Virgin Mk3 Brake Coach - Weathered", so it does seem they are trying to pass it off as one of the three mark3 brakes. An odd choice since when I've seen photos of the real brakes they look much the same as a normal FO/SO, whereas the TGS is noticably different (there's something like 7 eighths of a window missing on the TGS) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ruggedpeak Posted December 16, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 16, 2015 O/T but Abellio now run later silver ex-Virgin coaches as part of their fleet. Photo below. They are now mixed up with Abellio liveried coaches in the formations http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6gHgzflcooc/VOtbnP1Ks-I/AAAAAAAAQok/9xDJAPOkE58/s1600/GRA%2B90001.jpg Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
black and decker boy Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 These coaches (not TGS) also worked in service with WSMR on the Wrexham - Shrewsbury - Marylebone services alongside the blue grey ones https://www.flickr.com/photos/the_prisoner/4337369718 http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nw1002f.htm Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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