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Have to admit W1 looks an impressive beast in that configuration. Whilst I haven't considered the Garter Blue offering, were Hornby to offer wartime/post war black I think I could succumb :-)

With regard to the second sentence, bottom line is there ARE models out there that do not have issues. Should we really have to partake in a lottery when we spend our hard earned cash?

Good question. Thompson left it as 10000 in his renumbering scheme, and as you point out, 700 would see it in with the 2-6-2 and Pacific classes... So why DID BR choose 60700??

Rather than fine abrasive paper, I'd be tempted to try T-Cut or similar on a cotton bud perhaps? Test on an area maybe underneath the loco or tender first, but potentially less aggressive, though maybe more effort...

My problem with Hermes was they tried to get a fragile parcel through the front door in spite of it being too large... I was left with a mangled and broken mess on the front step after they eventually gave up trying to wind it through the letterbox :-(

That 'inspection charge' seems to vary between £100-£500 at the moment.... And that's without the cost of the loco!

A poor pun, perhaps, but wasn't: 'Pegasus' in the running regarding names, at one time?

No time for pics, but on my W1 box: HUA02-PO10008725 Under that: R3840-38-362 From my A2/3 box: GFT01-10008025 Under that: R3832-2-362

Trouble is, an awful lot of people did: 'the right thing' and pre-ordered. As we now know, for many that back-fired. If you were lucky enough not to have it cancelled, you were now in the lottery of whether you received a whole model or one in pieces... I totally get the: 'supply and demand' of the subsequent ebay auctions, my choice how much I value ownership of one of these. My original post was prompted by a: 'reserve not met' announcement on one retailer's auction, already in excess of RRP, so it is him who's setting that value, and after withdrawing stock from another online platform..

Just one blatant retailer plug, if I may? As with insurance companies and 'breakdown' cover providers, we never know a firm's mettle until things go wrong... Like many I received a broken W1 during the feeding frenzy, so elected to return it for refund whilst hunting for a replacement. So a big: 'Thank you' to Katie at KJB Models for handling my refund request so promptly, and to quote Arnie (when the P2's appear): 'I'll be back!'

I can understand to a certain degree, it was the: 'reserve not met' notification I found a bit callous, perhaps? And their stock on Amazon disappeared overnight, which I assumed due to selling out... But, as duly noted, nobody HAS to buy them....

What do people think about retailers cashing in on the scarcity of these now?

Thanks to due diligence and excellent packaging by Aiden and staff at Roxley Models I too have now joined the ranks of happy owners.... Hopefully the original retailer will refund in good time so the credit card bill arrives with just one to pay for :-) Not sure if I'm being cynical, but a few turning up on ebay emphasising 'unopened' boxes, some even posting totally nondescript out of focus photos: 'Which form a part of the description' In any other circumstances that wouldn't worry me, or am I doing human nature a disservice?

Hornby R3840 LNER Class W1 ‘Hush Hush’ 4-6-4 No.10000 OO Gauge 5055286672231 | eBay On ebay this morning, though photos show 'British Enterprise' Yours for £350...

I will respond and say mine wasn't. It did come with a: 'price reduced' sticker which I found a bit strange as according to the retailer they had only just arrived, and subsequently sold out within three hours! Returned for refund......