Diagonal white stripe on the wrong end

"Jim Northolland" wrote

You're correct and Hornby have it wrong (again).

John.

Is it just as with stamps, that a misprint becomes a collectors item? Or is it that in the case of Hornby that a correctly printed wagon becomes the collectors item? Anyway, I have poiled mine as I have used mine to prractice both weathering and attaching Kadee's on.

It really depends whether Hornby can be bothered to fix it and how many of each variant are made. Watch for them being described as "rare" on Ebay ;-)

MBQ

If it's not current it's "rare". Here in NZ, even if it's current it's rare.

Regards, Greg.P.

Why does my memory tell me that I have seen a photo somewhere of a prototype with the stripe wrongly painted? Of all the many thousands of them, surely it is possible that one could have been painted incorrectly (by the apprentice?) and got protographed, even if the fault got fixed before (re)entering traffic. This of course make Hornby quite correct.

It doesn't make Hornby 'quite correct'- it merely shows that it is possible that their model was inspired by a prototype example. There is the minor point that they have painted the entire wagon in the wrong livery- the model is of a prenationalisation unfitted wagon, which would have been painted grey, but the number they have selected, along with the bauxite colour scheme, are of a BR-built 21t fitted mineral wagon. Ironically, they once made a model of the very distictive underframe of such a wagon, complete with brake shoes aligned with the wheels- for some reason, however, the upperworks were meant to represent a 'Conflat B', for some reason loaded with a Freightliner container. If only they'd dig out the tools for that underframe and try again... You are correct to say that wagon painters often made errors. Amongst others I've seen examples with a different painted number on each side, or where a painted number doesn't tally with the cast plate, and even an example of a

16t coal wagon numbered as an ex-LMS coaching stock vehicle in Departmental service- I noted all these whilst checking wagon numbers for a demurrage claim. However, I think that this wagon is yet another example of Hornby having seen a photo of something in a colour scheme they like, and applying it to whichever vehicle might approximately resemble it- I believe they have done similar with the all-blue 'Bubble Car'. Brian

So the "we have to cater to the train-set market" doesn't work in this case. They just got it wrong.

One wonders how hard it is to get it more right?

I'm not a rivet-counter, but I'd prefer the manufacturers to start with an actual example and then reproduce it as accurately as is economic.

I presume there is not THAT much difference in the cost paints of different shades, and if they are starting with a photo of a prototype they ought to be able to get the number right (clue: it's called "reading").

And lastly, why the F don't they go to the many regional enthusiast groups for advice? I'm sure most of them would be flattered to be approached on the matter and would respect confidentiality at the development stage.

If you have spent more than 10 seconds thinking about this, then you *are*, by definition, a rivet-counter .

How many people at Hornby have ever seen a coal wagon? None. How many care?

1, and he's retiring soon.

And how many people in the target market look at a coal wagon in the singular and then peer at a model in the singular, checking the running number?

A string of coal wagons, in whatever colour, in a line behind a loco, will reproduce the look and feel of a railway, and that's what most people are buying. I'm guessing that most people with the level of disposable income needed to buy Hornby products would *hate* to be thought of as the kind of person who might know why there is a diagonal line at all, let alone at which end it's supposed to sit. It wouldn't be too credibiity-enhancing in the world of corporate finance and media management.

The people who would know and would care will *never* be satisfied with a Hornby product, and will make their own wagons.

I write as someone who knows exactly what the essential difference is between a class 59 and a class 66. The clue is in the big number painted on the side.

The trains go round and round, and go clickety-click, and you can make them stop and start and go faster or slower. What else matters in the final analysis?

Cheers, Steve W

I suspect, like some other manufacturers, they have a single ink applying plate which is 'handed' so it is correct on one side, not on the other.

Regards

Mike

Dont agree with you there, but do agree with Brian. I know and care and have been satisfied with Hornby products. I can only build one thing at a time (ok ignore waiting for paint to dry on one and ....). But I want to run trains now, so I know and accept the limitations of some products whilst enjoying everything as a whole. Do think asking regional groups for advice is a very good idea.

So whos retiring ?

Simon

Joined-up government has not yet reached opinions about model railways, and it has not yet been demonstrated that an interest in railway modelling constitutes discrimination against any disadvantaged groups, so you are at liberty to agree or disagree for the next three years or so, *just so long as you ensure that all doors on any passenger carrying vehicle on your layout are painted in a contrasting colour scheme*. Otherwise you will be offending any blind people who happen to pop in your house to view your efforts.

Good for you.

What the hell is a regional group? They are never mentioned whenever I'm in the local department store overhearing the staff selling lots of luvverly Hornby Xmas gear to bewildered mums with 3-year olds in tow. What I do hear mentioned is how DCC is a great thing what will be compulsory very soon, and how it will make the train set pick itself off the carpet when finished with and pack itself away back in the box.

The one man at Hornby who can actually remember when coal wagons used to have a diagonal stripe. I used to stare at trains of coal wagons in my spotting days, and I always thought that the diagonal stripe was to warn the staff if they were putting the wagon upside down on the track.

Cheers, Steve

The Great Eastern Railway Society, for example.

The other rail regions/companies have 'em too I'm told.

More importantly there are LNWR, Midland and LMS societies. Must join when feel worthy enough.

Simon

Should they not be different, on the real railway thaey had different experiences and so end up looking slightly different. However if you want them the same and miss out on the rich variety available then its like buying wallpaper, always buy enough from the same batch.

Thank you.

If you go into the toy section of a department store you will get a sales patter for the purchase of toys.

I really enjoy a certain reviewer who spends quite a large part of his review (to be fair perhaps less lately) describing his experience of seeing the 'real things' and would aleays comment on their apperance esp colour being right or wrong. I so want to say that me and and awful lot of people have never seen them and really couldnt give a toss about his 40 year highly accurate and vivid memories.

Unfortunately a corner to corner diagonal stripe looks the same whichever way the wagon is - so they used the writing as a guide.

Simon

"simon" wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@bt.com:

...

Don't you mean, "More importantly there is the L&Y society"? :-)

ditto

Nope, LNWR + Midland + other bits -> LMS.

Saw a couple of 'O' guage Midland locos at Burton MRC yesterday, am not overkeen on 'O' guage but they were real beauties - prototype and model. If I could build to that standard, would retire happy. Churnett Valley railway was represented, nice people, wouldnt repeat what they said about a certain occasional w/e guard though !

Simon