Unnamed / Numbered Locos

[mjb1961]

Having read some of the posts on the wishlist section there are a number of suggestions to re-name / re-number locos to your own desire ,it's a pity HORNBY don't produce un-named / un-numbered locos ,like the un-rebuilt West Country class or a un-rebuilt merchant navy so that collectors can name and number them to there own preferenc using transfer kits from leading manufacturers or even HORNBY could produce them ,,,good idea or not ,,mjb

[GeoFF03]

Maybe not such a good idea.  How many would actually require these to justify production costs, plus you would also have to provide them unpainted for those that require a particular livery or era.

[96RAF]

Airfix used to provide a selection of registration numbers for their aircraft kits, maybe they still do, so Hornby could include a sheet of selected numbers and names for certain locos, although many people may prefer the professionally printed application for the loco they bought, then you have to think of the extra packaging, etc for an anonymous loco.

[mjb1961]

Ok,,,,I wouldn't expect all different colours or un painted ,hypertheticly,Merchant navy class are generally green ,,West Country class ,battle of Britain are generally green ,,I for one haven't seen any other co except for the blue Canada line MN ,,,that is what I mean ,,,mjb

[walkingthedog]

I think that generally it's a good idea but leave the numbers and names to the likes of Modelmaster.

[Fazy]

The thing is that Haljen did try it with a couple of models. But they just sat on the shelves. This could have been just the wrong model chosen.  But it's not a good sign for other manufacturers.  Plus dose Hornby provide the transfers. If so which models.  Do we go for the easy ones say black 5. Nice and simple.  And do they do individual number transfers or pick a few whole loco numbers. 

 

How many of each number 2 4 or 6.  What style.  

 

Or do you buy HMRT , Fox, or model master. 

 

And who's fault is it when a customer gose wrong.  And ends up on the hornby forum moaning about Hornby. Probably with the words " you would think...... & at the price" 

 

Somewhere in the post.

[LCDR]

 At one time Hornby DID issue their locomotives with alternative nameplates and transfers to go over the numbers. These came on a sheet in the box with the loco. However the loco was sold numbered and had a name, they just went over the originals. I have a R374 Battle of Britain that came as 21C166 Spitfire, but had transfers for 21C155 Fighter Pilot, 21C165 Hurricane or 21C170 Manston. It now exists as 21C155. This had been done earlier by Tri-ang R869S with 21C151 Winston Churchill, which could become 21C157 Biggin Hill, 21C164 Fighter Command or 21C165 Hurricane.  The gloss finish meant that the transfers stuck fairly well, but today's matt finishes are difficult to get a transfer to stay put.

 

I believe they also did this with the Hall (R759), the B17 (R53 and R60), the Duchess (R262), and the Britannia (R259 and R33).  I believe some diesels were also so treated. I had a 110 DMU set that included alternative carriage numbers.

[GeoFF03]

Ok,,,,I wouldn't expect all different colours or un painted ,hypertheticly,Merchant navy class are generally green ,,West Country class ,battle of Britain are generally green ,,I for one haven't seen any other co except for the blue Canada line MN ,,,that is what I mean ,,,mjb

Yes, your examples are green, but which green (Southern or BR)?  Likewise, do they go for a LNER apple green or BR etc.

[trainlover23]

Ok,,,,I wouldn't expect all different colours or un painted ,hypertheticly,Merchant navy class are generally green ,,West Country class ,battle of Britain are generally green ,,I for one haven't seen any other co except for the blue Canada line MN ,,,that is what I mean ,,,mjb

Which is a totally fictitious livery as no rebuilds carried this livery. As has been stated it has been tried before and does not work

[Postman Prat]

Hi Trainlover

 

As posted many times over the years it's a non-starter. To me it's a pity (and a surprise) but there you go. If it was a commercially good idea no doubt every manufacturer would be doing it. 

[walkingthedog]

Heljan make unnumbered diesels. 

[VESPA]

The idea has it's problems in that many classes look the same but in real life there are massive differences. I know renaming and renumbering Britannias. Getting the right tender or front step under the smokebox and many other little nuances that can become a major problem. The LMS (BR) Stanier class 5 also has many variations and too many to have blank locos for. You can compromise but sometimes it is a big compromise. A couple of my Britannia's have the wrong tender type but the changing of tenders in the class took place often. I have a photo of 70034 with the tender from a Firth attached and not the original tender. Lord Rowallan had oval buffers in it's last years, again an obvious deviation.

[trainlover23]

Heljan make unnumbered diesels. 

Only in O gauge I think

[walkingthedog]

Yes of course. Well I was nearly correct. Near enough for government work  😀

[LCDR]

 In truth un-numbered models are irrelevant. If you want to give your loco a new identity you have plenty of help from people like Modelmaster/Jackson Evans, or you can get firms like TMC to do it for you. (Other suppliers are available).  I have 20 Bachmann C 0-6-0, 14 Bachmann N 2-6-0, 21 Hornby V 4-4-0 and 23 Hornby Bullied Pacifics and about 40% of these have been given a different identity.

 

Vespa's point is well made too,  you do need to study your model and chose the identity carefully and be prepared to carry out alterations if you want an authentic model. If you aren't bothered about that why change the identity?

 

Years ago there were a number of manufacturers of bits and pieces to help you add authentic variations but many of these are no longer trading.Shame really because it was good fun 'improving ' a ready to run model using these 'Crownline' type modification packs. Wizard still do some of this.

[Fazy]

Heljan make unnumbered diesels. 

Only in O gauge I think

Use to do oo to but didn't sell well

[81F]

 I have two King George II and two Adderly Halls. It would be so much easier if Hornby made the transfers. Yes I know modelmaster make name and nuber plates which Ihave used for numbered locos but the name plates are a real problem because GWR name plates in GWR livery are not all black as model master supply them so you need to paint (and line!) part of them green. For my King I have since got some plates from Fox but will have a lot of fun using the lining transfer.

 

I would also add that Model master plates are generally too good a representation of the real thing and GWR nameplates did vary in shape between some class members. The result is a plate with bits of the old one poking out at the sides. Also I would like my five castles all to be of the same standard so feel that a transfer made to fit the model of the same standard as the original would be most welcome as would some wagon renumbering transfers

[81F]

 PS Bachmann do (or did) some un-numbered locos in their US range.

[walkingthedog]

I don't have a problem with the old nameplate sticking out either side of the new one because I usually remove the old one.