The LNER Encyclopedia

I gather that Airfix are now in receivership and thus Humbrol paint may no longer be available-does anyone have information on the likely fate of these paints which I imagine most of us use extensively?I can't imagine the Humbrol range was unprofitable but will it survive?

A lot of people seem to think Hornby will buy the lot. I suspect they've got enough on their plate, so I doubt they'd buy the whole lot?
Perhaps Humbrol might be useful to them though - even though Humbrol haven't sold railway specific paints for quite a while.

As for current stock, I hear that manufacturing has stopped, and they're simply clearing the warehouses. So retailers are still getting some supplies but they are limited and will "dry up" soon (sorry!)

Richard

Thanks Richard thats interesting Hornby would not have struck me as a possibility-I wonder would they keep the paint on or concentrate on the kits?I still imagine its a viable stand alone business,especially as" Humbrol "is almost like "Hoover" in terms of its brand association with paints and glues for modellers.I gather you too miss the old "Authentic" range!Still the existing range still offered a lot,especially for freight stock,weathering and general work-I also reckon they had the best varnishes and black options for brushing whether matt,satin or gloss.A lot of the general colours were also useful for inter-war PO wagons without mixing,it was good for lining etc-I think we will all be the poorer if Humbrol is lost!Please keep me posted on any further news!

"Hornby Snaps Up Airfix"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6134988.stm

Hornby buy Airfix and Humbrol!


Richard

Hi Richard,

On the local/regional telly at lunchtime that Hornby have bought Humbrol/Airfix and that they are offering the staff their jobs if they are prepared to move to Essex. AND - they are putting the Hawker Hunter that has been long on display outside their factory up for sale on --- EBAY!!! Interested?? A bit bigger than n gauge!!

Regards,

GeoffB

Shipping costs would be a bit high!


I have seen a Hunter here in Texas - it was static display at an airshow down in Houston. Recently retired ex-Saudi iirc.


Richard

Spoke to our local model shop re this last week and she advised that the Hornby rep is saying there may be a bit of a delay before they start shipping again. I don't know whether they'll send everything out to China straight away or fulfil outstanding orders and resume manufacture in Europe first (surely the most sensible approach) while switching production over gradually.

I wanted to try their acrylics, assuming they were available in the same colours; has anyone else used them?

according to my local model shop Humbrol is going to be back on the shelves for February with manufacturing taking place in China.

Phoenix has introduced 'humbrella' to cover the colours unitl Humbrol return.

http://www.phoenix-paints.co.uk/index.asp

They think Hornby are going to do a "Bachmann"? (cf. the Graham Farish takeover)


Richard

What do you mean by 'doing a bachmann', not being an N gauge modeller i wasn't aware they had suffered under the takeover?

Bachman took a very long time to get the Graham Farish range back into production. It took about 18 months for anything to appear, and some items only appeared in the past year, and the Class 101 still hasn't re-appeared.

To be fair to Bachman, some of the old tooling was too old to be economic (at least one engine was abandoned completely because of this), and all of the bogie diesels received new chassis (based on design used in their US range).

Richard