The LNER Encyclopedia

Last weekend at the NEC it was with with some trepidation that I parted with £7 for a sheet of 4mm scale LNER loco lining direct from the HMRS stand. Reports of misaligned printing and of refusal to separate from the carrier film seem have appeared in recent times. I mentioned these to the HMRS representative on the stand, and was somewhat dismayed to find denial of any knowledge of such things, which I'm sure have been reported to HMRS. He did however promise refund or replacement if I found fault.
As soon as I was home and had chance to relax and partly re-organise the resin demo items that I had taken with me, I carefully peeled one corner of the carrier film and transfers away from the backing paper so that I could get a better look at the transfers themselves. I was still only able to see the face-side of the prints through the carrier film of course, so the view was hazy, but it appeared to me that the lining that included double-white lines had the problem that Mick B reported a few weeks ago. The two white lines looked of unequal thickness, and a wrongly present thin ragged black line was present on the outside edge of the thinner-looking white line. I wasn't very happy, but given the problem of sourcing any satisfactory, affordable alternative transfers at present, and faced with the fact that I've more or less exhausted my supply of white-black-white lining and I will have other green loco liveries to apply in future, I decided on an additional test of a more practical nature.
I wondered how things would look with the transfers seen clearly on a background of the right colour, so I painted a small rectangle of black plastikard in Phoenix Precision Doncaster green, and selected sections of lining from several areas of the sheet to apply (none too elegantly) to my colour chip. The one thing I did try to take care to do was to apply the transfers in the same orientation in which they are found on the sheet, although it turns out that I have reversed one of straight pieces. The pre-formed oval outline is however lying with its length across, rather than along my chip, just as it is found on the original sheet. The carrier film by the way separated from the transfers quite willingly once it was wetted thoroughly. Here's the result: In the magnified view (click on the image to see the large version) you can still see the ragged black fringe alongside one of the white lines, but on that green background my naked eye does not see the black fringe, so in my judgement the print misalignment across the sheet is tolerable. Looking at the oval however, it is evident that there is a bigger and probably unacceptable problem with print alignment along the length of the sheet.
I can't say that I'm totally happy with my purchase, but I'm reluctant to send the sheet back. If the entire batch has the same defect I'll be no better off with a replacement, and I don't want a refund as I can't apply a refund in lieu of lining! I suspect that the straight lining simply won't be a problem, and I tend not to use the pre-formed outline shapes for splashers and apertures, but the pre-formed radiused corners for panel lining will only be useable if I very carefully trim and re-touch them.
Although I'll probably keep this sheet, somewhat grudgingly, as I'm not the only one to complain, I do seriously think that HMRS have a responsibility to actually check the rest of their stock rigorously and if consistent fault is found they should either insist that their supplier replaces the defective items with correct ones, or they should ensure that all of their representitives are well aware of the defect and that they honestly declare it to anybody thinking of buying these transfers. In my opinion, these transfers are well below the standard of any previous sheets of HMRS LNER lining that I have used, it is not just me being "picky" about standards.

Return??. You would probably get a similar sarcastic reply from them, I recieved.

Please complain ,otherwise they will never do anything about the "quality" !!

The lines are better than on my last sheet, the curved effort is a joke !!

My last sheet in case anyone has missed it

I wonder how yours would have looked on a green background Mick.

Private communication with an RMWebber suggests that an on-line report of (yet another?) new transfer printer for HMRS dates from as recently as 24th Nov, with forecasts of another price increase to cover the costs of a manual process, with added cost for each additional colour on a sheet. Having re-checked current Fox prices last night (and finding myself greatly alarmed by the amounts that they charge) I hope that any further increases in HMRS prices are of a restrained nature! The new HMRS printer's transfers had better be absolutely perfect too, otherwise we'll be no better off...

HONEST declaration of the potential faults in the current batch, to all prospective buyers, seems to me to still be required though, both morally and by trading standards laws.

No way were they ever going onto to any colour !!

Just looked at HMRS site still listed @ £7.15 . Nothing obvious mentioned re new printer etc. I dont mind the price as long as they are useable . Time will tell next year at a guess.
Fox not only overpriced, the lining is too wide as well !!

I don't use LNER lining. But I've had a similar experience with BR coach lining.

Personally I'd be happy to pay a little bit more for something that is right.

I'm an HMRS member and am in the e-group.

It has been mentioned that a new printer has been found but that the printing (because it's old technology and specialised) is more expensive.

That more expensive production has not yet reached stock, but the expectation is that when it does, the price will have to rise.

Post on here if poss, when it actually becomes available please.