mikeharvey22 Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 (edited) And that there has been a series of new (*to the UK) manufacturer entries to the UK RTR market in OO and O: DJM. Rapido*, Oxford, Hattons, Accurascale*. Let's assume they are in it to make a profit, they haven't produced N product. One wants to produce N products, but openly admitted it had to be bankrolled by successful OO releases. As for Hattons (and they are a manufacturer now) if they don't know what the UK customer is willing to shell out for, I will eat my proverbial hat, and no N product from that source. DJModels have good reason to lay claim to having produced N gauge models (Mermaid), with many more in the pipeline (Class 92, King, Class 17, more wagons). And look out for Oxford's May announcement. Edited May 2, 2018 by mikeharvey22 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil gollin Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 Royal wedding commemorative train set? . That is so awful, that you may well be right - Hornby do seem to like self-destructing. All this talk of other scales reminds me that Hornby announced that they wanted to develop an 009 Ffestiniog Railway Double Fairlie by one of their continental brands - but that when they did the figures it came out too expensive. Well, MAYBE, the figures work now ? . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 30, 2018 To announce an announcement so far in advance, I'd be surprised if it was just to reveal new 00 stuff. A reorganisation, merger or major change in direction perhaps? Surely this is just an attempt to stir up a bit of interest on social media for something that is probably not going to turn out to be world-shattering? If so, it seems to be working. If they were announcing something really major as suggested above, I don't see what would be gained by teasing the announcement like this. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Coryton Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 30, 2018 Last year marked the 30th anniversary of the opening of the Docklands Light Railway (1987). To celebrate the 30th anniversary (late again Hornby???), Hornby in conjunction with the London Transport Museum, are releasing a 4mm scale 00 model of the DLR B07 EMU stock, which was introduced and went into service 10 years ago in 2008. .......Nah !!!!!! An end of steam 50th anniversary event and commemorative set of some sort, is my bet. . I# I'd be a bit surprised at a move into light rail. On the other hand, the DLR is one of the few UK railways that actually has anything approximating the curves/corners many of us have on our layouts...(myself included) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivor the engine Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 My money is on Night Ferry sleepers ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 30, 2018 In some ways you are right, but I’d suggest Hornby’s overhead costs can’t easily be tackled - you simply can’t go from being a mini-corporation to a low-cost, one-man-band operation (I’d be grateful if anyone can tell me I’m wrong by pointing to a single example of such a successful transformation). Their other costs (of production) seem to be largely in line with the rest of the market. Meanwhile: everyone is running out of popular prototypes to model; prototypes that have been in Hornby’s catalogue for years, presumably giving steady profits, are being picked off by rivals; production runs are getting smaller (reducing the sales from which profits can be generated); profits are presumably being squeezed as market resistance to even higher prices seems to increase; new entrants to the market cut-out retailers to keep all profits themselves, but also increasing the pressure on Hornby to cap at roughly the same retail prices (but with Hornby getting a smaller share of the total profits). I’d suggest Hornby is now in a place where it needs to do something pretty dramatic. So while I’d agree a new scale is high risk, the balance of risks now seems to me to be on the side of carrying on with business as usual. I’m glad it’s not my business to run. Paul What would be dramatic would be a fight back against some of the announcements from those picking off items from the Hornby range. IF - as with the 'King' and the Q6 - they happened to be more advanced on various things than others who have announced their intentions to produce something similar a fight back while they're in the lead would be dramatic and a statement of 'don't mess with us'. In the past The engine shed suitably dropped the hints and followed up with greater detail and in my view that would still be the way for Hornby to go as they can do it more quickly that way and with a bit more of a surprise for the opposition. But if they want to go down the line of 'an announcement of an announcement' then it could be a way of doing the same thing, albeit with far less fleetness of foot and a lot more froth and chatter before they get to the point. But are they really that cute nowadays? Personally I don't think they are as they seem to have done far too much to strangle the goose that was laying golden eggs in their Engine Shed and instead they are trying simply to stir up interest where they have lost it. My only hope for this announcement is that it will really be something worthwhile for the market or the future of the company or maintaining its place in the overall market place rather than something that is little more than marketing razzamatazz. On form to date I remain somewhat cynical - but will be happy overjoyed to be proved wrong. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tarnish1 Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 "O" Scale Duchess - from the new plans scaled up! I must stop day dreaming!!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tomparryharry Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 30, 2018 Quality, Quality, Quality. Oh, and fidelity too. I'll always maintain that these two factors will ensure any business. Attention to detail, customer service, that sort of thing. Price is not an issue here, especially in the toy market. If it's good, it will sell. Hornby have proved this time and again. They have fallen by the wayside from time to time, but they have seem to overcome that. Going onto a forum such as this about the monetary aspect of a business is downright laughable, and most likely offensive & rude. If I had a business to run, I wouldn't be paying too much attention to the forum members playing Doomwatch. Is the British market the largest part of Hornby? Or, is it one of the high class models across the globe? To be honest, I'd be laughing if the 'dramatic announcement' is a press release for a new style of fishplates.... Happy modelling! Ian. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 I'm sure would make an excellent job of an 0-4-0 Sentinel in O gauge. Also something that will sell well and not carry much risk. The usual fast selling locos like the Class 08, Jinty, Panniers etc have already been picked up by the smarter companies. However I still feel O gauge isn't Hornby's territory. They'll be a little more successful in N gauge and their first attempt was quite a comical choice. They could've chosen a better prototype and sold far more. Really? The Brighton Belle sold extremely well in 00 gauge. But wasn't the N gauge version made for the continental market originally and released in the UK as an after thought? Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JohnR Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 30, 2018 I'm wondering if all this about new models is wide of the mark.Monday May the 8th is a Bank Holiday so what better date to drop a new story about Hornby s Finances and or ownership? Remember Hornby s Finances are needing sorting out and a Bank Holiday means delayed reactions in the financial markets. Just an idea Well, since May 8th is a Tuesday, and the Bank Holiday is on the 7th.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 30, 2018 Good to know there’s one, though otherwise I think you’re engaging in wild hyperbole: off the top of my head I can think of many big names that are still around after half a century, and I don’t think the corporate management structure at, say, Rolls Royce or Aviva is a mere fraction of what it used to be... I thought all the research tells us that office workers are just a tiny percentage more productive than a century ago (after all that capital investment in IT!), because we’ve simply made more pointless work for ourselves producing PowerPoint presentations and status reports. Meanwhile the real productivity gains have been on the factory floor. Paul The real productivity was always on the factory floor; admin is an overhead. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 30, 2018 It wouldn't surprise me if they are going to announce an Electrostar. That is the one train with the most units/coaches in the UK, and its area of use has increased in recent months with the GWR out of Paddington. Yes, there are many differences between the versions, but that should not be too difficult to overcome. It could be a great money-earner for them. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wickham Green Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 Well, since May 8th is a Tuesday, and the Bank Holiday is on the 7th.... .................... I wonder when the re-hashed Brighton Belle's going to make its first test run ? ....................................... doubt if it's that soon - but I guess Hornby will do the Belle on Mk6 and B5 bogies at some time ................................ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 .................... I wonder when the re-hashed Brighton Belle's going to make its first test run ? ....................................... doubt if it's that soon - but I guess Hornby will do the Belle on Mk6 and B5 bogies at some time ................................ You would probably need a totally new tooling to make the new Brighton Belle. They've made quite a lot of changes including things like widening the doors, moving the lavatories and adding more seating bays. Jason. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 ... To be honest, I'd be laughing if the 'dramatic announcement' is a press release for a new style of fishplates.... Happy modelling! Ian. Not just fishplates. Perhaps Hornby is going to upgrade its settrack system? Its been eons since System 6 was introduced, nearly 4 decades ago, and model fidelity has changed out of all recognition since then. Perhaps we're going to see the introduction of a track system fit fot the models of 21st Century Hornby.. Something along the lines of robust code 75 bullhead set track, with correct sleeper spacing and better point geometry. Depth of the sleepers would be similar to the old code 100 standard to lessen fragility. And as Ian notes, we'd need new fishplates... H,C&O 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 As long as those fishplates come in a massive box from Hattons. Jason 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 30, 2018 They've entered an agreement to distribute and market Kato Unitrak in the UK. No, unfortunately it won't be that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GordonC Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 "O" Scale Duchess - from the new plans scaled up! I must stop day dreaming!!!! along similar lines ... with the 00 Gauge Class 87 getting nearer and 7mm 3D printed cabs produced development it might not be hard for them to produce an 0 gauge Class 87 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGR Hooper! Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 (edited) Really? The Brighton Belle sold extremely well in 00 gauge. But wasn't the N gauge version made for the continental market originally and released in the UK as an after thought? Jason I'm not sure what the reference to the OO gauge Brighton Belle is for, but I'm sure it's not such a popular train (eg: Mallard, Flying Scotsman) where it will sell in box loads in other scales (eg: O gauge). In N gauge it wasn't such a great seller, they haven't done any other re-runs of it. The first half of my post was basically talking about Hornby's possible and sensible ways to test the O gauge market by doing something they already do in OO so I suggested the 0-4-0 Sentinels, unlike their odd test for N gauge. Regarding the N gauge Brighton Belle, there was nothing continental about it. If it was it would've been made in 1:160 scale. Hornby-Arnold from the very beginning decided that the Brighton-Belle was to be aimed at the British market and from the very beginning it was 1:148 scale. And to conclude Hornby have publicly stated that they aren't going to jump into O gauge any time soon. Edited April 30, 2018 by MGR Hooper! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MGR Hooper! Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 along similar lines ... with the 00 Gauge Class 87 getting nearer and 7mm 3D printed cabs produced development it might not be hard for them to produce an 0 gauge Class 87 I think Hornby have been quite clear that O gauge isn't something they want to get into right now in this financial situation. The O gauge Class 87 cab was just to size-up and check details Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 30, 2018 I have the horrible feeling they are going to set off another rush to market duplication shambles and announce a new OO Terrier... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 Ohhhh!!!!! I know, I know!!!!!!!!!!!! ALL the previously announced Pecketts are due!!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamysandy Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 (edited) They've entered an agreement to distribute and market Kato Unitrak in the UK. No, unfortunately it won't be that.Funnily enough,having run Kato trains on Unitrack in N gauge over the last five years,I was thinking about utrying an oval of Kato HO gauge track for my dormant Hornby collection!But I won't be buying it from Osborn's!! Edited April 30, 2018 by Steamysandy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJM Dave Posted April 30, 2018 Share Posted April 30, 2018 I don’t think it’s Hornby but someone has laser scanned 2 buses recently. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dunsignalling Posted April 30, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 30, 2018 I have the horrible feeling they are going to set off another rush to market duplication shambles and announce a new OO Terrier... If that was the case, why wouldn't they have made their announcement as soon as the Rails/Dapol one became public? John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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