eldomtom2 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 https://www.world-of-railways.co.uk/news/the-wizards-at-Hornby-spring-a-toy-fair-surprise/#News Bit of a surprise announcement, this - wonder if there’s any chance of them selling the far nicer O gauge set here? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Crumbs! Skirts under the boiler and wheels that Triang would be proud of! And a remote control with a feature set that should have been applied to the Hornby Junior train sets.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vanguard 5374 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I genuinely wonder if we will see any Lionel products appear alongside this, they already make a Polar Express in the same battery powered range, and offer a HO scale model too. Now that Hornby has tied a deal with Warner Brothers and is looking to bring products to market, it may be an easy move to make for the Christmas train set market later this year/next year? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 The G gauge one is truly bizarre, whereas the 0 gauge is a very good model indeed for the price. The Lionel Lionchief remote control system as supplied in 0 is exceedingly good too - 2.4GHz radio, with exceedingly fine control. In 0 it uses track power (ac or dc 12-18V), rather than battery. You never know, once the trade deal is done, we might be able to buy Lionel 0 gauge trains freely and easily here, which will be some compensation for the cr*p quality food that will doubtless be another part of the deal. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I had the Lionel G Harry Potter set some years ago. Sorry to say it was junk. The loco was a very poor model but the coaches were abysmal. The radio control has hardly any range. I bought the set hoping to make a reasonable loco out of it but in the end sold it on eBay. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Here's mine on action. Shame the motor made more noise than the chuff chip. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben B Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I'd been toying (hahaaaah) with buying one of these from the States as just a silly thing for the planned garden railway, on the basis all three of my foster-daughters are Harry Potter mad... Suppose it depends on how much it ends up being flogged for here, if I go ahead with it. I'd have been annoyed if I'd bought it from the US last month as I originally planned, and incurred the customs charges etc, if it is going to be sold here legitimately. Surprisingly noisy motor though on that youtube clip! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 7, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 7, 2020 On 23/01/2020 at 08:58, Ben B said: I'd been toying (hahaaaah) with buying one of these from the States as just a silly thing for the planned garden railway, on the basis all three of my foster-daughters are Harry Potter mad... Suppose it depends on how much it ends up being flogged for here, if I go ahead with it. I'd have been annoyed if I'd bought it from the US last month as I originally planned, and incurred the customs charges etc, if it is going to be sold here legitimately. Surprisingly noisy motor though on that youtube clip! Priced up at £149.99: https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/lionel-remote-controlled-gauge-1-hogwarts-express.html Buying one? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldomtom2 Posted February 7, 2020 Author Share Posted February 7, 2020 I will note that the US list price is $99.95, and Amazon US are currently selling it for just $60.55 - Hornby do seem to be taking the mickey, as even just comparing it to the list price that's a 100% markup! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 You do need to factor-in that we pay more tax on purchases than in most of the USA (some states get close I think, and you will see little banners on US shop websites showing more tax to pay for some states), but even so it does seem quite a difference. £120 might seem closer to the mark. They don't ship them all from China to the US, then stick on a boat to ship them from the US to here, do they? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
truffy Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 But they will also take other factors into account, such as distribution costs, exchange rates, and whatever the hell they think they can get away with what they calculate the market will sustain. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruffnut Thorston Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 It seems to be a common practice with USA stuff priced in dollars, to just change the $ sign to a £ sign, and to hell with the real exchange rates, etc... 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 7, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 7, 2020 38 minutes ago, Nearholmer said: They don't ship them all from China to the US, then stick on a boat to ship them from the US to here, do they? I would imagine that until Hornby have found the market for these, the answer would be yes! After all the box on the Hornby website quite clearly says "Lionel" not Hornby, although there is a Hornby stock code. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 Which might go a further towards explaining the price. I bought an MTH loco a few months back, and did a detailed comparison between buying direct from the US, paying import duty, VAT, and carriage, and buying from the UK (actually Jersey) dealer, with all that done for me, and the net result was within pennies either way, but massively simpler having someone else do all the work! I guess Hornby will ship from the US in bulk, cheap and slow, but they still have to pay duty, and charge tax .......... my "fair price estimate" now rises towards their price, for these reasons, and because there are three profit streams to feed post-factory: Lionel's; Hornby's; and, the shop that sells it. A combination of gross inefficiency, and the fact that we have more/better public services that have to be paid for through taxes than does the US. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eldomtom2 Posted February 7, 2020 Author Share Posted February 7, 2020 I've never heard of a Jersey model dealer that sells anything other than Hornby or pre-owned. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted February 7, 2020 Share Posted February 7, 2020 (edited) Trading as RailkingUk D. P. Associates Limited Melrose Route Orange St. Brelade Jersey JE3 8GQ Goodness knows exactly how the business works, it maybe that the Jersey part of it is something to do with avoiding duties on goods that are to be sold outside of the EU, and it certainly has a French arm also, but Steve who runs it is very helpful, and a genuine railway enthusiast. Edited February 7, 2020 by Nearholmer Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pmorgancym Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 Shame Horny don't have the finances the used to. There's an appeal to Lionel appearing under the Hornby umberella. I have a 3 rail Lionel Polar express for under the tree duties, tje remote control and sound do add a fair bit of play value. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators Phil Parker Posted February 8, 2020 Administrators Share Posted February 8, 2020 11 hours ago, eldomtom2 said: I will note that the US list price is $99.95, and Amazon US are currently selling it for just $60.55 - Hornby do seem to be taking the mickey, as even just comparing it to the list price that's a 100% markup! But will you be on here moaning that the Postman demanded VAT and duty before handing over the set you bought from the USA? Also, £149 is RRP. When was the last time you paid RRP for a model? 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris M Posted February 8, 2020 Share Posted February 8, 2020 Importing g scale size boxes from the USA is quite expensive for an individual. You have to pay air freight (sea freight was much cheaper) plus when it gets here VAT on the cost of the item plus postage. You also pay about £15 to parcel force for collecting the VAT from you. Sorry to say I really cannot recommend buying this item. In 20 years of having a garden railway the only item I have bought and then sold on is the Lionel Hogwarts Castle set. It was that bad. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 8, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 8, 2020 Also not included in the costs is currency exchange, that will add a few £££ to the final price in the UK. It all mounts up. Chances are you wouldn't end up much difference to box shifter price in the UK. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Enterprisingwestern Posted February 8, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 8, 2020 The warranty, if required, is somewhat simpler/safer with UK bought goods. Mike. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Venetian Posted April 28, 2020 Share Posted April 28, 2020 Just a word of warning. There are two versions of the large scale Hogwart. One is G gauge and no longer offered. The second 'Ready to Play' is very similar but is sold with 2 inch track. As far as I can established there isn't any additional track so a purchaser would be limited to a simple loop as comes in the box. However this has been looked at in the States and there is link available illustrating a dremel use to regauge the engine and stock to 45mm. I'm about to do that as well as a repaint to BR lined Black etc, and then lengthening the coaches by a couple of windows plus new couplings so the whole thing looks a tad bit better. Obviously the engine is far too short, but I'll leave that to someone more adventurous! But it's something to keep one battened down at home in these strange times. If anyone wants the regauging link, just let me know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted June 18, 2020 Share Posted June 18, 2020 Hornby email this afternoon - its in stock if you want a gigantic thing! Large Sized Remote Controlled Ready to Play Harry Potter Hogwarts Express Train Set R1268 Battery-powered Steam 4-6-0 Locomotive and Tender - Length: 530mm Two Passenger Coaches - Length: 350mm 24 Curved and 8 Straight Plastic Track Pieces - Inside Track Measurement: 55mm RC Remote Control Movie Sound Clips Authentic Train Sounds Including Bell and Whistle Apart fron the coaches looking exactly like Triang R20s, (OK, a bit bigger), the best thing is that its got "authentic train sounds", including Bell and Whistle. Bell? It ain't a model of King George V! I know, play value and all that. £150 seems a bit steep for what is essentially a Christmas Tree Train... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted June 18, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 18, 2020 Lionel is American lol Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
truffy Posted June 19, 2020 Share Posted June 19, 2020 9 hours ago, Hilux5972 said: Lionel is American lol We know. Your point being...? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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