Hornby Spares

[Steve Williams]

Am I the only one who considers Hornby spares availability, completely unfit for purpose. For a start, I don't find their website particularly intuitive or user friendly. If you manage to get a list of spares up for any loco, it's utterly inadequate.

 

I tried to access a service sheet and it failed to respond when I put in the loco concerned. The only way I could get the website to respond was to type in service sheets, which then gave me a few to choose from, none of which were what i interested in.

 

What spares that do happen to be available appear to be quite random. I fail to see why any item that is currently being used, is not available as a spare. Also, those items that are particularly vulnerable to damage, or likely to drop off, should be available a a matter of course. It's as though Hornby are adopting a policy of built-in obsolescence by making availability deliberately poor. 

 

If I contact Atlas or Athearn in the US, I can acquire most parts. In the case of Athearn, when I have sent an email query, on a couple of occasions, I have even been sent parts free of charge!  If Hornby want people to buy their products, they need to up their game considerably. I am sure there will be people who will say they have had no issues and been able to get what they want. Fair enough. I am equally sure there are an awful lot of people who have not been able to get what they want, and if you upset or frustrate your customers, they will go elsewhere.  

 

I don't expect to go to my garage and be told the spare part I need isn't available, especially when the model is still in production. Neither do I accept the cost argument of producing and storing items. If they want people to buy their products, they need to have a good after-sales service. I recently emailed their CEO with regard to this issue. I haven't even had a response. That says it all.

Edited August 30, 2020 by Steve Williams

[truffy]

Am I the only one who has difficulty reading huge chunks of text onscreen?

 

I do love a good paragraph break. The simple pleasures are the simplest. 

[AY Mod]

Hornby have veered away from in-house spares provision for a few years and made the sourcing via model shops less appealing too. However, Peter's Spares have built a good business around sourcing and supplying - https://www.petersspares.com/

 

I don't know what you're after Steve but it may be worth digging there.

[Gilbert]

Sadly Class 50 spare steps are non -existent...and they are the first to disappear...

[truffy]

55 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

Hornby have veered away from in-house spares provision for a few years and made the sourcing via model shops less appealing too.

Perhaps they're hoping that people will just bin the model and buy a new one.

 

While that might be good news for their shareholders, it's a bit of a suck for their customers.

[Butler Henderson]

Other suppiers aside from Peters Spares are the following who often are ££ cheaper

 

https://www.newmodellersshop.co.uk/hornby_spares.htm

 

https://www.acmodelsspares.co.uk/product-category/hornbyspares/

 

http://www.lendonsmodelshop.co.uk/

 

[Ruffnut Thorston]

And there are some sellers on eBay as well...

 

 

[Steve Williams]

3 hours ago, AY Mod said:

Hornby have veered away from in-house spares provision for a few years and made the sourcing via model shops less appealing too. However, Peter's Spares have built a good business around sourcing and supplying - https://www.petersspares.com/

 

I don't know what you're after Steve but it may be worth digging there.

 

I have had a look on there Andy, but, sadly, to no avail. They were my first port of call after the Hornby website.

[Steve Williams]

5 hours ago, truffy said:

Am I the only one who has difficulty reading huge chunks of text onscreen?

 

I do love a good paragraph break. The simple pleasures are the simplest. 

 

Sorry about that. I was rushing to get the post finished before the call for dinner.  ;-)

 

There, that should be easier for you,

 

 

Edited August 30, 2020 by Steve Williams

[Hilux5972]

You could try these ones. 3D printed in black, ready to glue on. http://www.precisionmarketplace.com/k19.html

[DCB]

Hornby aren't manufacturers any more,  They commission batches of models from a manufacturer, like Hattons, Kernow etc do. They may commission a certain number of spare parts with the batch but unlike the Car industry they don't have a legal duty to provide spare parts.  Generally car parts are supposed to be available for 10 years after production ceases but when the company goes belly up (Rover) you are in the hands of the aftermarket.  Same with Hornby, they will repair your loco under warranty but after a reasonable life, I think 70 hours use has been mentioned as a motor's life, they are life expired.   Lets face it few Hornby locos ever get anything like that amount of use.  Many just stay in boxes or display cabinets. Most spares are needed after accidents or careless handling.  Many years ago we used to use our ingenuity to scratch build parts to super detail what were really robust kids toys, now we have to use our ingenuity to scratch build and adapt parts to repair our super detailed models or to improve their performance.  I have  a 2010 Hornby Grange on a 1970 Triang/Hornby Chassis with 1950s H/D wheels.  It don't looks as good as the original when stopped but it pulls 7 coach trains up a one in 35 instead of 3.   

[G-BOAF]

I purchased a DCC Sound fitted Britannia, with vac formed packaging that snapped off the cabside wind deflectors (the packaging was changed in the next batch, to be much more cab-friendly). Hornby said they were unable to supply replacements, despite the fact the loco was in warranty and the damage occurred in transit (brand new, never out of box shop stock).

 

How hard is it to keep a sprue of fragile parts that are standard across models (I'm not asking for decorated parts, although that would also be useful). Every batch of models, a few spare prues can be sent over to Hornby. Not difficult and costs pence.

 

In the end my CC company gave me £110 to buy another Brit to recover the deflectors off (which I did, thankfully).

[Steve Williams]

14 hours ago, Gilbert said:

Sadly Class 50 spare steps are non -existent...and they are the first to disappear...

It's the one on the Class 60 bogie side-frame that I am after. Suddenly realised that I had lost one. They seem to be held in place with two little projections smaller than a gnat's whatsits! 

 

I'm also after the ETH cables from the class 50. The most vulnerable part of the loco I would suggest. I was told in a separate email a little while ago, that they are awaiting supplies of these. I live in hope as these seem to have been unavailable for a long time.

[atom3624]

Mentioned earlier, but as well as Peters Spares, there appear to be an increasing number of 'breakers' on Ebay nowadays.

 

Al.

[Steamport Southport]

2 hours ago, atom3624 said:

Mentioned earlier, but as well as Peters Spares, there appear to be an increasing number of 'breakers' on Ebay nowadays.

 

Al.

 

That's always happened.

 

I remember years ago when my dad asked Norman Hatton whether he had some spares for a Hornby Flying Scotsman my brother had. About 1978 and it was the old A3 version of FS before it was revamped.

 

He picked a brand new boxed one off the shelf and dismantled it and said "What do you want?"

 

Spares availability problems isn't a new thing, it's always been like that.

 

 

 

Jason

[The Johnster]

Hornby ceased making models some time ago and outsource production to China, which has enabled a supply of well detailed models at lower prices than would have been the case had they been produced here in a Hornby factory, though prices are rising as costs are rising in China and their workers rightly demand higher wages and better working conditions.  This means that Hornby (and Bachmann, and others) commission models in batch runs, after which the facility in China is used for something else until the next order from Hornby.  It sounds complex, and it is, but it works very well by and large.  But the downside is that, when a model is commissioned, the exact number of parts needed to assemble the order are ordered from sub contracting factories, no more, no less.  So, if a Class 50 has 4 bogie steps, and 4,000 are ordered in a batch, 16,000 steps will be produced, no more no less and after that order is fulfilled the step making factory moves on to the next order for something else.  

 

So, there are no spares apart from what you can glean from Peter's, Lendon's etc, and locos on 'Bay offered for breaking for spares will usually be missing the same pieces for the same reasons as your is.  Hornby (and the others) have very little enthusiasm for keeping a proper store of spare parts, as the warehousing and distribution costs are prohibitive; it is, in some cases, genuinely cheaper to replace the loco!  

 

I would recommend checking each new model for separate parts that are likely to make a break for the border or be sacrificed to the carpet monster, and ensuring that they are firmly glued in place with liquid poly cement before the model is put into service.  My practice is to do this along with re-lubing the model by getting rid of the silicon grease with a rattlecan electronic/switch cleaner, the aerosol will blow the grease away, and relubing as parsimioniously as possible at all the points indicated on the service sheed with a non-mineral fine machine oil applied by hypo needle.  This entails taking the body off, which is a useful thing to know how to do anyway.  

 

It is slightly anomalous to my way of thinking that a fastidious RTR market that demands fine detail then complains when it falls off; the Chinese assembly plant workers do their best but are under pressure to turn out 'more, more, faster, faster' as if the supervisors are reading the script from a 70s porn movie, or so i am led to believe (!).  I have no problem with going over a model which is as good as I can reasonably demand from high volume production to check that everything is going to stay on, and reinforcing anything I think is prone to accidental handling damage if I can.

[truffy]

On 31/08/2020 at 16:56, The Johnster said:

Hornby (and Bachmann, and others) commission models in batch runs, after which the facility in China is used for something else until the next order from Hornby...But the downside is that, when a model is commissioned, the exact number of parts needed to assemble the order are ordered from sub contracting factories, no more, no less.  So, if a Class 50 has 4 bogie steps, and 4,000 are ordered in a batch, 16,000 steps will be produced, no more no less and after that order is fulfilled the step making factory moves on to the next order for something else.

Actually, in my muddled-headed fashion, I don't accept that batch manufacture has to mean that parts manufacture is limited to the number of final products. Surely it can't be beyond the wit of product management to build a little leeway into the numbers, so that (some) subcontractors make x% more than is needed?

 

No need for H (or B or others) to warehouse them. They sell them directly to PetersSpares and other retailers.

 

It's an old-fashioned notion, it's called customer care. It used to be quite fashionable back in the days when producers gave a **** about their customers.

 

</inflammatory>

[hallmodelspares]

Another problem for Hornby has been found by Simon Kohler when he looked to bring back 'classics from Hornby's past' many of these were bined or scrapped so for some old items they will most likely never appear in the original formats. New Modellers list a lot but have the problem of very little in stock & a lot 'on order' for spares.

[Wacol]

I've emailed Hornby 3 times in the past couple of months to enquire if they can supply a replacement class 31 chassis - usual mazac rot destroyed the old one.  Anyway Hornby have not even had the courtesy to reply apart from the original computer generated acknowledgement.

 

 

 

[The Johnster]

I think Hornby's attitude is that if it's not in the online catalogue spares list, it's not available so don't bother us with requests, but not to respond at all is plain rude.  I had a similar lack of response to an enquiry about auto trailer buffers; Bachmann do this much better, they couldn't supply them but at least they had the manners to respond to the enquiry! 

 

For the big players, and Hornby are the biggest, it is a balance between competitive pricing and customer service; the latter is not abandoned but takes a lower priority when it comes to spares provision.  Truffy's 'sell 'em direct to Peter's Spares' idea is probably not viable, or somebody would be doing it!  The reason of course is that only batch requisite components are made to keep costs competitive.  The concept of 'customer care', that after sales spares and repair is available is not viable, sadly, in the current market unless you want price rises of about 30%, and I'm willing to bet you don't!  

 

We are, of course, not really the customers, the people that the company is providing a product or service to.  These are in reality the shareholders and backers, and the product is dividend profit and increased company stock market value, we are merely cash cows in the production of profit process.  It's called free enterprise capitalism and is, sadly, the only game in town.  You can't really keep spares for locos produced the other side of the world in batches unless you raise market prices, but in the old days you could for locos produced continually (how many years was the Rovex Black Princess in continual production with no retooling apart from the couplings, or the HD/Wrenn A4?).  

 

The current market isn't like that; it demands continual new and improved product, which sometimes results in retoolings of perfectly good models for no more than the sake of market profile marketed as an 'upgrade' and an excuse for a price hike.  Buy new, improved, scientifically prove, organic, highly rated, stuff, or buy redacted older 'classic' stuff, but buy, buy, buy, Xmas is coming, 'angel voices from on high/tell us to go out and buy' (Tom Lehrer).  Consumerism rules, not necessarily to the benefit of the consumers though we modellers do pretty well.  You don't have to like it but, because you didn't listen to me in 1968 when I was a teenager and told you that we needed a revolution, we've got to put up with it.  

 

Wow, that turned into a bit of a rant!  Where did all that come from?  I'm prolly better for having got it off my chest, but it's really not necessary to read beyond the first paragraph!!!

Edited October 20, 2020 by The Johnster

[GWRtrainman]

Depends on your definition of Spare Parts. Hornby have never to my knowledge offered every part of a loco as a spare part. It's always been focused on 'engineering' components that suffer wear and tear during operation.

Motors, brushes etc.

 

With over 250 parts being shown clustered around the disassembled loco in last years (?) catalogue, many of which are painted it suspect it's impossible to get close to offering a complete suite of bits.

[Brit70053]

Before production went to China and even for a limited time afterwards, spares ranging from every conceivable screw to complete loco or tender bodies were freely available from the likes of East Kent Models, Model Spares (Burnley IIRC) and several others whose listings were truly comprehensive.  Ok, that was mainly from the Tri-Ang Hornby legacy range, but some of the earlier upgraded Made in China range was covered too.

The more recent range of highly detailed models produced in specified quantities with few if any spares is a recent marketing concept which Hornby have adopted.

             It is about four or five years since I was able to purchase several loco detail packs and replacement motors directly from Hornby or other suppliers, but searching on line for the same parts now consistently brings the result "Out of stock" from most of the well known spares suppliers.

               It may be the way Hornby have chosen to go, but I have to say it doesn't sit comfortably with me and I certainly can't afford to replace a £100 +  (heading nearer £200 + all the time)model if a small but significant feature is lost or damaged.

 

               Regards, 

                                John

[Gilbert]

1 hour ago, Brit70053 said:

Before production went to China and even for a limited time afterwards, spares ranging from every conceivable screw to complete loco or tender bodies were freely available from the likes of East Kent Models, Model Spares (Burnley IIRC) and several others whose listings were truly comprehensive.  Ok, that was mainly from the Tri-Ang Hornby legacy range, but some of the earlier upgraded Made in China range was covered too.

The more recent range of highly detailed models produced in specified quantities with few if any spares is a recent marketing concept which Hornby have adopted.

             It is about four or five years since I was able to purchase several loco detail packs and replacement motors directly from Hornby or other suppliers, but searching on line for the same parts now consistently brings the result "Out of stock" from most of the well known spares suppliers.

               It may be the way Hornby have chosen to go, but I have to say it doesn't sit comfortably with me and I certainly can't afford to replace a £100 +  (heading nearer £200 + all the time)model if a small but significant feature is lost or damaged.

 

               Regards, 

                                John

I agree completely John - I've just tracked down, painted and fitted a set of etched front steps to my Class 50 to replace the poorly fitted and fixed, vulnerable and easily lost Hornby parts which are not available as a spare...and don't get me started on easily damaged Class 31 bogie side frames..

Edited October 21, 2020 by Gilbert

[alastairq]

19 hours ago, The Johnster said:

but it's really not necessary to read beyond the first paragraph!!!

  .......Too late!!!!

[dugdug03]

On 30/08/2020 at 19:49, Gilbert said:

Sadly Class 50 spare steps are non -existent...and they are the first to disappear...

Not exactly accurate, Precision Labels do 3D prints and they are excellent. 
 

edit - apologies I just realised this has already been mentioned and you are aware. Please ignore.

Edited February 9, 2021 by dugdug03
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