Items deferred from 2012 to 2013 ....

[sunshine coast]

from Hornby today the following items have been deferred until at least 2013 due to lack of orders...

 

R3010

R3010X

R3019

R3108

R3118

R3132

R3043

R3047

R3139

R4174C

R4188C

R4444A

R4446A

 

R4530B

R4531B

 

R4543

R4544

R4546

R4563

R4566

R4567

R4568

R4569

R4570

R4581

 

R9707

R9709

R9714

R9721

R9722

R9725

R9726

R9727

R9728

R9729

R9730

R9732

R9733

 

Regards Trevor...

[S.A.C Martin]

That is a hefty chunk of the catalogue - which models are these? Looking them up myself on the Hornby website currently, but the search term isn't accepting the R numbers for me.

 

SR "Sir Sagramore" E771 King Arthur Class

 

Is R3010X, for example,

 

 

BR 4-6-0 "Penrice Castle" Castle Class - BR Green

 

is R3118. Would have thought that would have been a good seller.

[Guest stuartp]

Sir Someone or Other, Sunshine T9, one of the Granges, Book Law, EWS 90, GBRF 87, most of the renumbers of maroon 61'6" Gresleys, some Mk2 and 3 coaches and a load of Skalesale stuff.

 

I should have written them down really, sorry.

[gridwatcher]

You know what? If the orders are low....bin them and do something decent instead. No shame. Good business. So how about a Transrail 60? A large logo blue 56.......The trouble with the fast moving world of the modern railway is that the idea becomes a plan and 2 years later that plan might appear only to find that the livery/company/etc lasted about 10 minutes. Think Advenza, Old Colas etc

[cary hill]

Well that list has "deferred" £200 of expenditure for me and may lead to a bit more modelling instead so probably not a bad thing. The majority of the Skaledale items listed as deferred look a little uninspiring/unimaginative to me.

[John M Upton]

Suprised by the ditching of the Sunshine lettered black T9, most of the rest is forgettable and I had a feeling something like this was going to happen looking at the vast numbers of new items Hornby were promising in the 2012 catalogue for promised delivery this year. Would like to have seen pointless crap like the Limby 66 and that ACoRP 87 dropped as well (or at least halved in price and Railroaded).

 

Also quite suprised the blue/grey VEP hasn't been quietly dropped, you get the impression this is one model Hornby would like to see disappear for a long time after last years fiasco and maybe come back with an improved version in a couple of years time.

 

Have we now reached a point were we can draw up wish lists for stuff we want dumped from catalgoues never to darken our doors again?!?

[oOld Harry 666]

Book Lawe was to be the first A3 (as opposed to A1) to be produced, since the introduction of the new model, in LNER livery and I am thus surprised at the lack of orders for this item. That is if it is to be believed and these items have failed to attract orders and not just been deleted to allow them to catch up on delayed 2010 items (i.e. the B17 for one0 and to produce all the olympic tat - sorry fast moving high volume & profit merchandise as the Hornby marketing put it!

[reevesthecat]

I am surprised thought everything would arrive this year, I know Hornby have quoted lack of orders but why do they expect them to sell better next year? Maybe they have pushed them back to launch something more exciting this year- sorry once a conspiracy theorist always a conspiracy theorist!!!!

mark

[S.A.C Martin]

Book Lawe was to be the first A3 (as opposed to A1) to be produced, since the introduction of the new model, in LNER livery and I am thus surprised at the lack of orders for this item. That is if it is to be believed and these items have failed to attract orders and not just been deleted to allow them to catch up on delayed 2010 items (i.e. the B17 for one0 and to produce all the olympic tat - sorry fast moving high volume & profit merchandise as the Hornby marketing put it!

 

I had not noticed that one had been deferred! I had pre-ordered that particular model

 

I know a good many people who were looking forward to that particular release - it would have been the first LNER liveried A3 with a non-corridor tender, in LNER livery, from Hornby, in this form.

 

Begs the question, were not enough of us pre-ordering the model then...!

[The Black Hat]

I dont think its a case of pre-orders, I think its a case of production slots, deadlines for Olympics, and so much behind schedule.

 

Some indeed would have been pre-ordered heavily, others not so, but I think Hornby and other companies tend to produce models and then the shops take up the orders for them. Hornby here have decided these models will not be made, and that others that need to will bring in the money. It means other forthcoming models might be delivered on time, but then doesnt bode well for the release of whats to come next year, when the obvious A3, Castle and T9 have been dropped (though Im not shedding tears over the latter! Sorry had to get that in there... )

[brushman47544]

Personally I'm not surprised that R3118 Penrice Castle has been deferred. After all, it's the third, I think, double chimney with late crest castle from Hornby with the new tooling, whereas most people now want a single chimney version with late crest and collett tender.

 

Deferring the Blue/Grey MK2d BSO is an odd choice, not having been produced before under the Hornby brand, when the Mk2d FO and TSO are still coming.

 

At least the list does include those strange unbranded ex-Virgin weathered Mk3s. Not surprised they've had few orders for them...

[jonathan452]

Deferring the Blue/Grey MK2d BSO is an odd choice, not having been produced before under the Hornby brand, when the Mk2d FO and TSO are still coming.

 

At least the list does include those strange unbranded ex-Virgin weathered Mk3s. Not surprised they've had few orders for them...

Dissapointed about the Blue/Grey MK2d BSO. (Even though I've still got my Airfix one which I will now have to hold on-to.)

 

I think the R4546 ex Virgin RFM is still on schedule for 2012.

 

However it would have made far more sense to have done this, the 12XXX TSO and 11XXX FO in pristine Virgin livery along with a matching Class 87 instead of the GBRF version.

[SimonF]

I find it a bit odd that "Book Law" has been deferred, especially as Hornby has two new LNER Garter Blue A4's being released in the 2012 catalogue. Perhaps it is just a bit too similar and too soon after to last years "Royal Lancer" release which only made it into the shops in Autumn 2011 for the general public?

 

Oh well, thats some money saved until next year!

[Western Scottish]

I think this is all about Value For Money for the enthusiast and working capital risk for model shops. With the large price hikes modellers just don't think they are getting value and are perhaps waiting for price reductions,therefore not placing advance orders. Then there's the model shops , who rightly are not prepared to take a risk on ordering these higher priced items and holding onto them for months.

 

The Gresley full brakes are a bit of a puzzle. But then again I do put that directly dowwn to price. In this case we know there's a large price hike between the original version out now and the ones due later in the year. Who , in their right mind, would order the later more expensive one, when they can satisfy demand from the ones out now,even if it involves renumbering

 

Then, some of the variants chosen for production are just silly. Who really wanted ex Virgin Mk2s or an ACorP 87? Frankly as has been pointed out it would be better off just binning rather than deferring them and go and make something more useful /saleable instead.

 

I concurr with Brushmann ,again pointing to unwise choices of variants,the most popular version of a Castle would be a single chimney, Collet tender, late crested version . Why bring out another double chimneyed one?

 

Lack of demand is a poor reflection on the original choices made by the Hillington marketing team.

[Ozexpatriate]

Locomotives etc:

 

R3010/X SR Sir Sagamore King Arthur

R3019 BR (Late) Grange Class "Paviland Grange" Heavily Weathered

R3108 SR Black T9 No 708, Sunshine lettering

R3114 BR (LATE) B1 61270 (EDIT: added late I saw this on the Hornby website)

R3118 BR Penrice Castle

R3132 LNER A3 Book Law

R3043 GBRf Class 87

R3047 Strathclyde Class 101 DMU

R3139 DB Schenker/EWS Class 90

 

Gresley Coaches:

 

R4174C LNER 61'6" sleeper

R4530B LNER 61'6 Full Brake

R4531B BR Gresley 61' 6 Full Brake

R4566 BR Ex LNER 61'6" Corridor Brake Composite Coach Maroon

R4567 BR Gresley 61'6" 1st Class Maroon

R4568 BR (Ex LNER) 61' 6 Corridor 3rd Class

R4569 BR Gresley 61'6" Buffet Car Maroon

R4570 BR (Ex LNER) 61' 6 Corridor 1st Class Sleeper

 

Mk3 coaches:

 

R4444A BR Mk3 1st Class Open Coach Western Region.

R4446A Mk3 BR Blue/Grey Intercity Guard Coach

R4543 Ex Virgin Mk3 First Class (Weathered)

R4544 Ex Virgin Mk3 Standard Open Class (Weathered)

R4546 Ex Virgin Mk3 Brake Car Weathered

R4581 BR Mk3 Buffet Car Western Region

 

Other coaches:

 

R4188C BR 68' Dining car - Crimson & Cream

R4563 BR Intercity Mk2D Open Second Brake Coach

[Ozexpatriate]

Skaledale:

 

R9707 Wash and Dry Launderette

R9709 Headingly Insurance Office

R9714 Shop For Sale

R9721 Fishermans Rest

R9722 Modern Terraced House

R9725 LMS Signal Box

R9726 LMS Water Tower

R9727 Trackside Steps (Victoria Station)

R9728 Blinkbonny House

R9729 Period Signal Box

R9730 Disused Signal Box

R9732 Rail Over River Bridge

R9733 Works Office

 

This is 13 out of 42 (31%) of the *new* Skaledale items for 2012. I wonder if the failure of CML (who made cast resin Christmas ornaments for Hallmark) has had an impact on Hornby's supplier for cast resin items.

[Waverley West]

 

 

I concurr with Brushmann ,again pointing to unwise choices of variants,the most popular version of a Castle would be a single chimney, Collet tender, late crested version . Why bring out another double chimneyed one?

 

Lack of demand is a poor reflection on the original choices made by the Hillington marketing team.

 

Likewise, we've already had three different running numbers/versions of BR Blue class 56, along with several versions of the Coal Sector livery. What about a Large Logo 56 (of which we had innumerable versions with the previous tooling) or original Railfreight livery (not Oystermouth, which is the preserved version)?

 

The delay to the blue/grey Mk 2d BSO is particularly disappointing at a personal level, as it's something that hasn't been produced in years. I had put away my old Airfix one in anticipation of the new release. Now I'll have to get it out again and if I've got around to respraying it by the time Hornby finally bring one out, I won't be buying the new one.

 

Dave

[Butler Henderson]

Maybe its time for Hornby to adopt Bachmanns approach and announce a 18 month / 2 year programme of releases - this cancellation and delaying of models has gone on for far too long (ie the new Castle from a few years back) and seems to get little attention compared to the hysteria that develops when Bachmann are late on a release.

[Coldgunner]

Its a shame "Book Law" has been put back, "Royal Lancer" from the RM collection looked great when I saw it.

[D605Eagle]

If this is down to lack of orders Hornby are going to have to have a rethink on their pricing policy. It shows that the trade doesn't have any confidence in being able to sell the products. Not good at all.

It could be down to production dificulties though, hasn't another chinese model making factory gone tits up recently that Hornby used? If thats the case then that is probably the most likey reason.

[The Stationmaster]

Shame about the 'Grange' (which I have=had on pre-orde but that means I can now afford 2 Bachmann 'Halls' instead of one, hard luck Margate on that one.

 

'Penrice Castle' was, in my view, a stupid choice and far too repetitive to succeed so no doubt it won't reappear in 2013 and we'll get a single chimney, Collett tender. late crest loco instead.

[wombatofludham]

I know they say "lack of orders" but the cynic says in me that they've just realised they were never going to be able to deliver everything within the current catalogue period despite having made such a big play of it at the time of the announcement of the new range, and this is a way of introducing "planned late delivery".

 

As I say, I'm a card carrying cynic, so I might be reading a conspiracy where none exists but it all seems a little odd.

[Billystanier]

Perhaps these postponements (Arthur, T9, Book Law) also proves what many have been saying over recent years - Big 4 liveried stuff doesn't sell very well. Not much left in the catalogue from the 1923-1948 period. Bachmann's steam locomotive programme is also geared heavily towards BR stuff too.

[oOld Harry 666]

I know they say "lack of orders" but the cynic says in me that they've just realised they were never going to be able to deliver everything within the current catalogue period despite having made such a big play of it at the time of the announcement of the new range, and this is a way of introducing "planned late delivery".

 

As I say, I'm a card carrying cynic, so I might be reading a conspiracy where none exists but it all seems a little odd.

 

 

I am inclined to agree with you!

[The Stationmaster]

I know they say "lack of orders" but the cynic says in me that they've just realised they were never going to be able to deliver everything within the current catalogue period despite having made such a big play of it at the time of the announcement of the new range, and this is a way of introducing "planned late delivery".

 

As I say, I'm a card carrying cynic, so I might be reading a conspiracy where none exists but it all seems a little odd.

I'm inclined to agree with you to some extent but equally one can understand low trade orders on some items due perhaps to price resistance (e.g. the Gresley full brake), picking the wrong model for current market demand ('Penrice Castle'), and possibly even offering something which is simply perceived as not going to sell because the market is already inundated with unsold examples of ..... etc ...

 

But it's not good for Hornby's image from the viewpoint of failing in their 'everything shown in the 2012 catalogue will delivered in 2012' promise, by adding, a few months later, in very small print 'unless the retailers decide they won't be able to sell it/can't afford to stock it'. Which in turn suggests something akin to what some retailers are saying - 'Hornby have got their marketing in terms of livery, running number, detail options wrong when we/I've been telling them that if they were to offer it with a different running number or in such & such livery I could sell ten times as many'.

 

On the other hand it does at least show that Hornby are prepared to take tough decisions and, apparently, manage their business and manufacturing stream to meet prevailing market conditions - for that they deserve some credit.