Hornby supply and demand gremlins.

[Budgie]

When I was a nipper, you could buy a double track Scalextric/Hornby crossing...

I thought it was a Minic Motorways level crossing rather than Scalextric. What on earth has happened to Minic?

[45568]

I thought it was a Minic Motorways level crossing rather than Scalextric. What on earth has happened to Minic?

Jane,

Please don't go there. you are showing our ages!

 Incidentally, have you seen the prices Minic vehicles go for now on a well-known Auction site?

cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

[Adrian Wintle]

 As a manufacturer, regardless of cost of producing a certain item over a period of time, if you are pushing your customers away because of implementing a limited run policy, should you not reevaluate your sales policy? What is a business if it has a diminishing customer base, or no customers at all? Why not keep a range available for a reasonable period, say a year and a half, giving everyone a fair chance of getting these items (if so desired)? In the past how did the manufacturers decide how many models to make? I don't recall a rush to buy the Triang Princess, because only 1,000 were to be produced, for example, or the Lima class 73; these models were just there... when you needed them. So how is it now in the 21st Century that the 2 BIL cannot be made widely available through all the usual channels? It's beyond me.

 

As a manufacturer, I'd be looking at the North American market which is, and has been for a long time, happily operating in the limited batch mode. Some of the manufacturers go a step further, requiring distributers/retailers/customers to pre-order before production is committed to.This means, for a new product, you have to commit to an order before the item has been produced, and if you don't do so you may not get one (as you would then be at the mercy of whether retailes ordered some for stock).

 

This doesn't seem to have hurt the market over here. If you think you might want something you have to pre-order it.

 

The other option would be to produce enough to ensure that it stays in stock, but price it to cover the cost of carrying that stock for a long period.

 

Adrian

[sunshine coast]

Well at long last some 2Bils to sell   ...........many boxes of R3162 BR green came tumbling through the shop door today .....the other types are due next week ..

 

Regards Trevor .........

[The Stationmaster]

Hornby may be more profitable if they got into the North American market, selling North American Railroad products.

 

1. They'd have a hard time keeping up with the quality new products even coming out of Athearn and Atlas right now. They are already starting to kill the "brass" market.

2. Bachmann have not been very successful. I know a lot of dealers around here that will not even stock them, mainly because they cannot get the basic shape of Diesel models right.

 

Let's face it having the UK as your main market is a recipe for blandness, the market is comparatively small and a lot of punters want artificially low prices on premium products.

 

Take a close look at these beauties from Athearn. Note the quality and the variances available (click on each photo):

 

http://www.athearn.com/Search/Default.aspx?SearchTerm=gp-38-2+ATHG&CatID=THLD&Status=In+Stock

 

Best, Pete.

Smashing things Pete but interestingly at today's rate of exchange they would cost c.£190 in the UK, and they look as if they would be well worth that.  That's not a complaint but a comment that even with a potentially large (US) market quality still comes at a price (and would the noticeably tight-fisted British be prepared to pay that much, even for something that looks that good - like the high short hood version   ).

[Ian Hargrave]

Well at long last some 2Bils to sell   ...........many boxes of R3162 BR green came tumbling through the shop door today .....the other types are due next week ..

 

Regards Trevor .........

Well......having pre-ordered with Hattons and being deemed unsuccessful in their customer 'ballot' for R 3162 (relegated to R 3162 A Team ) ,I am tonight successful with an order from Hereford Model Centre via their website. Sure there's a moral here somwhere........as the song goes......'Anything Goes'....Looks like the 'A' team lose this one.

[Guest oldlugger]

the facts are that no one is buying scalextric, i can't prove it to you but i see it not happening every day

I beg to differ! Check Google for the umpteen slot car racing sites there are in the UK and worldwide with enthusiasts of all ages. The hobby is huge and getting more sophisticated each year. If there's no demand for slot car sets why do new ones keep appearing annually? Scalextric is just the tip of the iceberg with others such as Slot.it, SCX, Racer, etc, etc.

 

Simon

[Guest oldlugger]

i sold a car in november and 4 braids at christmas, its nor worth stocking it anymore- dead

Maybe it's the way you advertise your stock? Other shops in the UK that I know sell heaps of Scalextric and numerous other brands. Ebay also sells slot cars aplenty.

[RJS1977]

scalextric sets no longer feature on the birthday and christmas lists, i think train sets are breathing there last, that leaves the dying market of old kids and their ever increasing demands

 

i think its a bubble in the process of bursting and we'll just have to get what we can whilst we can

 

Part of the probem is the very limited range of sets available today - all variations on the "tank engine and couple of wagons" - and even those aren't particularly cheap!

 

When I was a lad, I would drool at the train sets in the Hornby catalogues with their big, impressive trains. Where have the HST train sets gone? Or the "big diesel and a freight train"? Or the "Orient Express" train set (basic Pullman carriages, not the newer versions!). All three are still with us on the prototype, except that the "Big diesel" is now a 59, 60 or 66 rather than a 37, and the VSOE has a 67 rather than a 47. So  where are the train sets? And that's before we start on sets like "Coronation"/"Flying Scotsman" etc.

 

There's also very little to "fill the gap" between the train set and the "Premium" models. Yes, there's Railroad, but it's very limited and not enough of any one region/era to enable a coherent collection to grow. (And a lot of it is still too expensive IMO - £90-£100 for "Gordon" or "Edward"!). A parent is more likely to buy a train set for a child if they can see that it's something that can be expanded affordably rather than thrown into the cupboard and forgotten after a few weeks.

 

Now, don't get me wrong. I am most definitely *not* saying Hornby shouldn't be doing the super-detail editions. BUT there is a lot more that could be in the Railroad range that isn't. After all, Hornby have done both versions of "Tornado" and are planning to do so with "DoG". But what about Railroad versions of the Bulleid Pacifics, the LMS Princesses/Coronations etc, not to mention the ex-Lima diesels that have been replaced by upgraded models? It doesn't even matter if the tooling's 30-40 years old - a child won't worry too much about it (and if in a few years' time he wants to superdetail it - good!).

 

I don't think "lack of market" is as much of an issue as is being made out - certainly not if the sales on the secondhand stall at Kenavon last weekend are anything to go by - just that parents/children can't afford or are put off by the limited range of - what's available for their market.

[Ozexpatriate]

When I was a lad, I would drool at the train sets in the Hornby catalogues with their big, impressive trains. Where have the HST train sets gone? Or the "big diesel and a freight train"? Or the "Orient Express" train set (basic Pullman carriages, not the newer versions!). All three are still with us on the prototype, except that the "Big diesel" is now a 59, 60 or 66 rather than a 37, and the VSOE has a 67 rather than a 47. So  where are the train sets? And that's before we start on sets like "Coronation"/"Flying Scotsman" etc.

In place of a HST, perhaps today's youngsters might like the Eurostar or the Pendolino, or the Blue Rapier.

 

There is not only an Orient Express but a Tornado Pullman Express as well. I'm not sure why you don't like nice coaches.

 

There are no fewer than four trainsets with teak coaches and LNER locomotives (two of them Flying Scotsmans).

 

And yes, there is a big diesel freight too, though it is the top of the line Majestic set - with a Class 47 no less, plus a Peppercorn Pacific and e-Link so they can drive it from their computer.  I don't see why that wouldn't be drool-worthy.

 

I really don't get your point here.

[brushman47544]

I thought it was a Minic Motorways level crossing rather than Scalextric. What on earth has happened to Minic?

What's Minic Motorways? I was the Hornby operator and a friend was more into the cars and he certainly had Scalextrix, but perhaps he had both.

[phil-b259]

What's Minic Motorways? I was the Hornby operator and a friend was more into the cars and he certainly had Scalextrix, but perhaps he had both.

http://www.minicmotorways.org.uk/alist.htm

[Electrostar]

I see that Modelzone in Holborn are relocating but the 25% off marked goods offer doesn't apply to Hornby or Scalectrix.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Smashing things Pete but interestingly at today's rate of exchange they would cost c.£190 in the UK, and they look as if they would be well worth that.  That's not a complaint but a comment that even with a potentially large (US) market quality still comes at a price (and would the noticeably tight-fisted British be prepared to pay that much, even for something that looks that good - like the high short hood version   ).

 

Mike, did you notice that £187 ($279.98) is for the sound equipped models.

That's cheaper than the price being asked for many British sound equipped 00 RTR models.

 

The DCC Ready, non-sound versions work out at around £120 ($179.98).

 

 

.

[John M Upton]

I see that Modelzone in Holborn are relocating but the 25% off marked goods offer doesn't apply to Hornby or Scalectrix.

 

That explains the slightly understocked run down nature to it compared with their other branches last time I was in a few weeks ago. Do we know where they are moving to?  That shop has quite some ancestry to it if I recall!

[Electrostar]

I overheard a staff member say head office were looking. I'm not sure when the branch closes but I'd assume they'd want a new location to move straight into. There's certainly some empty Jessops stores in central London. I remember the existing store from childhood and working there on occasions when I worked at a different branch of Beatties.

[Bartb]

I remember Beatties at Holborn I still have one of their plastic bags.

 

John

[The Stationmaster]

Mike, did you notice that £187 ($279.98) is for the sound equipped models.

That's cheaper than the price being asked for many British sound equipped 00 RTR models.

 

The DCC Ready, non-sound versions work out at around £120 ($179.98).

 

 

.

Good point Ron - as you say that makes them a good bargain compared with prices here (although obviously as we all know the size of the potential market no doubt makes a difference)

[bigherb]

i sold a car in november and 4 braids at christmas, its nor worth stocking it anymore- dead

 

 

I beg to differ! Check Google for the umpteen slot car racing sites there are in the UK and worldwide with enthusiasts of all ages. The hobby is huge and getting more sophisticated each year. If there's no demand for slot car sets why do new ones keep appearing annually? Scalextric is just the tip of the iceberg with others such as Slot.it, SCX, Racer, etc, etc.

 

Simon

I think you are doing something wrong as well. My local model shop stocks and sells a large range of slot cars along with all the other big boys toys but only a limited range of Hornby railways and Peco. And they will be selling another Scalextric when I pick up the Ford XB Falcon.

[Oldddudders]

I think you are doing something wrong as well. My local model shop stocks and sells a large range of slot cars along with all the other big boys toys but only a limited range of Hornby railways and Peco. And they will be selling another Scalextric when I pick up the Ford XB Falcon.

The mail-order boys do quite well with slot-cars. They tend to be quite light, so postage isn't exhorbitant. Just a quick look round my room reveals at least 40 of them.... The Scalextric 2013 releases look to be an interesting mix.

[bigherb]

The mail-order boys do quite well with slot-cars. They tend to be quite light, so postage isn't exhorbitant. Just a quick look round my room reveals at least 40 of them.... The Scalextric 2013 releases look to be an interesting mix.

Yep the Ford Cougar will wing itself my way when it arrives.

[Oldddudders]

Hornby appear to have sent some Epsom salts to China. Hattons have just emailed me to say the Maunsell open 3rd in Southern livery may now be in stock later this month - beating the last estimate (from them) by about 3 months.

[Bilbo]

Perhaps the rumour that they have more control/full control of a new manufacturing facilty may be true ?

[metadyneman]

Well at long last some 2Bils to sell   ...........many boxes of R3162 BR green came tumbling through the shop door today .....the other types are due next week ..

 

Regards Trevor .........

 I hope they didn't tumble too hard otherwise they might be BILs in BITs!

[Ozexpatriate]

Perhaps the rumour that they have more control/full control of a new manufacturing facilty may be true ?

We know the following from Hornby's January statment:

The supplier causing disruption to our model railway supplies is now expected to contribute less than 15% of total production in 2013. This is from a historical peak of 75% and 35% earlier in 2012.

"Total production" more than likely includes all Hornby products (Scalextric, Corgi, Airfix, Humbrol etc) so these numbers are difficult to interpret in terms of what they really mean to railway manufacturing.

 

I interpret this by rough rule of thumb to mean that model railway products built by Kader manufacturing services will be down from 100% in 2008 to a range of anywhere between 20% - 40% by the end of 2013, with at least one second factory building the rest. This is a very material operational change.

 

Whether this factory is owned by Hornby, or Hornby is but a large customer I don't have any idea.