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Hornby Hobbies Ltd ? 2013 Product Delays and Modelzone Announcement


Andy Y

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IMPORTANT ANNOUCEMENT
 
Hornby Hobbies Ltd – 2013 Product Delays and Modelzone Announcement
 
Hornby Hobbies Ltd. is announcing a number of delays to 2013 catalogue items.
 
Why are there changes?
Despite our best estimates a proportion of delivery dates will not be met.  There is no single reason for this delivery date movement - it is a culmination of factors impacting our delivery critical path.
 
Why are you telling us this now?
In the past we have not communicated changes in delivery until much later in the year but we acknowledge it is important we share information with our consumers and trade customers earlier.
 
We are attempting to improve the news flow to you so it is factual as opposed to rumour or conjecture.
 
What are you doing about it?
We are broadening our supply base BUT the benefits of this will be in the medium term.  We have brought in new personnel to look at this challenge including a new Supply Chain Director, Red McKay.
A comment from Red “I have listened intently to consumers, retail customers, shareholders, our supply team, and other departments within the business over the last 12 weeks. It is clear there has been a long period of disruption with our supply chain, and the team are committed to addressing this. We provide the service, which enables our company to deliver for customers, and ultimately consumers. 
It is our goal to satisfy those demands;
On Time
In Full
Always
 
There is no immediate fix but we are committed to making progress. We will continue the work to broaden our supply base, and challenge ourselves to improve our communication be it good or bad news – it matters.”
We have worked hard to improve our visibility of the situation and we are now facing into the challenges, and working to improve on the dates communicated to you.
 
What items are affected?
The following items have been postponed to 2014.
 
Product Code & Product Name
 
Sets
R1160 The Cornishman
R1162 The Orient Express
 
Train Packs
R3143 BR 4 Car VEP Unit Class 423
R3134 Northern Belle Train Pack
R3184 Brighton Belle Pullman 1960
R3215 Eurostar (2013) Train Pack
 
Steam Locomotives
 
R2921X BR Early Class B17/1 Thorpe Hall
R2922X BR Early Class B17/1 Grimsby Town
R3003 BR Late Class B17  4-6-0 ‘Barnsley’  
R3003X BR Late Class B17  4-6-0 ‘Barnsley’  
R3004 BR Early Weathered Class B17 4-6-0 ‘Serlby Hall’  
R3004X BR Early Weathered Class B17 4-6-0 ‘Serlby Hall’  
R3010 SR "Sir Sagramore" E771 King Arthur Class
R3010X SR "Sir Sagramore" E771 King Arthur Class
R3020 LMS Fowler 2-6-4 (Lined Crimson Lake)
R3106 BR Class 2807 (Preserved)
R3107 BR Late Crest 4-4-0 Class T9 "Greyhound"
R3119 LMS 4-6-2 "Duchess Of Abercorn" Princess Coronation Class
R3129 SR 0-4-4T M7 Class - Maunsell Green
R3131 LNER 4-6-2 Class A4 "Great Snipe"
R3187 GNR Class N2
R3188 BR Late Class N2
R3189 LNER Class L1 No.9002
R3190 BR Class L1 No.67777
R3194 BR Early "Epsom" Schools Class
R3195 BR (Green) "City Of Liverpool" Duchess Class
R3202 BR "Flying Scotsman" Class A3 50 Years Of Preservation Special Edition
R3203 BR Late "Okehampton" West Country Class
R3204 LSWR Class M7 No.245 NRM
R3208 BR 4-4-0 'Brighton' Schools Class
R3210 GWR 2800 2-8-0 Locomotive    

R3207 LNER "Cock O' The North" Class P2

R3205 BR "Rood Ashton Hall" Hall Class

 

 

 
Diesel & Electrics
R3181 BR Class 56  56084 (Large Arrow)
R3214 Greater Anglia Class 153
 
Coach Packs
R4539 Northern Belle Coach Pack
R4582 Brighton Belle 1960s 5-BEL Car Pack
R4588 LMS Coronation Red and Gold Lined Coach Pack
R4589 Eurostar (2013) Divisible Centre Coaches
 
Coaches
R4188C BR 68' Restaurant Car
R4444A BR Western Region Mk3 1st Class Open
R4446A BR Western Region Mk3 TGS
R4543 Ex Virgin Mk3 1st Class Coach - Weathered
R4544 Ex Virgin Mk3 Standard Open Class Coach - Weathered
R4545 Ex Virgin Mk3 Buffet Coach - Weathered
R4546 Ex Virgin Mk3 Brake Coach - Weathered
R4575A BR Thompson Non-Corridor Composite (Lavatory)
R4576A BR Thompson Non-Corridor Third Class
R4577A BR Thompson Non-Corridor Brake Third
R4577B BR Thompson Non-Corridor Brake Third
 
Wagons
R6578 Pentwyn Black Vein Collieries Co Ltd 7 Plank Wagon
R6587 T. Burnett & Co. Ltd. 7 Plank End Tipping Wagon
R6590 A & H. Betts 7 Plank Wagon
R6595 J. Hackett & Co. 6 Plank Wagon
R6601 Foster & Co 8 Plank Wagon       
R6612 BR Shark Brake Van
R6613 BR 20 Ton Car (Railfreight) Brake Van
R6614 BR 20 Ton Car Brake Van
R6615 Stewarts & Lloyds 27 Ton Tippler Wagon
R6616 British Steel Corporation 27 Ton Tippler Wagon
R6617 Clay Cross 6 Plank Wagon
R6618 Amey Roadstone PGA (Weathered) Wagon
R6619 BR Macaw Bogie Bolster Wagon
R6620 ZBA (Rudd) Open Wagon (Weathered)
R6621 EWS ZCA (Sea Urchin) Open Wagon (Weathered)
R6622 ZFO/ZFP (Trout) Ballast Hopper
R6625 GWR Mogo Van
R6629 Llanfair PG
 
 
RailRoad
R2879 BR Class 55
R3169 GWR "Olton Hall" 5900 Hall Class
R3170 GWR "Adderley Hall" 4900 Hall Class
R3171 LNER "Cock O' The North" Class P2
 
 
 
RailRoad Rolling Stock
R4388 LMS Composite Coach
R4389 LMS Brake Coach
R4523 GWR Composite Coach
R4524 GWR Brake Coach
R4525 GWR Restaurant Coach
R4526 Night Mail Operating Mail Coach
R6423 Car Transporter
R6425 Container Wagon (2X30)
 
Power Control
R8012 HM 2000
R8232 DCC Eletro Point Clips (PK 20)
R8238 DCC Reverse Loop Module
R8259 Auto Level Crossing
R8266 RJ12 Select/Elite to Walkabout Select Lead
R044 Passing Contact Switch
 
Trackside Accessories
R617 Uncoupling Ramp
R8004 Engine Shed
R8009 Station Terminus
R8228 Building Pack B
R8229 Building Pack C
R8231 Building Pack E
 
Thomas the Tank Engine
R350 Percy
R351 Thomas
 
 
 
Modelzone Administration
 
An update for Modelzone Customers
Modelzone went into administration on 27th June 2013.  The business is currently being run by the administrators Deloitte whilst a business solution is sought.
 
What will happen to my pre-order with Modelzone?
We are attempting to get a confirmed list of pre-orders taken by Modelzone but in the meantime please contact Hornby Customer Care with details of your pre-order. 
Telephone – 01843 233525
Email – customercare@Hornby.com
Letter – Customer Care Team, Hornby Hobbies Ltd, Westwood, Margate, Kent, CT9 4JX
Our Customer Care team will keep you updated once we have your details.
 
Hornby has over 600 retail customers across the UK who may have the product you pre-ordered – please see our website for a list of stockists http://www.Hornby.com/stockists/
 
What will happen to the Modelzone exclusive products?
We are currently reviewing the items, the delivery dates, and the most effective way for these to be sold.  
 
Is Hornby/Scalextric/Airfix/Humbrol/Corgi - okay?
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I expect this will disappoint some and infuriate others, but to me, it shows that first of all the 'new' management are aware of Hornby's recent 'shortcomings' and are also trying to address them. Taking these decisions to both inform us and organise the delays into a controllable sequence seems a massive change of heart from the top.

 

I wish Hornby all the best and hope that they really can get all the past problems sorted out reasonably quickly.  

 

It's also very positive news about MZ/SB's Limited Editions - I hope Bachmann can make similar promising arrangements, perhaps via Sidcup, or whatever outcome the Administrators can achieve.

 

Richard

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A new Supply Chain Director is a good start, and the openness promised by this message is also welcome. I wonder if this is the new top management having an impact?

 

Interesting to note that the Railroad P2 is delayed, but the full-fat version doesn't seem to be.

 

Paul

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Interesting to note that the Railroad P2 is delayed, but the full-fat version doesn't seem to be.

 

Paul

 

It may not have been clear from my original posting above but the main range P2 - R3207 LNER "Cock O' The North" 

 is impacted. It was originally intended to be a 4th quarter product and has slipped some too.

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Interesting to note that the Railroad P2 is delayed, but the full-fat version doesn't seem to be.

I thought that this:

 

R3207 LNER "Cock O' The North" Class P2

 

is from the regular range, even though it is listed as "Railroad" in the memo above.

 

EDIT: Oops - Andy just beat me to it.

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I for one will lose out as one of the items delayed until next year, R2921X was part of of a pre-order with a retailer from last year, the other item R2920X has still not arrived either although the last message I received indicated that both items were due at the beginning of this month. This means that I will probably have to pay two lots of postage rather than one as originally they were due at the same time.

 

I would have thought that Hornby should have sorted the supply problems out sooner, this has after all, been going on for a number of years now.

 

Very disappointing, but I will not be cancelling my order.

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As I was scanning through the list of delayed items one thought did occur,

 

"is they anything that hasn't been delayed".

 

At least however they are talking to us and that has to be applauded.

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I think it would make sense not to announce any new releases for 2014 until this lot are delivered. There is no point in continuing to announce new items which then cannot be delivered.

 

At the very best I think any 2014 releases/catalogue should not be announced until at least the middle of the year when (hopefully) the above backlog has been cleared and any new items can be delivered within a realistic time-scale, certainly within the validity of the catalogue.

 

Perhaps a combined 2014/15 catalogue should then be released, say next June, to get Hornby back on track.

 

 

Spare a thought, though, for the retailers whose business are going to suffer because they have no stock to sell!

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I think it would make sense not to announce any new releases for 2014 until this lot are delivered. There is no point in continuing to announce new items which then cannot be delivered.

 

At the very best I think any 2014 releases/catalogue should not be announced until at least the middle of the year when (hopefully) the above backlog has been cleared and any new items can be delivered within a realistic time-scale, certainly within the validity of the catalogue.

 

Perhaps a combined 2014/15 catalogue should then be released, say next June, to get Hornby back on track.

 

 

Spare a thought, though, for the retailers whose business are going to suffer because they have no stock to sell!

 

Alternatively they could adopt Bachmann's approach where announcements are made much earlier with no set date for when the model will actually appear on the shelves

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I think it would make sense not to announce any new releases for 2014 until this lot are delivered. There is no point in continuing to announce new items which then cannot be delivered.

Obviously they haven't mentioned yet which of the 2014 items are delayed/deferred or are still on track. Remember the 2BIL was pretty much ready for delivery when it was announced (and all the retail stock shenanigans that resulted from that...)?

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Alternatively they could adopt Bachmann's approach where announcements are made much earlier with no set date for when the model will actually appear on the shelves

 

 

True, but although Bachmann say 18 month time-scale from announcement to delivery this is very variable - and members of this forum seem much more restrained in criticizing Bachmann - take the Dukedogs for example.. I have given up totally with Bachmann with regards to pre orders and buy things when they arrive in the shops. I do not wish to see Hornby go down the same path. Please remember Hornby's problems  really started with Kader (Bachmann) purchase of their main supplier!

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Please remember Hornby's problems  really started with Kader (Bachmann) purchase of their main supplier!

That's a bit unfair. Hornby's problems started when their main supplier went out of business. Kader Holdings was the 'white knight' who rescued Sanda Kan and kept the factory (and Hornby) going - at least for a while.

 

You could argue that this was a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire for Hornby.

 

I agree that collectively, the tone of many commenters is more lenient and forgiving regarding Bachmann's shortcomings. Given that Bachmann is currently executing better than Hornby, this is unsurprising.

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Interestingly the main range 'Hall' isn't listed - but presumably is in a similar situation to the P2?  And at least the 'Grange' has got through this year, thus far.  But overall I think this is a sign of grown-up and proactive management, a definite improvement on the Martin era when it was all platitudes and little sign of action in the right places - another sign of things to come I trust.

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Interestingly the main range 'Hall' isn't listed - but presumably is in a similar situation to the P2?  

 

Sorry Mike, another one that slipped through mis-classification - R3205 BR "Rood Ashton Hall"  is main range and delayed.

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Interestingly the main range 'Hall' isn't listed - but presumably is in a similar situation to the P2?  And at least the 'Grange' has got through this year, thus far.  But overall I think this is a sign of grown-up and proactive management, a definite improvement on the Martin era when it was all platitudes and little sign of action in the right places - another sign of things to come I trust.

 

Whilst not disagreeing with the above in any way, my concern is more along the lines of more product delays equals a further lack of income for Hornby, not to mention the poor independent retailer whose shelves are almost bereft of Hornby stock, which may have a severe impact on their businesses.

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That's a bit unfair. Hornby's problems started when their main supplier went out of business. Kader Holdings was the 'white knight' who rescued Sanda Kan and kept the factory (and Hornby) going - at least for a while.

 

You could argue that this was a case of out of the frying pan and into the fire for Hornby.

 

I agree that collectively, the tone of many commenters is more lenient and forgiving regarding Bachmann's shortcomings. Given that Bachmann is currently executing better than Hornby, this is unsurprising.

 

Actually what this really proves is that contracting out your production does not work.

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Not on the list are the wagons recently announced with reduced pricing, including the anticipated fish vans and GWR shunters' trucks.

 

Spot on Michael; I was talking to Simon this afternoon and the frustration was evident of having to pass on such news at a time when other things are progressing well through the process with the pre-production Mk1s, fish vans etc sat on the desk and the DoG not too far away and other products such as the Sentinel (and others) still within the catalogue year.

 

There's a dose of realism in the OP which at least enables better planning for modellers and retailers around circumstances rather than just optimism or promises.

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Actually what this really proves is that contracting out your production does not work.

 

It doesn't prove anything. You've already said the one importer whose production is 'in-group' doesn't meet your expectation.

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It doesn't prove anything. You've already said the one importer whose production is 'in-group' doesn't meet your expectation.

 

I think it does - it proves that if you are reliant on a supplier or suppliers in another country and they can't deliver on time, you're pretty much stuck. If you do your own manufacturing, timescales are within your control to a far greater extent.

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