Update from Hornby with regard to Oxford Rail.

[Black 5 Bear]

Just received this update from Hornby:-

 

We’ve noticed that you’ve pre-ordered some Oxford Rail models. This is an oversight on our part as we no longer stock these products, so they should not have been available on the website. As a result, we will cancel your pre-order.  

We are very sorry for this inconvenience.  

Fortunately, we have many incredible model railway locomotives, wagons, tracks, and accessories at Hornby.com to enhance your hobby. 

If you have any questions, please email us at customerservices.uk@Hornby.com. 

Thank you,

The Hornby Team

[phil-b259]

What models did you have on order?

[spamcan61]

13 minutes ago, Black 5 Bear said:

Just received this update from Hornby:-

 

We’ve noticed that you’ve pre-ordered some Oxford Rail models. This is an oversight on our part as we no longer stock these products, so they should not have been available on the website. As a result, we will cancel your pre-order.  

We are very sorry for this inconvenience.  

Fortunately, we have many incredible model railway locomotives, wagons, tracks, and accessories at Hornby.com to enhance your hobby. 

If you have any questions, please email us at customerservices.uk@Hornby.com. 

Thank you,

The Hornby Team

The lack of professionalism from the "leading brand" in the hobby never ceases to amaze me. So they had a whole product range on their website and didn't notice? lol.  Looks like bad news for the future in terms of OR products, which is a shame. Maybe this is fallout from the personnel changes in the organisation.

Edited August 3, 2023 by spamcan61

[melmerby]

Does that mean Oxford will now stop selling Hornby products?😁

 

Considering Oxford is a wholly owned subsudary of Hornby, this seems crass.

[Black 5 Bear]

All items are still listed on the OR website.

I've just sent a message in relation to the Cowan's Sheldon 15T crane, requesting  an update. The last response  was October 2021 to say it's still in development.

I'm now really glad that a took up the 50% offer from TMC on the Bachmann SR 45T crane!

Edited August 3, 2023 by Black 5 Bear

[stewartingram]

Perhaps they are selling  Oxford on ( or already have) to another business?

[cessna152towser]

Canceling pre-orders is par for the course with Hornby from my personal experience (Captain Tom and the 2MT) which is why I no longer pre-order direct from them.

[Black 5 Bear]

6 hours ago, cessna152towser said:

Canceling pre-orders is par for the course with Hornby from my personal experience (Captain Tom and the 2MT) which is why I no longer pre-order direct from them.

It has worked to my advantage in the past, where I've got the very product I wanted from an independent retailer (my preference anyway).

This way I've saved myself between 30-50% off RRP a few months down the line!

Edited August 3, 2023 by Black 5 Bear

[spamcan61]

25 minutes ago, stewartingram said:

Perhaps they are selling  Oxford on ( or already have) to another business?

That would be a good result in my opinion.

[craneman]

I had three of the CS cranes on order, and have received the same email followed by three irritatingly self-congratulatory "successful cancellation" notifications, as though failing to deliver something that Hornby has widely advertised is a great achievement.

 

I rather assume that this means that the Cowans Sheldon crane is no longer likely to appear. On the bright side, my unmade D&S kits have probably just leapt in value.

 

It remains a shockingly dismal way to run a business, and it does make me wonder if Hornby is on the rocks. 

[Michael Hodgson]

My long-standing order for the cranes (and the J26) is with Rails.

I wonder whether they are going to have to send me a similar cancellation notice?

[Daddyman]

Fortunately, we have many incredible model railway locomotives, wagons, tracks, and accessories at Hornby.com to enhance your hobby. 

Translation: "Don't worry cos we've got all sorts of tat from the 1970s in our range, and quite a few dead horses that we're still flogging, none of which have anything to do with the area or period you're modelling; but they're all trains, right?" 

 

[Dunsignalling]

6 hours ago, stewartingram said:

Perhaps they are selling  Oxford on ( or already have) to another business?

 

My initial thought, too. We shall no doubt find out in due course.

 

[HExpressD]

Maybe best to contact Oxford about it as, as far as I understand, Hornby's listing of OR products has been much closer to retailer that manufacturer. Oxford has, and has always has had, their own customer services, spare, repairs and development people. 

[phil gollin]

.

 

AS I UNDERSTAND IT (?)   -  Lynden Davies (?) joined Hornby and brought Oxford with him.  He has now left and things are changing again, but Hornby aren't really telling us what.

 

I expect a proper announcement soonish.

 

.

[it's-er]

Lyndon Davies (Taff) joined Hornby as Chief Executive, and Hornby then had opportunity to buy Oxford Diecast and Oxford Rail, which they subsequently did. 
 

The update from Hornby quoted in the first post of this thread is very odd. It sounds as if Hornby is disowning Oxford Diecast and Oxford Rail: the statement simply doesn’t acknowledge Oxford Rail at all.  Very strange, if you still own Oxford Rail. If they still own it, it suggests they are discontinuing Oxford Rail - indeed, have discontinued it already.

 

If this is Hornby’s inclination, hopefully Oxford Rail has been sold, or is being sold, to someone who can continue the business. We need Oxford Rail.

 

John S

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

'Oxford' doesn't integrate well with Hornby on pricing, does it? How is it possible that newly tooled product from this operation can be produced more cheaply than very tired Hornby items from long ago amortised tooling? While I would be the last to claim that the Oxford product is perfect, it hands down beats most of the Hornby legacy tooling of pre-2000 origin still in production.

 

Two obvious possibilities: Hornby divest; or dump the Oxford title and integrate into their range. There is a spares problem with the obvious and simple sounding 'integration'. Of the Oxford wagon models that suit my interest, not one takes the usual RTR OO wheelsets with 26mm over pinpoints axle length. (I haven't sampled the whole range so don't know how general this is; and just BTW, this variation from the 26mm length is by no means restricted to Oxford, other new entrants are deviant..) 

 

Whatever, if there is anything from Oxford that you have thought of as 'that might be useful', the time to buy is probably now while 'Oxford pricing' is available...

[Legend]

16 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

My initial thought, too. We shall no doubt find out in due course.

 

selling on a company that could/would be a competitor ? Is that wise? 

[phil-b259]

10 minutes ago, Legend said:

selling on a company that could/would be a competitor ? Is that wise? 

 

Some companies do very unwise things if the primary concern is to generate a quick bit of cash because financial stakeholders are unhappy with the companys financial situation.

 

That said I guess it could always be sold back to Lyndon Davies (or another like minded individual) and they then go sell it on to another RTR manufacturer in due course.

[Grovenor]

2 hours ago, phil gollin said:

.

 

AS I UNDERSTAND IT (?)   -  Lynden Davies (?) joined Hornby and brought Oxford with him.  He has now left and things are changing again, but Hornby aren't really telling us what.

 

I expect a proper announcement soonish.

 

.

What makes you think Lyndon Davies has left?

Companies House thinks he is in charge

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/bltr97sd42rZgL7za-ieUbkRsWI/appointments

[Dunsignalling]

53 minutes ago, Legend said:

selling on a company that could/would be a competitor ? Is that wise? 

This is Hornby we are talking about....😉

[MyRule1]

 Thought it was odd when I received emails from Oxford about the availability of N7's. Some were obviously shop/warranty returns. Also there have been items on eBay obviously from Oxford.

[Adi]

On 03/08/2023 at 15:23, Michael Hodgson said:

My long-standing order for the cranes (and the J26) is with Rails.

I wonder whether they are going to have to send me a similar cancellation notice?

My j26 is with ros

Oxford rail say it not in production yet cuz of covid when I asked Oxford rail 

But Hornby said no plans yet which I ask in Jan this year 

So who knows 

[KeithMacdonald]

Sorry if I'm confused.

Did Hornby buy both the Oxford Rail and Oxford Diecast brands?

I'm still receiving "special offer" emails from Oxford Diecast.

Are they just running down stock at Oxford Diecast before being assimulated into Hornby?

They seem to have plenty still in stock.

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/oxford-rail?pf_t_availability=In+Stock

 

 

[JohnR]

On 04/08/2023 at 11:49, Grovenor said:

What makes you think Lyndon Davies has left?

Companies House thinks he is in charge

https://find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/officers/bltr97sd42rZgL7za-ieUbkRsWI/appointments

 

He's now become non-executive Chairman, which means he has no control over the running of the company, unlike previously.