Hattons Model Railways to close

[Edwardian]

Very sad news.

 

My experience of Hattons as a retail customer was always good and their exclusive models were both hugely useful and to a very high standard. They were also a pleasure to work with and I trust someone else will take on the range and, perhaps, the products that were still only in development. 

 

Thoughts go to all those affected. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

Totally shocked when a news pop-up appeared on my screen this afternoon. There seem to be a lot of problems about in various trades at the moment. 

Orange bikes have just appointed an administrator, with online shops Wiggle / Chain Reaction having done so a few weeks ago. 

The drop-off in demand across the cycling industry is being attributed to a boom in bicycle sales during the COVID-19 lockdown. There have also been a lot of supply problems due to overseas manufacturing, with companies preferring to supply the EU market rather than Post-Brexit Britain. 

Many industry players have been left with too much stock and a reducing overall demand on top of increasing costs making their problems intolerable. 

 

My first exposure to Hattons was via RM ads c1959-60. When I got back into the hobby they were my main supplier. Our daughter lived near to the original Smithsdown Road shop for three years. Later I used to visit the second shop whenever I was over in Liverpool, often getting the bus out there then walking to Mossley Hill for a multi leg train journey back to the Dark Peak. I have never visited the Widnes site in person because of the need to drive there and wondered if that would deter others who used the shop in person. At least one person I know who used to walk down to the shop doesn't drive so can't get there on his own.

[Mr chapman]

Honestly I though what's the gag? A real shock. I feel for the staff who have probably lost a dream job. One last order gone in. 

[Ouroborus]

36 minutes ago, big jim said:

funnily enough I’ve just made a similar comment in another forum, someone said something to the effect of ‘price increases yada, yada, yada, not surprising’ I’d say it’s very surprising and it’s taken a lot of people aback 

 

The other forum has a ‘model railway’ sub category that normally only garnishes a few posts and barely gets replies whereas today within an hour there are 2 duplicate hattons threads, the replies are praising them, memories of first purchases and general shock about todays news, it’s certainly sent shockwaves through the enthusiast community, not forgetting of course they didn’t just sell trains, I wonder if other collectors forums are mourning the loss such as model bus or die cast collectors? 

 

In another forum which has a 'general model railway' sub category, comment is also made about price increases, but goes on to say:

 

"Running any High Street business is a tough ask. This should perhaps be an eye opening moment for those who complain 300 quid is far too much for a loco etc. These places arent making millions via 'excessive' pricing like some seem to think."

 

Which perhaps rather hits the nail on the head - if we stop spending, things start closing.  All the 'bargains' available before Christmas further suggest the hard times retailers are having.

 

 

Someone explained it to me like this:

 

There's no money left.

[spamcan61]

16 minutes ago, Sasquatch said:

Prices have doubled but income has not!

 

That's only relevant if one spends one's entire income on you trains...

[JamFjord]

Such sad news, especially after 77 years, and a shock. They seemed quite an innovative bunch, I thought each of their Originals models that I got were up there with some of the best offerings out there. I also found Hattons trunk service very useful and appreciated it as an innovative service that I would like other retailers to adopt (although it can't have been cheap to run). Like many of us I've talked to a good few of the Hattons team over the phone, at shows and at the shop - they've always been pleasant and helpful and all seemed like good people, I hope they all manage to find new jobs very soon. 

[298]

1 hour ago, TEAMYAKIMA said:

 

I have absolutely no axe to grind in any direction, I was not a regular Hattons customer because I don't model British, but just as a totally disinterested outsider, it does seem strange to me that (apparently) they bought a US retailer only a few months ago - that honestly doesn't make sense to me unless I'm missing something.

 

I did sometimes question some of what they stocked- some of the secondhand HO Model Power looked like it came from a stock room 40 years ago and I once counted several thousands of pounds of Chinese HO coaches and coal hoppers ( @TEAMYAKIMA if you're interested, unsurprisingly I can't get on their site now to check...)

Edited January 8 by 298

[scouse889]

I've just learned about this and, although everyone else has said this already, I just can't quite believe this. Shocking and unexpected. Very sad for everyone who works for Hattons who will be affected by this, and a tremedous loss to the hobby.

I remember going to the original shop at 180 Smithdown Road when I was growing up and spending my pocket money there. They used to have these plastic washing up bowls under the glass counter full of second hand rolling stock for pocket money prices, and sorting through them was always good fun! It was a real Aladdin's Cave in there with all the cabinets full to bursting with new and second hand stock.

My best wishes to everyone involved.

[cctransuk]

3 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

That's only relevant if one spends one's entire income on you trains...

 

Rubbish - whatever percentage of your income you spend; you now get half as much model for your hard-earned!

 

CJI.

[deemery]

This news has reached the other side of the pond.  Apparently Hattons bought out a joint brick&mortar/online store in the US, closed the physical store, moved the stock partway across the country.  So hearing they're closing UK operations has generated speculation about that possible US move.  

 

In any event, I ordered from Hattons a couple of times, particularly some large orders of Peco Code 75, and was very happy with prices and services.  VAT paid for the shipping to the US.  I wish the owners and employees all the best!

 

dave

[Guest]

Sad news - feel more and more everyday that my life is imploding - really am so sorry to hear this - been a big part of my life since the mid 70's - however they are more than likely being shrewd and they know the time has come to sell up - you only have to look at the main retailers websites and they are awash with clearance items that they can't give away - the new releases are just too expensive and so many nowadays just haven't got the money thanks to certain prime ministers 

Edited January 8 by 25081

[adb968008]

Ive been a Hattons customer for over 30 years, my Dad was over 50.

 

The Hattons team are fanstastic, Richard gave me a tour of their warehouse last year and I had chance to talk with their team then.

My thoughts are for the team, many of whom are enthusiasts and several at the ELR as volunteers.

Its not just the business that impressed me, but also the innovation to their business, the use of “chaos” storage, the processing lines. The efforts required to photo and test second hand, the barcoding system.. This is a very efficiently run business.

This would be a good journalistic article, as I doubt many other model railway companies use these processes.

 

The website is a gold mine of articles…

Theres a lot of research on many prototypes and models produced in separate pages.

There is a database of model skus made over the years with photographs..

These are huge resources to the hobby and I hope someone takes these on…indeed I use these daily and suggested they should monetise this !

 

Its a real loss to the hobby and a page in history turned.

 

Richard and the team, thank you very much for the service and the memories, i’m sure this wasn't a decision taken lightly, and Hattons will be missed…

 

 

191 orders Ive placed over the years (and thats just with the “ new system” since 2002)… i was ordering Lima etc in the 90’s.

 

Edited January 9 by adb968008

[Phil Parker]

1 minute ago, 25081 said:

the new releases are just too expensive and so many nowadays just haven't got the money thanks to certain prime ministers and their ministers

 

Please, everyone, don't try to turn this into an interminable moan about prices. 

[longchap]

A very sad day for our hobby with this unexpected announcement. My heartfelt sympathies to all at Hattons from a very satisfied regular overseas expat customer, for their truly outstanding service and communications since I returned to the hobby 9  years ago.

 

Good  karma for all at Hattons.

 

My very best,

 

Bill

[phil-b259]

34 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

Again, genuinely shocked to hear of this and condolences to the staff, particularly those who have handled my orders in the past.

 

It seems inconceivable that no part of the business was deemed to be viable.

 

However Hattons "Bargains" are no longer the "Bargains" they once were and their secondhand side seemed to be massively overpriced and contained quite a lot of "tat". And managing to fall out with their two biggest suppliers must have had an impact on sales. 

 

We know how much model prices have risen in the last 15-20 years, even when wider inflation was relatively low, which will have impacted the number (if not volume) of sales. I have suggested for a while that the move towards more expensive models is not sustainable in the long term, and I wonder if this is the start of that particular bubble beginning to burst.

Can you change the record please…

 

People keep bleating on about high prices ‘killing the hobby’ yet all the manufacturers who have chosen to enter the hobby over the past few years have chosen to go for a ‘high detail, high retail price approach and none of them have gone bust!

 

You need to remember that first and for most Hatton’s was a model SHOP not a manufacturer…

 

Whilist it’s close is regretted, if you want to be brutal about it the only thing the hobby has ‘lost’ in terms of product are the genesis coaches, the P tanks, the 48xx and a couple of industrials - all of which could easily te-emerge under new ownership like the class 66 did.

[97406]

So sad to hear this. I’ve bought a lot of stuff from them over the years and I always found the website very good for finding stuff. I hope all concerned are OK and find new jobs easily.

 

Edited January 8 by 97406

[Sweetling Park]

I am shocked and saddened to hear this news.  Hattons was one of the first retailers I bought from when I first started modelling a few years ago, as I had heard the name and didn't know anywhere else at the time.  I always found their staff to be really helpful and gave quick response times.  On a couple of occassions I even had a courtesy phone call to check everything was OK, because I had queried something about an order and they were following it up.  That's good customer service!

 

I send my best wishes and thoughts to all the staff who are affected by this.  Thank you for your dedication and service and I wish you all the best for your futures.

[Hroth]

I was shocked and amazed when I read their email this evening.

Over the years I've bought many things from Hattons both new and secondhand. My most recent purchases arrived last Wednesday, and I'll miss browsing their extensive collection of secondhand stock, often finding items that I didn't know I needed.

 

Their closure will leave a big gap in the hobby, I wish all their staff a hopeful future.

 

Edited January 8 by Hroth
a bit of repunctuation, not that it makes things better.

[johnofwessex]

I suggest that rather like when a death is announced the deceased is praised, perhaps at the Funeral so to speak someone who knows the business well and understands it all might give a more rounded Eulogy.

[60B]

1 hour ago, LittleRedTrain said:

Hattons with their massive, almost industrial-scale, business seemed to be in a much better place to weather the various storms than anyone else. 

I used to be pretty intimately involved in the craft beer industry and from where I've been sitting: bigger isn't always better. A smaller operation with a small reach has less overheads and can get by with a small handful of essential staff whereas a larger operation with a larger direct distro area and export will have entire departments (sales, marketing etc etc) so any shake up in the market puts the big player in the danger zone but when the smaller operation has one person dealing with a few hats at any one time, they can weather it a bit better. Generally.

This is absolutely shocking news whatever way you look at it. One of the longest serving retailers who've weathered all sorts of economic headwinds, seen manufacturers rise and fall, led the sector in bespoke models that manufacturers didn't want to touch (generic 4 wheelers aside) and had an indelible mark on the world of online model train retailing. Thats no small loss to a small sector. Hattons will be greatly missed when the last parcel is despatched.

[Roy L S]

Very sad news indeed, until their fallout with Bachmann they were my "go to" place for the purchase Farish items in particular and I had been going to them as a customer for over 40 years. Their range of stock has always been extensive and when it was all you could get (we forget how lucky we are now) I would regularly buy Langley steam loco kits and the required Farish chassis from them as one convenient "bundle". I will remember fondly the parcels arriving tied up with string and the paper price-lists always included with my purchases in that pre-digital age that seems so long ago now. As it is an orderly wind down with no issues of insolvency at least everyone will be paid in full so any "shockwaves" in the supply chain will be less painful, but of course like others, in particular, I feel so sorry for all the employees who will be impacted and hope they find new jobs quickly. So much more could be said, but my overwhelming feeling is one of sadness, Hattons will always have a legendary status in the British model railway world for me.

[martyn11post]

 

All the best to the staff and thanks for some great models produced.

It's strange to think 15 years ago I was last working in the trade and remember thumbing through the magazines to see what was on offer (and normally how much more expensive we were!). Couldn't fault what they did and their customer service was impossible to beat. Many a happy order was placed and received.

[Hamm 69]

hattons was reason I got back into the hobby in 2006 after I came across there five pages advert in a modeling mag I found next to a skip..and my first online purchase began and continued right up till October were I bought a couple of pre-owned farish 37 ,a Dapol class 50 and two 27.along with signals and lighting.i will miss hattons dearly and wish them and all the staff good luck.hopefully something come out of this fingers crossed.

[beast66606]

Sad news although as I no longer do any modelling it doesn't directly affect me.

 

Used to go to Hattons often, from the days of the Smithdown Road shops, ca 1980 onwards , when Norman was both active and - sadly-  not so active in his latter years.

 

Very sad for all concerned and I wish them well and would like to say "Thanks" for being such a stalwart of railway modelling.

[Ian J.]

Wow.

 

My heart goes out to those in the business, and I hope they will be OK.

 

However, I'm not surprised. I've thought for a number of years now that the demographics of the hobby aren't favourable and there would be eventual impacts on manufacturers and retailers.

 

This looks to be the first big name to be hit, obviously not helped by the happenings of Brexit, Covid, etc.

 

My rhetorical thoughts become: who's next?