Hornby P2

[Martin_R]

Looks like there is a fatal flaw in Hattons ordering system. If you pre-order more than one item at the same time with the same order number, in my case DoG and P2 both on 17th December 2012, the DoG arrives 22nd December 2013 so my original 17th December 2012 order for the P2 was moved to 23rd December 2013 as it is given a 'new' order number - end result is It now looks like my order placed in December 2012 is unlikely to be supplied because of this.

[Colin_McLeod]

Just had a dispatch note from Hattons for R3207.

 

Looks like their second batch has arrived.

Mee Too. Only a day or two to wait now.

[Colin_McLeod]

Looks like there is a fatal flaw in Hattons ordering system. If you pre-order more than one item at the same time with the same order number, in my case DoG and P2 both on 17th December 2012, the DoG arrives 22nd December 2013 so my original 17th December 2012 order for the P2 was moved to 23rd December 2013 as it is given a 'new' order number - end result is It now looks like my order placed in December 2012 is unlikely to be supplied because of this.

 

Lesson here is to keep all pre orders separate, then they are all based on your original date.

[JSpencer]

Just had written confirmation....

 

It is definitely the TTS version that is heading my way. WAHOO!

 

Touch wood for a safe journey and the product arrives and works in perfect condition.

Edited September 30, 2014 by JSpencer

[2002EarlMarischal]

I also ordered on the same day in December 2012 and their system re-dated my order - in my case February 2014.

 

Whilst I persuaded them to honour the original order they never backdated it, so no P2 has been forthcoming, and I have finally lost patience with their dreadful customer service.

 

Whilst their staff are generally polite, they are barely apologetic, stating that they have to rely on their automated system, and have no means to manually override it even when it is in error.

 

So today I cancelled my P2, J15, D16, K1 and D11/2 pre-orders worth over £500.  I don't suppose they will give a monkeys of course, but they have lost my on-going spend as I will never go back to use them again.

 

The good news however, is that I have ordered from Waltons and Rails and saved money over Hattons overall!

[Ian Hargrave]

Post 1758 again calls into question the value of pre ordering.Hattons usually keep to a gold standard and have an excellent track record in honouring original price offers,which they did in supplying  my Stanier porthole coaches.Equally,they are guilty of taking on more orders than they can supply.They are,if you like,victims of their own success and also of Hornby's well documented supply 'system'.

All of which does not help disappointed customers who are conditioned into 'pre-ordering' by genuine fears they won't get any. None of this is new. Remember the Great Gathering  saga and the nonsense over the 2BIL orders a while back?

 

 One thing is for certain.Cock Fever is spreading like wildfire. The above posts show it has reached epidemic proportions.How will Hornby respond to its success ? The obvious development is a 'nose job' in the form of a streamlined version.

[Martin_R]

I also ordered on the same day in December 2012 and their system re-dated my order - in my case February 2014.

 

Whilst I persuaded them to honour the original order they never backdated it, so no P2 has been forthcoming, and I have finally lost patience with their dreadful customer service.

 

Whilst their staff are generally polite, they are barely apologetic, stating that they have to rely on their automated system, and have no means to manually override it even when it is in error.

 

So today I cancelled my P2, J15, D16, K1 and D11/2 pre-orders worth over £500.  I don't suppose they will give a monkeys of course, but they have lost my on-going spend as I will never go back to use them again.

 

The good news however, is that I have ordered from Waltons and Rails and saved money over Hattons overall!

I too have now decided to cancel all my other pre-orders with Hattons, they have provided me with good service over the years but their attitude over this has led me to do this. I may pay more for some or even get some items cheaper elsewhere but overall I recon that Hattons sales loss to me will be over £2,000.

[micklner]

Ditto one on way from Waltons . 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

...One thing is for certain.Cock Fever is spreading like wildfire. The above posts show it has reached epidemic proportions.How will Hornby respond to its success ? The obvious development is a 'nose job' in the form of a streamlined version.

Hornby were pulled out of the deep and sticky stuff more than once in the past by Gresley's delights, the A3 in particular has pretty much bankrolled everything else they have been able to do. The streamlined P2 naturally enough (they were right to do it in this order, the original experimental clunkfest wouldn't have sold as well after the puissant streamlined form had been seen) and then there are the P1 and W1 too, just waiting exploitation.

 

Also, given the market reaction to the Blue Pullman, how much longer can Hornby neglect the Coronation set? They will likely sell one to every other A4 owner...

[Ian Hargrave]

Hornby were pulled out of the deep and sticky stuff more than once in the past by Gresley's delights, the A3 in particular has pretty much bankrolled everything else they have been able to do. The streamlined P2 naturally enough (they were right to do it in this order, the original experimental clunkfest wouldn't have sold as well after the puissant streamlined form had been seen) and then there are the P1 and W1 too, just waiting exploitation.

 

Also, given the market reaction to the Blue Pullman, how much longer can Hornby neglect the Coronation set? They will likely sell one to every other A4 owner...

 

Hornby were pulled out of the deep and sticky stuff more than once in the past by Gresley's delights, the A3 in particular has pretty much bankrolled everything else they have been able to do. The streamlined P2 naturally enough (they were right to do it in this order, the original experimental clunkfest wouldn't have sold as well after the puissant streamlined form had been seen) and then there are the P1 and W1 too, just waiting exploitation.

 

Also, given the market reaction to the Blue Pullman, how much longer can Hornby neglect the Coronation set? They will likely sell one to every other A4 owner...

Now you are talking.....bang on the nail ! Glamour appeals.....and sells.

[coachmann]

Also, given the market reaction to the Blue Pullman, how much longer can Hornby neglect the Coronation set? They will likely sell one to every other A4 owner...

I think you have hit the nail on the head here. I could see these coaches selling well and of course they also appeared in BR liveries of blood & custard and also Maroon. For postwar LNER and BR modellers, individual ex Coronation coaches would be very useful. One can but hope!

[bigwordsmith]

Hey Larry - nice to see you commenting here again

[mikesndbs]

Hi

 

Can I just confirm a few things.

 

My P2 is supposed to be R3207 the normal version not railroad or sound.

 

It comes with name plates but on the pack it says fix headboard with blutak?

 

The valve gear is plastic next to the 2nd set of drivers and there is no actual link between it and a small crank that spins around behind it.

The tender is permanently coupled and has no pick ups.

 

Just want to make sure all is well?

 

Thanks

[bigwordsmith]

Folks, apologies for going off topic but I need some help and thought y'all might be able to oblige...

 

You know how we all dream of having a room big enough to model Kings Cross to scale? Well, now I've got one and I'm struggling with ideas on what to do with it!

 

Anyone interested in helping out please pop along to http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/73196-waverley-shed-somewhere-in-edinburgh/page-4

 

Tx

 

Peter

[Guest spet0114]

Have just given Hattons a ring. The lady on the phone informed me that :

 

1. The 'second batch' that they received recently was 'quite small' and that there were awaiting a third batch from Hornby 'sometime this month'. This final batch should complete their allocation of P2s.

 

2. All the pre-orders that have been accepted should be fulfilled - i.e. they were allocated a certain number of units, they stopped taking pre-orders once that allocation had been assigned and therefore if you have a valid order, you'll eventually get a P2, regardless of when the pre-order was placed.

 

3. The only potential problem is if Hornby repeat their 'Great Goodbye' tactic and reduce Hatton's allocation at the last minute.

 

So, for the moment, I'm sitting tight and crossing my fingers.....

 

Cheers
Adrian

[JSpencer]

Hi

 

Can I just confirm a few things.

 

My P2 is supposed to be R3207 the normal version not railroad or sound.

 

It comes with name plates but on the pack it says fix headboard with blutak?

 

The valve gear is plastic next to the 2nd set of drivers and there is no actual link between it and a small crank that spins around behind it.

The tender is permanently coupled and has no pick ups.

 

Just want to make sure all is well?

 

Thanks

 

Looking at the posts for the full version so far, everything seems present and correct.

 

Also looking at posts for the full version so far, recommend go and buy proper name plates then fix with small amounts of PVA.

[Markeg]

Hi Mike,

 

Yes that is how they come.  I checked out the tender to see if pickups could be fitted, but it does not look like they were made for them.  But it could be possible to fit them and wire permanently.  I will investigate this.  It will be interesting to see what is on the TTS sound version.  I suspect that the decoder and speaker are wire to the Loco and still only pickups on the loco.

 

I received 2 last week from the first batch from Hattons and Rails a day apart.  Rails charged full RRP but hattons the original discounted price.  So will probably sell one at full price, which may be cheaper than they will be here in Australian shops.  Runs very well and had 12 Teak coaches, a Hornby CCTvan and 6 wheel milk tank wagon on the end.  No trouble at all.  On the weekend I will run the Comet Restaurant Triplet set.  That reminds me, I must finish one of the coaches.

 

Mark in Oz

 

 

[micklner]

Have just given Hattons a ring. The lady on the phone informed me that :

 

1. The 'second batch' that they received recently was 'quite small' and that there were awaiting a third batch from Hornby 'sometime this month'. This final batch should complete their allocation of P2s.

 

2. All the pre-orders that have been accepted should be fulfilled - i.e. they were allocated a certain number of units, they stopped taking pre-orders once that allocation had been assigned and therefore if you have a valid order, you'll eventually get a P2, regardless of when the pre-order was placed.

 

3. The only potential problem is if Hornby repeat their 'Great Goodbye' tactic and reduce Hatton's allocation at the last minute.

 

So, for the moment, I'm sitting tight and crossing my fingers.....

 

Cheers

Adrian

The only problems is their rubbish ordering system.

As to customer service appallingly . I received a email saying credit card doesn't work ( Total nonsense) I replied within an hour and was told sold out. I waited for over a year for the Loco and they haven't the decency to phone the customer to query the "alleged"`credit card problem.  No apology via their instant message service on ehattons just a reply we have some more coming. It was suggested I could phone the shop to give my Credit card details , perhaps they should be phoning me in London not the other way around so they pay for the phone call.

I have cancelled my pre order with them and won't use them again . I do wonder if they lose a few pre orders in the hope they then sell the items at the new higher price?.

Go to Waltons they have them for only £10 more which equated to less than a £1 a month more in cost compared to Flattons.  They have the new LNER CCT cheaper as well. Strange to say that my credit card worked first time.

[Coldgunner]

I've had the stock notification from Hornby for the tts version.

[Steffi_C]

Hattons problems with failure to supply pre-ordered items such as the 2-BIL are down to Hornby, who chose to divert stock from independent retailers to their own website / concession / ebay direct trading operation where they make considerably more profit.  The loss of Modelzone has (thankfully) made it far harder for Hornby to pull the same trick again.

 

It's easy for a company to play the market when demand vastly outstrips supply.  When the economic cycle turns again Hornby may well find that retailers have lost faith in them.

 

I'm still hopeful that I'll get a P2 from Hattons, particularly with so many cancellations!

Edited October 1, 2014 by Steffi_C

[Ian Hargrave]

I've had the stock notification from Hornby for the tts version.

I am still waiting for the requested e mail to announce the arrival of R 3207,which I purchased a couple of weeks back in any case...obviously elsewhere.

Edited October 1, 2014 by Ian Hargrave

[Steffi_C]

Have just given Hattons a ring. The lady on the phone informed me that :

 

1. The 'second batch' that they received recently was 'quite small' and that there were awaiting a third batch from Hornby 'sometime this month'

 

I've just had an email from Hattons suggesting 14th November as the new date when R3207 is expected in stock.

[00ERmissus]

The only problems is their rubbish ordering system.

As to customer service appallingly . I received a email saying credit card doesn't work ( Total nonsense) I replied within an hour and was told sold out. I waited for over a year for the Loco and they haven't the decency to phone the customer to query the "alleged"`credit card problem.  No apology via their instant message service on ehattons just a reply we have some more coming. It was suggested I could phone the shop to give my Credit card details , perhaps they should be phoning me in London not the other way around so they pay for the phone call.

I have cancelled my pre order with them and won't use them again . I do wonder if they lose a few pre orders in the hope they then sell the items at the new higher price?.

Go to Waltons they have them for only £10 more which equated to less than a £1 a month more in cost compared to Flattons.  They have the new LNER CCT cheaper as well. Strange to say that my credit card worked first time.

 

I received an email from them yesterday advising they had tried to debit my credit card but it was invalid. Not true. I called them and was asked if I'd updated my card details on-line recently. I said I had, about 6 weeks ago. I'd amended the expiry. I was told that although their system accepts this, it does not pass down to the original order which was still showing the old (expired) expiry. I was instructed that I should re-enter the full card details rather than just amend, not that I can see where it states as such on the site but I haven't looked since. Consequently, my order has passed to the next person on the list although I have been assured I will receive my P2 in the next batch. Certainly it would appear their system is flawed and I now have an anxious wait until the next batch arrives. It will certainly make me think hard about pre-ordering in future.        

[Guest spet0114]

I received an email from them yesterday advising they had tried to debit my credit card but it was invalid. Not true. I called them and was asked if I'd updated my card details on-line recently. I said I had, about 6 weeks ago. I'd amended the expiry. I was told that although their system accepts this, it does not pass down to the original order which was still showing the old (expired) expiry. I was instructed that I should re-enter the full card details rather than just amend, not that I can see where it states as such on the site but I haven't looked since. Consequently, my order has passed to the next person on the list although I have been assured I will receive my P2 in the next batch. Certainly it would appear their system is flawed and I now have an anxious wait until the next batch arrives. It will certainly make me think hard about pre-ordering in future.        

 

Just in passing, last week I got a new debit card and (surprisingly) remembered to go to the Hattons site and update the card details they held. Once it had accepted the new card details, a message popped up informing me that I now needed to go to each of my pre-orders and update the card details linked to each one as this wouldn't happen automatically.

 

So to be fair to Hattons, their system may be flawed but they do make efforts to alert you to its flaws.....

[AJ427]

I have cancelled my pre order with them and won't use them again . I do wonder if they lose a few pre orders in the hope they then sell the items at the new higher price?.

 

 

That ties in with my own rather cynical thought that they are sitting on a load of stock waiting for everyone to cancel so they can sell them on at RRP.