RMweb Gold NHY 581 Posted March 29, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 29, 2014 Quite true Les. It is almost as if we are waiting for failure. Must be a British thing. Hornby are producing some of the finest model railway items in the world today. No really, they are. They are making changes. There are supply issues but I for one , am reserving judgement. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
robmcg Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 When I read the posts in any Hornby thread I often wonder if a lot of us even see the glass, let alone see it as half-empty. Let us wish SK the best, and concentrate on what he has achieved, rather than trying to see his leaving purely as a coffin nail for Hornby. All the very best Les I SO agree with this post. Rob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium jjb1970 Posted March 29, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 29, 2014 Very sad to see SK move on, it is easy to forget just how he transformed Hornby and took them from making models that might be best described as leaving room for improvement to models like the M7, class 60, Maunsell coaches etc. That is a serious transformation. I know many complain about Hornby not answering their critics on message boards like this but everybody I've ever known who has spoken to SK has been unanimous in agreeing he was a thoroughly decent guy and very helpful with a genuine interest in his product and customers. True, Hornby have gone through a torrid time in recent years and whilst some of it is beyond their control in China it is also true that their management have not handled it perhaps as well as they might have and SK shares responsibility for that but that should not obscure what he did for British railway modelling. I find this very sad and I just hope those following him have anything like the same interest and passion for the product that he so obviously had. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riddles Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 management have not handled it perhaps as well as they might have and SK shares responsibility for that Sorry but I can't agree with that. Remember that Simon was an employee with several levels of Directors above him. Although he hid it very well, I know that he was as frustrated as we are about the supply issues. I am sure that he would have taken action to find alternative suppliers much sooner, had he been vested with sufficient authority. He was aware of the issues and was never complacent. We all hope that a capable person with knowledge of railways will follow in his footsteps but I have seen nothing to suggest that they exist. It is to be hoped that they will be found before Simon's consultacy contract expires. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fiesta Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Think there is more to his departure than we are led to believe - on the surface it's amicable but behind the scenes - guess that tells a different story - don't think SK would ever leave Hornby and would have stayed till he retired so for him to go now - something is not quite right - still wish him all the best he was a thoroughly decent guy - a rare breed these days! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted March 30, 2014 Share Posted March 30, 2014 Very sad to see SK move on, it is easy to forget just how he transformed Hornby and took them from making models that might be best described as leaving room for improvement to models like the M7, class 60, Maunsell coaches etc. I have no idea but ? was he solely responsible for all these models transformations and additions to the range? As to him leaving a sad loss to the hobby . But if Hornby are withdrawing from shows permantly? his role is perhaps seen as redundant to a company trying to save money. Hornby other than him are hardly customer friendly !! with information on anything other that whats suits them to release. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nimbus Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 So, Simon's last day today. Wonder if they presented him with a 'Great Goodbye' set? The Nim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted March 31, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 31, 2014 One assumes they will have presented him with the statutory redundancy package, which could be worth a fair bit. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stewartingram Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 1st day in the new job - welcome to the real world and good luck Simon. Stewart Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prometheus Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 One assumes they will have presented him with the statutory redundancy package, which could be worth a fair bit. If it's the 'Statutory' package, it won't, although private sector packages vary hugely from the statutory minimum to the absolutely ridiculous. However, I'm not sure we should be even dwelling on the financial settlement. Tony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted April 1, 2014 Share Posted April 1, 2014 I think that just as valuable as any financial settlement is the personal goodwill that Simon has generated for himself over the years to take forward into his new venture. Let's now please concentrate on wishing him well in that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted April 2, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 2, 2014 There is an announcement on MRE this morning about the launch of Kohler Coms, Simon's new business and despite some of the 'doom and gloom' and 'did he jump or was he pushed' comments over the past 11 pages, he confirms again that he will continue to offer consultancy services to Hornby and so there is obviously still a lot of goodwill there . . . . . . . http://www.mremag.com/news/bulletin.asp Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThaneofFife Posted April 2, 2014 Share Posted April 2, 2014 kohler coms? sounds like they come in a bag of Haribo Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Prism Posted April 15, 2014 Share Posted April 15, 2014 I hear that Hornby's UK R&D function no longer exists. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coach bogie Posted April 16, 2014 Share Posted April 16, 2014 I hear that Hornby's UK R&D function no longer exists. If Hornby are going to contract R&D out to consultants like Kohler Coms then this would make sense. Many companies do this. My wife works for an oil company and they contract out most R&D, outsourced to universities and specialist equipment designers. Mike Wiltshire Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Express Blue Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 There is an announcement on MRE this morning about the launch of Kohler Coms, Simon's new business and despite some of the 'doom and gloom' and 'did he jump or was he pushed' comments over the past 11 pages, he confirms again that he will continue to offer consultancy services to Hornby and so there is obviously still a lot of goodwill there . . . . . . . http://www.mremag.com/news/bulletin.asp I have it on very good authority that, in fact, Hornby did not want Simon to leave and that it was his own decision. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulG Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 I have it on very good authority that, in fact, Hornby did not want Simon to leave and that it was his own decision. Hi Simon Great to see you have joined RMweb ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pebbles Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Visited Hornby yesterday, apparently Simon goes in quite often. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted April 17, 2014 Share Posted April 17, 2014 Hi Simon Great to see you have joined RMweb ! "Paul smiled wryly when his line in alternative humour wasn't universally appreciated..." Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PLD Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Visited Hornby yesterday, apparently Simon goes in quite often. Shock - Horror: Consultant actually visits company he is working for... Wish we could find some a little less illusive... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 If a locomotive was to be named in Simon Kohler's honour which class would you choose? I would pick the preserved 2BIL 2090 as the Hornby produced under Simon's guidance was an example him listening to what the modellers wanted an coming up with a fine model. Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
250BOB Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 If a locomotive was to be named in Simon Kohler's honour which class would you choose? I would pick the preserved 2BIL 2090 as the Hornby produced under Simon's guidance was an example him listening to what the modellers wanted an coming up with a fine model. Nigel Thats a locomotive...??? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 Thats a locomotive...??? Fair point I have amended my original post! XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 If a locomotive was to be named in Simon Kohler's honour which class would you choose? I would pick the preserved 2BIL 2090 as the Hornby produced under Simon's guidance was an example him listening to what the modellers wanted an coming up with a fine model. Shame his guidance didn't produce an LNWR Kohl Tank..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted April 18, 2014 Share Posted April 18, 2014 There's the Cenotaph Kohler. Not a locomotive 'tis true, but part of the process that makes them shift. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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