RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 12, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2014 Anyway, it's a meat van of course.:0 reindeer meat in transport then? Oh deEr I suppose I'd better go and buy one now. You could offer it as a prize for the next challenge Maybe not Couldn't they have done a snowy track mat and some vaguely Christmas type figures too though? I think the advantage of the Hawthorne type On30 sets is they appeal to kids and the Christmas Deco-holics I'll stick to my versions which all cost less than the Hornby set 009 O16.5 And tinplate Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold papagolfjuliet Posted October 12, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2014 They're lovely. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hornby has marketed a similar set in previous years, it isn't one that I've seen remaindered so I guess it sells. Just because you won't buy it, doesn't mean it won't sell elsewhere. I understand Prada have brought out another handbag. In my world that's a useless item for a ludicrous price but i'd be very blinkered to claim that they shouldn't make them because of that! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
birdseyecircus Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hornby are trying to catch up on producing models and production of this sort of thing is taking up manufacturing slots which could be better used. Unless of course Santa and his elves are knocking them out at a secret factory at the North Pole! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steamport Southport Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Has anyone seen the price of Christmas decorations lately? I presume that is the idea behind this set and the market they are competing with. It fits in well with the dancing snowmen and singing santas that are available at this time of year. I can see them selling reasonably well. I was tasked with decorating a pub that I was working in a couple of years ago. I spent nearly £200 for a few bits and pieces from a discount shop. Nothing outrageously expensive, just typical Christmassy things that dangle from the ceiling. I would think that the average homeowner would spend a similar amount on their own homes. In todays throw away society very few people would keep them for next year. Younger/modern families certainly wouldn't reuse last years decorations like their grandparents would of done. £70? Many people will spend that on wine for their dinner and spirits that nobody will touch. And don't forget about the amount of food waste that the average family will throw away. I personally wouldn't buy one. But I can see the market they are going for buying them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted October 12, 2014 Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hornby are trying to catch up on producing models and production of this sort of thing is taking up manufacturing slots which could be better used. Unless of course Santa and his elves are knocking them out at a secret factory at the North Pole! Paul But none of us are in a position to judge that from Hornbys overall business viewpoint! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted October 12, 2014 Author Share Posted October 12, 2014 Wow! Some interesting responses there! Well, I'd like to say that I'd noted the fact that the reindeer were going to be transported in a box van, but I thought I'd tone down the negativity! As noted elsewhere in this thread, its miles apart in the quality stakes compared with most xmas-themed railways and will run next year when its taken out of the box, unlike the battery operated stuff that'll end up with the toxic, corrosive, decaying remains of last years AA battery in the boiler shell... But its still something I wouldn't buy. Talking about xmas tat, an insert in one of the railway mags this month was for a grotesque miniature christmas tree with "trains" popping in and out of the branches and a Santa orbiting the top. *shudder* I've chucked the insert out, so I don't know how much was being charged for that bit of seasonal rubbish, but I fear it'll actually be close to the Hornby Santa Special! You know, I'd LOVE to find that O gauge tinplate loco under the tree on Christmas Morning, however I suspect that I'd have to put it there myself on Christmas Eve. :-( Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted October 12, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 12, 2014 Hornby are trying to catch up on producing models and production of this sort of thing is taking up manufacturing slots which could be better used. Unless of course Santa and his elves are knocking them out at a secret factory at the North Pole! Paul Definitely not North Pole - that's undergoing conversion to be FGW (Hitachi's) IEP depot But none of us are in a position to judge that from Hornbys overall business viewpoint! Very true - for all we know Hornby will have sold several thousand of these sets into the Argos/mail order company market through their Prime accounts (or whatever they're called) getting in a pile of cash without having to do much advertising or 'net soothing' themselves. If that helps keep them in business it can't be too bad a thing for us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Triang Paul Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 The first Christmas set was unadvertised and in shops for Nov 2004 later advertised for 05. It was priced at around £45 and have seen it go on eBay for as much as £110 but I know the boxvhas a lot to do with that ! I got one a week after it came out and along with each year since, the Christmas wagon, makes an appearance every winter. The tree wagon is extreamly collectable in its own right. These things sell. Not just the US but Europe too with most German makers doing them. As posted above, this years set is next years modeller. I am disappointed by the high price and may just get the rolling stock when split from set next June cheaply.....? ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 13, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2014 £45-50 sounds about right to appeal but I guess that's inflation over the last nine years! I agree there's plenty of Christmas village buildings for £30 upwards which makes the train fairly typical value wise to be honest. Still think they could have made more effort with the Xmas theme as having an alternative trackmat designed to go under a tree or just a snowy scene could be used every year Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 The Americans have been doing this kind of tat for years, it's a pity Hornby thought they needed to copy it. It appears to be a big market over there (plenty of competition, from some of the big players, with high priced sets!) - so i'm not surprised they're taking a punt. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted October 13, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 13, 2014 , it's a pity Hornby thought they needed to copy it. If it helps keep the money rolling in as part of the model railway part of the business then surely it's good in the eyes of the money men and helps justify investment in the wider model range Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium brushman47544 Posted October 13, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 13, 2014 I would have thought £45 was the limit for this. That's probably why you don't see Hornby in Smyths or Toys r us. The train set market is diminishing but they are pricing themselves out of what's left! If as it seems its for Concessions, it will appear in Modelzone at WH Smiths. If you saw some of the crap train sets - if you can really call them that - Toys r us sells and their prices here in Portugal, this Hornby set would be at the high end of the market in terms of quality. They had the Hornby Toy Story 2 set a while back and they sold... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 As someone in the hobby for 58 years and who takes the hobby quite seriously I have to admit this seems Ok to me at quite a fair price - after all it includes a mains transformer and controller. The target market is (I guess) 2-7 and I'm sure they will love it. If it helps Hornby's cash flow then great as keeping Hornby in business is a big boost for our hobby at large. Moreover IMHO there is far more chance of this planting a seed which develops into serious modelling than the £30 battery operated rubbish that's out there. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Triang Paul Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 Agree with the actual liveries used and on both sets. Not very snowey like other stuff available and a snowmat would be welcomed! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Triang Paul Posted October 13, 2014 Share Posted October 13, 2014 PS having all the Christmas stock makes the train too long for an 0-4-0 so this year an HST has been sought with suitable livery and decoration. Glitter ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Couldn't they have done a snowy track mat and some vaguely Christmas type figures too though? I think they missed an opportunity there Paul, a snowy "North Pole" track mat would have been quite the thing for this market, along with some fir trees. I'm surprised it doesn't include an egg nog tank wagon. I'm tempted to suggest that for some children a coal wagon might be apropos. (It's always nice to see your lovely Christmas trolley by the way.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ozexpatriate Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 It's a toy but priced as a model, just like Thomas stuff. At the price of seventy quid, I suspect the target market won't be interested in paying that much for it. It doesn't even have a little Santa to go with it!Like this Thomas stuff? $215.00 in "H0" - twice the price of the very similar Hornby offering in this thread at ~$112 // £70. No. Just no. The Americans have been doing this kind of tat for years, it's a pity Hornby thought they needed to copy it. Walthers have 36 different Holiday train sets on offer and their selection only scratches the surface of trains to put at the bottom of a Christmas tree. Compared with this nonsense (for £130), at least it's a 'real' train and not a resin casting with glitter added. If it turns a profit for Hornby and some four or five year-olds are happy to have a "Hornby" under Christmas tree, how is this possibly a bad thing? It might just lead them to a life-long hobby. Stranger things have happened. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnMartin90125 Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Concession and website only. Model shop owners everywhere must be breathing sighs of relief that they won't be pressured into stocking (sorry) this overpriced tat. John They may still do,if there are unsold stocks. Hornby reps can be very pushy (probably a good job I wasn't there that day, I have a habbit of saying it as it is) edit: typos, 'cos I'm tired. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Triang Paul Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Still unfinished but you get it !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted October 14, 2014 Author Share Posted October 14, 2014 IMG_20141014_134402.JPG Still unfinished but you get it !! Looks like one of those purple chocolates (used to be Brazil nut, now hazelnut) in Quality Street..... Will it be edible? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MPR Posted October 14, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 14, 2014 Although I wouldn't stake any total claim on it being 'my idea' in a conversation with Roger Canham I did proffer the suggestion of quick wins that went outside their 'core market' and that there was potential for the old-fashioned toy train market and after all every flam'n garden centre stocked some battery-powered 'tat' in the run up to Christmas and wouldn't it be better that it's something with a Hornby label on it? Of course it's not for 'serious' modellers but one of those running round the base of the Christmas tree in the run-up to Christmas might get a few people buying toy trains again. I didn't have anything to do with the price though. I thought it was a great idea when Andy Y suggested it - with a mains transformer and 2nd radius track this is the perfect basis for the start of a family train set. The suggestion of a " snowy" track mat is a good one, what would be even more cunning would be to include a voucher, redeemable after 25th Dec in model shops, for either a track expansion pack or additional rolling stock. Need to encourage good habits... (and sales of Railroad locos) - most youngsters will have cash to spend post-Christmas. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cornish Triang Paul Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Looks like one of those purple chocolates (used to be Brazil nut, now hazelnut) in Quality Street..... Will it be edible? I prefer the barrel from ye olde Milk Tray.... ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 If it turns a profit for Hornby and some four or five year-olds are happy to have a "Hornby" under Christmas tree, how is this possibly a bad thing? It might just lead them to a life-long hobby. Stranger things have happened. Quite so I received the boxed set featuring Nellie and an oval of track about 1969, the start of my hobby... cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacific231G Posted October 14, 2014 Share Posted October 14, 2014 Wouldn't you put reindeer in a cattle wagon?They're obviously kept in suspended animation or possibly aren't actually alive so don't need air. Sounds a bit sinister like the plastic Santa invaders in Dr. Who a few years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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