New Hornby Collectors Club?

[Jenny Emily]

I noticed more Suttons on their way too. I cannot find any mention of numbers made. I'm sure I recall 1000 for Whitechapel and 750 for Sutton, but don't remember where I read this. I wonder if only part of the initial order was on the first container, and the rest of the production run was always going to turn up later? It would explain why Sutton sold out so quickly.

[Bulleidboy100]

I renewed my Hornby Club membership a couple of weeks ago, taking the Online membership - £15.00. Within minutes I had received emailed confirmation together with my £20 voucher, which I used to buy Whitechapel - it cost me £15.00 with free P&P. Not a bad deal.

[Fireline]

I noticed more Suttons on their way too. I cannot find any mention of numbers made. I'm sure I recall 1000 for Whitechapel and 750 for Sutton, but don't remember where I read this. I wonder if only part of the initial order was on the first container, and the rest of the production run was always going to turn up later? It would explain why Sutton sold out so quickly.

 

According to the 2014 catalogue, it was 1000 of each. However, the 2015 catalogue makes no mention of numbers. Perhaps they were scaled back, if initial uptake was not as expected?

[Fireline]

Finally the two KESR terriers are re-united  (technically Sutton has left the KESR now and there is another Terrier, but I am remembering the 1980/90s):

 

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In which case, you'd need 32670 in BR Black! Bodiam wasn't seen in that livery until 2006. You could add 32678, as Knowle actually arrived in 1988, which surprised me no end! I thought it was much later!

[JSpencer]

In which case, you'd need 32670 in BR Black! Bodiam wasn't seen in that livery until 2006. You could add 32678, as Knowle actually arrived in 1988, which surprised me no end! I thought it was much later!

 

Ok, Sutton and Bodiam (in BR black) finally togethor:

 

 

[brushman47544]

Hmmm. Kernow MRC's latest newsletter says that Manston will be arriving shortly, price £125.00. So much for it being a Club limited edition if retailers are receiving it.

[Hroth]

Hmmm. Kernow MRC's latest newsletter says that Manston will be arriving shortly, price £125.00. So much for it being a Club limited edition if retailers are receiving it.

Yes, saw that - but as a club member, if you had really wanted Manston, you'd have used the £20 voucher on it, and currently the Kernow price isn't undercutting the ordinary club price.  I think its mainly a symptom of the current financial situation as they need to get some cash-flow going, but I'm surprised that Hornby didn't try to unload the club Flying Scotsman as its been sitting around for longer than Manston has.

[Ian Hargrave]

Yes, saw that - but as a club member, if you had really wanted Manston, you'd have used the £20 voucher on it, and currently the Kernow price isn't undercutting the ordinary club price.  I think its mainly a symptom of the current financial situation as they need to get some cash-flow going, but I'm surprised that Hornby didn't try to unload the club Flying Scotsman as its been sitting around for longer than Manston has.

"Collectors Club" ? Items readily available to all and sundry on ebay,Kernow etc..Yet I still am sent reminders to renew my subs. via email and the post. Sorry but the answer's no.-----not for a pointless waste of money and a sick joke..For the "discount",I can go elsewhere.Many thanks.............but no thanks.

[Hroth]

"Collectors Club" ? Items readily available to all and sundry on ebay,Kernow etc..Yet I still am sent reminders to renew my subs. via email and the post. Sorry but the answer's no.-----not for a pointless waste of money and a sick joke..For the "discount",I can go elsewhere.Many thanks.............but no thanks.

Not to defend Hornby, but according to the 2014 catalogue, Collectors Club items were listed as being available to the general public, though at a markup of about £30 on the club prices (see page 51). Not that the ability to buy the club locos from outside the club was a benefit as the locos, the white-roofed Scotsman, Manston and the Terrier twins only became available in the past few months!  At one point recently, Kernow were listing the Terriers too, at a price above the club price but below the new general issue terrier, but I cant find them at present...

 

As for membership, mine runs out in a few months time.  As there doesn't appear to be any new club locos on the horizon, I won't be renewing either.

[andyram]

I must admit I am seriously considering my membership of the club too. Last year I put the voucher towards the WD "Jinty". It was not something I would have bought otherwise but I was very pleased with the model. I am not sure if I want one of the other present club models and with no sign of any new models I cannot see the club being worth the money. The three dedicated magazines are so thin they can be read in ten minutes and the generic winter mag has even less Hornby related stuff.

Ok I can get the online discount, but one of my local concessions give out their own loyalty card for free and this gives the same discount. The club doesn't sound tempting does it?

[Robin Brasher]

I have just bought a model of Manston from Kernow at the same price as it would have been from the New Hornby Collectors Club. I would not have joined the Collectors Club just to buy Manston. 34070 Manston is based on the Swanage Railway and the model is already attracting criticism from a member because of the colour of the nameplates. The nameplates on Battle of Britain locomotives were nearly always Air Force Blue: not red as on the model. Unless Hornby were working from a picture of the locomotive with red nameplates I cannot understand why Hornby has not painted them in the default colour of Air Force Blue.

[Robin Brasher]

I have just heard from a friend who sells N gauge nameplates. It seems that Manston did have red and black nameplates during its life.  It depended upon the shed that it was allocated to.

[Hroth]

Club exclusives "Out of stock":

 

R3250 A3 Flying Scotsman. R3249 BoB Manston. R3248 A1X Sutton. R3247 A1X Whitechapel.

 

R3213 GWR 101 done up as a Southern loco is also out of stock, but there's stock "coming soon".  That leaves R3292, the Caly pug and R6781, the 2016 Hornby hopper wagon for eager club members to buy.  Perhaps they ought to go back to the days of a "free" club loco or even just an appropriately decorated wagon.....

 

 

Update 20:10 - R6781 has fallen off its perch too, leaving the Caly Pug as the last loco standing (until more 101s become available!).  Club members with expiring vouchers liquidating them at the last moment before their membership expires?

Edited March 22, 2016 by Hroth

[adb968008]

Club exclusives "Out of stock":

 

R3250 A3 Flying Scotsman. R3249 BoB Manston. R3248 A1X Sutton. R3247 A1X Whitechapel.

 

R3213 GWR 101 done up as a Southern loco is also out of stock, but there's stock "coming soon". That leaves R3292, the Caly pug and R6781, the 2016 Hornby hopper wagon for eager club members to buy. Perhaps they ought to go back to the days of a "free" club loco or even just an appropriately decorated wagon.....

 

 

Update 20:10 - R6781 has fallen off its perch too, leaving the Caly Pug as the last loco standing (until more 101s become available!). Club members with expiring vouchers liquidating them at the last moment before their membership expires?

I asked at ally pally if Hornby has any more collectors club exclusives coming, the response was none currently aware of.

 

The magazine is however set to get much larger, something like 50 pages, I recall.

Edited March 22, 2016 by adb968008

[Hroth]

I asked at ally pally if Hornby has any more collectors club exclusives coming, the response was none currently aware of.

 

The magazine is however set to get much larger, something like 50 pages, I recall.

Oh well, they'll be losing club members come renewal day.

 

Perhaps they're outsourcing the "mag" to Hornby Magazine, like the "Handbook".  Lots more recycled articles!  Then again, it may be the usual stuff and perhaps they'll be featuring the International Range too?  

 

Did they say when the next issue will be fluttering through our letterboxes?

[scottrains29]

I asked at ally pally if Hornby has any more collectors club exclusives coming, the response was none currently aware of.

 

The magazine is however set to get much larger, something like 50 pages, I recall.

Oh well, they'll be losing club members come renewal day.

 

Perhaps they're outsourcing the "mag" to Hornby Magazine, like the "Handbook".  Lots more recycled articles!  Then again, it may be the usual stuff and perhaps they'll be featuring the International Range too?  

 

Did they say when the next issue will be fluttering through our letterboxes?

It's a complete joke tbh. I still think they should at least include a sentinel or a railroad diesel in the range. With the current complete lack of exclusive models (especially d&e) members should be allowed to use their £20 voucher on anything on their website. If they don't improve/change then I definately wont be renewing my membership next time.

[Phil Parker]

Perhaps they're outsourcing the "mag" to Hornby Magazine, like the "Handbook".  Lots more recycled articles!  Then again, it may be the usual stuff and perhaps they'll be featuring the International Range too?  

 

Did they say when the next issue will be fluttering through our letterboxes?

 

No, it's been contracted to an independant so you shouldn't have lots of recycled articles, although I'd expect it to take an issue or two to get into it's stride.

[Hroth]

No, it's been contracted to an independant so you shouldn't have lots of recycled articles, although I'd expect it to take an issue or two to get into it's stride.

Thanks for setting our minds at rest!

[centraltrains]

I got a Hornby Collectors Club membership today...

Very disappointed with the offerings though. £20 voucher for club models only?!? Neither the wagon 0-4-0 take my fancy and no diesel/electric models! While I may like slightly like some of the models on offer, none of them are in stock (anyone know if these will come back into stock?)! Quite an outrage. The 10% discount on full price models is hardly worth it with the likes of hattons. Yet to see any magazines but product wise very disappointed.

Ok it was an Easter Present; but a useless £20 voucher is quite annoying to have lying around... If the £20 was for the whole site I wouldn't mind so much.

[andyram]

The £20 voucher used to be for the whole range until the Collectors Club was rebranded. I somehow think that, assuming Hornby survive, they may wake up and realise their mistake with the new look Collectors Club and will make changes. I understand that they have already outsourced the magazine which will result in a larger publication than the ones produced last year.

[Ian Hargrave]

It's a complete joke tbh. I still think they should at least include a sentinel or a railroad diesel in the range. With the current complete lack of exclusive models (especially d&e) members should be allowed to use their £20 voucher on anything on their website. If they don't improve/change then I definately wont be renewing my membership next time.

 And that is exactly what I have done....walked away. The whole thing for me was a meaningless exercise.Outsourcing........ghost writers ?

[Hroth]

One thing I noticed over the weekend was an online retailer selling a number of R3250 "Flying Scotsman" models for £140 (plus delivery), clearly identified as a limited edition of 500.  As the Club page has them marked "out of stock" one can only suppose that Hornby have decided that they weren't selling as quickly as they wanted and flogged the remainder of the stock off on the quiet to any one who'd take them, I suppose at a knock down price.

 

Perhaps they would have made a bit more money by dropping the club price - a bit of an Easter present for club members, or at least make them available for general purchase on the Hornby Shop.  Anything would have been better for Hornby than to sell at a discount to ebay vultures.

 

(I suppose there is an outside possibility that the aforesaid vultures ponied up a club membership and bought stock at the club price, but a £10 markup seems a bit slim, vulturewise...)

[Legend]

I gave it up years ago. The mag was too small and full of youngsters train sets. Ok if that was the market they were going for but I decided it wasn't for me. Interested in the newly enlarged magazine though. If it's about all things Hornby I might be interested. Will wait to see.

Edited March 28, 2016 by Legend

[Jenny Emily]

I must admit, I joined purely for the pair of cheap terriers. They haven't made any effort to woo any new members now those have sold out, so I cannot see any advantage to join/rejoin now. Unless more models like the terriers show up*, my membership will lapse and not be renewed.

 

*And for this I mean models rather than toys like the warp speed 0-4-0s.

[Ozexpatriate]

In retrospect, I don't know why I have persevered with the Hornby Collector's Club.  When I originally joined, the content in electronic media was not quite as effective as it is now and the idea of a locomotive every year was cute for youngsters. Personally I'm more excited to pay three times as much (as my ROW membership) for an accurate 0-4-0ST like the Peckett than yet another pug or Holden tank.

 

Recent developments have meant that there is almost zero value with the club - particularly now that the club exclusives are widely available.  That's a bit of a kick in the teeth to members, particularly since the magazine (such as it is) appears only unreliably.  None of the club models appealed to me so I don't know that the £20 rebate is worth anything. (actually, I'm not sure that I ever bought one).  10% off website purchases is only material if you want to purchase directly from Hornby, which is not my preference.

 

It would have been much more worth it to me if they had included the 2016 Handbook and the Catalogue with membership than any of the other offerings.