darrel Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 50.99 for Thomas they are having a laugh. The sentinel shunter is about the same price with lots of detail. It should be about the price of the Bagnal diesel shunter.25.00 This is a very competitive market competing against other much cheaper toys and computer games. I can see Hornby pricing themselves out of the market. The price does not include any track wagons coaches etc. That price would be better if it included Annie and clarabell a circle of track and a controller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold DaveF Posted May 2, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 2, 2015 Has no one else noticed the word "Test" alongside the R Number? I presume that means that someone at Hornby in their web design team is designing a new Thomas web page and this was put up to see what it looked like on the actual web site - which is exactly what we used to do at work when designing new pages just to check they actually displayed as we thought they would. Doubtless in due course the "real" Hornby Thomas web page will appear then we can all enjoy making comments. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 50.99 for Thomas they are having a laugh. The sentinel shunter is about the same price with lots of detail. It should be about the price of the Bagnal diesel shunter.25.00 This is a very competitive market competing against other much cheaper toys and computer games. I can see Hornby pricing themselves out of the market. The price does not include any track wagons coaches etc. That price would be better if it included Annie and clarabell a circle of track and a controller. Remember though that the price will include a (probably hefty) licensing fee to HIT. So I would expect - for example - a Devious Diesel based on the Railroad 08 to cost more than the Railroad 08 does. Not saying that it's necessarily "value for money", just that a Thomas item will cost Hornby more to produce/sell than a similar non-Thomas one. As regards how much the models look like the TV characters - the old Hornby Thomas model looks a lot more like Thomas than some of the full-sized Thomases on preserved lines do! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Has no one else noticed the word "Test" alongside the R Number? I presume that means that someone at Hornby in their web design team is designing a new Thomas web page and this was put up to see what it looked like on the actual web site - which is exactly what we used to do at work when designing new pages just to check they actually displayed as we thought they would. Doubtless in due course the "real" Hornby Thomas web page will appear then we can all enjoy making comments. David I wouldn't have thought that the dev team would be allowed to put a "test" page on a production server. Its best practice to run a shadow copy of the customer website on a local server to test function and presentation before letting a page loose in the real world, using client machines with a variety of browsers and operating systems to check appearance and correct behaviour. In all the organisations I've worked for, a web developer who put an unapproved page on the customer facing servers would be up before the beak in no short order! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted May 2, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 2, 2015 The one that was up the other day had code R9287 I believe. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rexeljet Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Remember though that the price will include a (probably hefty) licensing fee to HIT. So I would expect - for example - a Devious Diesel based on the Railroad 08 to cost more than the Railroad 08 does. Not saying that it's necessarily "value for money", just that a Thomas item will cost Hornby more to produce/sell than a similar non-Thomas one. As regards how much the models look like the TV characters - the old Hornby Thomas model looks a lot more like Thomas than some of the full-sized Thomases on preserved lines do! The Thomas license will definitely put the price up, but bear in mind that Hornby are listing their Jinty model (sans DCC) for about half the price that the "new" Thomas model bore when it was briefly listed. I don't think that the Thomas license will add £28 to the price of a model! As for full-sized Thomases on preserved lines, whilst it's true that some of them don't much resemble Thomas at all, they also have the drawback of being real engines that would be very expensive and time-consuming to convert to an accurate-looking Thomas. Plus, doing such a thing would likely result in outcry from historians. Even then, many of the Thomases that run on preserved lines to a better job at evoking the character from the TV series than the Hornby model, with the exceptions probably being the outside-cylindered ones. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawyermodels Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Got an email from Hornby sales today called 'Trade News' where retailers get a weekly newsletter detailing products, events etc. Regarding Thomas it says the following: 'keep reading trade news over the next few weeks for details on the exciting and much awaited launch of our new Thomas for 2015. This will include sets, locos and rolling stock. watch this space for more news.' I hope this helps but it is all i know but if i hear anything else i shall post and let you know. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium brushman47544 Posted May 6, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 6, 2015 "new Thomas" could be interpreted in so many ways... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted May 7, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 7, 2015 Fingers crossed it is new tooling. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 "new Thomas" could be interpreted in so many ways... "New Thomas" as in fresh off the old tooling with a new lick of paint in that old light blue? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Got an email from Hornby sales today called 'Trade News' where retailers get a weekly newsletter detailing products, events etc. Regarding Thomas it says the following: 'keep reading trade news over the next few weeks for details on the exciting and much awaited launch of our new Thomas for 2015. This will include sets, locos and rolling stock. watch this space for more news.' I hope this helps but it is all i know but if i hear anything else i shall post and let you know. Will be looking forward to hearing something....Please do post once you get to know. Many thanks for the heads up Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium brushman47544 Posted May 7, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 7, 2015 Travelled to work with Thomas this morning... CP 3161 at Cais do Sodre station in Lisbon Come on Hornby, how about a British multiple unit in a similar livery when the new range launches... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Travelled to work with Thomas this morning... 3161 Thomas.jpg CP 3161 at Cais do Sodre station in Lisbon Come on Hornby, how about a British multiple unit in a similar livery when the new range launches... Good lord....... Don't think I'd want to see that approaching on my morning commute! Apart from all the roof-mounted gubbins (and the paint job), the front of that EMU reminded me of the LMS class 503 units for the Wirral Railway... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_503 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawyermodels Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 Will be looking forward to hearing something....Please do post once you get to know. Many thanks for the heads up I certainly will. As soon as i hear anything, get another email or my order form for the Thomas range, i will let you guys know straight away. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJS1977 Posted May 7, 2015 Share Posted May 7, 2015 The Thomas license will definitely put the price up, but bear in mind that Hornby are listing their Jinty model (sans DCC) for about half the price that the "new" Thomas model bore when it was briefly listed. I don't think that the Thomas license will add £28 to the price of a model! I don't know - from what I've heard of what cut of revenue HIT demand from preserved railways for Thomas days, that might not be too far off the mark... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted May 7, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 7, 2015 It's going to be a license fee then usually a product percentage not another set fee added to every one or you'd have Thomas wagons the price of a polybulk 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 50.99 for Thomas they are having a laugh. The sentinel shunter is about the same price with lots of detail. It should be about the price of the Bagnal diesel shunter.25.00 This is a very competitive market competing against other much cheaper toys and computer games. I can see Hornby pricing themselves out of the market. The price does not include any track wagons coaches etc. That price would be better if it included Annie and clarabell a circle of track and a controller. Hi Darrel, Without any intention to nitpick....... Yes I do understand that you feel the price is high but please take into account the following. 1) The 4wDM Sentinel is 2 years old now (maybe more??). It now has an MRP of 55.99 if I'm not mistaken. 2) The Sentinel whilst detailed isn't actually full of separate detail (apart from the handrails, sandpipes and side panels. I think it has one etched metal grill also) 3) The 4wDM Sentinel will be marginally smaller than an 0-6-0 like Thomas (longer and taller) 4) If you look at the prices of fully detailed 0-6-0s today they all are aroud the 99.99 or 100+ mark. Thomas for 60.99 is perfectly fine (if it's new tooling + a license fee %age) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Multiple identity account Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 I certainly will. As soon as i hear anything, get another email or my order form for the Thomas range, i will let you guys know straight away. Many thanks once again..... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 5944 Posted May 8, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 8, 2015 £117.99 for Gordon from the Hornby website, £84.99 for a Railroad Flying Scotsman. Admittedly the former is tender drive, while the latter is loco drive, but that's quite a mark up for similar models. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 (edited) Dozing along to the start of Radio 4's "Today" programme this morning when amongst all the political trailers my attention was grabbed by a burst of the "Thomas" music and a mention that its the 70th anniversary of the first stories. According to the R4 running order, the segment is due to be broadcast at 08:20, so I'll have a listen. Given the anniversary, I'd have thought Hornby would have tied in the "New Range" to maximise awareness, but like the "Churchill" train pack, it looks like they've missed the boat (or even the train?) again. Mind you, the first actual appearance of Thomas was in 1946, so perhaps thats their real target... postscript: An interesting chat - one thing I noticed was that the first Thomas model was a wooden toy made by the Rev W for Christopher using a broomhandle for the boiler. So it seems that the Brio pushalongs are the most accurate renditions of the Thomas canon..... Edited May 12, 2015 by Hroth 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hilux5972 Posted May 12, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 12, 2015 £117.99 for Gordon from the Hornby website, £84.99 for a Railroad Flying Scotsman. Admittedly the former is tender drive, while the latter is loco drive, but that's quite a mark up for similar models. Not to mention that the current railroad Scotsman is a completely revamped one. Not the same tooling as for any part of Gordon's model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted May 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 12, 2015 Well the Bachmann ones can be had for £65 with post from the Dieselworks If they can be produced as totally new models under license and imported twice and hit a realistic price point for kids toys similar to the Railroad range it kinda suggests there's some profit margin for Hornby I thought the post office stamp collectors editions were a particularly cynical edition for a product that should primarily be for children. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robin Brasher Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 70th anniversary of Thomas the Tank Engine today. Sympathetic coverage on BBC Radio Solent this morning. Picture shows Thomas the Tank Engine at Harmans Cross Station on 23 October 2001. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawyermodels Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 Just received my order form for Thomas Range. Not opened it yet, i'm about to so will report back with my findings. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul.Uni Posted May 12, 2015 Share Posted May 12, 2015 http://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/shop/thomas-friends.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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