The Engine Shed

[Ian Hargrave]

The most valuable way to exploit the talents of designers and development engineers should be self explanatory from the job titles.

 Thus are we to assume they are to be confined to the drawing board from whence they came ....and a virtual vow of silence imposed ? So then,welcome to the 21st century.

[rovex]

The most valuable way to exploit the talents of designers and development engineers should be self explanatory from the job titles.

 

I had always understood that it was part of every employee's responsibility to promote the business of their employer

[Andy Hayter]

The most valuable way to exploit the talents of designers and development engineers should be self explanatory from the job titles.

 

And thus we deny designers and engineers the opportunities to develop and utilise their other skills (to the benefit of the company).  The only final consequence I see from this is a demotivation of the individuals concerned and possible movement to firms who do have a post 19th century view of their employees.  Thus Hornby must be at risk of losing those assets it should be guarding most closely.

[ikks]

Sorry to 'laugh' John but whoever has been putting together The Engine Shed for us over the past year or two has been doing a darned sight better job at communicating with us than anybody has ever managed before in the 'modern' Hornby's entire existence.  Rather like the old saying about talking to the organ grinder not the monkey.  Folk who are directly involved and know what they're are at probably the best communicators of the lot provided they have the necessary skills for the communication medium they use and there seems to be little doubt that whoever put The Engine Shed together and put content into it were very good at it.

 

What's more it's also clear they understood the contemporary market's thirst for information, instant news, novelty and so on.  Very different from a load of old fashioned 'hail fellow well met' type of public customer relations.  Just look over at the Bachmann thread where Andy Y has a chat with the researchers/designers at work on various project - RM web doing a 'Top Shed' version of The Engine Shed and all that was missing was the the teasers that are so good are building up interest (and froth) which The Engine Shed has been so good at.

 

Sorry but if Hornby aren't prepared to talk to us and they pull a style of communication from what is probably a financially successful area of their business then one can but wonder about their motives and what they have in mind for such things as hi-fi models.  No doubt there will be an ocean of froth, and moans, breaking forth come Monday when Hornby do their 'good old' reveal of their intentions for 2018 but for all that an enormous amount of continuing generation of interest and chatter has been lost in the meanwhile along with throwing away the chance of exploiting attendance and generating interest at one of the largest shows in the model railway calendar.  

 

Just how long does it take someone 'experienced in the business' to make that sort of decision?  I think the answer is in fact 'not very long' - hence what we didn't see at Warley and aren't seeing now - and that can but leave a negative impression.

This post absolutely reflects what the"consumer" requires from Hornby , the Engine Shed has shown the way for current and knowledgeable information that the enthusiast requires, it seems almost perverse that we return to the wait until we are ready to tell you situation, tell us what's coming when you are in the development stage, I for one want to know ASAP what's coming and what I have to budget for.I really don't care if it's some time off!!

Mike

[MikeParkin65]

 

 

Isn't that the sort of thing a certain returnee to Hornby's team used to be rather good at?

 

 

 

John

In all honesty my answer to that would be 'no' and certainly not comparable to most of what we have had from the Engine Shed

[Steamport Southport]

I had always understood that it was part of every employee's responsibility to promote the business of their employer

 

No thanks. Most of the companies I've worked for paid me for doing my job and that's all. In fact seeing some of the business practices employed by one or two over the years then I certainly wouldn't promote them. But I wouldn't criticise the company in public if I worked for them.

 

 

I have no problem promoting my present employers though seeing as it's a charity and one that I believe in.

 

 

 

Jason

[Dunsignalling]

I had always understood that it was part of every employee's responsibility to promote the business of their employer

Indeed, but doing so can detract from the areas of activity for which they are primarily employed.

 

Most companies are, at best, ambivalent to employees going "off-piste" with promotional activities that aren't closely managed.

 

Presumably, what appears in The Engine Shed as been so managed but the form it will take in future is clearly under review along with pretty much everything else.

 

John    

[Andy Hayter]

John

 

either you are a closet member of Hornby's board, or you are making some (probably rash) assumptions.  You portray the Engine Shed producers as a group of renegade employees with little or no management.

 

 

Where is the evidence for this?  It has always struck me that the ES was a carefully stage managed production designed (like a detective story) to leave clues and the occasional red herring to titivate the audience.   It would seem to have been very successful in that judging by the reactions here.

 

Given that Hornby's output over the last 2 years is probably as high as it has ever been, I would dispute that the designers and engineers would have been able to bring much more to market - especially given the profitability and cash flow issues.  I would suggest therefore that these folk were being well employed by the company and probably (in the absence of evidence to the contrary) well managed.

 

​That the changed management have taken a different view regarding the "usefulness" of the ES in the format that it was in, does not mean that the previous chiefs were not delighted with the output.  Maybe after the weekend we will have a clearer idea of their new views of the future of H and their way of connecting (if at all) with the end consumer.

Edited January 4, 2018 by Andy Hayter

[Legend]

But don’t you think interaction with their customers is an essential part of their roles. There is knowledge out there they can pick up on and at the same time they can excite and enthrall us with their views on what’s coming and is possible. In my view people who do their jobs in isolation, the silo approach, aren’t nearly as effective as those having a wider appreciation of their roles.

 

Or do we want to go down the route of the the closed shop . Marketing guys talking to senior figures in the industry telling us what they think we want . That’s what we are making and your damn lucky to get it, yay another NSE Class 50!

 

I note that the next edition of Model Rail is due out on 12th January, 4 days later than the 2018 Hornby announcement but will contain full details of the new Hornby range . So three days to compile, print and distribute the magazine . I think we already have reversion to the old way of doing things here.

Edited January 4, 2018 by Legend

[The Stationmaster]

But don’t you think interaction with their customers is an essential part of their roles. There is knowledge out there they can pick up on and at the same time they can excite and enthrall us with their views on what’s coming and is possible. In my view people who do their jobs in isolation, the silo approach, aren’t nearly as effective as those having a wider appreciation of their roles.

 

Or do we want to go down the route of the the closed shop . Marketing guys talking to senior figures in the industry telling us what they think we want . That’s what we are making and your damn lucky to get it, yay another NSE Class 50!

 

I note that the next edition of Model Rail is due out on 12th January, 4 days later than the 2018 Hornby announcement but will contain full details of the new Hornby range . So three days to compile, print and distribute the magazine . I think we already have reversion to the old way of doing things here.

 

And let's not forget too that The Engine Shed also opened a conduit for two-way communication with the very people involved in contributing to it at Hornby's end and not via some sort of PR 'filter' - that was very new.

[Clearwater]

But don’t you think interaction with their customers is an essential part of their roles. There is knowledge out there they can pick up on and at the same time they can excite and enthrall us with their views on what’s coming and is possible. In my view people who do their jobs in isolation, the silo approach, aren’t nearly as effective as those having a wider appreciation of their roles.

Or do we want to go down the route of the the closed shop . Marketing guys talking to senior figures in the industry telling us what they think we want . That’s what we are making and your damn lucky to get it, yay another NSE Class 50!

I note that the next edition of Model Rail is due out on 12th January, 4 days later than the 2018 Hornby announcement but will contain full details of the new Hornby range . So three days to compile, print and distribute the magazine . I think we already have reversion to the old way of doing things here.

I strongly suspect that MR already has the 8th January details under embargo...

 

David

[ThaneofFife]

I think Hornby have turned around this last 1-2years with the engagement with its audience just on my experience of the new class 87 loco from initial announcement to where we are today.....lots of updates narrative pics and videos oh and we had that little spat over the "battery box" but they listened.

[Dunsignalling]

John

 

either you are a closet member of Hornby's board, or you are making some (probably rash) assumptions.  You portray the Engine Shed producers as a group of renegade employees with little or no management.

 

 

Where is the evidence for this?  It has always struck me that the ES was a carefully stage managed production designed (like a detective story) to leave clues and the occasional red herring to titivate the audience.   It would seem to have been very successful in that judging by the reactions here.

 

Given that Hornby's output over the last 2 years is probably as high as it has ever been, I would dispute that the designers and engineers would have been able to bring much more to market - especially given the profitability and cash flow issues.  I would suggest therefore that these folk were being well employed by the company and probably (in the absence of evidence to the contrary) well managed.

 

​That the changed management have taken a different view regarding the "usefulness" of the ES in the format that it was in, does not mean that the previous chiefs were not delighted with the output.  Maybe after the weekend we will have a clearer idea of their new views of the future of H and their way of connecting (if at all) with the end consumer.

My post specifically excluded that possibility (or, at least, I thought it did), of course the output has been managed, but its undoubted benefit has to be set against an unknown quantity of time lost to the core activities of the staff involved.

 

It may well be that the diversion of resources is too small to worry about, but the new top level team are evidently reconsidering their consumer communication strategy which may or may not lead to a resumption of business as usual at The Engine Shed.

 

I happen to think that The Engine Shed was quite interesting a lot of the time and its continuation in more-or-less the established form would be a good thing, but others are clearly greater fans than I.  

 

John

Edited January 4, 2018 by Dunsignalling

[Legend]

I strongly suspect that MR already has the 8th January details under embargo...

David

Of course. I wonder when the next Hornby Mag and Railway Modeller is out. It’s probably also next week sometime . Will be interesting to see if it’s an equal playing field, especially if the special relationship with Hornby Mag has survived. BRM I think is already out , at least in digital form.

 

Also hope we will get an Engine Shed explaining rationale behind range and giving us some detail from the developement team later

[Clearwater]

My bet would be that there is a "standard" embargo press pack inc certain photos but Hornby Magazine have something with a bit extra. Perhaps some different photos, some form of exclusive on part of range or collector's club announcement.

 

Prior issue was published on Dec 7th. Next one is Jan 10th. Has an offer to get the new H catalogue with it...

 

David

[Legend]

My bet would be that there is a "standard" embargo press pack inc certain photos but Hornby Magazine have something with a bit extra. Perhaps some different photos, some form of exclusive on part of range or collector's club announcement.

Prior issue was published on Dec 7th. Next one is Jan 10th. Has an offer to get the new H catalogue with it...

David

Cheers David. Does it say how you get the new Hornby Catalogue. Is it packaged with Hornby Mag or being released through WH Smith’s? Intrigued as to how you found this out as I’ve been on lookout and didn’t see anything

[Ozexpatriate]

We've indulged ourselves with an awful lot of speculation here (and perhaps a bit of unnecessary tit for tat).

 

It is certainly true that The Engine Shed blog has been remarkably content free for some time. This departure from the earlier norm was noticeable, but it did largely correspond with the emergence of the new, new, world order at Hornby.

 

While we know there is to be a big reveal next Monday (and it is reasonable to suspect that evident quiet on The Engine Shed front may be related to making sure no thunder is stolen from the big day) we could assume that part of the reason for the quiescence might be related to a review of 2018 plans, particularly if those plans were in a lot of flux.

 

The last thing you want people in a marketing capacity (whether they are employed as marketers or development people is largely moot) to do is setting expectations for something that changes almost as soon as it is communicated. Perhaps a period of quiet was required while Hornby's new management reviewed plans and figured out what would comprise the 2018 plan?  (There I am speculating.)

 

There is no doubt that many people enjoyed the drip feed of information and the teasers employed by The Engine Shed blog. Those puzzles were more fun than waiting for the blare of trumpets on a date to be announced. If I recall correctly a former competitor (and a now related company) announced it's first (and subsequently very contentious) offering with a form of teaser puzzle.

 

It will be interesting to see if The Engine Shed blog continues after Monday.

 

I very much doubt we shall see biweekly, chatty reminisces from a former consultant who (as I understand it, though I may be wrong) may now have a full-time day job. With those responsibilities there's not enough time in the day for such things, at least on a regular basis.

 

It will also be interesting to see if other things are done by the book*.

 

* Forgive me for a laboured pun - as in "buy the book" (aka the catalogue). Along with the big reveal, I'm wondering if we will see a return to the traditional catalogue as well?

[Legend]

The traditional catalogue returned last year which was welcome. It continued in the same format as the Years up to 2015. Side views . Portrait format. It could actually do with a revamp . Let’s see what we get.

[Neal Ball]

The traditional catalogue returned last year which was welcome. It continued in the same format as the Years up to 2015. Side views . Portrait format. It could actually do with a revamp . Let’s see what we get.

 

 

Whatever happened to the 2016 catalogue*? At Warley in late 2016 we were asked if they should publish a retrospective.

 

I think the resounding answer (from the modelling community) was YES.

 

But I guess of limited interest outside that.

 

*2016 there was only a small brochure with highlights and "how to" advice, rather than a glossy catalogue.

[Markeg]

Whatever happened to the 2016 catalogue*? At Warley in late 2016 we were asked if they should publish a retrospective.

 

I think the resounding answer (from the modelling community) was YES.

 

But I guess of limited interest outside that.

 

*2016 there was only a small brochure with highlights and "how to" advice, rather than a glossy catalogue.

 

I think the horse has bolted on this one.  It is now 2018.

We will just have to do with what was done and put it down as a incorrect move on Hornby's part.

I think they have acknowledged the mistake.

 

Mark

[Legend]

Yes the 2016 one was just a booklet hastily put together so it read like a mishmash with products being produced in the year listed seperately from those already in stock. They did say they would revisit this if enough demand, but suspect this was quietly dropped. After all it is the job of the catalogue to demonstrate the wares of the company for the coming year. Showing what was available retrospectively really Is a bit of a waste of time.

[Dunsignalling]

I don't get the obsession with having a printed catalogue, other than as a collectors' item in its own right. 

 

Release schedules wander about these days and popular models often sell out within three months and some items have been and gone almost before the ink is dry. 

 

The days when a printed catalogue constituted any sort of guide to what one could purchase throughout even half of the year printed on the cover are long gone.

 

In the case of the Hornby one, I also find the computer-manipulated side views of locos and stock utterly sterile 

 

Consequently, the last edition I bought was in 2012.

 

John

Edited January 5, 2018 by Dunsignalling

[No Decorum]

I don't get the obsession with having a printed catalogue, other than as a collectors' item in its own right. 

 

Release schedules wander about these days and popular models often sell out within three months and some items have been and gone almost before the ink is dry. 

 

The days when a printed catalogue constituted any sort of guide to what one could purchase throughout even half of the year printed on the cover are long gone.

 

In the case of the Hornby one, I also find the computer-manipulated side views of locos and stock utterly sterile 

 

Consequently, the last edition I bought was in 2012.

 

John

I’d broadly agree with that. The Web is a much better guide to what is forthcoming, although it is easy to overlook things. The Bachmann catalogue is done rather better than the Hornby one. Nevertheless, I still continue to buy the Hornby ones, partly from habit and partly because it’s a pleasant browse.

 

As regards the Web, the Bachmann website is a classic of how it should be done, in my opinion. Information and illustrations are kept up to date and are readily accessible. I await the new website, no doubt with a “fresh new look” *sigh*, with trepidation.

[Legend]

Agree . The 6 or 7 copies with side views up to 2015 are pretty sterile. That's why I was hoping for something a bit different . we may still get that as I believe the catalogue is designed summer/autumn time.

 

You are correct , really its mainly of use to a collector, but as I have every one since 1965, including the 2016 booklet , I want to continue

[brushman47544]

I hope the traditional catalogue continues, but I too do think some improvement - rather than revamping perhaps - is needed. Here I am referring primarily to the descriptions and images of the models rather than anything else. I'm not a great fan of the side on image because for diesels in particular you can't see the all important front end for headcode and lighting arrangements and on BR green models whether or not there will be a SYP, FYE or its plain green. This should also be expressly stated in the description so we know what to expect. For me at least those aspects are essential if I am to be asked to pre-order.

 

I also think the Train Sets need better descriptions, so we know what we are getting in terms of Railroad or "full fat" models especially where Hornby has tooling for both (e.g. A4 and Gresleys). Whilst I appreciate most of the Train Set market won't care (or perhaps realise the difference), if I was buying for a child I would like to know whether the contents will withstand inexperienced handling (i.e. Railroad models) or not (i.e. full fat). In that respect I do think Hornby should consider using the Railroad banding where appropriate on Trains Sets and also avoid mixing Railroad and full fat in the same set. Adding the Railroad branding would also help direct future purchases to similar models.