CUCKOO LINE

Just had usual Hornby email advising new class 31s, available to purchase at thr Hornby website of your local stockist with the link to list of stockists which still includes Hattons and Rails. False advertising ? I think they need to change their statements re where available ?

I suspect a number of collectors would object to calling Scalextric and Corgi toys

Don,t forget Railmail who I believe fell foul of the manufacturers and I think there was one or two more also

What is interesting Dapol, Bachmann and Heljan seem happy to support special commissions and I would therefore assume they think it profitable whereas Hornby seem anti.

But a large proportion I would suggest will still buy, ignore the livery error as one of those things and buy because it is something they want and ready built

And I was resisting and then discovered photos of them on my line of interest, the Cuckoo Line, oh dear more expense !!!!!

and infexibility and possible long lead times in your supply chain

But you also need to look at the wider customer. I have known shops that have been untidy, crammed with stuff haphazardly that have been an experienced modellers/collectors [paradise, but if I was a starter out or a less experience enthusiast I would not know where to start in such a place. Cluttered = OK for the old hands, Ordered and well laid out is good for the Novice, but both benefit from good advice/support.

Yes but if you,ve managed to preorder elsewhere to Hornby you haven,t lost out, just had to go elsewhere

It maybe that if anyone raises things with Hornby there is more mileage pointing out the small trretailer issue rather than Hattons/Rails, maybe that is more where they,ve got their judgement off mark and more easily influenced to change it.

If you look at the history of modelnrailways there has been waves of traders in fashion and out of fashion often due to reasons beyond the knowledge of Joe public, I can think of a number if places that were major favourites that have either disappeared or gone down the pecking list. Unfortunately it has not always been to the benefit of the modeller with wrong judgements on all sides, that's business unfortunately.

And both Rails and Hattons are listed !!!

I got the impression yes some did go to Kernow but there was quite a few spread around other retailers also.

That's fairly typical amazon pricing, had same when looking for books and dvds etc

But its not obvious that Hattons are selling for less than others that seem unaffected. Rails were offering free postage with preorders which may have been seen as extra discount.

It definitely could do with some investigative journalism but unless someone can get one of the tabloids involved I guess that is unlikely, but all in all seems to be a rather negative outcome for a Hornby that seems to have an upturn from lockdown

and if Hornby sell all their production via other retailers/online sales etc do they care anyway.

Seem to remember around early 1990s there was a bit of a showdown with some of the retailers that discounted ending some no longer with us. Not sure preorder was quite so prevalent then and not the diversification of own manufacturing/special commissions either

I have usually used Hatons because they were reliable, good price and you could place in the trunk to send at leisure or when enough for free postage., but now have no preorders with them but some elsewhere.

After cancelling my Sr bogie luggage van Hattons now have a few in stock !!!

Hornby issued a trading statement on 13th April see Hornby forum posting

Which version do you go for for UK 00 ? Thanks

Another problem with remote supply chain is when things don't go to plan and you don't get all you expect. Sounds that maybe also happening and you protect your own allocation and cut every one else's. What is not particularly good is if Hornby don't explain the issue properly, probably good old COVID will be blamed as it is easy to do so!

Maybe Hornby have a different perception to the dealers on saleability of a model and then have difficulties aligning production and allocation ? This is a problem when the supply chain is a long way away and not that flexible as companies in other industries have found. Maybe we have gone from Hornby overpredicting demand and then having to sell at big discounts to Hornby under estimating demand.

I suspect the lights wouldn't last long and would be a health and safety hazard. Just keep the barrier back a bit, make sure the layout is at a level visible to the public, too high is a real pain and turn off, and just supply say one step stool for young children (large layouts just dot a few about the length) , a longer platform will be a pain particularly for the less abled who need to lean on the barrier for support to rest their backs while they stand and watch etc. If you're worried about the stool going AWOL attach it to the barrier !