Global

Perhaps ‘coming soon’ or ‘to be announced’ rather than ‘secret’ would be better?

But I guess ‘secret’ probably fits more with their style of newsletter which, to be honest, I find a bit ott with all the he said she said stuff, but that’s just me and I’m sure others will love it! 
 

24 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

I wonder if this approach will actually uncover what people really think of Hornby and give them a place to start from to improve their image or whatever it is they are trying to do?

 

1.  Titgate, only their most recent effort at copying someone else's initiative in developing new products or ideas, has not done their reputation any hood in parts of the hobby and has even been criticised in at least one of the. magazines.

2.  They have upset retailers, and their customers (i.e. us) with their introduction of the Tier System which quite bluntly is only tackling the consequences of their real problem of overselling in the first place although it obviously will stop some of that.  But even some Tier 1 retailers have subsequently had their orders 'rationed'. which suggests that they still haven't tackled the overselling problem or the big annual announcement and subsequent mass ordering session which is probably a good part of that problem by having to do a lot of work at once.

3. They have recently acquired something of a reputation for packaging failures especially with inadequately packed direct sales of one item.

4.  Their share price is going through its annual descent and after a few days of stability again slightly crept down yesterday (not something of course which might worry the overwhelming majority of people who buy their products but still a possible area that might distract management attention from other matters).

5. Their recently announced price rises - although in some respects beyond their control - have, I understand, attracted considerable online opprobrium on the likes of Farcebook and folk are now quoting  comparisons between the price of their aged Class 31, and what it offers for the money, and the newly announced model from Accurascale.

6.  They appear to have supply problems - again seemingly not of their own making - which see models coming late to market and possibly upsetting cash flow forecasts.  That is probably an area for customer criticism when what they have ordered doesn't appear when expected which might harm the brand although the same to some extent applies to other companies (but some of them have taken positive steps to deal with it) and again potentially raises management problems which need constant attention.

7.  Although I understand that they have sold off some they do have a considerable, and expensive to warehouse, inventory of unsold models - another area which is probably getting some managerial attention but is still there as their inventory has often shown a year-on-year increase.

8.  They are in an increasingly competitive market (something they once dismissed as a passing fad) for the money of one of the model railway market areas they serve.  While they clearly are trying to fight back regrettably some of that fight has simply resulted in them copying what others have announced - straight back to my first point.  It strikes me as ill-advised in a highly competitive market area to do something which is not going to be good for your reputation and brand image even if it might well result in a short term financial gain.  And, particularly with Titgate. has distracted attention from some other excellent offerings for, officially,  2022.

9.  And finally they are getting ever nearer to the end of their financial year - not that what goes on there and in their consequent Annual Report will have any impact at all on the views and brand awareness of the overwhelming majority of their customers.  But it is a massively important managerial area with potential consequences that could take a lot of time and effort which might have to be diverted from some of the points I have mentioned above.

I agree, but I think you may have missed out one major bug of mine and that’s the quality control or rather the lack of it! 
 

Poor in terms of running quality, build quality, the ability to self destruct (apt) and constant livery colour and decoration issues! 

It’ll have to be some major turnaround in quality of product and attitude for me to ever buy their products again.

1 hour ago, GONK43 said:

Me too chrisr40. I will wait to see when 31 270 is brought out             

pleaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaase!

Just out of interest, why 31270 over any other BR Blue 31/1? 

51 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

I have three blue Hornby ones so that’s covered but the EWS or mainline one for more recent would be good.

 

The obvious next target is the 50 ! I can’t build an 80s western region layout as the Hornby one has two small wheels stupid louvres, rubbish steps and most importantly a complete shortage of supply coupled with insane prices.

 

 

And the naff opening cab doors! 

1 hour ago, w124bob said:

This is the joint NRM/Accurascale special edition pair

 

All my Hornby ones were already going on eBay before todays announcement but I didn’t get my arse in gear last month so imagine it might be flooded with them now, so maybe I could have some fun running them off a ledge instead?!

Then post the remains to Margate… ;-)
 

Thanks Accurascale, this is the one (ok one of!) I’ve been waiting for!

Looking forward to lots of versions suitable for mid to late 80s - especially 31/4s for the South Trans-Pennines! 

31110 is perfect time wise, but I think I’m right that 31409 with white stripe is a little early for this period (unless you can do it with a droopy cab at one end?!) and 31432 is a little late, seemingly not getting its headlight until 1991, so I think that’s more Regional Railways era than Provincial? (if Flickr can be trusted!!)

That said I’ll be getting them anyway as they do look fabulous and you guys deserve the support for bringing out these top notch models at really competitive pricing. :-)
 

9 minutes ago, sulzer71 said:

I see the reinforced drivers window on 31432 is being modelled , will this be picked out in silver as per the prototype @Accurascale Fran?

It did appear to have yellow paint on it at some point (even if rather briefly before it chipped off!).

4 hours ago, AndrewB7585 said:

On the GWR Manor thread Accurascale have said they have visited Didcot on some “interesting business” that they will tell us more about at a later date. So what is there at Didcot that they might be interested in? A Saint or a County perhaps? 

I’m hoping it’s the 08!! ;-) 

On 05/02/2022 at 12:19, TomScrut said:

I noticed in Bachmann times that 47712 is era 8. Surely this isn't right as it looks like it is as it is currently with the modern overhead line warnings on it?

I thought it was in current condition, as you say, with modern ohl warnings so I think it should be listed as current era (whatever number that is?!). 

11 hours ago, TomScrut said:

 

I presume that wasn't DCC fitted? That's probably £25 of the £150.

 

I think with the DBSO they aren't expecting to sell millions of them and so are having to cover the tooling with a smaller run/more expensive RRP (a bit like what Revolution have done with Caroline).

 

 

And so I fear that leads to smaller runs, reacting to smaller demand, which drives the price up further and exacerbates the issue.

 

The way the prices are at the moment I am only getting what I regard as "must haves", not "nice to haves".

Did they release the DBSOs without DCC? I’m not saying they didn’t but just don’t recall seeing them available without!

9 minutes ago, adb968008 said:

 

If Hornby were to reckon they can reach 300+ more retailers than Rapidos recent claim of 100

At the end of the day its business, and businesses make money… its not personal nor is it emotional.

 

So don't cut off your nose to spite your face… nothing is stopping Hornby making a duplicate tooling of Lion and going head to head against Rapido in which case i’d weight the risk against Rapido, as aside of our little microcosm of the internet.. Hornbys name and reach are greater than Rapido in the UK, so odds are in Hornbys favour to sell more, regardless how good Rapidos is.

 

 

 

 

Although Hornby seem to struggle with making money despite the extensive reach they apparently have over their competitors!

So Rapido’s 100 retailers might actually work better for them, quality over quantity is certainly valid here!

56 minutes ago, stonojnr said:

 

still looked a lot better than this one, maybe a future weathering livery option

 

Not much point in doing the pretty glazing option on that one! 

Both for me please! 

Having just received my 7 car I can’t say that this thread makes great reading and I think it will be going back without even leaving the box!

I don’t currently have a layout to test it on and so not really keen on having a shock in a few years time when I can do nothing about it!

I don’t think 33s had red tail lights? The blinds were set to red instead.

I’m not completely sure, but don’t think some even had white marker lights either - just the blinds! 

There was a Christmas film I remember when I was a kid (Santa Claus The Movie I think?!) with an elf played by Dudley Moore (again I think?!) where he automated the toy production but after delivery by Santa most fell apart as they were poorly built! 

I remember there was a scene where all the broken toys were returned and came down the chimney in a heap! 
 

I wonder if Simon K has a chimney? I’m certainly imagining an endless supply of knackered, poorly built APTs falling down into his fireplace!!

They’re for keeps - yeah right!  
 

So far…

3 37

1 55 (might have to stretch the era for occasional railtours!)

1 92 (can’t stretch the era that much - will be for display!)

19 Mark 2b

18 MGR

Hoping for lots more releases suitable for 86-89/90 to add to this in future!

As can be seen the power of AS has caused me to order two (I was tempted by a Manor but have resisted so far!) models that were totally unnecessary and out of era!! 

16 minutes ago, TomScrut said:

 

I hold the same view about Cavalex.

 

I agree regarding the HST, given that Hornby's is good but could be better (and I think that will still probably apply to the new one), and the HST has been pretty much everywhere in the UK for the last 40 years.

 

OTOH I doubt a 47 would be a good idea, Bachmanns new one is really good by pretty much all accounts, and Heljans is coming too to give it competition. I aren't sure it can sustain 3 high end models, especially when most people who want 47s already have them.

I think you’re right there - the new HST looks a real half hearted attempt at trying to prevent any competition and it certainly isn’t the Rolls Royce model SK was bleating on about!

I’m not saying Bachmann’s is bad by any stretch but, and I know we’ve been here before so might have to agree to disagree! ;-) but it’s just a bit lacking for me - no stay alive, cheap looking snowploughs and them being fixed to bogie rather than body, then there’s the price compared to an equivalent AS model and finally, this is an assumption at this stage I admit, the slow pace of releases if past experience is anything to go by! 
 

Obviously fans of Heljan will buy it, but I can’t see anyone who wants a correct shape one will go near it. It is such a shame as the launch liveries were actually really good and I would of had 10 from that first batch alone (including the Gaugemaster ones). It will probably take 10 years for Bachmann to release that many that I’d like! Lol.

12 hours ago, TomScrut said:

 

Do you mean "nothing like the standard that we hope/expect Accurascale will acheive"? Remember that we have only 1 loco to judge them (and IRM) against at the moment.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like what I see from what they do and if their wagons are anything to go by then they will be excellent, but ultimately the proof will be in the pudding.

 

 

I completely agree, and it is something people seem to forget when requesting things that decent models already exist for.

 

 

I think the 37 is probably the only duplication on locos that the existing model was already very good, BUT as far as I am aware, AS have yet to announce any 37 that Bachmann actually have the tooling for and so it isn't really a duplication either.

But that’s one more than Cavalex and this was mentioned as not being suitable for duplication! We know even less how this will turn out. I have 8 on order though, so I’m hoping it lives up to the hype and delivers! 
 

Unless I’ve missed it, I’ve only seen praise for the IRM loco so I’m pretty confident that AS will be equally as good.
 

I think that your comment regarding requests for models that already exist can equally apply to those that don’t though! Just because there isn’t something already doesn’t mean it’ll be automatically profitable. I think a proportion of the HST or 47 market with a decent market leading model would probably generate more sales than some of the other requests! 

19 hours ago, mdvle said:

 

But the question then becomes do enough others agree with you so Accurascale can stay in business?

 

Take the Class 24/25 - several new tooled items in the last say 5 years, would adding a 4th be profitable?

 

Class 56 - enough market for 2 new tools?  I doubt it.

 

Or the Class 47 - you might get away with a 3rd new tool on such a popular class, but would there be a better financial return avoiding that and doing something else?

 

Don't get me wrong, there are things I really hope Accurascale (or perhaps 1 or 2 others) tackle - Class 50, Class 155, HST (power cars and Mk3), Class 118, etc.

 

But given the costs of bringing a new tool product to market there will be a difference between should/deserve and financially wise.

 

 

But those aren't what was being referred to by Dunsignalling.

 

All 3 of those were older tooling (same as the Class 37) and thus really aren't a duplication in the sense that is meant when calling duplication is potentially dangerous to the manufacturer - they really are more "replacement".

 

But a new Class 56 to take an example from my list above would be duplication, and for a smaller interest class would be likely be bad from a finances perpective.

 

 

 

Pass - I can’t answer or say how many would agree with me, any more than anyone else can answer how many wouldn’t!

But it certainly feels that AS’s positive engaging attitude and communications are winning over many and they are striving to produce the most accurate models they can which is more than can be said for some of the other manufacturers
 

I was a bit pressed for time when I posted before so it was a bit of a sweeping statement but I do agree there have been several 24/25s recently but the SLW 24 is and, no doubt, 25 will be very very good and are the clear winners so I agree doesn’t warrant another.

Likewise I agree on the 56 if Cavalex pull it off it won’t require another.

The 47 is, for me, like the 25. Bachmann not quite there, Heljan has shape issues. I think we’re still short of THE 47 but I’ve said all that up thread before so won’t repeat!
 

As this is sort of a wish list thread I’m just stating I’d like anything I buy to be AS (with the odd exception such as 25/56) and I have no issue with duplication (but duplication to me means identical but I have no doubt that AS will produce something far superior to the likes of Heljan & Hornby!) but it is obviously down to them to decide on the financials!

As I won’t buy Hornby or Heljan, and I’m going off Bachmann I’m happy to go without or wait in any case, I’ve not got room to build the layout I’d like as yet so I’m purely accumulating stock in preparation so if it takes 7 or 8 years for a AS 47 then no problem! The new Bachmann one will be getting on a bit, although they probably still would have only released about 10 examples by then at their usual rate!! 

23 minutes ago, confused said:

OAP so not an option.

I’d say wait until the 37 is released then, sure to be better. The 47 is good but if you can only get one then the attention to detail, competitive pricing and specification of AS is market leading in my opinion. 

8 hours ago, KDG said:

Are there that many issues with the latest Heljan offerings that require a new model.  Not being funny, genuine question.

There certainly were issues but I think their 3rd or is it 4th attempt is slightly better than those first ones, but even then it’s nothing like the standard that Accurascale achieve. 
 

To be honest I think most classes, whether they’ve been done before or not, should and deserve to get the Accurascale treatment!

So with my Hornby boycott in full swing and any preorders of their models cancelled I decided I needed to buy something! Lol.

Now I’ve followed this thread with interest as I have several 37s on order and the standard looks amazing so really looking forward to the 37s.

As my planned layout is to be around South Yorkshire in 1986-1989 I didn’t think a Deltic would fit that period but then I found a pic of 55002 in green on a special at Doncaster in 1986. So quickly ordered my first Deltic from Locomotion! 
 

Now I’m wondering if the date is wrong on that picture as can’t seem to find any detail of what it was working or other pics?!
 

Would 55002 have been working any specials on the main line in that period? (Or any other Deltics for that matter).

It’s more intrigue now as now I’ve ordered it! It will be running specials on the layout (rule 1 isn’t it?!) and looking pretty in a display cabinet the rest of the time! 

On 19/01/2022 at 00:31, adb968008 said:

Its interesting reading wishlist threads how quickly manufacturers become sterotyped.

 

Wishlists in Accurascales thread are predominantly modern image.

In Hornbys its often LNER and SR.

KR is quickly becoming the prototype wishlist thread.

Poor Dapol never seems to be wishlisted at all !

 

Reading this thread, it seems most requests are steam orientated, yet Rapidos track record includes some of the best rtr multiple units in the market place.

 

Good point, I’ll go for a decent 150/1 and 150/2 - could even do the three car 150/0 as well!

On 17/12/2021 at 01:04, YesTor said:

 

Absolutely.  And it doesn't appear as though the misshaped windscreens have been corrected either.  That's a huge thumbs down.

 

Al

I agree.

Maybe Heljan should take inspiration from Hornby and have an ‘inspired by’ range?!

Inspired by Class 45, Class 47 etc. ;-) Looks a bit like it should but not quite!