2007 list

"Rob" wrote

Hornby asked that this information be kept private until New Year's Day - they've already asked 'Rails' to remove similar content from their website.

As the cat is well and truly 'out of the bag' anyone want to comment on these prices from Hornby?

M7 - now listed at GBP95.00 New (retooled) class 56 diesel - GBP110.00 New 'Britannia' Pacifics now - GBP120.00 Ex-Lima class 66 diesel - GBP65.00

and why would NEW Maunsell coaches be listed at GBP25.00 when all of the other recently released totally new coaches are listed at GBP30.00 or more?

On the other hand with the live steam 'Mallard' set now being 'dumped' at GBP350.00 it makes more sense to buy this AND add the individual live steam 'Flying Scotsman' loco at GBP210.00 and so get two live steamers for GBP560.00, rather than pay GBP525.00 for the 'Flying Scotsman' set.

Some very strange pricing policies in my opinion.

John.

Ill certainly be more selective at those prices John, especially for me and others living/buying here in the US as the $ is so bad against the pound right now. Or ill wait until there older and the price drops some.....Happy new year by the way Rob

"Rob" wrote

And to you and your lovely wife Rob.

John.

Cant say that prices are too high cos dont have the sales figures, but this years prices for new locos is already too high for me, so I'm waiting a year or 2 for many then will get 2nd hand or end of line. In the meantime am happy with the very occasional new one and a kit or 2.

Simon

If Hornby are really serious about keeping the lid on the details, they shouldn't tell anyone, dealers included, what's in the next year's releases in advance, and should tell everyone at the same time. With the world and the internet the way it is they can't be so naive as to expect the info to simply not get out into the grapevine.

Ian J.

Distributors need the information beforehand in order to get their sites ready - it's the same as new computer games and DVD's etc. The ones that 'leak' information in ANY business will find that they loose some of the privileges - in some areas they loose the franchise altogether if they try and capitalise on proprietary information ;) Not much use advertising stuff if your supplier refuses to supply :)

I don't think that argument holds water in the case of Hornby. It's not like they have the new items ready for sale at the moment of announcing them. So there's plenty of time between that announcement of new items and them actually being available for sale, for dealers to prepare whatever they need to.

Ian J.

their sites

Wrong, most magazines will need the information at least a month before printing, that means that the information needs be released (into the trades domain) at least six weeks before it is meant for release to the public domain and competitors.

Actually I hope that those traders that thought they were being clever to have the house come down around them, there are such things a NDA's in business - I would hope that Hornby refuse to supply those traders who allowed this information out via their web sites etc. but don't expect that they can do so due to the fact that their competitors can now just announce their own versions of the same models.

I suspect that all this will mean is that we (the public) will have to get used to waiting until the manufacturers catalogues (printed or On-line) are released or the magazines print the information two months later...

I beleive the M7 and the 56 are listed as 'DCC Fitted' - hence the price increase. I hope that it isnt the basic decoder that Hornby have already released, but something more sophisticated.

Exactly the question which came to my mind - we will have to see the level of detail. If Hornby are going to produce authentic southern coaches, they might as well do super detailed ones, as per the Staniers. However, perhaps Hornby have some market research, and think they will sell many more Maunsells than Staniers, so the price could be lower? :)

I think we are definitely seeing the end of Hornby Live steam - probably an attempt to clear stocks still in the distribution channel. Tough on those retailers who are holding stocks of this, though.

There are NDAs, I don't know if Hornby have them or if this was a request.

Even if subject to an NDA, I imagine Hornby would only really enforce against smaller dealers, rather than ones that ship large amounts of their stuff. Noses to spite faces and that. More liekly would be that they would slow info down to that dealer.

P.

Hi all,

Am I being too cynical to suspect that whilst Hornby, or any other manufacturer, may want to keep a launch date for anouncements so that all traders get a fair bite of the cherry some 'leakage' of information may actually be good for publicity. There's hardly a modelling list or forum that hasn't been speculating or even criticising the list of releases for nigh on a fortnight now. Come new years day I bet a very large number of people will log on to Hornby's web site, more in fact than would have done so if there had been no speculation or rumour. The motor industry has had pre-launch leaks for years but still seems to survive, it's become a 'game' to release tidbits of information to whet the appetite of the punters. Even BBC News now tells us 'the PM is expected to say in his speech later today...' rather than waiting for him to actually say it and then report it. Way of the world methinks.

Tony Comber

things

enforce against

Yes, as I said, everyone will now suffer due to the actions of a few, manufactures will now wait before releasing the information meaning that traders web sites and magazines will be playing catch up with newsgroups, forums and blogs etc.

waiting

Are you trying to say that Hornby wanted the info to come out, if so why didn't *they* just release it?!

There are reasons why the BBC etc. speculate about or leak news, sometimes it is just to fill time now that they have 24hrs rather than a couple of hours (spread though the day) to fill, sometimes HMG and political parties actually want the information to come out but can't be seen actually doing it themselves - quite different from the Hornby situation...

GBP30.00 or more?

Staniers.

lower? :)

Seeing that the only other true Southern Railway coach designs are of post war Bullied design you could well be right.

Not quite sure what you mean by 'everyone will now suffer'...

Unfortunately, the world we live in today is not one that makes it easy on classic paper-based publications. Just as with record labels and film & TV companies, the newspapers and magazines are having to come to terms with the existence of the internet, and what that means for them.

Specifically, when there is news to be had on what models will be on the cards in the following year, the internet is likely to be the first place to find that news. Hornby are battling against the tide if they believe that they can tell a few organisations and people, and the information won't get leaked. NDAs or not, they aren't going to stop these leaks that occur at the end of every year just after they tell the select few (magazines, dealers, etc).

Ian J.

"Ian J." wrote

Hornby are battling against the tide if they believe that

That may be so, but if Hornby had used a tad of common sense they could have emailed their dealers with this information on 1st January and then it would have been available to all at the same time.

Having said that I fail to see WHY there is a need for an embargo at all. What impact on Hornby's sale could it possibly have whether the informatyion was 'leaked' on 28th December or made officially available on that date?

John.

What, refuse to supply their two biggest customers and thus dig an early grave for themselves? Those two dealers alone probably account for half of all UK sales.

(kim)

Do you really think so? Has it not sold as well as thought. It would be sad fome as we are currently building a live steam exhibition layout!! Rob

It's probably viral marketing, i.e. make it look like it has been leaked so that lots of people talk about it and get excited enough to go and buy when it comes out. Much cheaper than conventional marketing as the people spreading the word are the people like us on this newsgroup.

Chris