Bachmann 2006

Exactly, so why shouldn't we be able to co-exist.

MBQ

wrote

That was my point - they aren't - or at least not significantly so!

John.

wrote

I'm not saying we can't, I just that in certain instances the Hornby option in certain instances is a poor choice.

John.

"John Turner" wrote

In too many instances in that case - soz I really should read what I've written before pressing the 'send' button ........ in certain instances! ;-)

John.

Because the UK market isn't big enough to support multiple sources of many prototypes and if there is room for only one version it should be the highest quality that can be produced.

(kim)

Perhaps price has something to do with that.

No, it should be the one that is most successful in the market, which can only be determined if there are multiple sources.

MBQ

I am coping very well thank you. My local model shop isn't. It has been put out of business by a combination of local post office closures and the arrival of a discount hobby superstore in the city centre. "Free market forces" I expect you would call it? No one to sell clapped-out Hornby re-issues to a captive market any more as the superstore has the latest Heljan and Bachmann examples in stock at internet-style prices.

(kim)

Gawd know were that leaves the Hornby 'Thomas' range then!...

A lot of the old Airfix RTR railway range were not really much better (originally) than the then Hornby range, what competition did was to make both Hornby and Airfix [1] produce even better models. OTOH, we all know what happened in those Stalinist countries were competition was not allowed, they drove around in cars like the Trabant or a 30 year old Fiat design....

Also, there is room in the *toy* ('pocket money') market for models with less detail.

In message , Steve W writes

Can you translate this sentence into English, please?

Steve

overprice its

If they don't make as much profit, using their recognisable brand name, as they possibly can they are failing those who have invested in the company with the expectation of receiving a dividend percentage on those profits... Happy now?! :~)

"Jane Sullivan" wrote

Big is beautiful - but also expensive! ;-)

John.

In message , ":::Jerry::::" writes

Sorry, Jerry, it's that awful word "leverage". I work for an American company, and people are using words like that all the time. To me it/they are management-speak - words that are made up and don't mean anything.

Apart from that, yes thanks.

Thanks John, for taking the time to elucidate. I see it all now... Hornby have a secret deal with Bachmann to make the latter's product look good, and collect a kick-back. Just roll out a few dodgy old models to the shelves... gotta be a better return on capital than investing in re-tooling!

Cheers, Steve

Yes, how awful. Though I think you will find it in the dictionary. I generally find that's a more productive source of information than relying on prejudices formed from unfamiliarity.

Mind you, I feel much the same way about words like "yddraiggoch".

Cheers, Steve

Thank you, Jerry.

Cheers, Steve

Well? What do *you* call it?

Cheers, Steve

Not really, it is unlikely to cost 10% less from the factory to exclude details. Also the retailers would have to stock another range of models. I'm sure the economics just aren't there.

The only way a "toy" market can really be sustained is by continuing to sell the original lower quality models i.e. Hornby's old 08 as a "Thomas" model.

Kevin Martin

models

exclude

Err, remember that we are talking about old less detailed models here in the first place, also as far as retailing is concerned there is two separate market places - the *railway model* shop and the *toy* [1] shop.

continuing to

No I don't agree. A 30 quid loco that, although with basic detailing, still looks like the full size prototype will be bought by those kids who have to save up pocket-money but if they had to save up twice that they might just not bother at all. Also, remember that children use far more imagination than adults do, so not having the correct number of rivet heads or being a scale 12 inches to long are not as important to a child as they are to teenage or adults.

I doubt that there has been much if any change in the RTR toy vs. RTR scale model railway market over the last 10 or so years, they are different sectors, were there has been change is in the RTR scale model vs. scale kits market - especially loco's, but also to a lesser extent in coaches and wagons.

":::Jerry::::" wrote

The Austrian firm 'Roco' seemed to think so, and look what happened to them!

I currently have one of their DB BR17 locos in the shop which has been produced with minimal detail, no paint (pre-coloured plastic) and grossly simplified valve gear - I suspect for train set use. It's simply horrible and I reckon it will sit on the shelves for a long time.

John.