Bachmann 2006

The question is, what kind of service do you get in the superstore? Not as good as what is available in the local specialist. If your local model shop gave bad customer service, then that is the more likely reason for their closure.

detailing,

children

correct

ignored). A

smaller

The licensing / marketing of the 'Thomas the Tank Engine' brand name makes it more of a premium range than the highly detailed scale models I suspect - if Hornby could not use old or cheaply tooled models it might not even be worth them marketing the range - such is the control that BE and her company have over the 'Thomas' brand.

but how much cheaper does your "basic detail" model

sold at

Turner

sure

In the *toy* sector I don't think Hornby have been away from the position they held 10 years ago, let alone 5, toy and scale are different markets - born out by the fact that Bachmann is not (often) seen in toy shops - but I suspect that it is a market they want to enter, hence their intention to release a 0-6-0 diesel shunter called 'Rusty' when with a little more work (and possible greater return) they could have a scale model of a four or six coupled Barclay, Hunslet or North British diesel shunter.

years

Assuming that there is are discounts, or indeed models, going - limited production runs and waiting for bulk shipment to clear customs etc. are restricting over stocking and thus stock clearance.

models

I think you have hit the nail firmly on the head there John when you say "...with minimal detail, no paint (pre-coloured plastic) and grossly simplified valve gear...". I'm not suggesting that Hornby want to go back to the Tri-ang era, just not market millimetre perfect models to the toy sector, many of the latest models from Hornby and Bachmann will not survive being run on track laid on the carpet, roughly handled or knocked off the track by the cat...

In message , Steve W writes

You're right.

leverage. noun. the mechanical power gained by the use of a lever; advantage gained for any purpose.

There is no listing of "leverage" as a verb, however.

And "deadend" or "webhostingplus2", no doubt.

"kim" wrote "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)

Really ? TMC in Nottingham is not internet prices but they are not full whack all the time either. I actually found it was cheaper to buy from a preserved railway than most of the local shops, and thinking about it, the railway only buys in ones maybe twos if there is demand! But it was still cheaper by a quid or two !

Shop around ! I saved £110 on a new Digital camera yesterday, and then the guy behind the counter throws me in a 256mb card for it ! Now that is service with a smile, and all because I told him a week ago I would come back after pay day as he was still £50 cheeper than Argos !

VFM and not at the bulk buy large discount store. !

TTFN

Andy

"John Ruddy" wrote The question is, what kind of service do you get in the superstore? Not as good as what is available in the local specialist. If your local model shop gave bad customer service, then that is the more likely reason for their closure.

John, Hence why for the five years I worked in the model trade, it was wise to A) look what train sets Argos were selling at Xmas (and then don't buy that one - you can guarantee that they would be selling at what we would be buying in at) and B) stock up on the extras like track (for Scalextric and Model railways) cars, locos and wagons - the little after sales products that you CANT get from Argos or Kays or the now gone, Littlewoods !

The day after boxing day was always nearly as good as the run up to xmas, just Mr Sony invented the blasted play station. !

Andy

I disagree. I had no trouble finding a definition of a transitive verb:

tr.v., -aged, -ag·ing, -ag·es. 1.. 1.. To provide (a company) with leverage. 2.. To supplement (money, for example) with leverage. 2.. To improve or enhance: "It makes more sense to be able to leverage what we [public radio stations] do in a more effective way to our listeners" (Delano Lewis). Please don't bother to tell me this is from an American dictionary; I already know that. The point is that the words are not made up and they do mean something. So I am right and you are wrong.

Nope, I don't feel the same way about them at all, strangely enough. They are entirely functional, pronounceable, and also very descriptive of their purpose. It's a bit like "DCC" or "4-6-2". I have no trouble whatsoever in interpreting them.

Cheers, Steve

In message , Steve W writes

I think you'll find that "leverage" as a verb is as much a word from a foreign language (American) as "yddraiggoch" is three words from another (Welsh). As such "leverage" is not a British English word and has no place in this newsgroup.

Being a little pedantic, Jane, or just tongue in cheek? American is a nationality, not a language. There are many variations in English usage and pronunciation within England itself and the remainder of the UK; by your definition the English spoken in the Republic of Ireland is a foreign language. Is the English spoken by many Continentals as a second language also foreign? The main language spoken in countries such as the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc. is universally recognised as English, as these countries were settled/invaded by English explorers and emigrants. The language has evolved differently in each country, but most residents would be offended by a suggestion that their language isn't English.

Also, as has been pointed out before, this newgroup is not (and cannot be) restricted to residents of the UK; it's for anyone who has an interest in UK outline model railways, as evidenced by contibutors from the USA, Canada, Australia and elsewhwere.

from a

Then neither does you "yddraiggoch" then, can we get back to railways rather than trying to be an alternative to uk.soc.english-usage.correct ?...

Crikey! never thought I would agree with Jerry, but for once I do....

Agreed, I'd expect this king of linguistic pedantry on uk.railway, but not here. :)

Model railways) cars, locos and wagons - the little after sales products that you CANT get from Argos or Kays or the now gone, Littlewoods !

I noticed that in the winter Argos catalogue there was a whole page ( not in the toys section) of Hornby stuff; the Grange loco, a coach pack, some Skaledale buildings etc. All at list price, incidentally: I don't think any of them have been carried forward to the new catalogue though, so presumably did'nt sell. Can't find any of them in the 'catalogue clearance' either :-(.

There's some stuff on page 1443 of the new catalogue: the NRM Flying Scotsman; the Manxman train pack; the Orient Express luxury train set and the Scotsman live steam set.

When I was shopping for a digital camera last year I noticed that Argos was by far the most expensive place for some models.

Andy

Yep; a few years back Argos would be my benchmark for cheapest prices, particualrly on the high street, but not any more. The Honby items, at list price, were hardly bargains. Their memory card prices tend to be rather uncompetitive for starters - these days I tend to use Amazon as my benchmark, even if they don't meet the 'high street' definition.

Neither shop gave very good service. The main differences were a) that the superstore was able to sell models for less than my local shop could buy them for and b) it was more conveniently located for the majority of customers. The owner of my local shop did once have a city centre store - quite close to where the superstore is now located - but was forced out by increasing rents. It is currently a Kentucky Fried Chicken.

(kim)

I think I know what a monopoly is! Your logical conclusion only works if the starting point is a situation that lends itself to a natural monopoly. No situation could arise when one seller monopolised the model railway market. Another seller can always enter the market and undercut the incumbent seller by one penny. Or start selling clapped-out etc etc.

The whole model railway market is too small, too fragmented, and too personal to offer any economies of scale to anybody. In fact, I can't think of any consumer monopolies in this country, except water.

Anyway, I thought you wanted to see discounts abolished and everyone forced to sell at RRP?

I quote:

"> So perhaps we should all be paying the full MRRP for our model

Correct, then retailers would have to compete on quality of service."

I'm not sure where you are trying to take this argument, unless you are just arguing for the sake of having an argument with yourself, and it's not as if I really care anyway! You had a local model shop, and now you don't. Out of curiosity, how much did you spend in there, over what sort of time period?

Cheers, Steve

No they can't.. The biggest retailer can order in the largest quantities, demand the biggest discounts and offer the lowest prices. This in turn attracts more customers to that retailer who can then order even bigger discounts, demand bigger discounts, offer even lower prices and attract even more customers. There are cases where a monopoly retailer has demanded such big discounts that their suppliers have gone out of businesss.

You can only have true comeptition if you have a level playing field. At present the field is tilted in favour of the biggest players.

Nothing. Until a few weeks ago it was in the exact opposite direction to which I had to travel. The hobby superstore (or even mail order) was far more convenient. Now that the local store is closed I pass it twice a week and am hardly ever near the superstore.

(kim)