Hornby's 2023 OO range announcements

[Bigmet]

And back to selling you a pacific or three, Hattons sent me a little billet-doux inviting orders for the 'Hornby-Dublo' styled metal bodied pacifics announced this year. Change to Hornby's marketing then, as until now these have been direct sales from Hornby only, TTBOMK. This might just lead to price reductions if they don't shift...

[Richard08]

And back to selling you a pacific or three, Hattons sent me a little billet-doux inviting orders for the 'Hornby-Dublo' styled metal bodied pacifics announced this year. Change to Hornby's marketing then, as until now these have been direct sales from Hornby only, TTBOMK. This might just lead to price reductions if they don't shift...

The cynic in me suggests their going back, I'm tempted to write crawling back, to the dealers implies Plan A isn't going well - i.e. 'disappointing' (pre) sales.

[Bigmet]

The cynic in me suggests their going back, I'm tempted to write crawling back, to the dealers ...

I don't feel that's remotely cynical! By coincidence was in my local model railway store this morning, and one of the staff told me they have had steady input from regular customers to the effect 'sell the full range via established retailers, or that's the last you see of my money'. I don't think Hornby quite grasp the social side of the hobby, which includes the bricks and mortar retail experience for many. (Now whether that 'many' is sufficiently free-spending to make a significant difference to Hornby's bottom line is another matter.)

More significant I feel, is that this shop just a few years ago had a solid wall of red Hornby boxes. It's half a wall now, but the shop is still rammed with stock, and where then 'the prominent others' were essentially Bachmann, Heljan, Peco, while those three were still much the same on view, there's Accurascale, Dapol, EFE, Oxford Rail, Rapido, occupying the formerly all-red wall...