Yesterday I purchased the new Hornby 2008 catalogue, 204 pages including the cover, which must be a record, sadly the enclosed price list also show price increases which must also be something of a record.
I had been happily browsing throough the catalogue making a note of all the wonderful new items I wished to purchase, then I looked at the price list..........
New release Class 56s rise from £94.99 to a jaw dropping £116.50 (And no, this is nor for the DCC Fitted versions, just the DCC ready ones). Reaching for my calculator this is a price increase approaching 23%!!!!
I think that is the largest single price rise on the list, but royal Scots and Patriots rise from £94.99 to £111, which is close to a 17% rise. I guess we are paying to fix the chimney!
Now don't get me wrong, I am a big Hornby fan, but given that the discounted 'street pric' of a Class 56 is now going to be around £93 (A rise of around £20), I frankly can't see a lot of people paying that. I know there has been ongoing debate about how much people are prepared to pay for their models, but this is a huge jump in one go. Hornby products, particularly their new diesels have come on in leaps and bounds, but I do not feel they yet warrant these 'continental' prices. If the build quality is about to improve then maybe, but two of my most recent purchases, the aforementioned Class 56, and Royal Scot both suffered from a pre-fitted sandpipe breaking off on their inaugral trial runs (on radius 3 track before anyone asks)........
It will be interesting to see Bachmann's 2008 price list, I understand that China is suffering from inflation and we have a falling pound, but 23%? I expect a serious improvement in the robustness/durability of the models to warrrant that sort of an increase. Remember, most Bachmann diesels have a street price of between £50 and £55 currently.
Any comments on what looks like being a very expensive year
Ashley
I had been happily browsing throough the catalogue making a note of all the wonderful new items I wished to purchase, then I looked at the price list..........
New release Class 56s rise from £94.99 to a jaw dropping £116.50 (And no, this is nor for the DCC Fitted versions, just the DCC ready ones). Reaching for my calculator this is a price increase approaching 23%!!!!

I think that is the largest single price rise on the list, but royal Scots and Patriots rise from £94.99 to £111, which is close to a 17% rise. I guess we are paying to fix the chimney!
Now don't get me wrong, I am a big Hornby fan, but given that the discounted 'street pric' of a Class 56 is now going to be around £93 (A rise of around £20), I frankly can't see a lot of people paying that. I know there has been ongoing debate about how much people are prepared to pay for their models, but this is a huge jump in one go. Hornby products, particularly their new diesels have come on in leaps and bounds, but I do not feel they yet warrant these 'continental' prices. If the build quality is about to improve then maybe, but two of my most recent purchases, the aforementioned Class 56, and Royal Scot both suffered from a pre-fitted sandpipe breaking off on their inaugral trial runs (on radius 3 track before anyone asks)........
It will be interesting to see Bachmann's 2008 price list, I understand that China is suffering from inflation and we have a falling pound, but 23%? I expect a serious improvement in the robustness/durability of the models to warrrant that sort of an increase. Remember, most Bachmann diesels have a street price of between £50 and £55 currently.
Any comments on what looks like being a very expensive year

Ashley