[alastairq]

Hornby's new catalogue shows their old 9F loco in the Railroad range.

I understand from MRE mag's review, that this engine will have locomotive drive.

I have several questions, therefore:-

What PRICE will Hornby have to charge, bearing in mind, Bachmann's [obviously superior] 9F model?

[.e........given the discounters' priceing for the Bachmann model, how much lower will Hornby's 9F have to be priced, to make it a worthwhile consideration?]

plus......Doubtless there were dozens of articles, detailing kits, etc, produced to upgrade the old Hornby 9F?

Are these still available?

and...would it be actually worth while, buying and upgrading the Hornby Railroad model....rather than laying out for the Bachmann item?

 

[Gary]

The Hornby 9f will be be to a standard that permits sales to age group 3+. The last of the former tender drive Hornby 9f's was offered for around £65 through stockists. The Railroad Flying Scotsman age group 3+ is offered for around £45 to £50. A guess would be that the Railroad 9f will be on sale for around the £60-£65 mark and may utilise a Mk2 body rather than a Mk3 having a bit more by way of moulded detail to toughen it up against the wear and tear of the 3+ age group.

For that money it will be a BIG seller. Whether it will affect sales of the Bachmann offering is a matter of conjecture as those who want perfect scale models may not be interested in the Hornby version and will be prepared to pay the extra for the Bachmann model.

Happy modelling
Gary

 

[34C]

Sight unseen, it is hard to say, but I would make the following observation. What is extremely tricky on a 9F, (writing as one who built a kit for a friend years ago,) is the brake gear. There's little room to work in, to get a secure attachment, and ensure that nothing fouls the wheels and rods. Never fancied that pig of a job again, and loco motorised the later Hornby product for my 'spaceships', and put up with the lack of detail until the Bach came along. So for me it would revolve around whether Hornby put brakes on it. (The tender dragbox is too long on the existing model, but this is both: easily corrected; and in any case now Hornby have done the job right for the Brit, surely they will not perpetuate the incorrect version?)

 

[Camborner]

Evening Star will cost £60.

http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/index...56&brandID=

 

[80class]

With an RRP of £60, the likes of rails will probably have it at £45 before too long making it pretty much half the price of the Baccy model. I think Garys right on this one, it will sell very well.

Just noticed that the RRP for the DCC Sound Duchess is a whopping £195....I was expecting £150

 

[alastairq]

so...Hornby Railroad 9F...PLUS DETAILING KITS....how much?

[CROWNLINE, LOSTWAX BRASS, BITS OF WIRE....WHAT ABOUT A BACNMANN...SORRY spare parts list...ie brake castings?]

 

[ozwarrior]

Yes I think the Hornby 9F will sell by the truckload!

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (80class @ 2 Jan 2008, 15:58) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Just noticed that the RRP for the DCC Sound Duchess is a whopping £195....I was expecting £150

A Hornby locomotive with a RRP of just under 200 quid........................

That should raise a few eyebrows.

 

[7113]

QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 2 Jan 2008, 16:56) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>A Hornby locomotive with a RRP of just under 200 quid........................

That should raise a few eyebrows.

It did....................Mine!

Regards

 

[rb277170]

I couldn't understand why Hornby would introduce a loco powered 9F in the Railroad range. After all if it was worthy of tooling up a new chassis (and for a 9F this must be a significant cost)why was it not worthy of going in the full range. Pat Hammond in MREmag hints at a possible reason. Hornby may have been developing a new loco drive 9F but were pipped to the post by Bachmann. The Bachmann model does seem to be one of their shortest time from announcement to market locos so this could be a reasonable scenario.

Faced with a newly developed chassis what would Hornby do- progress to have a fully detailed 9F at probably a higher price than Bachmann or introduce the newly developed chassis on an old body in the railroad range. Must admit to puting 2 and 2 together on this and coming up with 5 , but it kind of makes sense now.

Might also explain why Hornby are apparently targeting older Bachmann models now. I still can't see a 4MT being a big seller

Russell

PS my eyebrows are still high from the £80 M7 . Why are you suprised that Hornby will charge the max they perceive they can get away with?

 

[darobi]

£199 does seem rather excessive. £100 for the Loco from last year and a sound decoder is now down to £85. Bachmann do theirs for £150 so saving some money. I can't see many selling at full price.

Has the Duchess been tweaked as well as although they were detailed a couple of years ago they aren't the same standard as the A1/A3 and A4 and current Steam releases.

I would say a RRP of £160 would be more in line with the market, time will tell how much the box shifters can get it down to.

Maybe early pre-orders may signal the customers reaction before the model is released.

Not spending that much for a Sound Loco when baccy can do it for £50 less.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (80class @ 3 Jan 2008, 02:58) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Just noticed that the RRP for the DCC Sound Duchess is a whopping £195....I was expecting £150
That is the price bracket that Continental steam sound locos sell at so those already familiar with digital sound steam will not be surprised. After discount this will come down a bit to 150 quid but given that Hornby said that they would only like to do sound if it only was an extra 20quid, I am surprisedas it is about 90 quid dearer.

I am hopeful that at this price they are getting ESU sound decoders rather than the ones they have in the wooden Thomas locos whioch is what you would have got for 20quid!

Diesels locos are cheaper in general than steam as they are far easier to make, so it follows that the diesel sound locos will be cheaper than the steam sound ones. You can't compare directly the cost of a digital sound diesel and a digital sound steam loco. The steam sound ones will still sell as those who have been hanging out for them will pay. I know I will. It does still surprise me as the cost seems to be the total of adding the RRP of a new Duchess to the RRP of a prerecorded sound decoder from SWD. I really would have thought that Hornby could have done it a bit cheaper than that through bulk buying direct from ESU unless....the SWD option is exactly what they have done.

 

[dwb]

QUOTE but given that Hornby said that they would only like to do sound if it only was an extra 20quid, I am surprisedas it is about 90 quid dearer.

That thought crossed my mind too.

David

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (dwb @ 3 Jan 2008, 09:46) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>That thought crossed my mind too.

David
I really hope that they have done a Uie (Australian for U turn) on this and got a bit of reality on board.

 

[80class]

Was browsing Ontracks online shop and noticed they have the DCC Sound Duchess listed for order at £126, not too bad really. Almost live syeam like discount!

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (80class @ 3 Jan 2008, 10:33) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Was browsing Ontracks online shop and noticed they have the DCC Sound Duchess listed for order at £126, not too bad really. Almost live syeam like discount!
Thats good at that price but we still have to see what decoder they have in there?

 

[80class]

I did read somewhere in the last few days that it will be a loksound 3.5. Apparently Hornby have experience with them from their Spanish take over (Electrogen, was it?).

Sadly I haven't been able to trace were I read it!

Its also worth considering who will be making the sound files for the chip as they will make the difference between a great product and a poor one.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (80class @ 3 Jan 2008, 11:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I did read somewhere in the last few days that it will be a loksound 3.5. Apparently Hornby have experience with them from their Spanish take over (Electrogen, was it?).

Sadly I haven't been able to trace were I read it!

Its also worth considering who will be making the sound files for the chip as they will make the difference between a great product and a poor one.
There does seem to have been a bit of a learning curve since their European excursion. If it's a Loksound 3 then thats great news.

They have given themselves a year so hopefully they will be out there with the tape recorder making sure they get a good take!

 

[Gary]

Just ordered my 9F from Ontracks. At £48 it has to be the bargain of the year!

And just for good measure two Hornby sound locos also!!!

I guess there will be a few of us doing the same so we can compare notes when the models are available.

Sound steam for £126. This is something I have dreamed about for a long long time! Can't wait.

It will be interesting to see how it compares to my Live Steam!

Happy modelling
Gary

PS interesting but considering my own strong views often expressed here on what the UK market will stand in terms of price points when I analyse what I purchase the products tend to be top end!!!

 

[alastairq]

With the 9F's arrival, do I detect some canny forward planning on the part of Hornby?

I refer to the general financial forecast of reduced access to credit, and a general, forecasted tightening of consumer belts?

Maybe Hornby foresee the likes of the 9F and the Railroad range as being the better sellers in terms of volume?

Perhaps also, Hornby detect a hint of nostalgia amongst modellers who secretly yearn for the days when one took one's new purchase home, and promptly set about spending hours detailing and 'improving' to create one's own....'personalised' loco?

If the running gear is spot on.......?

Surely an artform that has all but died off with the advent of the super-detailed stuff...with their ''super prices'' as well?

As an aside..I have read [in more than one publication] about this country of ours being in a precarious econmic position due to the decimation of our manufacturing industry....and subsequent reliance upon the likes of China....whose economy may well boom to the extent it eclipses the US dollar, making their products potentially ever more expensive to us humble mortals?...

[something that apparently now seriously worries the government...since the last Chancellor commited our economy wholeheartedly to a Financial Services basis, in prefernce to a manufacturing basis?]

Maybe.....there really IS case for encouraging more ''made in Gt Britain?''