[Dennis David]

First of all that's great news about Hornby. While Hornby is seen as #1 in the UK with their train and slot car lines it would be unfair to compare it with Bachman. Bachman is an industrial firm that makes products we haven't even heard of, and I would expect a lot of OEM stuff.

I found these figures while surfing the net.

Hornby
#Emp 171
2005 Sales £45 (All Lines)

Marklin
#Emp 1400
2005 Sales £85

Bachman, I suspect has sales in the 100's of millions.

Note. I was wrong their sales are only around £36

 

[Dennis David]

Yes your right Gary, I thought it was quite small also but as the saying goes the Chinese have three sets of books, 1 for the government, 1 for the investors and 1 for the family.

The sad fact I learned is that Hornby only has 140-170 employees.

My gut feeling is that while the British hobbyist may have a smaller budget and maybe a narrower focus than their American counterpart they are very loyal to companies that they feel are addressing their market in both subject matter and price. Hornby seems to get it right. The only wish I have is that they made more vintage steam locomotives.

 

[Dennis David]

Narrower, not narrow. From my trips to England traditional toys such as cars, trains and toy soldiers still hold their allure.

Do people really care what happens at Marklin or do I feel a sense of gloating?

 

[Dennis David]

Point well taken. It's something of a no win situation because the continental modeler (German) has such high standards that they are almost forcing this situation upon their own manufacturers but toy soldiers manufacturers, King & Country and even Scalextric prove than high quality can be gotten in China.

 

[Dennis David]

I'm a big proponent of ROCO as well. I'm glad they're back from the grave so to speak. I just hope they don't turn their backs on N-Scale.

 

[Dennis David]

That's a lot of flogging.

 

[Dennis David]

QUOTE You are right though. It would be mad starting in three rail.

Or madly in love with all of the great locomotives that they produce. I don't have the space for HO but if I did I would switch to Marklin in a second and never look back. Heck my wife thinks I'm mad already for playing with small trains.

 

[Dennis David]

Easy, I don't run American or British prototype and have no desire to. I know it may be hard for some to understand but I like German trains much more than British and don't feel limited in anyway because they produce more than I'll ever be able to buy. Three rail is what it is. If I want to run Lionel do I go to bed wishing than I could run Hornby on my layout, I think not. Hornby, gulp has less than 1% exposure in the US. It's not even thought of. They make great products for people that like them but you're a small little country stuck on a dank, moldy island.

What I do like is visiting your preserved 1:1 railroads because you all seem to do a better job of it and the NRM is miles ahead of the DB Museum.

Some of you need to travel outside of your home country. Every train show here (United States) has 3-rail layouts runnning ... every one. If that's what your train needs that's what you buy. It's not a matter of which one is best. Nobody cares about that argument. In't a non-starter.

Peter I just don't understand what your fixation with 3-rail is. Did your dad force it on you when you were a little boy?

OK I got it off my chest, you'll hear no more from me on this tiresome subject.

 

[Dennis David]

and on that positive note I'll close this thread. If any have issues with that you can PM me.