Another price increase?

[Brew Man]

Brew Man, I was scrolling through my wish list and they all have a Hattons price and a list price.

Maybe is the feature is only implemented in certain parts of the website?

I’m a bit sad and I happen to check my wish list daily, and this feature has definitely been implemented in the last few days.

Yes, I'm getting it on my wishlist. So it seems to be wishlists and bargains. Maybe it's a work in progress.

 

 

[Bulleidboy]

KERNOW do similar to Hattons, eg R 3542 £96.99 , RRP £194.99. !!

 

 

In all fairness, I think that price of Kernows is being quoted as it is "old stock" - that loco came out six years ago, and Kernows as with many retailers who have large stocks of a particular loco will want to clear the shelves, therefore the price reductions can be very attractive. I have had some very good purchases from them in the past. A while back I bought new, a 4-Car CEP in green for £64 - it currently retails for around £320 - albeit in blue and white livery - it was old stock at the time.

[ColinB]

A lot of companies are doing that, it is better than putting the price up to meet the new prices, which some model shops do. Jenny Kirk was doing a video that was highlighting Hereford Models as a place to get old stock at its original price, I buy alot of stuff from them. Perhaps some Retailers think that with the new prices they won't be selling so much, so they need to make a profit while they can.

[mjb1961]

Everything has gone up, gas, electric, fuel, food, not just Hornby. Last year when Hornby announced a rise in cost, I think it was due to shipping charges going through the roof, don't know about any other price increase, maybe raw materials. It's something we are going to have to live with, I don't think many retailers are going to be discounting like they used to, maybe if you predominantly buy Hornby then joining the club would be a good thing. I don't think the prices are going to come down, this is it, the high prices are here to stay.

[wairoalbany]

The prices are unfortunately bank breaking. However, it’s global as we know with all model train makers feeling the impact I think.

I buy outline model of UK, US, European and soon Australian prototypes and in every case prices are rocketing skyward.

It means I now have to save more and wait longer before I am able to afford a particular model. Annoying especially as manufacturers are often only doing limited runs these days.

I was going to buy the AS Class 37, but instead went with the Hornby RR model. I just have to realize I can’t always afford, nor do I have to have the latest and most detailed model available.

[DarkRedCape]

I just checked Hattons and the Elite controller now says expected May/June 2022. Yesterday it was January/February.

I’m getting the feeling this is going to be next years Christmas present. The Terrier train pack I have on order direct from Hornby went from winter 2021/2022 to spring.

R600, R601 and R8073 track pieces seem to pretty scarce everywhere.

What’s going on with Hornby?

[Will Hay]

I suspect the global chip shortage is having a major impact.

[Going Spare]

Hornby have R600 (and a blister pack HT8300 of 4 slightly cheaper) and R8073 also in a blister pack HT8304, but not R601.

[ColinB]

I think a lot of people are blaming the global chip shortage, just like they blame Brexit and whatever else is in fashion. Generally I doubt Hornby sell that many units for it to be too much of an issue. The only thing that could be causing an issue is that most of their designs are very old so the processors they use, will probably be as well, so perhaps the manufacturers aren't tending to make them as there is not a big enough market for them. Probably the bigger issue is access to the production facility, again for the Elite the market can't be that big, lets say compared to an automotive controller so they probably have issues trying to find someone to make them for the price they want to pay.

[Jupiter 1707822591]

A lot of retailers are experiencing low or no stock of DCC systems .

[Will Hay]

@ColinB

I think a lot of people are blaming the global chip shortage, just like they blame Brexit and whatever else is in fashion..............

 

 

You think the implications of brexit are a current 'fashion'?

You don't think there are significant implications associated with this?

Not that I care but I guess that depends on how you voted.

Similarly and whilst I don't have definitive answers as you allude to with your designs claim, I suspect demand for this hobby has never been higher, therefore if Hornby can't encourage third party suppliers to meet demand without factors currently in 'fashion' they clearly have big problems.

[DarkRedCape]

The only place I can find Elite controllers is second hand on auction sites. Every retailer that I’ve checked is out of stock. Personally I’d say that demand for this item is probably very high.

Edit: I just received a reply from Hattons regarding the Elite, and to their knowledge, Hornby are having manufacturing issues with it. They expect it in stock at the end of June.

I’m just a bit confused how they could be told an ETA was January/February, then it jump to May/June. That’s a big gap.

[ColinB]

To be quite honest the amount they make of Elites they would be better off actually making them in the UK. The pcb population will be pick and place by a machine (the processor legs are too close together to manually solder) and given the numbers they make at a guess less than 2000 it is usually difficult in electronics to find a firm willing to do that small a run in consumer electronics. I could be quite wrong but I know when I wanted to get some pcbs populated for a small batch to do with my old job, it was really difficult finding a firm that would do it.

[96RAF]

@colin

You are right about the Elite limited production run numbers, it would make sense to do those short runs in UK.

I liaised some time ago with a firm that markets ‘scopes and they put them together in UK from kits made in the states.

Same thought pattern could be applied by Hornby as a progressive move back to UK manufacture for some of their stuff.

[Will Hay]

When I started my hobby in Dec 2019 the Elite was impossible to get back then which, thankfully and for me, was a blessing in disguise.

There were rumours of a replacement which I would guess, if true, would have meant no further production runs of the Elite.

[DBfan]

Hornby have R600 (and a blister pack HT8300 of 4 slightly cheaper) and R8073 also in a blister pack HT8304, but not R601.

 

 

Try Peco set track . ST200 ST201 and the points are ST240 and ST241

[ColinB]

@96RAF that would be the way I would do it. Perhaps the long term plan was to replace it with the eLink box plus RailMaster. The trouble is the level of complexity goes up a notch and if the loco doesn't work there are so many things to check.

[DarkRedCape]

The trouble with replacing it with the eLink plus railmaster is that it would require a PC to function. Not everyone who uses an Elite uses it in conjunction with the railmaster software.

It’s not the cost of producing the Elites that’s the problem in my opinion, their price rises have covered that. I think the simplest answer is probably the correct one. Global chip shortage is just making the components difficult to source.