R3973 Sir Nigel Gresley Dublo - Available for Pre-Order

[DarkRedCape]

I’ve been checking this loco daily to see if it pops back up for pre-order. I had it checked for a stock alert but I didn’t get any notification.

For anyone like me who missed out on this loco, here is another chance to grab it.

https://uk.hornby.com/products/hornby-dublo-br-a4-class-4-6-2-60007-sir-nigel-gresley-era-5-r3973?_br_psugg_q=r3973

[5Dublo2]

I am kind of wondering if stock alerts only get triggered when something is actually in stock ( and also not already reserved for a pre-order the day it arrives in stock )

If correct then an item that has not yet been released becomes available to pre-order it won't trigger a stock alerts as it was never in stock.

It is therefore worth checking pre-order items that have sold out (if you missed out originally) to see if their status changes.

Note: As well as Sir Nigel Gresley suddenly coming available to pre-order, earlier this week the Members Club Blue Stanier Coronation also became available to pre-order again (but has gone unavailable now). So it looks like a few people have possibly cancelled pre-orders recently which briefly changes their status until the allocation is taken again.

[DarkRedCape]

I never fully trust stock alert systems, I’ve never known any website to have a flawless system and I always check occasionally to see if items I want are back in.

I had to try and order this loco three times because it wasn’t applying my CC discount. So if anyone does pre-order it, just make sure your CC discount is applied, if you are a member.

Oddly, I haven’t received my pre-order confirmation email, even though it’s showing in my orders list on the website. I thought the confirmation email was automated so it didn’t matter what time or day you ordered it.

I also have a feeling that Hornby’s pre-order system is going to be seriously out of whack due to how many people cancelled and then reordered items to get all the reward points.

[96RAF]

Sad news for those who cancelled and re-pre-ordered items to get their reward points.

Hornby told the Mods yesterday in our periodic video call that they will be emailing folk who have such pre-orders in place that reward points will be back awarded.

Those who went for the cancellation-reorder route to grab such points will pay the penalty of any price increase in that transit - sorry.

[DarkRedCape]

It’s unavailable again?

Sooo.. did my order count or not? Still no confirmation email.

[What About The Bee]

Hornby told the Mods yesterday in our periodic video call that they will be emailing folk who have such pre-orders in place that reward points will be back awarded.

 

 

Could this be its own thread please!? This does not deserve to be buried under Sir Nigel Gresley.

I think you mean that pre-orders, not filled before the reward program established, will indeed get points when their order ships.

That is big news if true and should be plainly and explicitly stated.

Thank you.

Bee

 

 

Mod note - as stated those affected will be emailed.

[Brew Man]

Those who went for the cancellation-reorder route to grab such points will pay the penalty of any price increase in that transit - sorry.

 

 

It amazes me what some people will do to grab an extra penny.

[DarkRedCape]

People wouldn’t have been tempted to fudge the system if Hornby had just included all pre-orders, those placed before and after the introduction of the rewards points system.

The way they have set it up now is just cheap.

[ColinB]

Actually I am not bothered by the reward points, I would just like my preordered items a bit quicker rather that waiting the 3 years as I do with some. I only joined the club to get the cheap loco.

[Brew Man]

People wouldn’t have been tempted to fudge the system if Hornby had just included all pre-orders, those placed before and after the introduction of the rewards points system.

The way they have set it up now is just cheap.

 

 

Well I don't think Hornby were under any obligation to include reward points with any pre-orders made before their introduction. That they apparently have is surely a bonus, not something to be 'fiddled'.

[DarkRedCape]

I had a feeling cancelling and re-ordering pre-orders was going to be an issue.

I have 40ish pre-orders with Hornby and I just left them all alone. The price increase is what it is, but if you lost your place in the queue and ended up not getting the loco at all, the price is irrelevant.

I emailed Hornby just to clarify if my order actually went through or not. It shows on my orders on the website and there is an order number, but I’ve got a feeling it being available to order again was an error. We’ll see.

[Topcat2018]

This reply will probably get deleted, but as a keen recycler and user of pre-owned goods I have to comment.

If people weren't prepared to wait stupidly long times (three years!) for items to be delivered then maybe Hornby would buck up their ideas and not announce products until they were actually beginning production.

I don't understand people whose lives revolve around always having to have the latest material goods, such as those who queue for days to buy the latest version of a certain mobile phone.

In a comic that I used to read as a child, every week there was a homily in verse, one of which ended, "... There's a moral to this story, you shall have it piping hot, Don't yearn for the things you haven't, be content with the things you've got!"

[DarkRedCape]

If people weren't prepared to wait stupidly long times (three years!) for items to be delivered then maybe Hornby would buck up their ideas and not announce products until they were actually beginning production.

I don't understand people whose lives revolve around always having to have the latest material goods, such as those who queue for days to buy the latest version of a certain mobile phone.

 

 

It’s not that we’re prepared to wait for three years for Hornby to release their products, far from it, but what do you suggest? Hornby taking three years to release a single loco is diabolical, but if you don’t order early, they may not be around on release to buy. As for Hornby announcing a product so far away from actually putting it on the shelves, nothing we say or do is going to stop them doing that.

 

 

My life doesn’t revolve around Hornby trains. I order them, they arrive, I use them. I’ll have my current iPhone for the next ten years.

[Topcat2018]

@DA

I'm not sure what point you are trying to make. My original reply was a comment on the fact that ColinB says he has had to wait up to three years for some Hornby deliveries.

In the past, with few exceptions, no-one would have dreamt of ordering a product that didn't exist and waiting up to three years for a it. You bought what was in the shops or what could be delivered within a few weeks. Even a custom Rolls-Royce probably wouldn't take that long to acquire.

The idea of promoting a non-existent product, with the added hint of limited supply, and gauging customer reaction, is an old marketing trick called "let's run this idea up the flagpole and see who salutes it", before committing to production. With the advent of the internet and social media this has been made much easier. If customers en masse refused to accept this then the practice would soon stop.

Whilst keeping the same mobile phone for 10 years is laudable, It is a sad fact that, driven by social pressures to be "cool", "with it" or whatever the current phrase is, thousands of people will discard their perfectly good mobile phone as soon as the next model is announced. You can see them queuing for days outside the "Malus" stores every year.

This is ultimately ecologically unsustainable.

[ColinB]

Well Topcat you are right, but when I ordered them I assumed they would be delivered by the date stated, although possibly a month later. When I complain on this site that the normal practice is not to put something in a catalogue unless you are at the pre production phase, people on this site seem to be quite happy about it. I think it shows a lack of detailed planning. The trouble is if you don't pre order it by the time the model arrives they are sold out. I learn when I started working for the motoring industry never to buy a newly released car, but to wait at least 6 months for them to iron out the bugs. We used to have a job1+ 90 review date when things got fixed. Fortunately I don't have that much need for new locos, so I only buy if there are a special one that appeals to me. The only good thing is Hornby currently honours the original price which means if the model is 3 years late they lose all that profit.

[sxbiker]

Well, I have heard nothing about pre-orders being awarded Rewards Points. Looking at my rewards dashboard an item that I pre-ordered and has now shipped has been awarded 0 points. If it is right that Hornby will be "back-dating" points, they are going to have alot of work sorting through their sales.

[Brew Man]

I had an email this morning saying that all pre-existing pre-orders will be awarded points and that they will be applied retrospectively next month. However, you should have received 200 points for pre-order(s) when you joined the scheme. That 200 points will be deducted from the total in next month's award.

[96RAF]

See here https://uk.hornby.com/community/forum/hornby-rewards-and-pre-orders-335575?ccm_paging_p=1#end-of-replies

[DarkRedCape]

Seems to be a few replies missing from this thread.

It’s very good news about the rewards points being inclusive of all existing pre-orders. Good job Hornby. I never did get that extra 200 points for having pre-orders.

Back to the loco, I’ve still had no confirmation order and no reply from Hornby, and the loco is now back available for pre-order. Not sure what to do other than wait for Hornby to reply.

[DarkRedCape]

I’m not really sure what’s going on with the Hornby website, whether out of stock and unavailable models are truly back in stock, or people cancelling their orders and re-ordering, and Hornby now including all pre-orders in the rewards system is messing with things.

Either way, I know quite a few people were after this particular P2 model, and it’s apparently available again.

https://uk.hornby.com/products/lner-p2-class-2-8-2-2003-lord-president-era-3-r3985

[Bulleidboy]

People cancelling pre-orders and re-ordering to get Reward Points will not be tolerated. It will be very easy for Hornby to check when an order was cancelled and then re-ordered.

[atom3624]

Is this a single or double chimney body?

It's an Early Crest and from the photo, looks more like a single - could be wrong.

Al.

[DarkRedCape]

Al, if we are talking about the P2, there is a top down picture that suggests it’s possibly a double chimney. I feel like you’d know much better than I once you’ve examined the top down picture.

[Going Spare]

Depends upon which loco is being discussed - R3973 is single chimney, R3985 is double.

[atom3624]

I was referring to the A4, not the P2 - SNG no less.

The photo looks like a single.

Latterly SNG has had a double chimney, as preserved now - which can have many different liveries over time, which is probably why many will purchase her - only to find it's the wrong chimney - just a thought.

Al.