Simon Kohler "Mr Hornby" to retire.

[ColinB]

Well they did have a change of management at the New Year so who knows. Perhaps the new guy is trying to run it as a business. Anyway I wish Simon a happy retirement but from what I can gather he will still be involved in the model railway industry.

[Rallymatt]

I wonder how long this sabbatical will be? Hmmmmm

[Moccasin]

I think this may be the end of his formal time at Hornby but won’t be able to step back completely and will work as a consultant. He doesn’t strike me as someone who can step away totally. Possibly this ends his time with responsibility and decision making powers but will be advising behind the scenes.

[DarkRedCape]

I thought Simon was the top dog at Hornby, but I was watching A Model World and he had a sit down with the CEO of Hornby for a chat about the coronation. So, I learned something that episode. We can all speculate why he’s leaving, but chances are we’ll never really know. He still seems to have tremendous passion for the hobby, so my feeling is this isn’t something that was done in a positive light.

Either way, I hope he enjoys whatever he moves onto next. Sometimes you just know when it’s time to move on.

[Moccasin]

Simon is (I believe) a few years past retirement age and I imagine the last 5-6 years will have been a lot of hard work with TT, HM6000 & HM7000 all under development and launched. The arrival of the new CEO might have heralded some structural changes and a decision to step back now that the brand is in better nick for the future and seemingly attracting new customers. As far as I understand it, he’s simply returning to what he was doing when he last left the company and when he was brought back.

[hornby-ni]

I meet Simon at 2013 Bangor show in N.Ireland, It is a nice to see Mr Hornby around.

I wish Simon a happy retirement.

[Moccasin]

There’s a new Signal Box episode on YouTube marking Simon’s departure from Hornby.

[Yelrow]

Simon has left Hornby, not retired, as he is at pains to point out on his website, re launching his consultancy.

[Going Spare]

And now it would appear Montana Hoeren is also leaving, at the end of August according to her announcement.

[96RAF]

The pack is being shuffled. Watch out for the Joker.

[BritInVanCA]

I see Montana is leaving too now. I’m sure she will be missed as well

[Moccasin]

This is seeming familiar. I know it’s not unusual after a change of management but these are two figures strongly linked to the recent success in changing Hornby’s image and bringing in new/lapsed modellers (including me, so make your own minds up on whether they did the hobby a favour!)

[Rallymatt]

I’m sure a few more will leave and some more will join. It’s the way of business. Best wishes to Montana in her future endeavours 😁

[Richard RK3]

Very sad to learn about Montana leaving, I was hoping that she would have taken on Simon's role after he had left. But good luck to her on whatever she decided to do next!

[Moccasin]

Very sad to learn about this, I was actually hoping that she would have taken on Simon's role after he had left. But still good luck to her onto whatever she moves onto next!

 

 

Maybe she hoped that too.

[Edvard4]

Well deserved retirement I think. I met Simon on quite a few occasions at the Margate HQ in the last 5 years or so. One downside is that he still owes me a cup of tea! The upside is that things do need to move on and of course they always will. I would welcome some new models in everything, Airfix, Corgi, Hornby and Scalextric. There is a whole world to model out there and the times have changed. I sent my suggestions in for each brand....... Simon and I exchanged mails many times, some really quite funny, others quite serious and at times we agreed to disagree too. Great bloke, knew his stuff.