Cock o' the North

[Kestrel]

Hatton's sent out the following e-mail today.

Hello

We thought you may like to know that an item you have on order with us has had some information about its release date added or updated.

Hornby R3207 Class P2 2-8-2 2001 'Cock O' The North' in LNER livery . "Main range"version. Etched nameplates & enhanced livery £99.00

Our latest information from the supplier suggests this item will arrive with us on or after Monday 28th April 2014

Whilst we are hopeful this information is accurate, manufacturer lead times are frequently prone to be delayed. This information is to be used as a guide only.

We hope that this email has been useful.

Regards

Retail Team
Hattons Model Railways
http://www.ehattons.com

[Saint Johnstoun]

I thought Hornby had engaged a Guru to sort out delivery problems and lead times? He is obviously having little joy!

[nzpaul]

On a positive note, always look on the bright side of life etc. etc. At least it gives the credit card time to recover from Christmas.

Cheers
Paul.

[Tom F]

I've just received another Hattons email, now saying 30th June.

Also, Great Snipe A4 is due 27th of this month.

[Atlantic 3279]

I've just received another Hattons email, now saying 30th June.

So have I! Are Hattons messing about with premature issue of wrong information again, or are Hornby messing them about?

It IS now getting silly and annoying in my view.....

[Saint Johnstoun]

Yes Graeme - who's kidding who? Either Hornby are going to lose all credibility with release dates or the box shifters are jumping the gun to attract advance orders prematurely!

Perhaps somebody should speak to or email Simon K at Hornby and ask what is really going on? Does anybody know of the next MR exhibition that Hornby will be attending?

My own gut feeling is that Hornby's recent financial results may be causing them to delay new releases??

[mick b]

If???? the Railroad version does turn up in April it will give a chance to see if it is worth paying the extra wonga for the dearer version two months later !!



A sad situation not getting any better .

[teaky]

And Model Railways Direct come in with 08/05/14 for main range and 16/06/14 for new version with sound!

I think I'd better just assume my pre-order is more of an expression of interest, stop looking and have a nice surprise when it turns up in the post sometime this decade.

[Kestrel]

latest e-mail from Hatton 's today

Hello

We thought you may like to know that an item you have on order with us has had some information about its release date added or updated.

Hornby R3207 Class P2 2-8-2 2001 'Cock O' The North' in LNER livery . "Main range"version. Etched nameplates & enhanced livery £99.00

Our latest information from the supplier suggests this item will arrive with us on or after Monday 30th June 2014

Whilst we are hopeful this information is accurate, manufacturer lead times are frequently prone to be delayed. This information is to be used as a guide only.

We hope that this email has been useful.

Regards

Retail Team
Hattons Model Railways
http://www.ehattons.com


In the space of two days, delivery has been put back two months. Explain that if you can! Hatton's say they're just passing on the information given to them by Hornby which, reflecting on it, is all they can do.

[auldreekie]

MEMO TO SELF

"On or after..." appears to be a bullshit-rich way of saying "not before....". Before retirement, I'm sure I could have found a plenitude of occasions on which to use this splendid new twist to English usage...


auldreekie

[65447]

MEMO TO SELF

"On or after..." appears to be a bullshit-rich way of saying "not before....". Before retirement, I'm sure I could have found a plenitude of occasions on which to use this splendid new twist to English usage...


auldreekie

You must have let a very sheltered existence, for 'on or after' is an expression with perfect meaning, i.e. it cannot be taken to have any other interpretation. 'Not before; is just another way of expressing exactly the same thing; neither contains bullshit, rich or otherwise.

Precision in communication is essential when there are legal obligations or implications, which there are in advertising and selling.

[auldreekie]

Thank you. I earned a good living for 40 years on the very precise and calculated use of words, in circumstances in which getting them wrong could have had serious consequences. I don't deny that "on or after" is precise. It is also bullshit-rich.

As you may perhaps have observed, more than one adjective may be applicable, depending upon one's point of view. My viewpoint remains unaltered.

auldreekie

[James Harrison]

Well, this is certainly embarrassing for Hornby. I preordered mine when the expected date was still in 2013.... and worse still allowed my parents to offer to buy it me for Christmas Now I was already starting to get the 'are you sure this is what you want?' questions and the offers to 'buy something else with the money' when December crept round with no sign of a loco. These increased when I told the parents to expect the model in June.

There's no real prospect of my doing that but I can well imagine many others who have ordered it as a gift would be looking to cancel and go get something else with the money. I wonder how many will simply lose patience between now and final release date?

[auldreekie]

This is what's known in common parlance as a reet b**ger".

I most certainly wish Hornby well as a matter of principle.

But their recent practice of pre-announcing material (whilst masquerading in some instances as releasing it - I have now had a "released" Thompson coach on order for more months than I can remember) seems to me to be a treatment of customers with what I can describe accurately only as "contempt".

The Hornby pre-announcements for 2014 and 2013 contain much that is splendidly appetising. But when can we expect them ever to be released in quantities which will make them accessible to a market not prepared to pay up in advance and hope?

Their main competitors in the UK market, Bachmann, are not without a basis for similar criticism. The SECR 0-6-0 was doubtless a lovely little model. But how many were released? 500? 200? Certainly not enough to satisfy what I would regard as a normal market: that is, one which purchases goods already in existence in the market place.

So this is a polemic not against Hornby, but against the increasing tendency of the two main market protagonists to turn the UK model railway market into one which functions as that for a few luxury goods: drum up pre-orders in advance, then consider whether or not, when, and to what standards you will produce the goods.

Whilst I am inclined to be sympathetic, I frankly take with a pinch of salt all the ballyhoo which we hear about supply-side difficulties. Doubtless there is some truth in it. But I think that what we are seeing is essentially an exercise in market-manipulation which I deplore utterly.

Be warned, o main producers. If you go on much further like this, then you will find that the goose, rather than laying golden eggs, finds better things to do. I think you are very close now to that turning-point, if not past it.


auldreekie

[nzpaul]

Hi
I can't help but think that if Tony Wright reviewed the first off the production line as claimed, what has happened to the rest of them? For those with a B17 sourced via Hatton's, you may remember the endless list of update delivery time emails. Maybe some issue has come to light that needs attention before production starts for real, who knows. I have a fear that it'll arrive with Book Law so my poor credit card's going to take a pounding.

Cheers
Paul