OMG have you seen the price of the Airfix Merlin

[marty_hopkirk]

i think the sock comes from the sudden esculation in price form airfixes normal

But it is not just Airfix is it? I caught a bus to my local railway station yesterday a two mile journey that this time last year cost £1.50 and is now £1.90 - I'm a great believer in public transport but it is the small differences that bring it home what times we are living in. I routinely have to to travel to London on business and the standard day return travelling on peak is £230. It is cheaper to get a mid afternoon train down and overnight in hotel, its just the way of the world 'our' hobby is not immune from the same pressures and its a sign of the times or perhaps just the zeitgeist.

Could be worse, could be asking £129.60 for a 1:72 Jetstream T2 or T3.

I have the Omega DH Dove, it's a high quality product produced by a very small with the inherent personal risk in gloomy economic times company that cannot spread its overheads over a large product range - so not really an equitible comparison.

Hannants are a business not a charity quite simple really - given they have been in business for the length of time they says to me they are doing something right and servicing a need, that said the hobby would be so much poorer without them, let not forget that.

The kit does not interest me and I won't be purchasing however, sight unseen, from what I have seen and read about it, it has all the hallmarks of a value to money kit.

Marty...

Edited January 29, 2012 by marty_hopkirk

[Gary C]

It was a truly preposterous article wasn't it! They're making less money than they did last year big deal.

Thing is though, last year they were making less money than the year before. Then they blamed it on the crappy weather. This year it's even less and it's the economy and a lack of interest in big ticket items being blamed. They've issued a formal profits warning and shares are down almost 20%. Whilst it's not the end yet, it's not looking that bright either.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbys...ts-warning.html

Jon Copestake, retail analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, said: “Hornby's results reflect the changing nature of demand for toys. Although the Hornby brand is steeped in nostalgia for many adult consumers, the prevalence of console gaming has made it something of an anachronism for younger consumers."

Certainly makes it an interesting time to be launching your most expensive and complex ever 48th scale kit.

[Dave Batt]

Maybe we should keep an eye out for discounting on new models like this happening. According to the Guardian today, looks like Hornby are in trouble again.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/20...ks-of-our-tears

And people b1tch about the Daily Wail!

Around here 1/48 Merlins would move like hot whatevers, even in a Starter Set boosted a tenner by paints and glues, because the things are always chugging around and the maintainers are one of the biggest employers. BUT, and it's a big but, the potential local suppliers of such a kit wouldn't want to be lumbered with Hornby stuff because it wouldn't sell. There is too much competition from local specialist railway outlets.

Perhaps Hornby might consider that there's a fundemental difference between an Airfix kit (which in in simplest form is a tenner or two expended on an inexpensive means of passing some time and will sell from non-specialised shops) and a railway set where the minimum cost will run into the hundreds, if not thousands, if the owner wants something that looks half decent.

[Pat C]

Whilst it's not the end yet, it's not looking that bright either.

The results are hardly disastrous given events more globally and considering Hornby's products are probably 100% discretionary (although maybe some of us could be considered "addicted" to their output!). The company has about £5m of cash on its balance sheet and relatively low levels of debt. If sales continue to be flat and expenses keep rising for another couple of years then clearly the management will need to have a look at its strategy, but this is hardly a company on the verge of insolvency as the Guardian article seemd to want to believe.

[Julien]

but this is hardly a company on the verge of insolvency as the Guardian article seemd to want to believe.

Yes but "company doing ok'ish" does not papers sell!

Julien

[Seahawk]

The results are hardly disastrous given events more globally and considering Hornby's products are probably 100% discretionary (although maybe some of us could be considered "addicted" to their output!). The company has about £5m of cash on its balance sheet and relatively low levels of debt. If sales continue to be flat and expenses keep rising for another couple of years then clearly the management will need to have a look at its strategy, but this is hardly a company on the verge of insolvency as the Guardian article seemd to want to believe.

Nor does a company unable to satisfy European demand for its model railway products sound like one that ought to be heading into bankruptcy.

[thx6667]

Thing is though, last year they were making less money than the year before. Then they blamed it on the crappy weather. This year it's even less and it's the economy and a lack of interest in big ticket items being blamed. They've issued a formal profits warning and shares are down almost 20%. Whilst it's not the end yet, it's not looking that bright either.

And then pre-tax profits increased by 80%. It does actually help to place this within context of previous profits warnings and then a boost in profits, all in the face of a global recession. But I guess some people are always waiting for a fall so they can say "I told you so".

Certainly makes it an interesting time to be launching your most expensive and complex ever 48th scale kit.

Which was what was also said when the 1/24 Mossie was being release, when the 1/48 Sea Vixen was released, when the Valiant was released...

As Pat says, the Guardian article was preposterously worded to the point of misleading.

Edited January 29, 2012 by Jonathan Mock

[sniperUK]

Yep

Fantastic

[Giorgio N]

Can I have a nice Wessex please?

Italeri seems to be doing a Sikorsky S.58 this year. If this is not a rebox of the old revell kit, it might lead to a new Wessex in the future.

[Bobski]

Having read pretty much everything in this thread, I'd just like to add something in response to this post:

At the end of then process, you will have a wonderful object to show off to your friends. How much would you pay to buy a ready-made 1/48 Merlin that contained the same detail as the new Airfix kit? £150? £200? Just check out how much and O Gauge, ready to run locos costs. Wanna buy a diesel loco? That’ll be £500 please…

Just to add to Spence's comment above (we did the class 26 project in a model mag between us) my latest locomotive before being built cost this much as listed below....

Loco kit: £525

Wheels: £130

Motor/Gearbox £100

ancilliary items like transfers, paints, loco crew, fire irons, tools, extra details, pick-ups etc etc £150

£905

£55 for a Copter is cheap!!!

Cheers

DSJ

I saw that Class 26 and it was stunning. I'm just getting back into railway modelling and it's articles like that (and the magazine in which it was published) that have inspired me to do it

As for £55 for a Merlin - I saw the prototype at Telford and am more than happy to pay that for something that good...

Edited January 30, 2012 by Bobski

[F-32]

I'm going to get one because I like the Merlin, plus when you consider it'll sit in the stash for about 5 - 10 years before I build it, it might actually go up in value lol!

[Mark]

Going back a few posts, yes, I agree totally with Spence.

Or half an hour's flying...

Hmmm, thankfully I get paid for that. Can´t remember the last time I paid for it.....!

.....Flying that is, you naughty people!

Edited February 2, 2012 by Busdriver

[Wolfpack]

I think that if a modeller wants a particular kit, price is no object. In this day and age of certain oriental manufacturers charging around fifty quid for a re-pop with new decals, £55 for the Merlin looks bloody good value.

Not that I want one mind.

Even less so after seeing what Revell have waiting in the wings, as have Zoike-Mura (or however it's spelt), the latter will certainly break the £55 barrier. If I had the readies, I'd have coughed up already.

Wonder how much Academy's 'Special edition' Warspite will cost? £54.99 anyone?

W

[thx6667]

I visited a model railway shop today - Modelmasters in WsM, really excellent store, they even have a couch with tea/coffee and a customer loo! But what struck me looking at the wonderful products by Kibri, Faller, Minitanks, PICO etc... was the price, something as basic as a coach was touching the £40/£50 mark, some of the diorama buildings were heading towards the £100 mark and this was all HO scale stuff.

Great store though, well worth a visit and some of the diorama materials were a steal at a couple of quid.