Are Bachmann & Hornby Stitching us up!

[Resolution]

Recently I have noticed the removal...SUDDENLY...from the all the market outlets on the internet at the same moment of certain DCC items enabling us to DIY our own Loco's. Certain decoders have suddenly disappeared from all suppliers on the same day at the same time. I even had one who was a bit slow, replying that the shop had closed down, but,.....Oh! is still advertising on the net!

It seems to me that we are being "stitched up"! I Tell them here and now that they are playing a dangerous game, especially in the present climate.

Am I alone in my opinion or are there more like me out there?

[farren]

it seems so they do seem to be over priceing the dcc& dcc sound locos most of the sound locos seem to be around £100 more then with out and for what you get for your money is it worth it. i do agree that they have to make a provet but come on hornby?bachmann be real. you could make the sound card from bits from maplin for maybe £15 plus a speker for the same if you want a good one. and i am sure that with builk baying they are not paying that much!! and they seem to also be putting up the price of the of none dcc locos i bought a class 20 4 years ago for £49.50 and now they seem to be £67 from the same shop thats more then 25% increse!!!. if they priced things cheeper they may make less provet but they would sell more and make more money in the long run. and we would be able to bay more. so yes i do agree with you, and i would not be surpess if hornby/bachmann have a part in this.

[Resolution]

Thanks Farren, Yes, I'm a steam model fan and I used to use a certain decoder which came with an 8 pin plug made by Bachmann which I prefered. It had "back EMF" control and was a nice decoder for either steam loco's fitted with sockets or for an earlier model to solder directly after removing the plug. More than anything, the price was right.

This suddenly disappeared from every shop in the land!......all at once!

So, right I thought, prefering Bachmann over Hornby, (a personal preference) I made for the 21 pin Bachmann decoder and ........ shall I say, found my own way of using this fine decoder which also included shunting speed control and back EMF in 8 pin loco's or non-plug models, sorry I can't reveal the secret in the present climate.

This also has suddenly disappeared from every shop in the land!.....all at once!

I do have a small surplus for the immediate future, but the only option now seems to be the Hornby Saphire, at twice the price!........I'm now expecting this to also suddenly disappear quite soon!....

I've prolonged the life of many a nice loco (the worst of which is the old Hornby GWR County Class) It's a complete strip-down I'm afraid, right down to the last nut and bolt......BUT, It can be done!

Come on Hornby and Bachmann! What are you trying to do? Kill all the skills of the hobby and make it simply a: "buy it and plug it" job? Anything we want we will have to buy from you?

I for one feel VERY LET DOWN by you!

[farren]

E hattons have the 2 fuction in at £9.00 and are wating for the 3 fuction to come in at £9.00 both i find better then the hornby ones only down side is they are bigger but thats what makes it fun tiying to get them to fit.

[Resolution]

Yeah! Several of mine including the aforesaid "County Class" which as the split sided steel halves encasing the motor making it necessary to install the decoder in the tender are very challenging, but for me this is part of the enjoyment of the hobby that they are trying to take away by their actions. IMO it leaves a very bad taste in the mouths of their customers regarding both of their companies. A POX on both their houses I say!.............

[farren]

i got the ivat 262 by bachmann wich is the same took me some time to git that one to stop blowing chips but i got there in the end, the older hornby and lima i find very simple to do (late 70's onwards) ones i had when i was a kid of 7 they where the days. I do like the railroad a good idear having some room to up grade and to make it a one off model. i think its all to do whith the moden gen ever thing got to be bigger and better which ends up with what hornby and bachmann are doing the loco are spot on in looks so they then have to add sound and lights i can see oil lamps and smoke next on steam locos but this all cost and it take the fun of super detailing out of the hobby.

[Resolution]

I've been taking a look at some of the other DCC suppliers Farren and for the same price as the Saphire you can get much better. Still pricey I know but they are regular 8 pin only (like most steam loco's are) unlike the Saphire which is a 21 pin chip with a detachable 8 pin plug to 21 pin socket lead, which doubles the price! The adaptor lead is not sold seperatley..........I wonder why.

The competitors offer many other functions like lights, firebox flicker, and RailCom for the same price so I know I'm going next.

I'm presently working on (when time permits) an old tender drive 8F, the loco appearance is very good but the pick up from the track was dire given the rubber tyres etc. I've got a new set of insulated wheels (no tyres) for the tender and fitted them, the next job is to fit some pick-ups to it. The decoder is in the loco so I have to wire to and from there to finish it off. It should be a loco reborn when finished which is what maddens me by H & B's actions.

P.S. Everyone should be-aware that later wheels without rubber tyres are available for the LMS 3F Jinty 0-6-0, and will probably fit other 0-6-0's as well.

[Madcaravanner]

Originally Posted by Resolution

Recently I have noticed the removal...SUDDENLY...from the all the market outlets on the internet at the same moment of certain DCC items enabling us to DIY our own Loco's. Certain decoders have suddenly disappeared from all suppliers on the same day at the same time. I even had one who was a bit slow, replying that the shop had closed down, but,.....Oh! is still advertising on the net!

It seems to me that we are being "stitched up"! I Tell them here and now that they are playing a dangerous game, especially in the present climate.

Am I alone in my opinion or are there more like me out there?

Haven't the big companies always done this ???
Remember the "Merger" of Tri-ang and Hornby
Recently prices of such items of rolling stock have increased by 10 times inflation - coaches for example whilst choice reduces

AND
WE are the REAL railway modellers always looking for more and more detail control and stuff so we are a closed market as they don't really care about the folk who buy a set with playmat (Harry Potter + Thomas)

When I was a kid my Mother worked in a toy shop that sold Tria-ang and the fuss they made introducing Smoke on steamers and the firebox light on the Flying Scotsman

SO when didn't you notice them ripping us off

[saxokid]

Originally Posted by farren

E hattons have the 2 fuction in at £9.00 and are wating for the 3 fuction to come in at £9.00 both i find better then the hornby ones only down side is they are bigger but thats what makes it fun tiying to get them to fit.

Agree.........