Hattons closing down...

[John Donnelly]

After over 70 years of trading Hattons are closing down...

https://www.hattons.co.uk/newsdetail?id ... Pp9in6ZHhc

[kelly]

A mainstay of the hobby for years. Admittedly given prices I've not bought from them (or many of their competitors) for a while now., only really buying where payment plans or spreading the cost were options.

A shame, but given the economical difficulties we've had over the past few years not perhaps a surprise.

[Jol Wilkinson]

Whist I have sympathy for those that have lost their jobs at Hattons, we should perhaps remember that the rise of the big online retailers contributed to the demise of many smaller high street model shops where it was possible to get a broad range of modelling products.

[MarcD]

While this is not good and it's worse for their staff who have lost their jobs. It could be a lot worse ifor the hobby f it was Gibson's or Slaters going to the wall then the hobby would really be in the $h1t.
Marc

[Hardwicke]

I got the news this morning as I know one of the staff. Not good.

[Winander]

going to the wall

Their announcement specifically said it was not due to insolvency - there's no reason to make such inflammatory statements.

[Paul Willis]

going to the wall

Their announcement specifically said it was not due to insolvency - there's no reason to make such inflammatory statements.

It's not inflammatory. You need to read the sentence in full. Slaters or Gibson going to the wall would be a very big deal for the hobby. That's a fact.

The other fact is that AFAWK, they are not.

Hattons is having a controlled winddown in the face of unfavourable trading conditions. Probably for a number of reasons, some of which they have publicly shared. It's a big deal for some parts of the (mostly RTR) hobby, but there are other suppliers that we depend on that pose a far greater risk to the finescale end of the hobby.

Best,
Paul

[martin goodall]

Interesting that this item has attracted half a dozen replies on this forum, whereas there are hundreds on RMWeb and more being added every hour (mainly lamenting the news and asking where they are going to get their toy trains in future).

I have ordered some RTR items from Hatton's in the past, and always received excellent service at what I considered were reasonable and competitive prices. I had hoped to get Dapol's 4mm scale Diagram N Autotrailer from them when it is released, but no doubt other online retailers will stock it.

I always used to prefer to buy over the counter or from a stand at a model railway exhibition, but the part of the country from which I am writing this has long been a model shop desert, with no over-the-counter model shops for many miles around. This and the withdrawal of various traders from model railway shows forces me nowadays to use mail order (by phone or internet), which I would prefer not to do.

It's the way of the world, which individual consumers seem powerless to escape.

[PeteT]

I'm sure there is nothing I would have considered buying from Hattons that isn't available from a good many other places.

Compare that to Eileens - there are many things Derek used to supply that are now very difficult to source. Marc mentioned Alan Gibson and Slaters, and I can think of several more where single source items would cause problems to my modelling activities.

RMWeb used to be full of inspirational modelling. I'm sure some of it is still there, but is mostly drowned in the noise of 'how many A4s do you own?' or 'why has a RTR manufacturer not made X yet, which I really really want but not enough to spend the time (or money to commission someone) to build one of the 3+ available kits for'.

Interesting how the Hornby announcements have gone down too - though obviously targetting the collector and cheap markets in the main.

It is a broad church, as they say. Lets all enjoy ourselves in whichever branch we want & choose to follow.

[Guy Rixon]

Hattons have handled their outstanding pre-orders well. They've been clear about which they can fulfil and for those they can't they've transferred them to Rails of Sheffield at the same price.

[Paul Willis]

Hattons have handled their outstanding pre-orders well. They've been clear about which they can fulfil and for those they can't they've transferred them to Rails of Sheffield at the same price.

The way that Hattons has handled this, with planning across many platforms, talking with suppliers and competitors, and pre-empting questions from customers has been examplary.

Working in trading in the City, the default of a client is only ever a moment away. It's how you are prepared for it that counts. We always aim to remember the old maxim of Ernest Hemingway:

"How did you go bankrupt?"
Two ways. Gradually, then suddenly.”

Thankfully Hattons didn't reach the second way

Best,
Paul

[nigelcliffe]

..............

RMWeb used to be full of inspirational modelling. I'm sure some of it is still there, but is mostly drowned in the noise .......

The 2mm Finescale corner still has modelling going on, really really good modelling. Much of it scratch building.

[Paul Willis]

..............

RMWeb used to be full of inspirational modelling. I'm sure some of it is still there, but is mostly drowned in the noise .......

The 2mm Finescale corner still has modelling going on, really really good modelling. Much of it scratch building.

Also, the D299 topic. If you're into pre-Grouping wagons like I am...

Best,
Paul

[martin goodall]

RMWeb used to be full of inspirational modelling. I'm sure some of it is still there, but is mostly drowned in the noise of 'how many A4s do you own?' or 'why has a RTR manufacturer not made X yet, which I really really want but not enough to spend the time (or money to commission someone) to build one of the 3+ available kits for'.

There is a lot of dross on RMWeb, but there is also some excellent and very useful material. You just need to know where to look. I don't waste my time looking at the rubbish, but there is definitely some good stuff there. Finding it, and avoiding the rubbish, is quite easy.

[David B]

Finding it, and avoiding the rubbish, is quite easy.

Do tell, Martin.

[martin goodall]

Certainly, David.

1. Register as a member (no need to pay a subscription) [Not essential but gives you more flexibility.]
2. Use the search engine to find a particular item for which you are looking.
3. For preferred interests, click on the top bar on 'Forums'
4. Scroll down to relevant heading (e.g. under "Modelling Zone" select "Special Interests")
5. Then select a sub-forum (e.g. "GWR Rolling Stock: model and prototype")
6. Select any topic that might be of interest, but ignore those that are not.

If you find a blog that may be of continuing interest, you can follow it.

There are various other ways of finding material, but you will quickly learn how to avoid irrelevant or boring material.

[David B]

Thank you. I have found a couple of interesting bits but get overwhelmed by the dross and endless one-liners.