Hattons Model Railways to close

[Gridiron]

On 26/01/2024 at 14:50, Butler Henderson said:

Given the Genesis coaches, P and Barclay all have pre-orders which will be fulfilled we are told then some off spring must be in the pipeline to exist after the closure.

 

15 minutes ago, melmerby said:

Hattons Lite?

 

The vehicle already exists  albeit as a dormant company.... 

 

 

 

 

Accounting seems to coincide with the tax year, so perhaps it could start trading from 06 Apr 2024?

 

[1andrew1]

4 hours ago, Gridiron said:

 

 

The vehicle already exists  albeit as a dormant company.... 

 

 

 

 

Accounting seems to coincide with the tax year, so perhaps it could start trading from 06 Apr 2024?

 

As customers contracted with Hattons Model Railways Limited Company No 5131251 that's the relevant entity in question and it's that company's responsibility for ensuring that orders are fulfilled, even if the admin for the orders is contracted out to a third party.
 

Whether the company gets wound up is a matter for the owners and there's a long and official process for this.  It could even be renamed and be used to do something else eg write software for model shops. 

 

[Gridiron]

2 minutes ago, 1andrew1 said:

As customers contracted with Hattons Model Railways Limited Company No 5131251 that's the relevant entity in question and it's that company's responsibility for ensuring that orders are fulfilled, even if the admin for the orders is contracted out to a third party.
 

Whether the company gets wound up is a matter for the owners and there's a long and official process for this.  It could even be renamed and be used to do something else eg write software for model shops. 

 

 

Absolutely, to be clear there is no suggestion the present trading company will fail to meet it's obligations and whether the outstanding orders are fulfilled by the company or a third party I suspect will depend on when the current trading company ceases operations and the stock becomes available.  Looking at the website tonight there seems to be about 550 plus product lines still available, but many of these being single items these could diminish very quickly so there will be little point in keeping the trunk going beyond 05 Feb 2024 anyway.  This  may suggest they wish to complete the physical retail operations of the company within the current tax year although the legal winding up of the company obviously may take longer.  

 

As regards the outstanding orders which Hattons have stated they will honour their terms and conditions state.

 

Forthcoming Releases/Pre-order Order items

Pre-order prices are calculated using the supplier's Recommended Retail Price (RRP). If suppliers increase the RRP, we may proportionally increase our selling price. In these instances we will contact you first and ask if you would like to maintain your order. Occasionally we may reduce a price, prior to the items release. In these cases, all advance orders will be charged the lower price. 

 

Hattons Model Railways can guarantee the prices on any item where we retain control of the RRP, such as our Exclusive Commissions. 

 

Please note the following in regards to any forthcoming releases or pre-orders;

Your payment card will not be charged until items are in stock. 

Please quote your Order number in all correspondence regarding orders for items not in stock. 

P&P will be charged at a normal rate on each consignment. £3 for 1 diecast model or package under 130g, £5 on other UK orders. Occasionally, at our discretion, we may refund or reduce postage on advance orders when our suppliers have released similar products over a short period of time, rather than simultaneously. 

Requesting an email notification created no obligation to buy

 

In the case of the Hattons Originals orders it must be assumed that they have agreed with the actual manufacturer to complete the order(s) whilst those subject to be confirmed are still to be in negotiation with the manufacturer which they would obviously have to advise of their long term intentions. Assuming these manufacturers are overseas, they will naturally be nervous about producing further goods and from experience are likely to demand full payment advancing prior to production or shipment depending on how far the orders have progressed. At this stage. it's also reasonable to assume that the manufacturer(s) may well have already received an advance payment for these orders so essentially Hattons will have prefunded the orders and this may well also determine when the current trading company is wound up or the debt transferred to any "Hattons 2" entity should it rise from the ashes.

 

The point was trying to make was the the vehicle for a Hattons Lite mentioned in previous post potentially already existed in the Hattons 2 entity that could be activated and renamed very quickly if that is the plan, but I guess we will have to wait and see.  Hope now all clear.   

[GWR-fan]

While my future bank balance will be pleased,  with regrets I cleared my final trunk with the store.  Initially,  I resisted purchasing from the store as it required a credit card payment without a PayPal option.  I watched as Bachmann 4-CEP sets sold new for GBP62.00,  Hornby illuminated Pullmans just over GBP20.00,  new Bachmann Mk1 coaches around GBP12.00 and Collett coaches around GBP15.00.

 

Once the store offered PayPal as a payment option I was like a kid in a candy shop.  Then came along the many firesales which in hindsight and a little forethought I could have cleaned up.  Heljan prototypes like "Lion" were selling for GBP70.00 and class 26 and class 27 GBP60.00 each.  Bachmann Windoff tractor units were GBP60.00 each.  If only I had a crystal ball back then.  Only a few years later these items were marked up 300% plus.  Those were the days to make hay,  but alas I was a little hesitant not realising that the cost of new items would quickly spiral upwards tagging the used item prices along with them.  All distant memories now.

[Hroth]

Just had an email from Hattons that orders will not be accepted after 2pm on the 31st January. Also that there will be a 75% reduction on some lines...

 

Trunks will also be automatically cleared at the same time/date.

 

Staff shortages are cited for this.

 

Edited January 29 by Hroth

[Robin Brasher]

I wonder if I will get a 75% reduction on a circle of Hornby R609 3rd radius double curves if I wait to 1, 45 pm on 31 January.

[Hroth]

7 minutes ago, Robin Brasher said:

I wonder if I will get a 75% reduction on a circle of Hornby R609 3rd radius double curves if I wait to 1, 45 pm on 31 January.

 

You've spent too much time on ebay... 🤪

 

Actually Hattons missed a trick regarding the track.  In the olden days they offered a free circle of track with each 3-rail loco purchased!

 

Edited January 29 by Hroth
Extra...

[phil-b259]

1 hour ago, Hroth said:

.

Staff shortages are cited for this.

 

To be fair if you are told you are going to be made redundant then I wouldn’t want to hang around and simply trust my luck on the labour market once Hattons had finished with me and would be looking for a new job as soon as Hatton said it was closing.

 

As such I can well believe that more than a few staff will have already gone and the capacity of the business to process orders is much reduced.

 

 

[melmerby]

11 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

You've spent too much time on ebay... 🤪

 

Actually Hattons missed a trick regarding the track.  In the olden days they offered a free circle of track with each 3-rail loco purchased!

 

Goody

Circle of 2 rail track with every 3 rail loco. Must get in quick before it all goes.🙂

[melmerby]

My last order made last Thursday was shipped today and now with the carrier.

So reasonably quick.

[Chris116]

I have a Gaugemaster Combi controller and three BR Genesis coaches on pre order. Had an email a couple of days after the closure announcement saying the controller would be removed from the order for obvious reasons but to date it is still showing as a pre order and I don't intend to cancel it until Hattons cancel it themselves. 

 

In all this I just feel very sorry for the staff who are being made redundant. I hope they all find good replacement jobs quickly.

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, phil-b259 said:

I can well believe that more than a few staff will have already gone and the capacity of the business to process orders is much reduced.

From the website

"Due to staff shortages we must clear Trunks ASAP and have pulled forward our final date to Weds 31st January 2024."

[Colin_McLeod]

There is very little left now, which I find quite sad.

 

There was a period over the last year or so when, like old times, there was lots of Hornby Dublo to choose from on the pre owned pages.  That has now faded out, my last purchase being an 0-6-2T and a couple of wagons.

[big jim]

I’m pretty sure I’ve just made my final Hatton order, their own brand 18 pin decoders are down to £8.50 so I’ve bought half a dozen to put into stock (I may well order some more before they finally close though!) 

I’ve not got any 18 pin locos needing chipping but I can get a 21 to 18 pin adapter cheap of eBay to fit them to other locos 

 

Edited January 30 by big jim

[Robin Brasher]

My final order this morning was a circle of R609 Hornby 00 gauge radius 3 track. Hattons stock level is now 3,008.

[MarkSG]

I've just bought some chips and track as well. I don't really need either of them right now, but the chips are, as @big jim says, cheap enough to justify putting them in the cupboard for as and when I may need them in the future. And the track will be useful for the test oval as and when I set it up - I'll have enough now to run a double circuit test track, which will be handy. 

[St Enodoc]

2 minutes ago, MarkSG said:

the chips are, as @big jim says, cheap enough to justify putting them in the cupboard

Cheap as chips, so to speak.

[Rich Uncle Skeleton]

Even the model power 0-4-0 s are gone. 

[Colin_McLeod]

Following @big jim's logic, I have just purchased a dozen decoders.

[JohnR]

They did have a few hundred 8 pin decoders, but by the time I could get to a PC to place an order they had all sold out.

[Colin_McLeod]

13 minutes ago, JohnR said:

They did have a few hundred 8 pin decoders, but by the time I could get to a PC to place an order they had all sold out.

 

There are still 177 18 pin decoders in stock.

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/241234/hattons_originals_dcr_18pin_direct_18_pin_4_function_1_1amp_direct_plug_decoder_with_back_emf/stockdetail

Edited January 30 by Colin_McLeod
Correction

[JohnR]

5 minutes ago, Colin_McLeod said:

 

There are still 177 18 pin decoders in stock.

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/241234/hattons_originals_dcr_18pin_direct_18_pin_4_function_1_1amp_direct_plug_decoder_with_back_emf/stockdetail

Indeed, but I was after the 8 pin ones they had for £9.

[kevinlms]

3 hours ago, Colin_McLeod said:

 

There are still 177 18 pin decoders in stock.

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/241234/hattons_originals_dcr_18pin_direct_18_pin_4_function_1_1amp_direct_plug_decoder_with_back_emf/stockdetail

Now 2.

[MattR]

Cleared my final trunk -- the aforementioned Vitrains Class 47 and a Bachmann On30 wagon (for the Bachmann On30 locomotive I got in the penultimate trunk order).

 

Thanks Hatton's for building my entire hobby these last three years.

[melmerby]

21 minutes ago, kevinlms said:

Now 2.

All gone.

There must've been some bulk buying there, as they had a lot more than 177 yesterday