Exclusive Interview With John Barber at Rails of Sheffield

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[@paulsimpson1423]

I have met John on numerous occasions over the years. He has always been a gentleman and always makes time for a friendly chat. Best wishes to him and his team going forward. Regards, Paul

[@dannyvanstraelen3273]

I love Rails of Sheffield, alwijs when I come over from Belgium to visit relatives, rails is always on list. Their shop is a theme park on it's own…

[@eromsele]

I telephoned Rails yesterday about a problem from long ago and the young man who patiently took my call could not have been more understanding - even though both he and I knew from the outset there was nothing he or they could do. Excellent service.

[@peterstecks7660]

Jenny. I'm new to the hobby, and I've never been to Rails nor met John, but I really enjoyed your chat with him. Thanks very much to you and to John for setting this up. Regards

[@moorlandmodelrailwayandy]

Great interview Jenny thanks very much cheers Andy

[@gordonmcillroy455]

Great interview. John's passion, enthusiasm and positivity is so refreshing. Looking forward to these announcements he hinted at. Pass him a bottle of wine someone!

[@RaysRailVideos]

Excellent interview and fully agree exhibitions are very hard work even for layout exhibitors but there so much fun and i can not wait to get back to shows every other weekend.

[@paredding]

That (NEC Exhibition) is where the 'rub' with Hornby (Simon Kohler) all started IMHO, judging from that James May doco. I could be well wrong but it felt like the retailers were all left trying to fly the Hornby flag through the lean & corporate years, then when Kohler was re-hired back into the new regime, it felt like there wasn't alot of understanding and it was back to business as usual. John kept re-iterating the family, passion and market understanding in this video, something that doesnt seem to come from Kohler. When Bachmann came on the scene, and raised the bar (driven by experienced industry professionals) Hornby had to react and started coming out with their Super Detail stuff in the mid-90s. I am looking fwd to the new Bmann V2 (I have a few MIB originals). I also smile when John mentioned the £200 barrier as I lived in Munich for the last 8 years and got into HO Continental big time (Munich is like a crossroads for rail travel in Europe. It took a while to get used to carriages at 50-60 Euros (high quality 80 Euros) and locos at 250-450 Euros but the quality is superb. The days of new UK £80-90 steam Pacifics and £110 DCC Sound fitted Class 37s are a thing of the past. All good fun though.

[@Bigboy4018]

This was a good one! I was able to get my Atlas O-scale turntable from Rails when NO ONE else had one. Nice to see the face behind the sale! Shipping to the US was fast too.

[@privatebribert]

“U know” I really enjoyed that,thanks you two

[@tarleton8874]

Great interview. In terms of raising the bar, it would be good to see more EM, or even P4, locomotives manufactured. If we want more realism, surely accurate scale is a must?

[@richardswiderski4985]

Great interview Jen things seem to be getting interesting for the future.👍

[@nigelcarter9503]

A refreshing interview.

[@morganmccallum2076]

Great to see more pre grouping era locos being made in 00 hopefully more gnr locos are in the works

[@PhilPage227]

Very interesting interview Jenny, I have always had good dealings with Rails and I really hope they sort out their problems with Hornby.

[@doodlecoma]

john looks like he played rugby, great video as usual

[@davldcooksey4137]

Nice to see the railway hobby is doing so well in these uncertain times, And it's great that people like your self Jenny are putting out these videos so that people like my self get more and more interested in this wonderful hobby, BIG thumbs up to you all, well done all KZbin modlers 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍.

[@maringarvanovic6040]

Jen. I do think you should have pushed him for an exclusive. He even said he is terrible at keeping secrets. That was the time to strike.

[@JenniferEKirk]

I toyed with it!

[@AdiPullen]

Hi Jennifer and zoe This seem a nice honest interview. I've alway brought my stuff from Rails until the hornby issues but I still but everything's else from them. I look forward to whatever the commission next Got my self 2 cr 812 on order and a d class and a lnwr improved precedent class. Love pre grouping locos Keep safe and thanks for doing the interview and sharing it Keep safe arp

[@hamshackleton]

Who is Jerry? :-)

[@AdiPullen]

@@hamshackleton phone playing up My bad

[@hamshackleton]

@@AdiPullen - (un)predictive text!

[@thomasmills6427]

Parcel Vans, Newspaper Vans, Cargo Wagons the list goes on Railways don't just have Engines, all the time

[@RaysRailVideos]

Would love a LEV1 if rails would like to get one made

[@dakdak7609]

I wondered why a loco cannot be produced with two body kits available, a robust lower detailed version and a more prototypical higher detailed body to swap out. Ideal for for those of us with kids, travelling exhibitions or £200 cost wise a later upgrade.

[@raymondleggs5508]

me too

[@melvynwoodman5787]

To answer the question raised of how can we raise the bar, dare I suggest that after 50 years of enthusiasts proving the concept it should now be possible to buy p4 and scaleseven rtr products? I would also guess that I am not alone in wishing to see a new standard for a more prototypical close coupling system perhaps based on the new generation of miniature magnets.

[@neillittle7686]

Nice video.

[@paulypyro]

its pleasing to see the bars being raised in quality terms, and levels of detailing to make real quality models, and there will always be people like me who will gladly pay for such quality, but as we have seen with Hattons 66s for example, you have to be so precise with your quality control to avoid disappointment with bits breaking off, function issues etc, which are always going to be an inevitable part of high levels of detail in models that small, but its sure to be a steep learning curve for those who and bold enough to go for the detailed route like Hattons, Rails, Accurascale etc, and they need our support to persevere with high quality models otherwise the sound of constant customer concerns would mean they were less likely to push the boundaries in the way that some are at the moment. Just an observation from a new modeller.

[@turbomac5195]

Checked out the website and I think it's better then hattons.

[@christineallen7170]

200 pound plus loco..if it's good and you want it....you will buy it....ps5 is 450+ and that's a plastic box some electronic gizmos and a bit of wire and there flying off shelves at amazon

[@raymondleggs5508]

:-D

[@thomasmills6427]

Yes Engines but though, come on Guys theirs more to railways then just locomotives, theirs Rolling Stock to be considered I.E Coaches Wagons, Track 3rd Rail Canopy's Waiting Rooms, Relay Boxes Telegraph Poles with singing wires, locomotive Works, Engine Sheds, Speed Restriction Signs, Station Forecourts, Ferry Vans, how much more do you want Me to give you ?

[@paulpaxtop1580]

Now then, elephant in the room, have rails sorted out their relationship with hornby?

[@Whizzy-jx3qe]

How long is a piece of string.

[@JenniferEKirk]

Not yet appropriate. to publicly discuss this.

[@paredding]

@@JenniferEKirk I think it was an agreed 'not to discuss item' before recording :-) It was a good discussion, I have known John since the early 90s and he always has time for a chat. The business sure has grown since that single shop but somehow it has lost that family feeling. Please pass on my regards from the Australian chap. Cheers

[@phil36310]

200£ price tag 'normal' now ? Yes for the likes Bachmann & Co. But surprisingly Dapol is leading the way with very good quality; technical innovative improvements for a 'democratic price' ! See the new GWR Mogul. And this is to applaud for !! Time will tell where people put their money to play with trains. I know already !

[@dafyddthomas7299]

Then it becomes £250 in 2 years time then £300 and so on - as prices go up - it pushes more and more people out of buying and out of going into this hobby.

[@phil36310]

@@dafyddthomas7299 You make a point. Exactly ! Sad though !

[@dafyddthomas7299]

@@phil36310 exactly there needs to be more control and restrictions of pricing of new stuff / gear - not only restricted to train and models though.

[@phil36310]

@@dafyddthomas7299 "Capitalism is not in crisis. Capitalism IS the crisis. It's all based on greed !

[@modelrailwaynoob]

I have bought quite a bit from Rails. They are very competitive and their mail order is very efficient. However their communication needs a lot of improvement. I have only written to them twice and they failed to respond each time. It means I order much less from them now and they are not my first port of call. Good manners cost nothing. I hope they improve on that and I would certainly use them much more. Unfortunately for them, Hatton's communication is first class, so they get my business first, as well as a local shop.

[@TheSps24]

Did Hattons reward you with a free bag of track joiners for that appraisal? Let's have some more meat on the bone the next time you decide to trash a very popular and respected retailer.

[@modelrailwaynoob]

@@TheSps24 How much clearer do I have to be? Have you had a poor experience with Hatton's? I am happy to report both good and bad experiences with any retailer. I commented that Rails online sales were efficient and they were competitive but they ignored my emails. If you think that is ok then I feel sorry for your blind loyalty. You can wipe their bum, I don't need to. I don't consider it trashing and whether I do or not has got absolutely nothing to do with you. It was my experience and as I am sure you can imagine if you really try, your opinion is not at all important to me. I don't need your approval.

[@paredding]

@@TheSps24 You arent the Bill that used to work at Rails in the 90s by any chance re you ;-)

[@TheSps24]

@@paredding sorry, not me.

[@TheSps24]

@@modelrailwaynoob "your opinion is not at all important to me" No, of course it doesn't. But in your anger you have gone way off at a tangent. Just calm down and consider how silly you are making yourself look. (blind loyalty and wiping bums, dear God)

[@pim1234]

does the guy use eye make-up ?

No. It’s poor lighting combined with low res cameras on the video call.

[@JenniferEKirk]

Nope.

[@jameshardy4354]

The bachmann preserdent nice locomotives but the price isnt 😡 come on bachmann you are pricing us out of the hobby

[@raymondleggs5508]

Looks like one has to stick to Hornby, Mehano, or Piko

[@User-3O3]

Model railways have never been an inexpensive hobby, and the modern specs and build quality of our models today reflect the modern price tags. Frankly, I get sick of hearing people complaining about it. Yes, it's expensive. There are a lot of things I want that I can't afford. If I can afford it, I buy it. If I can't, I go without. Anybody who can't appreciate the amount of time, money, research, and engineering that go into making these models for us to enjoy, should find themselves another hobby.

[@paredding]

Indeed. Try having a hand built Precedent built to RTR standards for £220. And / or put another way, its due Summer 2021, so that's ~7 months away or around £31.50 per month to save up - if you really want one (or sell a few older RTR on Ebay). Trick is to be selective eg build as much you can your self (kits instead of pre-built, add detail, scenery) and spend the £££ on selective items that really enhance your layout.

[@dafyddthomas7299]

people have right to their own opinion and to pull up manufacturers raising prices to a level that they can't afford.

[@User-3O3]

@@dafyddthomas7299 The ones I hear complaining the most are the ones who earn a very comfortable living doing KZbin. They certainly make substantially more per annum than a lot of us, but seem to want everything for nothing.

[@dafyddthomas7299]

@@User-3O3 Good point J

[@AllensTrains]

There is a dichotomy between the model train and the toy train and suppliers like Rails of Sheffield have to find a balance along the continum between the model and the toy. A toy is better than a model, because basically a model is lifeless, whereas the toy has life. The more you go towards making a high definition model, the more complex and unreliable the mechanism has to be. The more toy-like the train, the more reliable and a good runner it can be. That's the dichotomy!

[@johnangus9154]

I don't know what the problem Rails have with Hornby and frankly I don't care,that's for them to sort out between themselves. Good P.R for Rails would have been to announce that they are taking no more orders for Hornby railways stock but current orders will be honoured. They chose not to do that but simply drop their customers in the Do Do. Why did they decided to do this?, the clue is revealed in your interview, they have seen increased sales so loosing a few customers will be no big deal. I have stopped buying from Rails, no big deal I'm sure to them, but bad negative comments travel faster than good ones.

[@petersmith4455]

thank goodness Triang locos were built to last,prices for locos now take the mick,why are rails clowning around with hornby.thank goodness for hattons and kernow model centre

[@raymondleggs5508]

RIP the the 2 Economical "T" brands of Model Railroading, Tyco, and Tri-ang

[@jameshardy4354]

Bachmann prices 👎👎👎👎👎😡😡

[@RB-yq7qv]

Sheffield is a good company and always makes time for the hobby but we are coming to the biggest changers. The sorter runs are a business plan to ensure higher prices are paid. Limit the stock and this forces people to pay more but this is a very sort term business thinking as this free money will disappear and so might customers. As the baby boomers have this extra money as they have been able to work in the one job and set aside money in super and home purchase As big business make the unemployment lines bigger and bigger by sacking their staff for profit and governments bending over to give them a free tax ride money for the hobby will be like finding a pot of gold. As China's middle class rise the demand for higher wagers will push companies to seek cheaper labour in countries that have little respect of law and working conditions, were women and children are paid crumbs for that greater profit. Its only a few years ago England's wealth was born on the back of women and children to feed the ruling class and nothing has changed, just take a look at the deals that the government signs its name to for the high end of town and also the high unemployment rate before the virus. May the hobby grow but at what cost.

[@paredding]

This bigger picture is a reasonable representation (rising costs , the era of boomers etc - who had the commonsense of their parents to invest in houses and spend carefully ie not on $5 cappucinos) BUT when does this refer to (after the First WW?) "England's wealth was born on the back of women and children to feed the ruling class and nothing has changed" To my knowledge, the freedom to earn and travel since the early 80s gave everyone personal opportunities even more then the 60s and 70s

[@stevelomas4119]

There was just ONE question Jen...just ONE, and you never asked it...what a cop out...FAIL.

Was is the question of whether you got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning? Because it sounds like you got out of the wrong side of the bed this morning.

[@maringarvanovic6040]

I know we wanted to hear it but I am in no doubt that this was discussed before the interview and was out of bounds. I think it shows some class on Johns side not to publicly talk about the issue with Hornby

[@stevelomas4119]

@@maringarvanovic6040 Well Jenny is a journalist (and a good one)...journalists ask these types of cutting questions, what could have been an enlightening interview turned into a 35 min advert for Rails. Class on Johns side ?...more like subterfuge...you can give me 35 mins free advertising but you can't discuss anything that puts me out of my comfort zone...I'd have binned the interview right there and then. I'm willing to bet 95% of people who tuned into this video did so waiting for this question to be asked...and like me...were let down.

[@maringarvanovic6040]

I agree with you that we were waiting for that question and that is why we watched it. Clearly it all seems unfinished with Hornby and John wants to keep it amicable with them.

@@stevelomas4119 No journalist worth their salt would ever try to get someone to talk openly about a matter that is still being worked out. You would be actively sabotaging attempts at negotiation and/or reconciliation by allowing one side to speak but not the other. As for this being a “35 min advert”, it’s nothing of the sort and that’s clear to anyone who actually listens to it.