Hornby's warehouse and logistics operation has been outsourced and is now based in Hersden nr Canterbury, it was run by DS Logistics there. This occured when Hornby also moved it's base to a new business park near Sandwich. They then moved back to the Margate (Westwood) site but only in terms of office operations, which was featured in the James May, two part documentary. The visitor centre now re-invented as wonder works has always remained at Westwood. In my opinion the former Dover Western Docks / Dover Marine station now a cruise terminal office and car park operation would have made a good site for a railway museum. We could do with one specialising in Southern region stock and there used to be a transport museum at Clapham before it moved to York.
The site is owned by LSL, and Hornby rent their space, I dont know how Hornby can still call it a museum, its not even a visitor centre anymore , they've ripped the heart out of the place, Wonderworks is nothing more than a glorified showroom for their products, prices are sky high, other retail outlets normally sell cheaper when direct from the manufacturer, the place is a waste of space, its exactly the same floor space as the old visitor centre, but there was far more to see and learn from, today its an absolute joke, the historical part of Hornby, what is did, how its progressed has been eradicated by the new management there - as a former employee, I enjoyed the old visitor centre, I had a sense of pride of seeing what I did there, I loaned them an original 1960s tri-ang Hornby electric cleaning brush for locos still in its original packaging for display in old visitor centre, its never been returned to me. I wouldn't waste my time in there, as I say wonder works, coz its a wonder anything works, quality is so low.
Very well put, I completely forgot LSL owns the site so thankyou for that! but completely true its just such a shame its the way it is. Its a true reflection onnwhat Hornby stands for now, basic. Hope you enjoyed the video by the way!
@@TRAVELMANOFKENT it confirmed the bitter disappointment I encountered upon seeing it - I thought "what the heck is this?" In short it's an utter embarrassment for Margate, the home of Hornby, I live up the road from it and its positively shocking - when it re opened last September, everything went up in price 33%, even sales stuff was increased by 33% - the cafe does superb sausage rolls - to die for - but only a month ago they did the worst thing - you've guessed it, a price increase on sausage rolls of 33%! Nothing is sacred anymore