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Sutton's Locomotive Works class 24


Dan Griffin
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I’m Sure you can only vote when submitting your order (could be wrong, But I remembered this as I forgot to vote when putting my last order in).

 

That's a bit peculiar - but then so are a few of Sutton's trading practices.

 

Effectively they're saying that only customers who have purchased previous models can influence future production.

 

What about the potential customer who had no use for their previous model(s), but would definitely purchase one of their proposed subjects?

 

Just saying ........

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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On which page(s) are the voting links, does anybody know?

 

 

 

http://sulzertype2.co.uk/vote/place-your-votes/

I’m Sure you can only vote when submitting your order (could be wrong, But I remembered this as I forgot to vote when putting my last order in).

 

 

You can vote on the website...

 

http://sulzertype2.co.uk/vote/place-your-votes/

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It's pretty obvious that the 24/1 would sell, so why they persist with this voting non sense is beyond me, and looks like a case of major prevarication.

I hope the silence from slw over the last couple of months is because theyve been busy working on something new. (Please dont let's start wishlisting yet again)

What seemed like an exciting new venture a few years ago has, despite a top class debut model, appeared to be a bit lacklustre of late. All this fuss about voting 18 months ago has so far delivered.... not a lot.

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The voting process has made sure we keep on talking a lot about the models, so perhaps it has achieved something for SLW.  Otherwise we might have forgotten about them altogether    :scratchhead:  :dontknow:   :mosking:

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It's pretty obvious that the 24/1 would sell, so why they persist with this voting non sense is beyond me, and looks like a case of major prevarication.

I hope the silence from slw over the last couple of months is because theyve been busy working on something new. (Please dont let's start wishlisting yet again)

What seemed like an exciting new venture a few years ago has, despite a top class debut model, appeared to be a bit lacklustre of late. All this fuss about voting 18 months ago has so far delivered.... not a lot.

I’m in total agreement....

18mths ago, if the decision had been made to produce these models (in particular 24/1) i’m Sure the models would have sold out, and SLW would have had two to three years of no completion, and they could have cleaned up so to speak.... now month by month, Bachmann and Heljan are progressing with their models, and fairly soon We are going to be spoilt for choice for Sulzer type2’s....

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Who cares what the reasoning is behind the voting? 

JUST VOTE H :onthequiet: 

  I think your finger slipped there, should have hit the key one to the left.

 

ps  I voted by sending an email, this allows you to be more specific on quantities. I specified different quantities depending on whether one or both were produced (G/H).

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I just made a whopping pledge for Highland Baby Sulzers (mohican variety).  Bearing in mind 5115-25/7/8/31/2 ran on the Waverley route; about a dozen in Blue D-serif, and three in GFYE.

 

Who knows though, with me at 52 years of age, whether they will precede my 'Last Great Hurrah' layout or I'll not live to see either!!!

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The voting process helps the production planning by ensuring the ones in greatest demand receive the higher priority.Suttons are a small business with limited production capacity and cash reserves. By prioritising the fastest sellers, cash is generated more quickly to ensure the next variant can go into production. One which sells out before its delivered is far better than one which will hang around for even six months before the investment is returned. Thats effectively a six month delay in production of the next model. It also allows more time to build the order book for the slower selling versions.

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I'll be very surprised if slw go ahead with one now. The difference between the Bachmann and sutton 24/0's was significant, but this latest 24/1 looks pretty good.

I hope they still go ahead because it's the Highlands variant with spotlights that I'm after not the LMR version that Bachmann are doing

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I'll be very surprised if slw go ahead with one now. The difference between the Bachmann and sutton 24/0's was significant, but this latest 24/1 looks pretty good.

SLW's product has been  superior in many ways up to date, and so it is worth waiting for the latest model, rather than the Bachmann version. There is nothing like a little bit of competition, is there?

 

It may be that the Bachmann 24/1 'looks' good, but it hasn't graced the rails quite yet. In respect of Bachmann practices, I wonder, for instance, why there is a great prototype 'Deltic', when the production run model was no where near as good (but better than the Hornby/Lima iteration). Just a few errant thoughts.

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I'll be very surprised if slw go ahead with one now. The difference between the Bachmann and sutton 24/0's was significant, but this latest 24/1 looks pretty good.

 

The proposed SLW 24/1's are the Scottish variants with tablet catcher recesses and working spotlights. Bachmann may well revise their tooling in the future to cater for this version, but when would we actually see it ? 

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The proposed SLW 24/1's are the Scottish variants with tablet catcher recesses and working spotlights. Bachmann may well revise their tooling in the future to cater for this version, but when would we actually see it ? 

 

And therein lies the gamble, IMHO.  The idea of modifying the Bachmann loco into Highland Baby Sulzer configuration doesn't daunt me one jot - I already know precisely what I need to acquire and the scalpel strokes and drill twists involved, but it all comes down to timing - typically I'll get my home-brewed homage about ready when they announce an RTR version.  Exactly what happened when I'd backdated Heljan 26/0s into 1960s condition.  When one's modelling hours are severely limited this is very frustrating indeed.

 

Also, I tend to favour standardisation of the basic mechanisms in locos, and as all my Bo-Bos are Bachmann or Heljan at this time, that does weigh in those manufacturers' favour....  Still, great to see such apparent health and buoyancy in the sector   :sungum:

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I think we need to get this speculation into realistic perspective.

 

Here's what we know as facts.

 

Hornby, Bachmann and Heljan announce their intended models years in advance, some promises falling by the wayside.

 

The first anyone (outside a very small circle) knew that SLW would be created as a business and that an all new, highly accurate Class 24 was the company's first project was at the launch event, where to the astonishment of all guests, the models were in an anti-room available for purchase immediately.

 

SLW Class 24 price remained the same since launch until the 2018 scheduled production runs. Remaining stock of previous versions are still at launch prices.

 

The prices of Hornby, Bachmann and Heljan models, on the other hand have steadily risen, in some cases rocketed. The price of newly tooled models often see dramatic increases.

 

What public domain evidence is there to support the view that SLW will be second or third in any race to bring quality product to market? The first time that most people will know it's coming, is when they go on sale.

 

How many red or blue box models have the option of EM or P4 wheelsets at the time of purchase?

 

Similarly, what evidence is there that there will be any significant price difference to sway the buying choice in favour of the big guns?

 

The major difference between the SLW position now and at the launch is that since no one knew about the new company and model in advance, there was no ill informed speculation beforehand.

 

In the meantime, SLW have established an enviable reputation for great model making and responding to customers requests.

 

If this has in any way helped to raise the bar generally across the industry, that's good for all of us whichever brand we favour in future.

 

Best regards

 

Paul

Edited by pauliebanger
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I much prefer SLWs approach in a number of ways. 5+ years waiting for a model to be produced after announcement is just ludicrous to my mind.

 

Given the choice between an SLW and another manufacturer I'd likely choose SLW each time for a given example if the standards are as good as or supercede the 24 (I see no reason why they wouldn't). Whatever comes next I am sure it'll be great and will likely take a few people by surprise (in a good way). Until then the 24s can still keep coming potentially.

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I'm with Chard on this one, I want an ScR 24/1 headcoded sulzer because of my memories of a handful still in service on my mid 1970s jaunts to Scottish sheds, and seeing lines of them stored at Millerhill.

However for my layout the Bachmann version is the one, as LMR 24s apparently made it to Bristol on parcels trains and a handful of other workings in the early 1970s. I'd rather save time for the long list of other ongoing projects and buy Bachmann to start with, and save for the SLW headcoded version, I have already two of their earlier releases, and can vouch for their quality.

In my opinion the SLW model has driven Bachmann to significantly up their game with their new release, perhaps that's why the incubation period for release has been so long,

Neil

Edited by Downendian
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I'm with Chard on this one, I want an ScR 24/1 headcoded sulzer because of my memories of a handful still in service on my mid 1970s jaunts to Scottish sheds, and seeing lines of them stored at Millerhill.

However for my layout the Bachmann version is the one, as LMR 24s apparently made it to Bristol on parcels trains and a handful of other workings in the early 1970s. I'd rather save time for the long list of other ongoing projects and buy Bachmann to start with, and save for the SLW headcoded version, I have already two of their earlier releases, and can vouch for their quality.

In my opinion the SLW model has driven Bachmann to significantly up their game with their new release, perhaps that's why the incubation period for release has been so long,

Neil

 

In my opinion the SLW model has driven Bachmann to significantly up their game with their new release, perhaps that's why the incubation period for release has been so long,

 

And the Realtrack 156's also raised the bar for MU's ........

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I think we all agree that the Sutton 24 raised the bar SIGNIFICANTLY when it arrived, out of the blue, a couple of years ago, and I for one both hope they deliver their next model soon, beating the opposition and will be only too happy to regularly throw cash at Phil and jamie in return for new models, (24/1, 25, 40, 45, 46,47 or 50 or anything from LMR in the 70s.)

But its only natural with the lack of communication from them of late compared with the recent announcements from Heljan and photos of EPs from bachy that we speculate who will win the race to market, or if indeed there will be any race at all. I get the idea about not making announcements years before production, but a little indication of direction, every now and again would help those of us without lots of spare dosh, in planning our future purchases, and keep us brand loyal too.

Edited by The Ghost of IKB
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I agree.we need some sort of new product or product plan the various bits on the web site are now not kept up to date i.e news blog etc Understand if they have got really busy & theres only a small staff .But the site is tops notch & lack of updated bits shows up.I too would buy lots of 25”s 40’s 47’s etc

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In respect of Bachmann practices, I wonder, for instance, why there is a great prototype 'Deltic', when the production run model was no where near as good (but better than the Hornby/Lima iteration). Just a few errant thoughts.

Well there was about fifteen years between the two models. The production model was one of the early UK outline diesels from Bachmann and for its time was considered overall, a reasonable model with some nose shape issues. The prototype model benefited from a decade or so of progression in manufacturing as well as higher customer expectations. It was also a customer (NRM) commission who also developed a new (for the time) level of quality, I think at the time it may have been the highest priced RTR diesel too. What the Deltics do illustrate is the development that took place in that fifteen or so years of RTR models, between the production version vs the prototype model release.

In the context above it’s probably fair to say that the SLW 24 took the RTR diesel market up another few steps with its release.

Edited by PMP
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