Chivers Finelines 0n30 and 016.5 plastic kits

[finelines]

Chivers Finelines

 

If you go to the EDM website you will find the following message:

 

 

Stocks of these cars are now exhausted.

 

 

 

Unless there are major developments with the supplier of these kits we cannot obtain further supplies and will shortly remove reference to them on the NG Trains website.

 

I hope we can get more supplies but it will require a major change in the policies and practices of the manufacturer.

 

 

As our policies and practices are dictated by health and disability we have very little room for manoeuvre.

 

I would like to thank Paul for his help over the years and wish him well.

 

Roger

 

 

[Mike Bellamy]

Hello Roger

 

I help Paul with his trade stand at exhibitions and your kits have always been 'best sellers' particularly at Swanley where we get some visitors come over from France. I remember a couple of years ago a guy paid for about 10 of the On30 kits with a wad of brand new £5 notes that he had got from his bank in France - we never see new fivers in this country do we

 

By the end of the Shepton show a couple of weeks ago all we had left were a few 2 plank wagons from the almost full box of mixed On30 and O16.5 that we started with.

 

It is unfortunate that your health (and Mrs C) mean that you can't keep up with the demand - especially with your developments in 4mm, but I hope that the kits will become available again in the future. I see that Matthew is now listing the 7mmNG loco kits - could he take on the narrow gauge plastic kits as well or is he going to stick with metal and etch ??

 

Best wishes for the future

 

Mike

[ngtrains.com]

Re: EDM not selling Chivers plastic kits

 

Thank you to Roger for his kind words and for clarification from Mike on EDM's sales of these items.

 

Having seen the notes from my website repeated I realise they don't really explain the situation so I have amended them.

 

I would just like to make it clear that there has been no falling out and, if Roger's circumstances improve, we would be more than happy to stock them again. Deciding to stop selling them hasn't been a snap decision and Roger and I have been in regular contact throughout the time we have stocked the kits. Both he and I are aware of the issue as we have discussed them back and forth for months.

 

As far as the modeller needs to know its simply that Roger and Sharon's health is such that they can't supply the kits that EDM can sell and that their health issues mean that restocking is erratic and unpredictable. Having had my own bout of ill health at the end of last year I understand how debilitating it can be. They have both my sympathy and wishes for better health.

 

From a purely practical view - what is the real difference between listing item that there is no stock of and not listing them. With just 8 kits left it amounts to the same thing.

 

I sincerely hope their health improves and that we can return these kits to the market

 

Regards

 

Paul Martin EDM Models

[finelines]

 

Dear All

 

It’s coming up to 10 years ago since we first started our range of 0n30 styrene freight cars and in that time there have been a lot changes.

 

In the beginning we had difficulties with supplies because we had to rely on subcontractors. Then we bought our own machinery, but that coincided with the development of our own health issues. I am now Sharon’s full time carer and I am not in the best of health either resulting in supplies getting worse, especially in the last couple of years.

 

After discussions with our two main stockists, International Hobbies in the US and EDM in the UK we have agreed to cease attempting to supply them, as one said, how can you call me a stockist when there is no guarantee of stocks?

 

The problem is not that we can’t supply, it’s the fact that for a small company like us putting together the large orders that are required is difficult. For example, I had the requirement for a very big order which I had hoped to be ready last week, but suddenly I had to use up 4 days on hospital/doctors appointments.

 

We have a plan to continue supplying direct via the net.

 

Roger

 

 

[bandmbill]

Hi Roger

 

Glad to hear that the On30 kits will continue - I have nearly finished my 10th kit - just need another 10!

 

Keep us updated as to when there will be more available!

 

Thanks

 

Bill