Jump to content
 

C&L Finescale


Andy Y
 Share

Recommended Posts

As I may have mentioned in another thread, I'm trying to order for my local club who are trying to convert an EM layout to 00, as well as finish the pointwork on my own 00 layout. I fell I've wasted a lot of this winter waiting to see if I can place an order for what I need.

 

Peco may be the answer for some, but they don't made C8 turnouts or a B6 single slip, or a B6/C8 interlaced left hand turnout! I need to match the 00 pointwork with the lifted EM stuff. Only handbuilt will do. It's all worked out on Templot, all I need now are the bits to do it all!

Edited by roythebus
Link to post
Share on other sites

Without treading on Phils toes, The club needed a huge amount of Copperclad for a 14 road fiddleyard 2 months ago, the person procuring obtained it from Andrew at Wizard, no idea on price but like everything at club it would have been quoted before purchase.

 

 

Thanks Dave.  I took a look at the Wizard site and searched for both copper clad and nickel silver rail, but drew a blank on both products.  They don't list C & L as a supplier.  

 

Maybe I'm just having a senior moment.

 

Am I on the right site?

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hard to call someone when the business is closed for nearly 3 weeks (according to the website). Which re-iterates my point of having alternative communication available through free to access social media such as Facebook. Agree that everything business related comes at a cost, but it costs nothing other than a quick email to acknowledge your customers. As a whole the website works well for ordering and appears to show stock updates. However it's the communication that's at fault.

 

 

Not defending Phil, but as railway modellers we are looked after for specialist products by a band of one man companies, all of whom are self employed and during the show calendar work 7 days a week, often very long hours. Those of us who are lucky enough to be employed do a five day (or less) job, usually 8 hours a day, 5 weeks holiday plus another 8 days of bank holidays.

 

Quite often this group do not go home at 5 pm but work long hours, for 2 day shows you need to 1 day prior to prepare for the show and 1 day after to unpack, then make up for the 2 days lost by working long hours the next week. Don't forget some businesses do not create enough revenue to support the owner full time and in some cases they hold down a full time job.

 

Please remember C&L was for sale for at least 2 years, the previous owner had no choice but to run the business down. One buyer pulled out of the sale quite close to the deadline when the lease of the business expired. Phil stepped in quite close to this deadline and put his own money into it, whilst not too much has been told to me quite a few areas were not in as good a situation as expected.

 

The website says one of the reasons for an extended closure is that he is meeting with some of his suppliers, which is good news as Phil is looking to the future as certain moulds are past their best and in need of investment

 

I am going to give Phil a hand at the CMRA stand, so if you want a quite word with Phil he is available, just choose a quiet time if only to allow fellow modellers to be served quickly. Also come and say hello 

  • Like 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Thanks Dave.  I took a look at the Wizard site and searched for both copper clad and nickel silver rail, but drew a blank on both products.  They don't list C & L as a supplier.  

 

Maybe I'm just having a senior moment.

 

Am I on the right site?

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd

Hello Gordon. You could try these people. I haven't dealt with them for many moons ago!

 

http://www.marcway.net/list3.php?col=head&name=PCB

http://www.marcway.net/list3.php?col=head&name=RAILS

Edited by Re6/6
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Thanks Dave.  I took a look at the Wizard site and searched for both copper clad and nickel silver rail, but drew a blank on both products.  They don't list C & L as a supplier.  

 

Maybe I'm just having a senior moment.

 

Am I on the right site?

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd

 

That's the correct site Gordon, I know the Chairman ordered from Andrew as I picked them up at Peterborough in October to save postage.

 

If you fire off an email to Andrew he responds very quickly (New Year might slow it)

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Not defending Phil, but as railway modellers we are looked after for specialist products by a band of one man companies, all of whom are self employed and during the show calendar work 7 days a week, often very long hours. Those of us who are lucky enough to be employed do a five day (or less) job, usually 8 hours a day, 5 weeks holiday plus another 8 days of bank holidays.

 

Quite often this group do not go home at 5 pm but work long hours, for 2 day shows you need to 1 day prior to prepare for the show and 1 day after to unpack, then make up for the 2 days lost by working long hours the next week. Don't forget some businesses do not create enough revenue to support the owner full time and in some cases they hold down a full time job.

 

Please remember C&L was for sale for at least 2 years, the previous owner had no choice but to run the business down. One buyer pulled out of the sale quite close to the deadline when the lease of the business expired. Phil stepped in quite close to this deadline and put his own money into it, whilst not too much has been told to me quite a few areas were not in as good a situation as expected.

 

The website says one of the reasons for an extended closure is that he is meeting with some of his suppliers, which is good news as Phil is looking to the future as certain moulds are past their best and in need of investment

 

I am going to give Phil a hand at the CMRA stand, so if you want a quite word with Phil he is available, just choose a quiet time if only to allow fellow modellers to be served quickly. Also come and say hello 

 

Wise words John.

 

As l posted earlier in the thread a couple of times..... give this chap a break. He is only a 'one man band'. If he was to go down through pressure of expectation whilst building his business, where would the hobby be without the C&L.range, 

Edited by Re6/6
Link to post
Share on other sites

I know what it's like running a one-man-band specialist business, I used to produce GS Models cast bus kits in the 1970s and dealt with various pattern makers and metal casters including Adrian Swain (ABS Models), Bailoy and a couple of others whose names escape me. Patterns were generally done by Mike Sheppard, Adrian Swain, Bailoy and someone who used to do patterns for Langley.

 

It was always a mad rush trying to get  new kit on the market, there was a always a problem with the patterns, then moulding problems when certain parts wouldn't mould properly, then the box suppliers would let me down..All orders were done by post or via shops as there was no internet in those days. My first mrs was helping pack bus kits hours before giving birth to our first son! We had to work to get 800 kits packed for a deadline. I know what it's like!

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Gordon. You could try these people. I haven't dealt with them for many moons ago!

 

http://www.marcway.net/list3.php?col=head&name=PCB

http://www.marcway.net/list3.php?col=head&name=RAILS

 

I used marcway for copper clad sleeper strip a couple of years ago, very poor quality in my opinion with widely varying widths in the same lengths of copper clad strip.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Not defending Phil, but as railway modellers we are looked after for specialist products by a band of one man companies, all of whom are self employed and during the show calendar work 7 days a week, often very long hours. Those of us who are lucky enough to be employed do a five day (or less) job, usually 8 hours a day, 5 weeks holiday plus another 8 days of bank holidays.

 

Quite often this group do not go home at 5 pm but work long hours, for 2 day shows you need to 1 day prior to prepare for the show and 1 day after to unpack, then make up for the 2 days lost by working long hours the next week. Don't forget some businesses do not create enough revenue to support the owner full time and in some cases they hold down a full time job.

 

Please remember C&L was for sale for at least 2 years, the previous owner had no choice but to run the business down. One buyer pulled out of the sale quite close to the deadline when the lease of the business expired. Phil stepped in quite close to this deadline and put his own money into it, whilst not too much has been told to me quite a few areas were not in as good a situation as expected.

 

The website says one of the reasons for an extended closure is that he is meeting with some of his suppliers, which is good news as Phil is looking to the future as certain moulds are past their best and in need of investment

 

I am going to give Phil a hand at the CMRA stand, so if you want a quite word with Phil he is available, just choose a quiet time if only to allow fellow modellers to be served quickly. Also come and say hello 

 

Love to attend more shows John and meet our suppliers. Unfortunately my only 'local' show is Telford GOG, and, even though I attend most years, it's still nearly a 200 mile round trip !

 

Agree with all this and of course many specialist suppliers are still small mail order only operations. In todays 'instant business' world shows may seem a bit old school but it's the way it's always been done in this hobby. I am surprised that given the costs involved they are still as well supported as when I started modelling 50+ years ago. 

 

Pete.

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I used marcway for copper clad sleeper strip a couple of years ago, very poor quality in my opinion with widely varying widths in the same lengths of copper clad strip.

 

RailRoom Electronics provide copper clad strip in bulk packs and have a very good order service. The only issue is that you would need to cut these with a guilottine into correct sleeper lengths.

 

https://www.railroomelectronics.co.uk/Copper-Clad-Pcb-Board/Copper-Clad-Strips/Page1.aspx

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hello Gordon. You could try these people. I haven't dealt with them for many moons ago!

 

http://www.marcway.net/list3.php?col=head&name=PCB

http://www.marcway.net/list3.php?col=head&name=RAILS

 

 

Thanks John.  I do use loose sleepers from Marcway/SMP and have some of their sleeper strip. It's single sided, which in itself is not an issue, but the width varies and it doesn't have the same quality as the C & L strips.  

 

I've been in dialogue with Hayfield this morning and solved the strip issue.  Just looking for 100m of bullhead rail now.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Look like they are the C&L items, same item codes

 

Ah yes , I hadn't noticed that ! Not sure who manufactures the cut strip (maybe from China ?) but I am always 'gobsmacked' by the cost these days.

 

Aware copper costs rocketed in recent years but bizarrely both RailRoom and Maplins sell a big sheet of PCB for a fraction of the cost of strip ?

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Thanks Dave.  I took a look at the Wizard site and searched for both copper clad and nickel silver rail, but drew a blank on both products.  They don't list C & L as a supplier.  

 

Maybe I'm just having a senior moment.

 

Am I on the right site?

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd

 

Yes it's the correct site. A search for "copper" returns the following;

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/buildings/copper-clad-strip-for-sleepers-ls0030/

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/buildings/copper-clad-strip-for-turnout-timbers-ls0031/

 

https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/shop/buildings/copper-clad-strip-for-turnout-timbers-ls031/

 

All listed under Permanent Way & Lineside

Link to post
Share on other sites

Thanks guys, but by the look of it, they are all 1.6mm whereas I use 1mm.  I still have some copper clad pcb sheet, so I may try cutting some again before I spend the best part of £200.....

 

I have tried cutting sheet into strips and would recommend anyone trying it to lie down in a darkened room first !

 

Unless you have industrial cutting equipment it's very hard going and impossible to get it consistent - and it creates a massive amount of fine dust.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

I appreciate the info Stephen, but can you provide a link?  

 

Just trawled through the site again and I can only see three items listed and they are all 1.6mm....

 

Hi Gordon,

 

https://www.railroomelectronics.co.uk/Copper-Clad-Pcb-Board/Copper-Clad-Strips/Product-83071.aspx

 

It appears to be C&L stockist. Showing stock level 12.

 

Martin.

Edited by martin_wynne
Link to post
Share on other sites

As a general query on the subject of track making has anyone tried the DCC Concepts products ? Are these a new idea or a rehash ?

 

https://www.dccconcepts.com/product-category/track-and-track-making-parts/dccconcepts-track-and-track-making-parts/

 

I've used them for several points which have been generated using Templot.

 

They are a useful alternative to copper clad and have pads ready to solder into as per the attached.

 

post-20303-0-10766000-1514736687_thumb.jpg

 

Hope this gives you some idea.

 

Grahame

 

Edit : I have been using them for several years and I'm not aware that they are a rehash of any other product.

Edited by bgman
  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

As a general query on the subject of track making has anyone tried the DCC Concepts products ? Are these a new idea or a rehash ?

 

https://www.dccconcepts.com/product-category/track-and-track-making-parts/dccconcepts-track-and-track-making-parts/

The stainless bullhead rail has to be treated very carefully as it is very 'soft'. Our reason for using the stuff was for on the viaduct as it was claimed to be 'dirt resistant'. That turned out to be a costly mistake (a lot was bought!) as any bends made, both accidental or deliberate, are impossible to straighten and I'm not particularly hamfisted! It will be used elsewhere in the future!

 

It was all replaced with C&L's 'Hi-NI'.

 

post-6728-0-05834400-1514798462.jpg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...