C&L Finescale

[StuartMc]

On 26/03/2021 at 11:08, hayfield said:

A second update with C&L as I went to help yesterday. We had another good day sorting out and packing orders.

 

When phoning please be brief, chats may brighten up Phil's day but delays your and others orders.

 

Thanks, I got a delivery this morning and might have you to thank!

 

Luckily I knew there were delays (and I wasn't in a hurry) so although it was almost exactly a month, I took an "expect it when I see it" attitude so just glad to see it and to hear things are better than they were.

 

It's difficult not to chat on the phone though, as he's such a lovely guy!

Stuart

[hayfield]

Phil is a single guy, missing both his club members and all those at the many shows he attends. He is having a bit of a tough time at the moment, his house is getting easier for him to go in, but he is still staying at a local Hotel, the good news is he has had an offer accepted on a new property and has plans for a large side building to work from. However he has to sell his property and make a claim from the leaseholder. whilst this is going on he is working in a small cramped location.

 

Me giving up a couple of days working with him has got things moving, I think the biggest help is having someone to work with (he must be desperate to work with me) but its more moral support. If the order is wrong its one I worked on, seriously just order as early as you can. When he does move its probably a two week shut down, there will be times when the personal side will get in the way, buying and selling is not easy as is dealing  with insurers. Plus he is living away from home.

 

He finds it easier when people pay over the phone, and has to cope with his Dyslexia so struggles with emails. And there are new products in the pipeline, the 7mm 2 bolt chairs have passed inspection and in the production process, same format as the new 4mm scale ones and fit the new scale rail.  

[StuartMc]

39 minutes ago, hayfield said:

If the order is wrong its one I worked on

 

Nope, the order was correct and I'm very happy with it!

[hayfield]

26 minutes ago, StuartMc said:

 

Nope, the order was correct and I'm very happy with it!

 

The first time I worked with Phil I sent 2 packs of 250 chairs instead of 2 packs of 500. All the rest were fine, sorry whoever was short delivered

[GWR57xx]

@hayfield, any timescale yet for when the new 2 bolt chairs will be available to order?

Thanks.

[hayfield]

10 minutes ago, GWR57xx said:

@hayfield, any timescale yet for when the new 2 bolt chairs will be available to order?

Thanks.

 

Very soon, he's is just waiting for the sprues to be shot.

 

I have one of the test shot sprues and they are very nice and of course they have both Bridge and joint chairs, the latter for BR(W) period

[RobA2345]

Quick update from me I received my orders in 2 batches last week so I'm hugely grateful to Phil and his helpers. I'm very sympathetic to all businesses but especially cottage industries we depend on in these times.

While I'm here quick question about the turnouts I've ordered. I've ordered 2 (EM Gauge) to make a crossover and I want them to share timbers around the centre of the crossover as per my design on Templot. What are my options for making these extra long timbers? I've gone for the plastic sleeps and have considered trying to mate two of them to achieve the length but am interested in hearing what others have done for this.

[Stephen Freeman]

obviously would not have been a problem with either plywood or Exactoscale but the prototype was not above joining two lengths together if they had to.

[hayfield]

5 hours ago, RobA2345 said:

Quick update from me I received my orders in 2 batches last week so I'm hugely grateful to Phil and his helpers. I'm very sympathetic to all businesses but especially cottage industries we depend on in these times.

While I'm here quick question about the turnouts I've ordered. I've ordered 2 (EM Gauge) to make a crossover and I want them to share timbers around the centre of the crossover as per my design on Templot. What are my options for making these extra long timbers? I've gone for the plastic sleeps and have considered trying to mate two of them to achieve the length but am interested in hearing what others have done for this.

 

What I did in the past is what they do in reality,  which is to splice two timbers together. But rather between two running rails, I spliced mine under a rail. Firstly the rail hides the join, secondly the chair not only further hides it but strengthens the join. If you have several timbers which need joining, then stagger which rail the joint is under. Its surprising how invisible this method is  

[hayfield]

Spoke with Phil this morning and he is struggling a bit, dealing with the leaseholder is very problematic and taking up time.

 

I may be going down and give him another days work at the end of the week, if anyone has any queries with C&L please PM me 

[blueeighties]

On 06/04/2021 at 12:10, hayfield said:

Spoke with Phil this morning and he is struggling a bit, dealing with the leaseholder is very problematic and taking up time.

 

I may be going down and give him another days work at the end of the week, if anyone has any queries with C&L please PM me 

Always seems to have been some issue since day one. 

[hayfield]

Slightly unfair comment as Phil has firstly saved C&L then turned it around. Granted like most of us he has his faults. Clearly bringing new and upgraded items to the market he is good at, the shop keeping part and IT are not Phil's strongest points, but he learns slowly.

 

He is not the only trader who makes the odd error. I have had orders forgotten about by traders of long standing and had to remind a few several times of things which have been outstanding.

 

Rightly or wrongly Phil aske customers  to order via the website, then follow up and pay over the phone, and is there is an issue phone him up. I have never had a major issue doing it this way.

 

C&L is in a much stronger position than its been for years, but its a one man band. Having had recent experience he is making the best of a difficult situation, orders will take a couple of weeks, so just plan ahead a bit. 

 

As I said if I can assist PM me

[Denbridge]

On 10/04/2021 at 17:37, blueeighties said:

Always seems to have been some issue since day one. 

I suppose your perfect? If youve actually read whats going on, a decent person would be more considerate.

[ikcdab]

On 27/03/2021 at 22:26, hayfield said:

 

The first time I worked with Phil I sent 2 packs of 250 chairs instead of 2 packs of 500. All the rest were fine, sorry whoever was short delivered

Haha John, that was me for my three-way point! Phil made up the difference very quickly. No probs at all, glad you could help out.

Ian

[hayfield]

1 hour ago, ikcdab said:

Haha John, that was me for my three-way point! Phil made up the difference very quickly. No probs at all, glad you could help out.

Ian

 

Typical new boy error, it was cold, cramped and a bit jumbled, learning someones elses system is always an issue. How are you getting on with the 3 way ?

Edited April 12, 2021 by hayfield

[ikcdab]

1 minute ago, hayfield said:

 

Typical new bot error, it was cold, cramped and a bit jumbled, learning someones elses system is always an issue. How are you getting on with the 3 way ?

All looking good. Ballasted it all yesterday, will install on layout maybe tomorrow. Will post pics when I can.

[blueeighties]

On 12/04/2021 at 16:44, Denbridge said:

I suppose your perfect? If youve actually read whats going on, a decent person would be more considerate.

Not at all. But I too am a one man band, and see good communication, answering emails and phonecalls as the number one priority with the business. I simply don't understand how this seems to be such a difficult task.

And thanks, I knew the previous C&L owner very well, service was generally exemplary.

[hayfield]

9 minutes ago, blueeighties said:

Not at all. But I too am a one man band, and see good communication, answering emails and phonecalls as the number one priority with the business. I simply don't understand how this seems to be such a difficult task.

And thanks, I knew the previous C&L owner very well, service was generally exemplary.

 

The previous owner of C&L tried to move the company into a different way, sadly whilst the service was first class, the business failed. I too knew Peter well and as it happens we emailed each other a week or so ago. As you say Peter worked his but off, but sadly through many factors he was forced to sell it off

 

I agree that emails and phone calls should be answered, however when I was in business it took several days for me to reply to some emails. At this moment I have an issue with Aegon, a company with hundreds of staff. My wife sent 2 emails which they never answered, several phone backs they agreed to have never materialised, and they premertually ceased an investigation, because they could not speak with either myself or my wife (their excuse the phone was engaged, but they failed to leave a message on our answer phone. This is a very large corporation admitting to me as having difficulties responding to its customers

 

I never have a problem speaking with Phil on the phone, there are times when he is on the phone, so I call back. There are also times when he is out of office

 

I cannot comment on how your business is run and it would be wrong to do so. Also it is wrong to compare how you operate your company which is totally different. Phil has against most armchair critics on here completely turned the business round. Saved a run down ailing company and has updated many of the popular lines as well as bringing in many new ones, having to reorder many of the newest updated lines, owing to the amounts being sold

 

I have worked with him for 3 days over the past 4  weeks, only had a few people PM me all of which I believe were satisfied (one was waiting for Phil's attention) He answered every phone call when I was there, so your claims of not answering the phone only relate when either the office is closed or he is out of the office posting or going to suppliers. He is considering getting assistance with the emails, which are a small issue at the moment. He does ask people to phone him, rather than email !!

 

Phil has an issue with his business premises which he is working around, and things are getting better by the day. Part of the issue was the rapid moving of stock and its consequences. Thankfully the vast majority of his customers are both loyal and understanding, if something does go wrong, most RMwebbers know they can PM me. Plans are in place for both the short and long term.

 

All I can say is I hope your business does not have similar issues. As I have said the way Phil works is similar to many cottage industry businesses in this hobby and I have suffered similar issues with at least 3 of them this past year.

[MJI]

I am thinking of trying some of this for a small project, a couple of points and some track.

 

I just do not know what to order. Apart from bullhead NS and 3 bolt chairs

[Siberian Snooper]

1 hour ago, MJI said:

I am thinking of trying some of this for a small project, a couple of points and some track.

 

I just do not know what to order. Apart from bullhead NS and 3 bolt chairs

 

Sleepers and crossing timbers? Solvent.

 

 

[Stephen Freeman]

Gauges, templates/templot?

Edited April 16, 2021 by Stephen Freeman
addition

[MJI]

Hayfield will be giving me advice directly pretty soon.

 

I have a couple of projects I want non Streamline for, both bullhead and I want to give track building a go.

 

The first will be pretty simple and easy to build, the second involves a few more points but looks difficult to do with Peco points as everything is curved.

 

The simple one will have kit built and rechassised RTR locos the larger one RTR.

 

I like the idea of fitting the track to the location rather than the location to the track.

[SouthernMafia]

Having trouble getting in contact with Phil regarding an order I'm waiting on, when I phone it says "Mailbox is full" and the phone won't even ring. @hayfielddo you have another means of contact or can you alert him to this issue? 

Thanks.

[hayfield]

10 minutes ago, SouthernMafia said:

Having trouble getting in contact with Phil regarding an order I'm waiting on, when I phone it says "Mailbox is full" and the phone won't even ring. @hayfielddo you have another means of contact or can you alert him to this issue? 

Thanks.

 

Not that I can give out, just phone during the times shown on the website, sometimes its engaged, if it rings without answering  he may be out with suppliers

 

I have just phoned Phil 12:30 and he answered after 3 rings, he is closing the phones early today at 1 pm owing to having to see his invalid brother, then he has a lot of packing up items this afternoon.

 

May not be ideal, but being a sole trader like others needs to keep all aspects going. But I had no issues phoning the business line (think its called sods law)

[SouthernMafia]

Thanks, I understand the situation and I am being patient, but I've had the "mailbox full" thing a few times now and it's a little frustrating when you can't even leave an answer phone message, sods law indeed! It says to me too many people have left messages not that the phone is engaged, so perhaps a capacity issue on the answer phone.

 

I have tried again just now and got through ok