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N gauge Crowdfunded APT-P (Warley announcement)


DJM Dave
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Given that the original expression of interest was via Durham Trains of Stanley then any response should have reference them as well (I am assuming joint data controllers). I have not seen anything back from either Durham trains or DJM about the original expression of interest not being kept.

 

I e-mailed Dave who said use his website to enter a new expression of interest. Given that the link to the Privacy Policy from the bottom menu (https://djmodels.co.uk/privacy-policy-2) comes up blank and the link from the T&C page is another companies Privacy Policy (Vista) I declined. I don't expect Dave to be an IT wiz but I do expect that the person who did his website to do it properly.

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  • 4 weeks later...

To be honest mate, i have not kept their contact details after mailing them asking to transfer their 'expressions of interest' to the new site if they were interested in the no frills one. Basically with all this hoo ha about data protection i felt it was better to expunge those contact details from my system, and start afresh.

 

It is early days still, and as has been said elsewhere, christmas is coming.

 

I do have a database of names and preferences though, which i will compare in a couple of weeks once back from my jaunt east next week.

Ah just spotted this, explains why I did not hear anything back about new payment process, if it possible yet to do DD payments?

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Can we have an update on numbers please.

 

I asked Dave Jones about this at Warley. He said that after the redesign of the N gauge APT-P to get the price down, he now has fewer expressions of interest than through the original Durham Trains of Stanley full fat project. So what is stopping the people who supported the original concept from supporting the revised and cheaper version? I was in on the 14 car original version and have "expressed an interest" in the current cheaper version to make up a 14 car train. Apart from the activity on RMWeb I have seen scant publicity about this project since I picked up a flyer at Warley 2017. Although I have tried to encourage interest on various forum websites, without anything substantial to offer to people it is a hard sell. I think it is unlikely to happen without some major communication and publicity initiative from DJModels.

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I asked Dave Jones about this at Warley. He said that after the redesign of the N gauge APT-P to get the price down, he now has fewer expressions of interest than through the original Durham Trains of Stanley full fat project. So what is stopping the people who supported the original concept from supporting the revised and cheaper version? I was in on the 14 car original version and have "expressed an interest" in the current cheaper version to make up a 14 car train. Apart from the activity on RMWeb I have seen scant publicity about this project since I picked up a flyer at Warley 2017. Although I have tried to encourage interest on various forum websites, without anything substantial to offer to people it is a hard sell. I think it is unlikely to happen without some major communication and publicity initiative from DJModels.

 

It is odd as the Rapido downsize of the APT-E in N seems to have the requisite numbers to make it viable now and that is far more niche that the P train.

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That surprises me frankly, I thought the lower spec one was a better option for N. I'm afraid I just want to see some more products before I put in for one. I've generally got concerns about viability and don't want to artificially inflate the apparent levels of interest by expressing interest for something which, right now, I'm not going to buy.

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I asked Dave Jones about this at Warley. He said that after the redesign of the N gauge APT-P to get the price down, he now has fewer expressions of interest than through the original Durham Trains of Stanley full fat project. So what is stopping the people who supported the original concept from supporting the revised and cheaper version? I was in on the 14 car original version and have "expressed an interest" in the current cheaper version to make up a 14 car train. Apart from the activity on RMWeb I have seen scant publicity about this project since I picked up a flyer at Warley 2017. Although I have tried to encourage interest on various forum websites, without anything substantial to offer to people it is a hard sell. I think it is unlikely to happen without some major communication and publicity initiative from DJModels.

Hi

 

As one of those that initially expressed an interest but haven't again my reason is simple.

 

I have yet to see a powered model in N from DJM. There just seems to be excuses and cancellations which doesn't instill confidence that this would ever appear.

 

Would I like an APT, yes I would but I am not prepared to invest without at least one powered item being available first.

 

 

Cheers

 

Paul

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Maybe the people focussing on the high price of the original APT-P offer were just casual observers who were never going to buy whatever the specification or price. The reason for the spec/price revision was because of insufficient interest at the higher price. The collapse of the Class 17 project won't have helped confidence in the DJModels brand, although all those who had paid upfront to get the project moving again were fully refunded.

 

But there seems to be a familiar trend developing with all of Dave's projects which interest me (class 17, Class 23, HUO, Shark, APT-P), so I am beginning to doubt whether I will ever own a DJModels product. I know only too well that raising awareness and hitting the target with publicity is a challenge, but I have the distinct feeling that for the N gauge market RMweb is not the best available amongst the online choices, and that ignoring some of the alternatives has alienated people too. With RMWeb now set aside by Dave Jones, I wonder how interest in the remaining products is going to be stimulated, or whether they will just be abandoned.

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It has just come up on another forum that people are unaware of the switch from the the original DToS project to the wholly DJModels one, including those who signed up with DToS. So the communication and publicity about the change has not hit the target, and is probably another reason why the numbers of EOIs is lower now.

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Dave could benefit from some better marketing. Not all potential customers are on RMweb and his e mails to committed customers do not reach those who have not decided or even heard of the OO and N APT-P projects.

Edited by Colin_McLeod
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This looks like the post that indicates the previous DToS expressions of interest were cancelled.http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/128477-n-gauge-crowdfunded-apt-p-warley-announcement/?p=3276581

I didn't think they were much more than a 'front' anyway. As far as I could tell they were not putting any money in and djm was doing all the work. Bit like a silent partner.

Edited by reevesthecat
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Really hoping to see an APT-P in N Gauge and this is surely the only chance.

 

Why? Revolution's record of delivering on projects, including a Pendolino, would suggest that they'd be capable of producing an APT-P, if they could be convinced of its viability, and had the desire to do so.

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Why? Revolution's record of delivering on projects, including a Pendolino, would suggest that they'd be capable of producing an APT-P, if they could be convinced of its viability, and had the desire to do so.

 

And that is the nub, The Brumalino is a current train so has a larger market  of todays modellers and those just around the corner - until a top notch IEP in N appears. Whereas the APT really only pulls at he heart strings of a fixed size market.

The Brumalino only got made as Rapido were willing to make up the small margin to make the project break even. Dave despite a brave start never has had that large £ backing required.  Sadly I fear the model is merely replicating the real thing in every way - and the only winners were Booths. 

Robert     

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I didn't think they were much more than a 'front' anyway. As far as I could tell they were not putting any money in and djm was doing all the work. Bit like a silent partner.

 

 

Their role would have been to be the 'shop front' where orders were taken and dleliveries made from, it looks as if the experience of Kernow when the project was cancelled and Kernow picked up the cost of refunding those who had 'crowdfunded' made them realise that they were the party liable for such costs and so they withdrew from the project.

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Indeed, post no.1 of this thread makes clear that it was a DJM crowd funded project but with DToS handling orders etc in a similar way to the arrangement DJM once had with Kernow. I can't imagine the losses Kernow made when the Class 74 project went pear shaped can have been much of an encouragement to other retailers to start acting as order taker and money holder for other crowd funded projects. Kernow did the honourable thing in looking after customers (some of whom may not even have been Kernow customers) but it must have been a very bitter pill for them to swallow given it wasn't their project.

 

I think Revolution set a good model for new start ups or those considering crowd funding to fund their development. They've been very professional at all stages. Good communication, functioning web site and managed projects in a very competent way. Importantly they haven't over promised and under delivered and have been pretty level headed and realistic in their plans, avoiding the scatter gun "we'll make everything!" sort of approach that just ends up losing credibility. Is an announcement a real announcement or just market research and an effort to bagsy a given prototype? With Revolution, their projects may not come to fruition in all cases (there were doubts about the 321 if I remember right, but I may be wrong) but I think people are confident that if they announce something it is serious and the project has been well thought through. And of course working with a company like Rapido is a huge bonus, quite frankly Rapido are the only supplier of UK models I'd have the confidence to pay money up front before anything is made safe in the expectation that the model would be a winner. I'm familiar with their NA models, and the APT and Stirling single are not flukes or beginners luck, their whole pedigree just screams quality and a company that is serious about getting things right. I really think DJM could do worse than study the way the Revolution guys have gone about things.

Edited by jjb1970
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  • 1 month later...

Now an email update has been issued for the 00 gauge version, it would be good for there to be an N update too. Have not seen any recent marketing of this proposal at all, so I suspect that it is withering steadily. I have placed my expressions of interest with DJModels, and originally with Durham Trains of Stanley, so should be on Dave Jones’ list for email updates.

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With Dave withdrawing from here and never actually updating his website it does seem impossible to actually keep updated on progress.

 

Given the last update was that the uptake of the ‘low fat’ version was less than on the expensive one I think we can assume it’s just being left to die slowly as you say! A shame, for sure.

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I exchanged emails with Dave on this topic and there are no updates hence no emails. Numbers remain lower than the original project.

 

This is a project that I am convinced a market exists, if there is enough interest for the APT-E numbers to hit the "Go" button, the far more useful APT-P must  have a chance. Some serious marketing to re energise interest is required IMO.

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I exchanged emails with Dave on this topic and there are no updates hence no emails. Numbers remain lower than the original project.

 

This is a project that I am convinced a market exists, if there is enough interest for the APT-E numbers to hit the "Go" button, the far more useful APT-P must  have a chance. Some serious marketing to re energise interest is required IMO.

Hi

 

A credible motorised product in N would also help.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

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