Ordering from Brassmasters...

[Andy Hayter]

It goes on all the time - look at the Hornby experts on the James May thread.

[ianLMS]

E-mailed Brassmasters last Friday, response from them on Sunday confirming availability and transferred funds to them on Monday.

 

Now just awaiting delivery. Can't fault that service if you ask me.

 

To compare:

E-mailed Alan Gibson same day - not a dicky bird since. I normally end up phoning them but when I do, I usually get very good service.

 

Its a First World problem and our expectations have increased massively over the years with mail order, mainly due to Amazon. I ordered an item on Amazon Prime at 7.30pm Weds night, arrived at 10.30am Thursday morning - free postage, not Next Day.

 

Without folks like Brassmasters, Wizard, Alan Gibson etc offering mail order, I would be stuck for wonderful, carefully made, shiny new sparkly things to purchase!! Nothing in my model railway world is life threatening and therefore immediate service/next day delivery is not required. I can wait a few days - patience after all is a much needed skill in this hobby and is apparently in short supply?

 

Ian

[polybear]

3 hours ago, ianLMS said:

Its a First World problem and our expectations have increased massively over the years with mail order, mainly due to Amazon. I ordered an item on Amazon Prime at 7.30pm Weds night, arrived at 10.30am Thursday morning - free postage, not Next Day.

 

Ian

 

In fairness,  Amazon do charge £79 a year for their prime service.  If all customers of Brassmasters, Comet etc. were prepared to do that then Major Clanger would be a very happy bunny  

Edited March 13, 2019 by polybear

[Major Clanger]

Now there's an idea...

[sharris]

13 hours ago, Major Clanger said:

Now there's an idea...

 

Of course, you'd have to supply us with an endless stream of (mostly) awful films into the bargain. 

 

[pugwash]

I've bought quite a few items over the past month for making some brass coaches, chassis as well as a NG loco kit. Generally, items by mail order under £20 come with a high (>10%) cost for shipping/postage), but this is low compared with a journey to a specialist shop or waiting until the next exhibition which the trader is attending. Generally I use google to search for specific parts, as many of the traders websites are not easy to navigate - Brassmasters is one of the better ones.

 

Brassmasters were very helpful, and replied quickly to my email, and the items arrived next day after a BACS transfer had completed. (As good as Amazon and cheaper delivery)

 

Worsley Works are have also been very easy to trade with - again rapid dispatch for items in stock, and just a week's wait for etches that were out of stock.

 

247 Developments also supplied by next day (first class post) - online catalogue, order via email and BACS.

 

Wizard Models, have a fast and easy service through their website but a bit of task to search through, especiallya as many items don't have an illustration.

 

Branchlines appears a little quirky having no website, but respond quickly to emails and will attach PDF catalogues if asked. They have a load of hidden gems and service, even on larger items such as kits, is very quick.

 

The only hiccup has been (unusually) Alan Gibson - Colin responded within a day, but trying to get a payment through (by card) has been really dififcult as he's currently changing phone provider, and the voicemail box is apparently full this morning. Hopefully, just a few days to sort it out.

 

Some of the smaller traders (e.g. Peter Mullen at 62C) balence their specialist service with a full time day job, so things are a little slower - but it's a case of use it or loose it, and we need specialist traders.

 

Overall I'm really pleased with communications and deliveries in the trade. I try to avoid phoning the smaller traders as they are (hopefully) quite busy enough, and an email is easier to respond to.

 

 

[Steamport Southport]

2 hours ago, pugwash said:

 

Wizard Models, have a fast and easy service through their website but a bit of task to search through, especiallya as many items don't have an illustration.

 

 

Getting slightly off topic as this is the Brassmasters thread.

 

But if you are looking for details of ranges made by Wizard some of them have their own websites.

 

http://www.cometmodels.co.uk/

 

http://www.51l.co.uk/

 

 

Jason

[Kingzance]

On 13/03/2019 at 10:12, ianLMS said:

E-mailed Brassmasters last Friday, response from them on Sunday confirming availability and transferred funds to them on Monday.

 

Now just awaiting delivery. Can't fault that service if you ask me.

 

To compare:

E-mailed Alan Gibson same day - not a dicky bird since. I normally end up phoning them but when I do, I usually get very good service.

 

Its a First World problem and our expectations have increased massively over the years with mail order, mainly due to Amazon. I ordered an item on Amazon Prime at 7.30pm Weds night, arrived at 10.30am Thursday morning - free postage, not Next Day.

 

Without folks like Brassmasters, Wizard, Alan Gibson etc offering mail order, I would be stuck for wonderful, carefully made, shiny new sparkly things to purchase!! Nothing in my model railway world is life threatening and therefore immediate service/next day delivery is not required. I can wait a few days - patience after all is a much needed skill in this hobby and is apparently in short supply?

 

Ian

Gents, I tried telephoning Alan Gibson several times this week with no success (just once the pre-recorded message played). I also sent them an e-mail listing my requirements and that bounced. I am looking to "improve" an old Hornby Saint as per suggestions on this site but now I don't know where I can buy the correct bogie wheels, chimney, safety valve, smokebox darts, buffers and sprung pick-ups if Alan Gibson isn't supplying retail buyers. Brassmasters don't list those items I want to complete that project. Any advice please?

 

[Prometheus]

Comment deleted - didn't read through second page . Hope this is the right one  !

 

Tony

Edited March 22, 2019 by Prometheus
Deleted post - didn't read through second page!

[Torper]

4 hours ago, Kingzance said:

Gents, I tried telephoning Alan Gibson several times this week with no success (just once the pre-recorded message played). I also sent them an e-mail listing my requirements and that bounced.

 

 If you have a look at the Alan Gibson website (http://www.alangibsonworkshop.com/) you'll see that they have had problems changing their phone provider and as a result phone messages left between 13th and 20th March may possibly be lost.  While phone problems do continue to some extent they have been partially resolved - they'll certanly still be supplying retail buyers and I suggest you try again.

 

DT

[Kingzance]

Thanks Torpor. I have sent something by good old snail-mail to attempt a resolution with Colin as he lists all the specific bits I want. Next issue for me is to convert a ringfield tender to operate inn a DCC environment.

[ianLMS]

On ‎22‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 20:42, Kingzance said:

Gents, I tried telephoning Alan Gibson several times this week with no success (just once the pre-recorded message played). I also sent them an e-mail listing my requirements and that bounced. I am looking to "improve" an old Hornby Saint as per suggestions on this site but now I don't know where I can buy the correct bogie wheels, chimney, safety valve, smokebox darts, buffers and sprung pick-ups if Alan Gibson isn't supplying retail buyers. Brassmasters don't list those items I want to complete that project. Any advice please?

 

Have you tried Markits, 247 Developments, SE Finecast or Wizard for the components you need?  I find Wizard (Comets) the easiest to order from and fastest to deliver. Takes a while to search what you need, but not too bad. 247 do lots of replacement parts, SE do kits, and Markits sell a lot of wheels and other items as well.

[Kingzance]

Thank you Ian, I found all the items I wanted in the Alan Gibson catalogue. Markits is apparently struggling to get its catalogue updated since a change of ownership, SE Finecast (excellent as it is in its own way) doesn't have most of what I want, as don't 247 Developments. I suppose that this mirrors the demographic for railway modelling in that we more mature modellers were well served by an equally more mature bunch of specialist suppliers who now want to enjoy some free time and not run a business. If Coilin at Alan Gibson can get over the initial hurdles of moving and ownership changes, there is a lot of potential for him.

[Kingzance]

On 22/03/2019 at 20:42, Kingzance said:

Gents, I tried telephoning Alan Gibson several times this week with no success (just once the pre-recorded message played). I also sent them an e-mail listing my requirements and that bounced. I am looking to "improve" an old Hornby Saint as per suggestions on this site but now I don't know where I can buy the correct bogie wheels, chimney, safety valve, smokebox darts, buffers and sprung pick-ups if Alan Gibson isn't supplying retail buyers. Brassmasters don't list those items I want to complete that project. Any advice please?

 

 

I must post that I have just had an e-mail this evening from Colin at Alan Gibson. He apologised for not responding previously and stated that the answering system is still not operating perfectly! His response was, in my view, perfectly reasonable given the issues I have previously faced when changing telecoms providers. He confirmed that all the items I required were in stock and I said that I would be happy to wait and collect them from RailEx Aylesbury at the end of May. All in all, a scenario that I cannot complain about and am more than happy to accept - unlike my (and clearly many others) experiences with CooperCraft!

 

Tony

[Jol Wilkinson]

Colin (AGW),  David and Tony (Brassmasters) were at S4North over the weekend. They seemed busy and rather fatigued.  Another of the BM team suffered from a burglary on Friday before the show, which hasn't helped matters.

 

Andrew (Wizard/51L/Comet), John (LRM), Chris (High Level), Phil (Hobby Holidays) and the other traders all seemed to be managing happily. However, it does make you realise how reliant we model makers are upon the individuals who run these "Small Suppliers".

[Roy Langridge]

I have just placed a Brassmasters order (3/4), goods arrived yesterday (8/4) - excellent service as far as I was concerned. Surprised to see this thread to be honest, but as somebody that runs a small business, I know things can and do go wrong from time to time.

 

Roy

[Kingzance]

Adding to Ray and Jol's comments, I have experienced Wizard/51L/Comet, High Level and SE Finecast's service all of which has been fantastic. I also would not be critical of Andrew Gibson Workshops given the issues that Colin has faced from his telecomms provider. We can't expect these guys to keep operating unless we provide them with business from which they can profit!

 

Tony

[Steamport Southport]

4 hours ago, Roy Langridge said:

I have just placed a Brassmasters order (3/4), goods arrived yesterday (8/4) - excellent service as far as I was concerned. Surprised to see this thread to be honest, but as somebody that runs a small business, I know things can and do go wrong from time to time.

 

Roy

 

TBH it started out as a genuine and polite question about how to get in touch with them as they weren't answering emails and the OP was in the States.

 

 

Jason

[tonilmslnwr]

I would like to add that living in Australia I have had great response and delivery from all of the suppliers mentioned in this thread, with the exception of SE Finecast,but as has been said not being able to get something immediately is not life threatening, persistance is the answer!

[Roy Langridge]

17 hours ago, Steamport Southport said:

 

TBH it started out as a genuine and polite question about how to get in touch with them as they weren't answering emails and the OP was in the States.

 

 

Jason

 

Hi Jason,

 

I don't disagree with that at all, I was simply expressing surprise given my recent experience has been of the highest order.

Roy