Captain Cuttle Posted January 16, 2020 Share Posted January 16, 2020 Looks like Howes have stopped selling Heljan spares, there was talk on the MIOG FB group of Gaugemaster possibly being the new kid on the block. ATB Alan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airport2010 Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 Not at all surprised to read this. The owner (not talking about Mike who deals with all rail matters) mentioned to me he was sick to death of dealing with Heljan a good two years ago. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cuttle Posted January 17, 2020 Author Share Posted January 17, 2020 What were the issues i wonder? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacol Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 Well I've just ordered some Heljan spares from Howes and they are being sent out today. Did note that a lot of items were out of stock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted January 17, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 17, 2020 (edited) They have been removed completely from the website. Follow existing links from Google and it comes up on Howes "Heljan spares and accessories" page as no products found. Edited January 17, 2020 by Hal Nail Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brenn Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 Has Heljan stopped the spare service??? Anybody know the plans? B Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Airport2010 Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 2 hours ago, Captain Cuttle said: What were the issues i wonder? Just general awkwardness and lack of support from Denmark. The same sort of mindset that produces some of the ‘almost really good’ models we sometimes get from them I suppose. On a separate note, I was passing Howes recently and needed -yet again!- a replacement cog for one that had split in my O gauge Class 26. It was Mike’s day off but I thought they could help me as they surely can’t run their business around one man’s days off? The chap who served me didn’t even know what a Class 26 was, let alone a cog. I went back another day when Mike was around... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 This is sad news. I've bought stuff for both 4mm and 7mm from them on several occasions over the years, and invariably they've been competent and extremely helpful - perhaps this was Mike. Let's hope someone does take up the baton. John. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
66738 Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 I too hope someone takes on a spares service. Bought quite a few Heljan bits and pieces from Howes over the years. But a lately I have noticed quite a lot of parts unavailable. Have been waiting a good while for the class 58 Handrail guard sprue to become available again but alas it seems they never will now. 66738 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyC Posted January 17, 2020 Share Posted January 17, 2020 (edited) I visited Howes a few years ago and found then they stocked very little model railway equipment apart from Heljan and were mainly selling radio controlled models. Under model railways their website only lists Peco track, sound decoders, Railmatch paint and second hand, so possibly this is simply a further move in a withdrawal from the model railway market. Edited January 17, 2020 by JeremyC Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cuttle Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 11 hours ago, 66738 said: I too hope someone takes on a spares service. Bought quite a few Heljan bits and pieces from Howes over the years. But a lately I have noticed quite a lot of parts unavailable. Have been waiting a good while for the class 58 Handrail guard sprue to become available again but alas it seems they never will now. 66738 Could you make one using ns wire? I am a 7mm modeller and just made a complete set of handrails in nickel silver for the Heljan 33 as the originals are so fragile. Alan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
66738 Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 1 hour ago, Captain Cuttle said: Could you make one using ns wire? I am a 7mm modeller and just made a complete set of handrails in nickel silver for the Heljan 33 as the originals are so fragile. Alan Hi Alan. Yes, I could easily do the wire handrail part but it’s the guard part that wouldn’t be easy. I’ll bide my time and wait. Something will come up. Not all 58’s were fitted with the guards but as far as I know, all Heljan 58’s came with them to fit, weather the prototype had them or not. Someone one day will not require them and put them on an auction site. Fingers crossed! 66738 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Hal Nail Posted January 18, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 18, 2020 3 hours ago, 66738 said: Hi Alan. Yes, I could easily do the wire handrail part but it’s the guard part that wouldn’t be easy. I’ll bide my time and wait. Something will come up. Not all 58’s were fitted with the guards but as far as I know, all Heljan 58’s came with them to fit, weather the prototype had them or not. Someone one day will not require them and put them on an auction site. Fingers crossed! 66738 As far as I know they didnt do reruns of spares unless they made a new batch of the model - replacement gears excepted. I need some O gauge 45 windows which sold out ages ago and I had been hoping it's turn would come round again. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cuttle Posted January 18, 2020 Author Share Posted January 18, 2020 Yes i expect one will, i find with the spares if they are plastic items once out of stock usually remain that way but gears especially with the 7mm "problem" ones do reappear regularly. Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Tomlinson Posted January 18, 2020 Share Posted January 18, 2020 (edited) Thinking about this, it's difficult to believe someone won't take it on. Bachmann of course do their own, Hornby supply to several people including Peter's, Lendons, AC of Eastleigh to name but three. Dapol operate via DCC supplies, and that business is probably smaller than the one for Heljan. Given that Ben Jones, himself a real and talented modeller, is now at Heljan, we might expect he'd fully understand this hole needs to be plugged. If it isn't in due course perhaps a bit of lobbying will be in order! John. Edited January 18, 2020 by John Tomlinson typo 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobMG Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 I have just found out as I attempted to order some spares. Fortunately I only wanted them for stock. I had a load of class 33 spares just before Christmas. Good job I didn't wait or I might have given up the project. I will now second thoughts about any more Sulzer mods.. Rob 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PM47079 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 I have resorted to getting a cheap slightly bent 47 and stripped it of literally everything, It has been very handy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
norman Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 Gaugemaster say they will be supplying spare parts but its in the "changeover period and they are not quite ready". 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NIK Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 16 minutes ago, norman said: Gaugemaster say they will be supplying spare parts but its in the "changeover period and they are not quite ready". Hi, That's good. I was thinking of buying one of the standard Heljan OO motors for evaluation for a kit. Regards Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cuttle Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 58 minutes ago, norman said: Gaugemaster say they will be supplying spare parts but its in the "changeover period and they are not quite ready". Understandable, any timeline given Norman? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Cuttle Posted January 22, 2020 Author Share Posted January 22, 2020 1 hour ago, PM47079 said: I have resorted to getting a cheap slightly bent 47 and stripped it of literally everything, It has been very handy. Where did you find that? Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PM47079 Posted January 22, 2020 Share Posted January 22, 2020 A swap meet believe it or not! Most people had ignored it but I saw the spares potential. I had at that point a broken gear wheel in the gear tower on a 47. Since then I have had handrails, glass underbody tanks, and a motor off it used. So it’s been worth it. If I could find a vitrains chassis for a reasonable amount I would do the same Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Chariot Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 I have an original O gauge Heljan Deltic which was subjected to a conserable amount of upgrade work including Pete Harvey etches, Bogie sideframes remodelled to represent the correct Class 55 profile. Fuel tanks narrowed plus numorous replacement cast items and finally a full repaint. Many of the most important spares dried up ages ago . If you lost any of the Brake hangers or chains hard lines, window wipers the same. Using the info supplied on the Spare parts drawing that was siupplied with my Deltic I contacted Heljan direct via their website . Their reply was a one liner referring me to contact Howes. Fast forward to the announcemnt during 2019 that Heljan would be doing a rerun of the Deltic and thinking that this would mean fresh supplies of parts I again contacted Heljan via their website, in fact twice asking if fresh supplies of Deltic parts would be released.... No reply what so ever. I then contacted Howes who told me they were hoping to see fresh supplies especially those that had been out of stock for some time. The fact that Howes have called it a day speaks volumes, draw you own conclusions Bob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold adb968008 Posted January 23, 2020 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 23, 2020 (edited) Ive bought tons of Heljan spares from Howes over the past few years, not a complaint at all. Low prices, good service. My last order was actually just a few weeks back to get class 47 sprues, handrails and some class 33 bits. its interesting seeing what bits end up on which sprues, but its entertaining that just about every bit of the drive system is a sprue too. Many of their models have general commonality under the hood too. The only thing I found hard to get was the non-black plastic bits... cogs, wire handrails etc. those complaining of Heljan spares i’ll put it another way.... Its not very often you see “Heljan for spares” sold by non-retailers on ebay*, and if you do the price achieved is higher as getting the spare is neither hard nor expensive, I hope this continues. *exceptions will always apply of course. Edited January 23, 2020 by adb968008 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted January 23, 2020 Share Posted January 23, 2020 Glad i got several wheelsets recently though i could do with more Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
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 accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now