MINERVA AND CORONA VIRUS

[81A Oldoak]

Minerva Model Railways and the Corona virus.

 

As Directors and the sole staff of our company, we take our responsibilities for the safety of our customers and ourselves very seriously. We have examined the issues that we are faced with and have decided that, for the foreseeable future, we will continue to supply models by mail order to customers. Currently, we are self isolating and being 150 miles apart, think that this is sufficient. We have access to postal services, and take all precautions to avoid infection from others and ourselves being spread.

 

Although we have very low stocks of some models, we hold reasonable stocks of others, and, whilst we do not know how long this emergency will continue, we will endeavour to provide the great level of service that Minerva has built up over the years.

 

Minerva's models are only available directly from us and any model bought from a different source is a secondhand model. The online shop will continue for as long as possible and we will remain at the end of a phone, so even if you just want to chat, please don’t hesitate to call us.

Keep well

Chris B and Chris K

www.minervamodelrailways.co.uk

 

 

[Bartb]

Can you tell us what the latest news is from you please.

 

[81A Oldoak]

Chris Basten and Chris Klein, the proprietors of Minerva Model Railways are both safe and well. We live 150 miles apart making self-distancing simple. We do not employ any staff and keep a certain amount of stock at our homes. Consequently, we are able to fulfill orders received via our webshop, email and telephone calls for as long as the post office remains open and is allowed to carry on trading. We have reduced dispatches from daily to twice per week in order to minimise travel and contact. 

 

The Blue Circle and Ferrocrete cement vans are scheduled to dock in the UK this week. So far, there are no indications from our shipping agent that the importation and distribution process has been restricted. We therefore hope to be able to open the website for sales after easter once we have completed our final quality checks. Development of the Class 14 0-6-0DM continues and we have seen photos of the first test shot of major components  from the moulds and dies. However, work in China remains disrupted due to continuing C-19 travel restrictions between China and Hong Kong. Delivery is not expected until late summer or even early autumn.

 

Some items of stock are very low. We have fewer than a dozen of the GWR 16" Iron Mink vans remaining. Some of the GWR 57XX/8750 pannier tanks including the GWR plain green locos without insignia and the BR versions with no top-feed and the lined green Peckett 0-4-0ST are very low in stock.

 

I hope this helps. Feel free to call either Chris Basten or me at any time.

 

Regards,

 

Chris Klein

 

[Bartb]

Thank you for that update Chris, and look forward to hearing about the cement vans after Easter. Stay safe

[Bartb]

My Vans arrived today, thank you so much for a quick service. One thing what are the small yellow boards for, and where do they go ? 

[81A Oldoak]

18 hours ago, Bartb said:

My Vans arrived today, thank you so much for a quick service. One thing what are the small yellow boards for, and where do they go ? 

The small boards are vents, which you can fit as shown in the attached photo. 

[Bartb]

Quote

The small boards are vents, which you can fit as shown in the attached photo. 81 A Oldoak

 

Thank you 81A oldoak thats what I thought they were, but wasn't sure.

 

John

[Crumplezone]

Hello,

I'm just starting my adventure into O gauge so I ordered one of the lovely lined-green Pecketts monday just gone as a starting loco to get me going,

I am just wondering if there has been any further development since the update post back in April as were into the end of July and restrictions have been progressively eased in the past few weeks, like is the posting twice a week/weekly still in effect and what is stock situation currently like after the months since April for items sold on the store page.

Also maybe I'm abit blind, but I couldn't see any posts by other users  or information on your website pointing towards what service you use for delivery with the £9 flat rate charge,

Hope everything is well either way at Minerva Models and also a thank you for having a easily access website with easing ordering facility.
 

[81A Oldoak]

We are able to post most days and, thankfully, have been able to maintain a normal service to customers during the current pandemic crisis.  My post office is a 400 metre walk and it is open six days a week. For locomotive deliveries in the UK we use Royal Mail Special Delivery for delivery by 1pm the day following posting. This actually costs us £11 for all our locos except the Manning Wardle. For wagons and DCC equipment we use Royal Mail Signed-For First Class. 

 

I hope this helps. Feel free to call us or use our email sales@minervamodelrailways.co.uk to discuss your wants and needs.

 

Kind regards,

 

Chris Klein

[Crumplezone]

Thank you for that update.

Noticed a email in my inbox noting completed order status late lastnight so I'll keep a listen out for the postie today onwards, RM has been abit tempermental up here in the north east past few weeks.

Good to hear the pandemic didn't impact you as much as expected, my local model railway shop was closed until late June so I was abit starved for getting supplies as it seemed everyone had my idea and went online for items and they were mostly out of stock whereever ended up looking.

Anyway I'm looking forward to the Peckett, always wanted one in a slightly bigger scale and the likes of Hornby/Bachmann hadn't done any until recent in 00, I had been looking at videos on youtube and your Peckett was a recommended in a video showing a sound fitting one moving some coal wagons up in a incline quite reminscient of a welsh looking area from the video and I thought "oh that looks nice, where can I get one" and ended up stumbling onto your website due to the very video.

I have to say that its abit of a godsend in one way that yourselves provide RTR small locomotives which are honestly just ideal for a introduction into O gauge without breaking the bank, especially when you pack so much into them at that price point, so thank you in that regard.

Crump.