david heath Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Hi All Have any of you had any dealings with Rails of Sheffield recently I ordered a class 20 Bachmann sound on the 14 nov and to date this order has not been actioned despite a telephone call on 20 nov assuring me it would be done that day Another order placed on 16 nov for seperate items arrived in Ireland 2 days later excellent service I phoned Chris today to be told that he would send it today buthe had assured me that he was going to send it last week order has now been cancelled and our group will be dealing elesware I tem was in stock so cannot understand delay Rant over David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I think I would have given another chance for it to be sent today as advised before cancelling. Never had any problems with them myself but no large retailer/internet order system is perfect 100% of the time, fact of life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 Still waiting on part of an order I placed in August. Have had no communication since. I sent them an e-mail today, if I hear nothing within a week I'll be cancelling and buying it from another retailer which actually has it in stock, instead of just saying they have it in stock. There seem to be some issues with Rails' website stock availability estimates. That being said their service on the rest of the order was exceptional. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
50A55B Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I have used them for mail order on numerous occasions and they have been excellent, but ended up walking out of the shop on Tuesday having popped in whilst in the area. I was in there for about 10 mins while one person served a customer, with another one waiting in front of me and no apparent prospect of attention anytime soon. Meanwhile, several other members of staff wandered around, no doubt doing 'something' but oblivious to the frustrated queue! They lost around ??150 of business as a result. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted November 26, 2009 Share Posted November 26, 2009 I use them from time to time when they have an item in stock that I cannot get elswhere. Always found them very efficient. On the one occassion that I did have a problem they issued me a credit for the returned goods. They added on an amount for my postage without me prompting them. They even left a message on my answerphone to let me know that they had received the returned goods and an apology for the mix up. Bernard 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
emac Posted November 27, 2009 Share Posted November 27, 2009 I have just received a LIVE STEAM LNER 'Golden Fleece' which was ordered at night on the WWW on the 17/11/09 I received a phone call the next day to inform me it was out of stock and they would email me;which they did informing they had no stock of the LIVE STEAM LNER 'Golden Fleece' but were expecting an order in seven days and gave me the option of waiting or to cancel I am more than satisfied with the service I received from the staff and Tracy who phoned and emailed me and would use them again. PS this is my first order from them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
amdaley Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I have used them on several occasions & had no problem until my last order. They were supposed to get back to me to advise on postage cost but I heard nothing. I emailed to ask again about the order but still heard nothing. I've now given up on the order & will get the item somewhere else.The order probably got lost in the great unknown. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
OldSutt Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I have used them for mail order on numerous occasions and they have been excellent, but ended up walking out of the shop on Tuesday having popped in whilst in the area. I was in there for about 10 mins while one person served a customer, with another one waiting in front of me and no apparent prospect of attention anytime soon. Meanwhile, several other members of staff wandered around, no doubt doing 'something' but oblivious to the frustrated queue! They lost around ??150 of business as a result. I popped in there last summer as I was visiting 30 miles away and experienced the same problem, but I perservered and eventually got served. There seemed to be a lot of people dashing about and on the PC. Probably providing their excellent postal/Ebay service. I whiled away the time looking at their display cases! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I popped in there last summer as I was visiting 30 miles away and experienced the same problem, but I perservered and eventually got served. There seemed to be a lot of people dashing about and on the PC. Probably providing their excellent postal/Ebay service. I whiled away the time looking at their display cases! I agree with the above post - Have had cause to visit several times over the last 3 years whilst at Uni (I'm 46 - long story). Always busy - phone going off - sometime hard to get served etc etc(but that IS what the display cabinets are for - I'm sure) but always been satisfied and never had any problems with mail order. I wonder whether sometimes the shop atmosphere depends on the particular days' team as in any organisation this can affect the dynamic very subtlely - could just be having to work in Heeley - if you've been there you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyway I'll still happily give them a portion of my hard earnt (ill - gotten ??) stipend Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trains4U Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 I have used them on several occasions & had no problem until my last order. They were supposed to get back to me to advise on postage cost but I heard nothing. I emailed to ask again about the order but still heard nothing. I've now given up on the order & will get the item somewhere else.The order probably got lost in the great unknown. Please do be patient. Today is one of the busiest trading days of the year (And the last opportunity to send parcels by courier) It is very easy to get caught up in the rush and neglect to make return phone calls - I know, I've been there myself, and I can be pretty sure it wasn't intentional. Try again after Christmas and you'll probably be better served. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 In update to my earlier post, Rails did finally reply to my e-mail queries. They said that the loco I was waiting on was out of stock at the supplier and as a result they wouldn't be getting any more. Fair enough, thinks I, so I ordered it from Hattons and it arrived a couple of days later. I do wonder though, whether they would ever have gotten in touch to cancel the order if I hadn't badgered them. Customer service, once they'd actually made contact again, was flawless. They offered alternative products, but when I said I was set on that particular model and would have to go elsewhere they cancelled without hesitation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted December 23, 2009 Share Posted December 23, 2009 Unfortunately, their 'Clayton replacement chassis' department are still hiding under the duvet, where they've been for several weeks now. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
david heath Posted December 24, 2009 Author Share Posted December 24, 2009 Hi All Further to my earlier comments re Rails I must have caught them on a possible low day I have been in further contact with them and we are back on track again with item ordered and safely arrived thanks Chris I will be dealing with them again Happy Xmas and a better New Year to all David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest railways Posted December 26, 2009 Share Posted December 26, 2009 i saw their ad in a magazine, about buying second hand items. i thought great just what i had been looking for, somewhere to sell my old diesel shunter. now this was about 3 months ago, i sent them and e-mail from their website and the next thing i know there is a e-mail waiting for me when i log on. it said they would get back tom me very soon. To this day i am still waiting for a reply. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted December 24, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 24, 2010 Living across the Channel, one does not expect lightning mail-order from the UK in the run up to Xmas. Ordered the Hornby Imperial Airways set on Monday - and White Van Man (French stylie, natch) delivered it at lunchtime today, Friday, Xmas Eve. Pretty smart service, thanks, Rails! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Have only ever ordered from the once to date - not due to any problems I must stress, jsut lack of money to be able to do so Pre-ordered two Pullman carriages about 3 months before they finally came out. I don't recall anything being mentioned on the site about if you pre-order two items, when one comes into stock they will despatch that seperately and charge postage on both, otherwise I would have left a note saying save the first until the second has been delivered, which was about 4 days later.... Still, very good service in my opinion, but I had the same problem about second hand items as an earlier poster... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ragtag Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 I'm surprised to hear that, whenever I've had orders on split deliveries I've only paid for postage once - though that has admittedly been due to out of stock items, not pre-ordering. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tim-minay Posted December 26, 2010 Share Posted December 26, 2010 personally never experienced any problems, especially with split orders where they have rung me and told me i only need to pay postage once, good shop ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Preservation Modeller Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 especially with split orders where they have rung me and told me i only need to pay postage once, Really? Wonder why I had to then? Not really complaining, but that postage could've covered my next big order! But, nonetheless, agree they are a good shop. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Chris Chewter Posted December 27, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 27, 2010 Ordered a loco from Rails on the 22nd December, turned up on the 23rd December! Then again I did pay an extra 50p for recorded delivery! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted December 27, 2010 Share Posted December 27, 2010 Have used RoS for several years now - the latest was a request for a PayPal payment late afternoon 7th Dec. which was authorised. Packet turned up several hundred kms due south 11th Dec... and this was right in the middle of that white mucky stuff being dumped from the heavens and the UK had gone into suspended animation B)... dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR Man Posted December 31, 2010 Share Posted December 31, 2010 Ordered on 20th December ,money taken out of account ,as at today's date ,despite sending an email ,which I had no reply . No indication from them to posting .Took money out without deducting vat ,I will wait till after the new year and if I have had no reply will cancel order. One would expect them to be pleased of orders in the present finanical times. Unless thing improve will NOT use them again Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR Man Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Just to put the record straight had email from Tracy at Rails stating that they had been closed for 5 days and because of staff shortages there were delays in answering Emails and sending out orders Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Gwiwer Posted January 1, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 1, 2011 I have used Rails intermittently over the past 6 or 7 years both for new and eBay-listed pre-run items. Each time I swear will be the last but after a lengthy interval I have so far returned on infrequent occasions. My issues are not that there is anything wrong with their service but simply I can get better, and at slightly better prices, from other shops notably in Liverpool and Camborne. Rails stock system does seem to be a little wayward in terms of suggesting what is "In Stock" some of the time. To me "In Stock" means it is physically on the shelf and available for sale. Rails seems to have a more liberal interpretation and sometimes lists items which are yet to be released as "In Stock". Occasionally this can result in unexplained and extended delays in the receipt of something which might have been expected quite quickly. Again I have no issue with Rails packing and shipping arrangements which have always been adequate though they choose to use signed-for international mail which protects their interests but inconveniences me quite significantly if I am not home when delivery is attempted; it can take an hour or more in the car on a day off to retrieve the item depending upon who has attempted to deliver it and where it has then gone. It remains my personal preference therefore to use retailers whose stock system is truly live and which will show immediately if the last item I want has just been sold (someone has pressed "OK" seconds before me ) or if I am ordering more of an item than are in stock right now. In most cases these items will also arrive without requiring a signature and at a slightly lower cost to myself. On the other hand Rails has possibly the largest selection of pre-run items anywhere, usually only through their eBay store, and can be a valuable source of otherwise hard-to-find items such as that one coach needed to complete a rake. Usual disclaimer - no commercial connection to any of the businesses discussed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest dilbert Posted January 1, 2011 Share Posted January 1, 2011 Just to put the record straight had email from Tracy at Rails stating that they had been closed for 5 days and because of staff shortages there were delays in answering Emails and sending out orders And today is the 1st Jan so that is effectively the holiday break out of the way, and now model shop outfits have to prepare / implement the new VAT rate - I think some indulgence and patience at this time would not go amiss ...dilbert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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