rails of sheffield

[Ed-farms]

I know of a few other shops doing the same, websites and price labelsin store all need changing so spare a thought for all these shops who have to do this work.

[Preservation Modeller]

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

 

Thanks for posting that. That would explain why my Class 17 hasn't turned up, ordered Tuesday. More than happy to wait if that is the reason, although maybe if they find a delay like this to occur, a small post on the site might not go amiss... Just my thought is all.

[OldSutt]

May I add my endorsement of Rails. As no.1 son works in Sheffield, he sometimes walks to Rails in his lunch hour to obtain sundry items as they appear for me. He has commented that everytime he has visited they are very busy but give him their full attention when they have finished what they were doing.

[GWR Man]

Never again !!! there are better mail order shops than this ,I finally received order after 5 weeks and after a lot of chasing ,strange order placed the same day with Hattons arrived within 8 day 's.

[Baggie]

Hi,

I've just found this thread

I have only used Rails once, but never again. I was out looking to buy the Bachmann Class 150 Dynamis set. Living here in Australia, its all about postage costs, so I requested postage quotes from a few retailers, and in the case of Rails, I put in an order through their website, as it states during the check out procedure: "We want to give you the best value for money for your postage so we will hold your order and contact you with the best price.". Well a few days passed, and then I noticed they had taken some money from my account, so asked them what was going on. They replied saying my order would be with me shortly. They had gone ahead with the order, using a courier service which cost £53.14 just for the shipping. I was, and still am very unhappy with them. All they said was that they were 'not sure what went wrong'

They will never get the chance to do that again with me!

Jon

[Markeg]

Hi all,

 

It is unfortunate about those who have difficulties with Rails. I wish to state the opposite. In the 5-6 years I have been using Rails, I have never had any problems. I live in Australia, postage has been as quick as others mentioned and packaging is somewhat better than others mentioned, boxes are solid and not just cardboard wrapped around the items. And prices are comparable and sometimes cheaper depending on what you want. I bought a 7F for £89 generally £99-£103 and it arrived last week with the current Hornby Catalogue safe and sound.

 

Mark in OZ

[Gwiwer]

Rails seems to be one of those retailers who will only ship by signed-for mail. That is in everyone's best interests but does hike the price significantly to particularly overseas customers. It is one of the reasons I will not use them again. I am prepared to take the risk on something going astray if my chosen retailer is likewise. I therefore choose to shop at places where the sale price is usually better that Rails, where the stock levels are indicated in real time (or not at all, rather than a vague suggestion) where there is an option to choose my shipping service (and sometimes with a price displayed at checkout) and where I find the customer service and shopping experience to be overall rather better.

 

While there is little that I can say might be "wrong" with Rails there are others who for my money and experience are far more "right". And often somewhat cheaper. As with all things we will all have had different experiences and have perhaps differing expectations as well. Nothing has ever gone astray on its way to me when shipped at the basic rate and I don't have to take a half-day off work to retrieve a parcel from a post office during business hours. Australia Post will not re-deliver; if you're out when they call you collect it later or go without.

[Preservation Modeller]

Rails seems to be one of those retailers who will only ship by signed-for mail.

 

Really? I didn't get that with my Pullman Orders last year...

[Guest dilbert]

Rails seems to be one of those retailers who will only ship by signed-for mail. That is in everyone's best interests but does hike the price significantly to particularly overseas customers.

 

I now always request shipment by signed-for mail. And I find RoS excellent in this respect as they will prepare a minimum value shipment (based on several orders under way) prior to expedition - is it that much more expensive? Not really (and avoids other potential hassles of parcels not arriving safe and sound)... dilbert

[Bernard Lamb]

Rails seems to be one of those retailers who will only ship by signed-for mail.

I don't think that it will be very long before that becomes the only option. From RoS or any one else.

Bernard

[MRDBLUE17]

I have used Rails for a number of years for Mail order when my retailer of choice doesn't have an item available or isn't going to get something in particular especially where I have not pre-ordered. I have always found Rails to be excellent for service on new and e-bay items and been happy with their prices. I was once charged postage on a follow on item but a quick phone call found this was an error - very easily done with computer systems and as it was only a small amount this was put on file for the next time I made an order. No issues with that on my part and the team can't be any more helpful. My most recent purchase of the Scotrail 170 was at a bargain pre-order price before it went up only the next day but as I had seen the internet price that is the price I paid and it arrived a few days later very nicely packed. They were also able to accomodate my special instructions for an E-bay item which was very kindly collected from the shop which saved postage to me as it was going to be going for a special re-paint anyway.

 

All I can say is that I have always been a happy customer and would use when ever I needed.

 

Thanks,

Mark

[chopper20059]

Always been happy with Rails in the past but after the latest farce with lion which I payed for on the 8th of this month but still not received I'm taking my orders elsewhere in future

[Guest dilbert]

Always been happy with Rails in the past but after the latest farce with lion which I payed for on the 8th of this month but still not received I'm taking my orders elsewhere in future

Have you phoned RoS about this? Sending an email is not necessarily going to exact a rapid response (mainly because it could end up anywhere)... dilbert

[Guest baldrick25]

These comments have already have been posted in RMWeb , but they are more relevant to continue in this thread with my experiences with Rails over a pre-ordered 'Lion'. I have included the links to the originals, and included all so I'm not accused of selective re-posting.

 

My link 1

 

Posted by me on 17 March 2011 - 16:45:-

Still waiting for delivery of my pre-ordered Lion from Rails... Makes me wonder why I did bother to preorder, and preorder a load of other future releases, when I could have bought one of the Heljan 4005's from quite a few local sources by now. Maybe I could blame 'the post', but I was seriously expecting delivery today , and waited ( and wasted) a day in hope and expectation. Did ordering on the day they were announced , really count for nothing?

 

Posted by me on 18 March 2011 - 10:53 :-

I'm still waiting for my 'Lion' to escape from Sheffield.

I read the story that they only had half the order etc, but as I have had no email, no contact , and no model, I rang them. Mine is in the first batch, ie in stock , was paid for on my card one week last tuesday ago, and is still in 'despatch' , whatever that is . The missing palette was proffered as an excuse, an entirely irrelevant red herring.

Asked when it will be despatched, and the answer ' as soon as possible'. In my case , taking the plunge and pre-ordering means being one of the last in the queue.

Pre-ordering for future models, no thanks , I'll get one when they are in stock.

 

My link 2

Posted by me on 21 March 2011 - 10:13:-

 

Just to continue the saga with Rails, last week it was confirmed my Lion was in despatch , waiting to go out. As its still not arrived , and unsure if I am spending another day or two watching for a delivery van, I telephoned. Not only was it no longer in despatch, it wasn't even at Rails- it was on the second palet , which was expected to arrive last friday and didn't, then expected to be waiting this morning and hasn't , so far. Rails are certainly not doing it for me with this order. Once it has arrived, then any further pre-orders will be cancelled, its just a way of getting your money and the order 'captive' to them.

[Trainshed Terry]

I totally agree with on the above statement..

The service that "Rails" have given my in the past has been great.

But this time they have let me down big time but I shall give them till this Friday to see if it arrives.

If it dose not I shall be canceling my order and taken my money else where.

Terry.

[RedgateModels]

Forgive me if this seems a little simplistic, but I think the problem here is one of perception of what the service provides.

 

To me a pre-order is simply a way to ensure that you get one of a limited edition production, from that supplier. I would not expect it to guarantee special treatment and get it before anyone else etc - You're not paying any more are you? As long as credit cards are not charged until the normal point of getting ready for despatch all a pre-order does is allow you to put your hand up in advance and say "please Sir!"

 

Anyway, that's my take on it

[Trainshed Terry]

Forgive me if this seems a little simplistic, but I think the problem here is one of perception of what the service provides.

 

To me a pre-order is simply a way to ensure that you get one of a limited edition production, from that supplier. I would not expect it to guarantee special treatment and get it before anyone else etc - You're not paying any more are you? As long as credit cards are not charged until the normal point of getting ready for despatch all a pre-order does is allow you to put your hand up in advance and say "please Sir!"

 

Anyway, that's my take on it

 

That is not strictly true, as at the start of March I pre-ordered "Joe Bonamassa new CD Dust Bowl" which was not due for release until the 21st of this month now on sale. to much of my surprise it came through the letter box on Saturday the 19th of this month. And that was two days before its release date.

 

And it is a great album to listen too. B) B)

 

I do agree that it was a non model railway product but that is my take on the matter as it can be done.

 

Terry

[RedgateModels]

 

As I said, it's all a matter of perception. I bought an item of eBay recently and was grumpy when it dod not arrive within a few days. Went onto eBay and it turns out the seller has a long lead time on the listing for dispatch, did I read this before getting grumpy?

[DavidH]

I suggest that the retail industry in general has done a very good job at training us to want everything "yesterday" ...

[rover90]

Forgive me if this seems a little simplistic, but I think the problem here is one of perception of what the service provides.

 

To me a pre-order is simply a way to ensure that you get one of a limited edition production, from that supplier. I would not expect it to guarantee special treatment and get it before anyone else etc - You're not paying any more are you? As long as credit cards are not charged until the normal point of getting ready for despatch all a pre-order does is allow you to put your hand up in advance and say "please Sir!"

 

Anyway, that's my take on it

 

 

As one who is also awaiting shipment of Lion from Rails, I would agree with you, but having taken my money 2 weeks ago, it is not acceptable. No more orders from me unless there is no alternative.

 

 

Brian

[Bernard Lamb]

As one who is also awaiting shipment of Lion from Rails, I would agree with you, but having taken my money 2 weeks ago, it is not acceptable.

Brian

 

So why is it not acceptable?

Have you ever booked a train or plane ticket or even an hotel, stand alone or part of a package?

They all want money up front. It does take a few days to pack the goods and send them out.

Reading the various complaints about RoS I wonder if we are dealing with the same outfit at times.

My last order included two items that were out of stock. ***** at Rails left a message on my answer phone asking me to call back re the items or to send an email if that suited me better. They also said that they had sent an email explaining the problem in greater depth.

I emailed them a reply stating what I wanted them to do. They were very particular in pointing out the options re postal charges and the situation re stock at Bachmann. Three weeks later card debited and goods sent all together. This morning a package arrived with one outstanding Bachmann wagon. They had told me that they did not know when Bachmann would have this item in stock. Card debited for £6.95. No extra postage charge. The wagon came in a loco sized box and was well wrapped in bubble film and shredded paper. There was also a compliment slip. Now the P&P on this item must have cost them more than the retail cost let alone simply throwing away the profit margin.

I call that excellent service.

I suppose it all comes down to attitude and how you communicate with people.

Bernard

[amdaley]

I think sometime you are lucky & sometimes not so lucky.I ordered from Rails a small item which was said to be in stock. No product arrived. It took so long to arrive that I had given up on it & gone elsewhere.Now my money wasn't taken so the product was obviously not in stock but I received no e-mail or message to tell me they didn't have it. On other occasions they have been excellent so maybe it depends who you get to fill your order.

[tetsudofan]

I stopped using Rails a few years ago - was placing pre-orders for new releases early in the year and found that items were being shipped item-by-item as the items arrived with full postage charged every time but the icing on the cake was when I noticed that my credit card was being charged up to two weeks before the item was received.

 

Rails were approached and their answer was that they were charging my account as soon as the manufacturer advised them that the items were on the way so that when they arrived in the store they could be forwarded to me without any further delay.......

 

By this time I had located a local shop who could supply all my needs....prices may have been slightly higher but once the postage charged by Rails was figured in, the local shop was cheapest.

 

Keith

[Gulliver]

That is also my experience Keith. I have not found any other shop that felt the need to charge that far in advance. I can understand that delays can happen and that not everything will be sent exactly the same day that your card is charged, but two weeks is pushing it. I know that many are not bothered by this, but I prefer to use places who do not do it.

[D6975]

I've just received my GSYP 105 and a GSYP 26 from Rails.

Ordered on Friday for next day delivery - I live in Bristol so it should have come on the Saturday.

It didn't arrive, so I rang up on Monday. The chap at Rails was most helpful, chased it up and rang me back twice on my mobile to let me know what was happening. Several parcels had slid off a conveyor belt at Parcel Force's Bristol depot and been sat there going nowhere. He let me know when it was now supposed to arrive (which it did) and is getting a refund on the shipping cost back off Parcel Force for me.

 

Annoying that it didn't arrive when SWMBO was at work on the Saturday, another parcel to explain, but not Rails's fault.

Pretty good customer service I'd say.

 

PS They came in a huge box, individual items bubble wrapped, then in a box big enough for about 4 or 5 105s filled up with shredded paper.