RMweb Gold Mikkel Posted October 26, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 26, 2013 First the bad news that Slater’s have decided that as they have the Cooper Craft 7mm kits they will do everything to stop me doing their 4mm range so unfortunately it has turned legal. Thanks for the update. Do I understand correctly that this means you do not currently sell the Slaters 4mm range - but that the Coopercraft 4mm range is OK once you get the machine sorted? Can I also ask this question again: I am planning to build various kits with GWR DC1 brakes and so was wondering if the revised Coopercraft GWR wagon/van underframes happen to be due anytime soon? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kits from Somerset Posted October 26, 2013 Author Share Posted October 26, 2013 Yes it is the SECR design SR built Diagram 1681. Another problem I found with the Blacksmith range the packing lists for the bogies were incorrect mainly for the GWR bogies but with drawings and photos I have now got them sorted. The new underframe for the Cooper Craft range is put on hold until all the Blacksmith range is sorted and back in production. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earlswood Nob Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 Good morning all Are the Kirk and Mailcoach carriages back in production? Perhaps, I'm a masochist, but I enjoy building Kirk coaches and detailing them. One can also "cut and shut" the coaches to produce diagrams not covered by the Kirk range. Earlswood nob Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Budgie Posted October 27, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 27, 2013 First the bad news that Slater’s have decided that as they have the Cooper Craft 7mm kits they will do everything to stop me doing their 4mm range so unfortunately it has turned legal. So who will be doing the Cooper Craft 4mm kits if they have their way? If they don't do them themselves it sounds like an unfair restraint of trade to me, which IIRC is illegal, but IANAL so don't quote me on that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jol Wilkinson Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 So who will be doing the Cooper Craft 4mm kits if they have their way? If they don't do them themselves it sounds like an unfair restraint of trade to me, which IIRC is illegal, but IANAL so don't quote me on that. Without knowing the full details of the disagreement between the two parties, it is inappropriate to speculate on what may/should be happening. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 I can't wait to see what happens next. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenton Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 I can't wait to see what happens next. Hope you are not holding your breath, as it looks as if wait we must. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craigw Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Just to continue the Coopercraft meanderings, a few weeks ago the Morgan Design range of GWR underframe etchings was displayed on the web site but has now vanished. Has something happened or been announced to explain this? regards, Craig W Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 God only knows. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 A week or two back I submitted a message via the link on the firm's website, asking if the parts for plastic Fox bogies from the Kirk kits are available to purchase. Would it be possible to at least have a very basic reply, even if in the negative, before the end of all time please? Maybe I should instead cast some of my own in resin and sell copies to those who might otherwise be potential Kirk/Mailcoach customers......... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 A week or two back I submitted a message via the link on the firm's website, asking if the parts for plastic Fox bogies from the Kirk kits are available to purchase. Would it be possible to at least have a very basic reply, even if in the negative, before the end of all time please? Maybe I should instead cast some of my own in resin and sell copies to those who might otherwise be potential Kirk/Mailcoach customers......... Graeme: the only way to get hold of the fella is by phone or directly at shows. His e-mail facilities and web shop have never worked properly. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Thanks. Is one "permitted" to phone in the evening, or is there some demented old witch waiting to go for your throat if you call "out of hours", as I discovered last year when trying to contact a maker of nameplates who aggravates his own problems by having no regular advertising to announce his "permitted hours", no e-mail/website AND by having a shared business/domestic phone No.?????? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted November 27, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 27, 2013 As he is posting in this thread I wonder if he is also reading it - and how he might be reacting to some of the comments aimed at him; could be enough to put the bloke off for life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Regarding my criticism of the lack of e-mail respons, I stand by it fully. If the man makes an e-mail address available, then as far as I am concerned he accepts that it IS a VALID means of communication and he should be doing something to ensure that it is not neglected. I suspect that a lot of business people these days in all spheres, not just modelling, think it is perfectly acceptable to show a frequent and BLATANT, EXTREMELY RUDE, total disregard of communications from the public. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 "Response" should obviously have the final e, but the "all encompassing electronic nightmare" won't allow me to type in the editing window at present. I give up........ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwealleans Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 There was an announcement in the last MRJ to the effect that Coopercraft had acquired another range of products and not one I was familiar with. That may be the 'Morgan Design' items. If Paul is reading this then I have sympathy for the effort required to run a small business, tremendous sympathy for anyone with legal action hanging over them and I have to say that the last items I ordered arrived in fairly short order. However the 'problem with the machine' message has been on the website for over a year now and given the dearth of Kirk kits everywhere - it may be the same for the other ranges, I just happen to have been looking for Kirks recently - I think people can be forgiven for wondering whether the core business is being allowed to slide in favour of other priorities. They were not easy to find when I first started in the hobby and if they become scarce again it would be a serious blow to the LNER modeller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kandc_au Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 As has already been said, He has/has had issues with his email address. I do know though, that from my experience, he is a pleasure to deal with and others have contacted him via this group when they have had issues contacting him. It would seem to me to be the obvious direction if you are not able to ring or contact him via other methods. Khris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 He was at Scaleforum this year. However the exhibition diary on the website is only for 2012, so whether the website is being maintained is another matter. There was a similar set of problems expressed here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/73212-anyone-know-anyone-at-coopercraft/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Regarding my criticism of the lack of e-mail respons, I stand by it fully. If the man makes an e-mail address available, then as far as I am concerned he accepts that it IS a VALID means of communication and he should be doing something to ensure that it is not neglected. I suspect that a lot of business people these days in all spheres, not just modelling, think it is perfectly acceptable to show a frequent and BLATANT, EXTREMELY RUDE, total disregard of communications from the public. So the poor fellow is not allowed to take a holiday, be ill or have any other problems? You are a hard man. Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
micklner Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 So the poor fellow is not allowed to take a holiday, be ill or have any other problems? You are a hard man. Bernard Sadly if you have any business not just Model railways where you do not communicate, fail to update the website, fail to deliever goods ( info from previous postings ) or update the buyer (s) concerned what else can he expect but the criticism posted. Yes he and others can be defended and on occasions rightly so. If in this case it his occupation and sole business ( no idea if correct) he appears to have overstretched himself and should be hiring extra staff and solve his long standing Technical issues. If he doesnt solve all of the above problems the company will die and a sad loss . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 Thanks. Is one "permitted" to phone in the evening, or is there some demented old witch waiting to go for your throat if you call "out of hours", as I discovered last year when trying to contact a maker of nameplates who aggravates his own problems by having no regular advertising to announce his "permitted hours", no e-mail/website AND by having a shared business/domestic phone No.?????? There is a facility to leave a message. I have done so in the past, but never got a reply. Others have been much more successful, so maybe calls are screened. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
gr.king Posted November 27, 2013 Share Posted November 27, 2013 So the poor fellow is not allowed to take a holiday, be ill or have any other problems?You are a hard man.Bernard If you plan to take a holiday it is not a bad idea to use some means such as your website, or even this one, to let it be known that communications will not be possible for a while. Even if taken ill or beset by some other problem, it is often possible for the considerate and conscientious among us to try to let others know that normal function is temporarily not possible. But courtesy and obligations to others seem to be ignored these days - I have significant amounts of my professional time, and therefore money too, wasted by people who make appointments that they don't remember, simply don't bother to keep, or fail to attend through illness - never bothering to give us a quick call to say that they can't come, even when later inquiry on our part reveals that they do not (or did not) have the kind of serious illness that incapacitated the brain or prevents them from communicating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted November 27, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 27, 2013 No quibble with the sentiments about running a successful business in this era, but if, as seems to be the case, litigation is pending, I can well imagine that the strain of this, both mental and financial, is putting the chap well off his stroke. After all, even if the outcome is in his favour, the victory may be distinctly pyrrhic in £ terms. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coombe Barton Posted November 30, 2013 Share Posted November 30, 2013 Something I picked up this morning from a model shop. I went in to buy some cattle wagon kits. There weren't any on display, so chose other things. I asked "Given up on Coopercraft then?" The model shop guy said "Virtually." He then produced a box from round the back and I relieved him of his last two kits. The model shop owner asked me not to identify them, but gave permission for what was said to be disseminated. Coopercraft - he said it was up for sale - someone is interested but the price is not right. He also said that it's not only the Coopercraft machine but the moulds that need renewing, and a significant amount of investment will be needed. He considers it, for him, a dead range at the moment. The space that was Coopercraft in the shop is now Parkside Dundas. He did not know that the Coopercraft guy was still attending shows (I saw him at ScaleForum) nor about the etched range, nor about the Slaters 4mm/7mm swap of ranges and the legal problems. The model shop owner's got a business to run and so will buy stuff that he can get and sell. We can make of his what we will. As I now see it there’s a market for someone to produce some etched GW cattle wagons (please nicely), at least, so that we can satisfy the market for Yorkshire Pud accompaniments. I contacted Andy Y before posting this because I didn’t want to start anything else that wasn't justified, but Andy, in giving me permission, said that he’s tried to help out with the ‘self-created pit of communication problems’ but as yet there has been no improvement, so he has no problem with me posting what I was told. A pity - a great pity. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Fatadder Posted November 30, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 30, 2013 A real shame if the range does disappear. I think I will get on and buy a few cattle wagons next time I go to the model shop... It's the ex slatters toplights I really want, and given the issues I think resorting to eBay will be the only chance Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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