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Osbourn's Models Bideford


Graham Walters
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Paid a visit to this shop while on holiday in Bude, bit difficult to find as it's nestled in a bit of a backstreet, but it was well worth the visit.

 

It's  a small shop, but is a proverbial gold mine, the amount of stock carried will satisfy most people, he even had a decent amount of Walthers stock, and some other hard to find stuff.

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Osbornes do a good line in specially commissioned N gauge items including their own compositions taking items from different manufacturers to make up whole trains. Given their location (Bideford) it is hardly surprising that they concentrate on Western Region and GWR lines. Prices are reasonable, only a little higher than the box-shifters.

 

I haven't needed to test their after sales service to date since everything I have bought from them has arrived intact and worked first time out of the box.

 

On the basis of my purchases to date I would recommend Osbornes, particularly (although not exclusively) for those modeling the south-west in N gauge.

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I always had good service from Maurice when the shop was in Abingdon (even if my credit card wasn't so well afterwards), and although I've only visited the shop once since they moved I've ordered a few things by post and it's definitely worth giving it a chance.

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  • 1 year later...

Had the same issue. I ordered 5 weeks ago several items. All items were in stock but got no delivery and no answers to my messages via contact form, email and Paypal. This weekend i will ask Paypal for a refund. Saw on Trustpilot that I am not the only one who has such problems with Osborns. I try to order not at the "big players" whenever possible to support smaller and family businesses. But such a (no) service is not acceptable in my eyes and i will never place an order there again and can not recommend them.

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A bit worrying as I've only just placed an order with them.  Its only a small order, an Oxford Diecast ice cream van but I'll have to keep a close eye on this

i have the exact same issue ordered the greenmax tamper 

send several emails No reply

will be the last time i order from there

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They are still open but they are useless at customer service via email. It has been this way for a long time now, and having been caught out but it myself and having had to go through paypal for a refund (again for a product that was shown as being in stock) I would not shop with them again unless I was fact to face with them at a show and could take the goods away then and there.

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A bit worrying as I've only just placed an order with them.  Its only a small order, an Oxford Diecast ice cream van but I'll have to keep a close eye on things.

It arrived within 24 hours. A slight problem in that a part had come loose, but a bit of work with a screwdriver and a dab of glue sorted it.

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I've used Osbourns on multiple occasions, to order Peco turnouts for delivery to Australia.  I'd like to go on record that there were never any problems, the parcels arrived in good time, and the prices were very competitive. I would order from them again should the need arise.

 

It's unfortunate that others have not had as smooth a purchase experience.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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I've used Osborns both by personal visit at Abingdon and, since the move west, by mail order. Never had any issues, service has been good and I've never had problems with anything from them. I'd use them again.

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  • 2 months later...

I had problems with an internet order recently.  Website said it was in stock, and it obviously wasn't.  No sign of the goods or any contact from them even though I'd paid online.  EMails went unanswered.  I eventually got a refund, but it took multiple phone calls.

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I had problems with an internet order recently.  Website said it was in stock, and it obviously wasn't.  No sign of the goods or any contact from them even though I'd paid online.  EMails went unanswered.  I eventually got a refund, but it took multiple phone calls.

 

Sorry to say I've had exactly the same experience recently. Ordered items that their website suggested were in stock. Waited a couple of weeks for them to arrive and nothing. Sent several emails that weren't responded too. Got a refund eventually but again that took several phone calls.

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  • 3 months later...

This thread is worrisome. I tried emailing to check stock of an item that was available on the website, and then placed an order a week ago after no reply was received. I'm not worried about the payment - it was via PayPal, they will protect me - but it's an item that I really want! Hopefully they will come through, I sent a followup email earlier today to see if there were any problems.

 

UPDATE: they responded to my email today and immediately refunded my payment through PayPal, the item wasn't available any longer. I have no complaints with how they handled the transaction.

Edited by HeavyDuty
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  • 1 month later...

This thread is worrisome. I tried emailing to check stock of an item that was available on the website, and then placed an order a week ago after no reply was received. I'm not worried about the payment - it was via PayPal, they will protect me - but it's an item that I really want! Hopefully they will come through, I sent a followup email earlier today to see if there were any problems.

 

UPDATE: they responded to my email today and immediately refunded my payment through PayPal, the item wasn't available any longer. I have no complaints with how they handled the transaction.

 

Wished I had read this thread last week.

Placed an order with Osborn's after midnight last Sunday night for a DCC Concepts DCM-RRA12 Rolling Road - 12 Way because they came out the cheapest, and like someone else said in this thread I also try to support the smaller model shops, thus it would have been picked up Monday morning to be processed so would have thought 5 working days to process, dispatch and for me to receive it would have been sufficient even using Royal Mail Second Class as I really wanted the item by this weekend and disappointingly didn't get it. I had emailed them yesterday morning to ask for a status update on the order but surprise surprise haven't received a reply and will now force me to chase them up again on Monday and too be honest I have very little patience for slow service or lack of return communication.

I should have paid £5 more from one of the other online model shops like Rails and would have had it by now, seriously I'll probably stick to Rails, Hatton's, Model Railways Direct, Trackshack etc... in future as they actually have decent updates on your orders and pretty much guaranteed to get the items promptly.

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Wished I had read this thread last week.

Placed an order with Osborn's after midnight last Sunday night for a DCC Concepts DCM-RRA12 Rolling Road - 12 Way because they came out the cheapest, and like someone else said in this thread I also try to support the smaller model shops, thus it would have been picked up Monday morning to be processed so would have thought 5 working days to process, dispatch and for me to receive it would have been sufficient even using Royal Mail Second Class as I really wanted the item by this weekend and disappointingly didn't get it. I had emailed them yesterday morning to ask for a status update on the order but surprise surprise haven't received a reply and will now force me to chase them up again on Monday and too be honest I have very little patience for slow service or lack of return communication.

I should have paid £5 more from one of the other online model shops like Rails and would have had it by now, seriously I'll probably stick to Rails, Hatton's, Model Railways Direct, Trackshack etc... in future as they actually have decent updates on your orders and pretty much guaranteed to get the items promptly.

 

Don't always discount the smaller model shops. Most are very good (unlike Osborns) and if not supported they could well disappear leaving only the big

"boxshifters". That wouldn't be a good in my opinion.  

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Don't always discount the smaller model shops. Most are very good (unlike Osborns) and if not supported they could well disappear leaving only the big

"boxshifters". That wouldn't be a good in my opinion.  

 

Yes understand what you're saying but they have only themselves to blame, this business it cut-throat and like everybody else we are all trying to get the best price for model railway items that are already overpriced in my opinion.

Tried calling them today but they now have a voice message saying they are out at a model rail exhibition and to call back Tuesday which is a tad frustrating.

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Yes understand what you're saying but they have only themselves to blame, this business it cut-throat and like everybody else we are all trying to get the best price for model railway items that are already overpriced in my opinion.

Tried calling them today but they now have a voice message saying they are out at a model rail exhibition and to call back Tuesday which is a tad frustrating.

 

Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying use Osborns because I found them woefully bad. Just that there's no need to just use the big boys like Rails and Hattons.

Support the other small shops too.

Edited by admiles
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Please don't misunderstand me, I'm not saying use Osborns because I found them woefully bad. Just that there's no need to just use the big boys like Rails and Hattons.

Support the other small shops too.

 

Don't worry I didn't misunderstand, too be honest I'm always trying to find the best price regardless who sells it and only today I purchased a Gaugemaster DCC55 USB Cable for only £38 from a model shop I've never heard off called ABC Models in Cheshire thru their online shop so hopefully I'll get the item and within a respectable timeframe.

We both seemed to have issues with Osborn's thus what I am saying is I'll probably not use them again but will continue to purchase from models shops big or small, but yes I still believe we should support those smaller outlets.

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