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Rapido/Locomotion Models GNR Stirling Single


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I agree it is rather unprofessional that any mails you sent are not replied too, but equally I can imagine some head scratching on their part trying to think how best to explain it. Something for which they probably don,t have time for. Keep trying to contact them by all means but please try to see the other side of the story. It is rather a special case.

 

I agree. I don't think this has been handled particularly well by Locomotion, but they're not responsible for errors made by other people.

 

At least, they're not directly responsible. I do think, though, that maybe this is a bit of a wake-up call for smaller suppliers trying to get to grips with online ordering. In particular, the process for handling pre-release orders, either with or without an initial deposit, followed by taking final payment with the item is ready, is littered with potential pitfalls. DJM had a similar issue with the RMweb "yellow peril" Austerity, caused by the order handling system not properly acknowledging orders leading to people inadvertently placing multiple orders.  

 

In the case of Locomotion, I'm a little surprised that their online shop isn't built on the same platform as the NRM shop and the Science Museum Group shop. The SMG platform, as far as I can tell, appears to be built in-house, so presumably they are employing full time web developers who ought to be able to add the features necessary to handle pre-orders correctly. Locomotion's site, on the other hand looks like an off-the-peg ecommerce platform that doesn't seem to be quite the right fit for what they need.

 

What do I mean by "correctly" in this context? Well, one of the key things you absolutely need to do, if you are taking deposits and then getting people to pay the balance later, is to ensure that the option to pay the balance is only available to people who have already paid a deposit. The public website should only ever show two options: pay a deposit or pay in full. The balance payment is only for people who have already paid a deposit.

 

How do you do that? Well, there are a number of ways. One is to require anyone paying a deposit to create an account, and then only show the link to pay the balance when they are logged in to the account (and when that account already has a paid deposit associated with it, obviously). Another is to make the balance payment a "secret" URL that's sent to the customer via email when the item is ready to be shipped. Or, you can pre-authorise the card for the full amount, but only take the balance when the item is ready (although that's less ideal, as cards can expire in the meantime and some people are unhappy with giving a retailer the ability to take payment from their card at some unspecified date in the future). But, however you do it, it's not a hugely complex task for a competent web developer. What's more important is that the management realises it needs to be done, and if they're using an off-the-peg website to ensure that it includes the necessary functionality.

 

Above all, though, online retailing to consumers needs to be managed from an online retail perspective. It isn't the same as selling over the counter in a bricks and mortar shop, and it isn't the same as selling online to businesses (eg, a wholesaler or manufacturer selling to retailers). And if you don't have someone with the skills to manage that, then hire someone who does. Or outsource it. Either way, make getting it right a priority, and don't settle for "this will do" just because you don't have anything better.

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I agree that there are IT loopholes to sort out. What worked fine for the C1 and APT-E failed somewhere with this model. IT man hours are not cheap though and you need two competent people involved, one at locomotion to well define the need, another on the development side to accurately interpret it.

 

On the other hand, no process is completely perfect, the development costs of avoiding a case like Rob's needs to be compared to the cost of handling cases like Rob's. If he is the only one, the IT dev won,t be worth it.

 

It is easy to find holes in a process but covering them without causing issues elsewhere takes resources. In the end, zero risk does not exist.

Edited by JSpencer
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Time to compare with a scale drawing.

 

Rule 1, scale drawings are never wrong.

Rule 2, if you think the rule 1 is wrong, read rule 1 again.

 

Overall it is a tad longer than the drawings, putting aside the drawbar distance, the loco part is a tad longer. I,m inclined to believe Rapido of course.

 

 As already above by Jonathan Weallans, all is as it should be. The preserved no 1 is a rebuild, not the shorter original of 1870 which the drawing represents. Believe Rapido/NRM! The 'growth' in the loco to tender distance aside of course, which is the major blot on the model and not simple to correct neatly.

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I find it sad that a thread concerned with such a wonderful model (the finest OO kettle yet made? I think it has a good claim to that honour) has become bogged down in complaints about distribution issues and how the NRM shop have managed things. To be clear, I am not blaming those who have had problems for raising them here, I'd certainly do the same and I think people have legitimate complaints. However it really doesn't reflect well on the NRM shop, especially when they had a long time to prepare their distribution arrangements for this release. More effort needed next time I think (assuming there is a next time).

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I find it sad that a thread concerned with such a wonderful model (the finest OO kettle yet made? I think it has a good claim to that honour) has become bogged down in complaints about distribution issues and how the NRM shop have managed things. To be clear, I am not blaming those who have had problems for raising them here, I'd certainly do the same and I think people have legitimate complaints. However it really doesn't reflect well on the NRM shop, especially when they had a long time to prepare their distribution arrangements for this release. More effort needed next time I think (assuming there is a next time).

 

Soon the anguish will fade.  Only the glory will remain!

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I find it sad that a thread concerned with such a wonderful model (the finest OO kettle yet made? I think it has a good claim to that honour) has become bogged down in complaints about distribution issues and how the NRM shop have managed things. To be clear, I am not blaming those who have had problems for raising them here, I'd certainly do the same and I think people have legitimate complaints. However it really doesn't reflect well on the NRM shop, especially when they had a long time to prepare their distribution arrangements for this release. More effort needed next time I think (assuming there is a next time).

 

It is sad.

 

But can you really blame anyone being disgruntled?

 

Locomotion and the NRM have hardly helped matters with the lack of communication. Why wasn't there a bog standard email sent out to everyone who receives them, telling them of the possibility of problems? 

 

Whilst it may not have solved the problem it would have calmed a few people down and we might have avoided some of the more vocal posts.

 

 

I haven't received any emails from them since May, which was the email about Data Protection. Since then nothing. Not even advertisements.

 

 

 

 

Jason

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But can you really blame anyone being disgruntled?

Not at all, I think the issues are doing to poor management and communications by the NRM shop. They are the ones that dropped the ball, well them and their delivery partner but then again they were the ones who appointed the delivery partner and who decided the metrics and indicators used to select them.

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It is sad.

 

But can you really blame anyone being disgruntled?

 

Locomotion and the NRM have hardly helped matters with the lack of communication. Why wasn't there a bog standard email sent out to everyone who receives them, telling them of the possibility of problems? 

 

Whilst it may not have solved the problem it would have calmed a few people down and we might have avoided some of the more vocal posts.

 

 

I haven't received any emails from them since May, which was the email about Data Protection. Since then nothing. Not even advertisements.

 

 

 

 

Jason

 

It is abundantly clear that Locomotion are critically understaffed.

 

Trying to manage the production of commission models, plus distribution and communication, is beyond the capabilities of a single person.

 

I suspect that they are trying to run the operation on a shoe-string in order to keep the product price at what they conceive to be an acceptable level.

 

All very laudable, but if the consequent distribution chaos has a more negative impact than a somewhat higher price, nothing has been gained and, potentially, much has been lost.

 

Regards,

John Isherwood.

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So one person can't compose a quick email and send it to all the customers with one click explaining the problem?

 

Come on. That's basic IT skills that an eight year old child can do.

 

 

That's not a dig at the hard working staff. More the upper echelons of the SMG.

 

 

 

Jason

Edited by Steamport Southport
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Hallelujah...ive just had the pleasure to call Stuart at Locomotion to inform him the model arrived safely this afternoon.

post-20773-0-73336300-1536158381_thumb.jpeg

 

With grateful thanks to Stuart last night (and it was after hours), he took control of this one and has managed to get APC to overnight this model to me and delivered today.

He additionally called me this am to apologise and explain what’s happened.

 

I’ve also had communication from senior directors at the SMG following my enquiries yesterday.

 

Overall i’m Grateful my fears have been out to rest, and that it has been delivered, I wish I didn’t have to turn into a very squeaky wheel in order to get attention though. I was getting genuinely concerned that something wider was a miss.

 

Stuart is on his own here, dealing with this quite sizeable problem, and it’s good that he’s dedicated to solving it, but equally bad that it’s eaten so much of his time that communication (that lead to mis-information by others) became the victim.

 

Stuart asked me to mention there are still more yet to solve, so more time is needed but informs me management are working on a statement.

 

If there’s a lessons learned here, it’s not about APC it’s about resource planning, I for one hope the SMG reach a conclusion that to continue is a good idea, but maybe a resource be assigned to this task at critical stages, Stuart gets my vote for it (if he doesnt run for the hills), but it’s unfair to leave it and day to day business all to one person.

 

At least for now in my case it’s resolved, and hopefully others will be solved soon.

 

Thanks.

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post-20773-0-25066800-1536158414_thumb.jpeg

Edited by adb968008
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I am so pleased that you have....finally.....had a happy and hopefully satisfying outcome...Yours has been a long struggle borne with patience and dignity

 

An example to us all,I'd say.Now ,open a bottle of the best to enjoy with the Single....except be sure the glass is a Double.

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So one person can't compose a quick email and send it to all the customers with one click explaining the problem?

 

Come on. That's basic IT skills that an eight year old child can do.

 

 

That's not a dig at the hard working staff. More the upper echelons of the SMG.

 

 

 

Jason

 

But "all the customers" are not affected.  I don't need an email to tell me of the problems because I have got my model and am happy.  An email explaining their problems might be as annoying to me as a lack of one is to someone who has not got theirs.

And that is where it gets difficult.

Edited by Andy Hayter
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I have received a very nice email from Stuart at Locomotion and have arranged to pay the balance of approx £50 owing on the model for which I erroneously paid an.incomplete price.

 

The poor guy appears to have been working very hard on his own to repair major issues with the sale the model.

 

I fully accept that my earlier payment of £179 was not the full price, although I had thought it was, by not reading things well, I had no idea that the retail was £220. I also had not intended to queue-jump, the whole thing started when I enquired about being put on a list for surplus models, and then rather hastily presumed that payment made now would make things easier..

 

You will have to take my word for it that I intended no unfairness to anyone.

 

I believe Stuart should receive a knightood, at least.

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I

 

I believe Stuart should receive a knightood, at least.

Or name the Stirling Single after him.. (in an odd way it sounds like the models name is an accurate description already).

 

Then he could get to do this all over again with a second issue.

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Or name the Stirling Single after him.. (in an odd way it sounds like the models name is an accurate description already).

Then he could get to do this all over again with a second issue.

Why not dedicate a Single Malt distilled in his honour? Perhaps a ten year old Clan Stuart ? Then we can all sample double measures of a Single ?

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I have received a very nice email from Stuart at Locomotion and have arranged to pay the balance of approx £50 owing on the model for which I erroneously paid an.incomplete price.

 

The poor guy appears to have been working very hard on his own to repair major issues with the sale the model.

 

I fully accept that my earlier payment of £179 was not the full price, although I had thought it was, by not reading things well, I had no idea that the retail was £220. I also had not intended to queue-jump, the whole thing started when I enquired about being put on a list for surplus models, and then rather hastily presumed that payment made now would make things easier..

 

You will have to take my word for it that I intended no unfairness to anyone.

 

I believe Stuart should receive a knightood, at least.

Happy for you Rob . Your perseverance has finally been rewarded, or at least it will be once you receive the model. I wouldn’t beat yourself up over not knowing that £179 was not the final price . Unless you followed this thread how would you know? It does seem to me that the Locomotion web page was maybe not that intrinsic to use. Glad Stuart sorted it for you . He probably deserves a medal after what he’s been dropped into

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I have received a very nice email from Stuart at Locomotion and have arranged to pay the balance of approx £50 owing on the model for which I erroneously paid an.incomplete price.

 

The poor guy appears to have been working very hard on his own to repair major issues with the sale the model.

 

I fully accept that my earlier payment of £179 was not the full price, although I had thought it was, by not reading things well, I had no idea that the retail was £220. I also had not intended to queue-jump, the whole thing started when I enquired about being put on a list for surplus models, and then rather hastily presumed that payment made now would make things easier..

 

You will have to take my word for it that I intended no unfairness to anyone.

 

I believe Stuart should receive a knightood, at least.

 

Rob, you are a Muppet, but I'm very, very happy for you!

 

Alls well that ends well!

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Why not dedicate a Single Malt distilled in his honour? Perhaps a ten year old Clan Stuart ? Then we can all sample double measures of a Single ?

 

Very nearly 72009.....Perhaps Hornby could release it with the alternative spelling, to commemorate the event? ;)

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My original loco was picked up by APC on Monday and I had an e-mail from them to say it had arrived at Locomotion on Tuesday. However, Lukas told me last Friday that the replacement would be sent on Monday and there has been no sign of it!

 

PM Sent

Regards

Stuart

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It may be the good news is spreading.  I have just received an e-mail from Rapido in Canada telling me that I can return my loco for repairs to them,  i.e. in Canada.  I will still have to pay postage but a lot less than having it shipped back to the UK and there will be no customs issues.  Much happier camper than I was.  I shall be most interested to see how they solve the glue softened running plate top.

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I am happy to say that not only have I recieved my locomotive, well packed and without any signs of trauma, but I had an email from Stuart this morning apologising for the delay in his replying to my query.  I very much apppreciated that.

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