RMweb Gold SouthernRegionSteam Posted June 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 3, 2011 SalisburyModelCentre.co.uk/ I've been using this shop for many years now so I thought it was about time I did a brief summary.The business came under new ownership fairly recently (within the last year I believe) and has grown to expand into different product markets and I have to say that the transformation has been very positive. The staff are friendly and the owner is always keen to talk to you about your requirements or just have a chat. The new owner has kitted out the shop with all sorts of modelling items for all sorts of modelling needs. Not only does the shop contain the usual OO & N locos and rolling stock that you would expect to find along with railway kits, scenic items and accessories etc, but it now also has a lot of military models as well as some German HOe narrow gauge locomotives and stock. There are also stocks of Plastruct type items, model aircraft kits, and also a limited range of 'modern' scenic details like ivy and grass tufts (IIRC). There has definitely been an improvement over the last year, and I hope to be making many more visits in the coming years. If anyone is in the area go and take a look, you will probably be pleasantly suprised! As I said, the staff are very friendly and inviting and there's always something tempting in there - it's very rare indeed for me to leave empty handed I must admit. I have no affiliation with the shop or owners, just a very satisfied customer! Anyone else had dealings with them recently? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 4, 2011 Share Posted July 4, 2011 Called in today, came away disappointed again. This has been my local for the past two years and I must say i'm not that impressed. The prices are very good, but there is hardly any stock in there, and this has been the case of at least the past two years. I think i'll stick to visiting my parents local shop, it has half the floor space and five times the amount of stuff ... Its a shame, as the shop used to have such a good rep apparently. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Chambers Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 Called in today, came away disappointed again. This has been my local for the past two years and I must say i'm not that impressed. The prices are very good, but there is hardly any stock in there, and this has been the case of at least the past two years. I think i'll stick to visiting my parents local shop, it has half the floor space and five times the amount of stuff ... Its a shame, as the shop used to have such a good rep apparently. Agreed, have never visited the place without thinking "how on earth do they stay in business?"As to the "staff", the one person who seems to live there could hardly be described as friendly or inviting.So sad,Salisbury is a beautiful city and well worth a visit- a decent model shop would be the icing on the cake! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted July 5, 2011 Share Posted July 5, 2011 I've discussed visiting the shop at a couple of local clubs, and the view is all the same, they all tell me not to bother, it's just not worth the trip as it's the nearest model shop to me, journey timewise. It's a shame as 'having been there' I know all the problems entailed, I feel for the guy running it, it's not easy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted July 5, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 5, 2011 The relatively new owner is a military Modeller and doesn't really know much about trains, the Gaugemaster rep convinced him to buy a load of lilliput and Piko stuff and sets and it's just sitting there so I think that's put him off. I've suggested he needs to order a few more of new releases rather than just filling pre-orders but no luck so far. Excellent for all the bits and pieces and paints but little rolling stock and few locos and only a few kits, all rtp buildings taking over. When it changed hands they ran down the stock and it's never recovered. I live in hope as it's only a few minutes from work. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dec Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Hello and thank you for the comments, both positive and negative they all are informative. I appreciate fairly delivered feedback. I am the 'New' Owner of SALISBURY MODEL CENTRE, and felt it would be worth expanding on the points raised. In todays economic climate it has been hard to just get new items in for display and shelf sales, over the last 4 weeks nearly everything new that has arrived has had to be put by for outstanding orders or reservations (some of which still await payment and collection a frustration in itself). This explains why on appearance the shop seems to not have much new. Its is understandable and something I wish to correct but with over £60,000 worth of stock already on display a lot is already tied up. If that dosn't move much then I have precious little to invest in unknown sales of new items. Additionally and something that has received good feedback is that I have also invested in other areas, the range of scenic items and paint has increased as well as tools that were non-existant before. Once again this all diverts funds away from new wagons and the like. I am by admission not a railway modeller but have taken a lot of time to learn as much as I can. The Plastic kits may generate less in revenue but have a higher turnover so appear to be favoured more. In terms of railways I know of many different customers who have many different interests, it is not possible to reflect constantly all your wide interests in store. I don't carry O Gauge, G Scale, TT or Z but always will place orders if the item is available from my suppliers. The next area of expansion is in Airbrushes and Self casting kits. Do they count as Railway items? Probably not yet are important items that serve all modelling disciplines. I am grateful to every customer that visits my shop and as remarked, do my best to offer a good price. I think many understand that I cannot be all things to all men and still visit, and I appreciate that too. What is harder to deal with are those who visit and complain about not having what they want without placing an order or saying what they wanted. How can I re-act to their desire? I still employ the young lad that I inherited when I took the shop over. Many have remarked on how well he knows his railway stuff and he is a member of the local Railway Club so for that I see him as an asset. I do acknowledge he is a shy individual, but if you engage with him he will be polite and hopefully helpful. I can promise to be the same whenever you meet me even if I can not provide the item you may want. Shopping should be a pleasure. Finally and just to give you an idea of how commited I am to making SMC work and being regarded as a good store to deal with: I took over 18 months ago while still serving in the Army, the shop had run down its stocks and in effect a lot of what I purchased from the previous owner you could argue was already 'dead' stock or it would have been sold. I invested a lot of money on top of that used for purchasing the buisness into getting in new stock for all modelling disciplines. The Railways area of the shop has yet to reach fully where I ( and more importantly you) want it but I ask that you still visit as there will always be something in the store you might see or need and in time you will note the change. I have learnt from the mistakes I have made in the first year of trading and won't repeat them, and have learnt the hard way about dealing with Hornby. As yet I have not taken a days worth of pay from the shop, I am working for free and reliant on my good wife for ensuring I have fuel in my car. Every penny left after paying suppliers, rent, electric and water etc is reinvested. That reinvestment isn't just railway stock but ready for a new carpet ( the shop one has not been in place for over 10 years and is balder than me) and sales area. So a lot to think about but please be assured that providing the best service and range I can is my goal, and with patience that will be realised. Yours sincerely Declan Sibley SALISBURY MODEL CENTRE PS. Time is always an issue, please do not take any delay in responses as a sign of dis-interest. It may be that this site becomes another resource in my desire to learn about the railway hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Hale Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Declan, Good luck with the venture and thank you for being so frank, a refreshing experience. Cheers Tim Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted July 10, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 10, 2011 Declan, Good luck with the venture and thank you for being so frank, a refreshing experience. Cheers Tim Can only agree with that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 I feel this is one occasion that merits a message of agreement with Tim instead of just pressing the '+' button. I hope you overcome the problems of being new to railway modelling, and that trade will be enough to expand, and encourage many new customers, and that maybe one day we can arrange for a visit from the 'group' at Blandford. Paul Mays - former owner of Motorail Books of Bournemouth. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold SouthernRegionSteam Posted July 10, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted July 10, 2011 I have to say firstly, welcome to RMweb, Dec. As the others have stated, it is not often that you have such an honest and easy to talk to shop owner. I've lost count of the number of times I have felt awkward in other shops where you feel you almost have to buy something. I have always tried wherever possible to support local shops like SMC as with the economic climate the way it is, it is all too often a case of use it or lose it. Good luck Dec! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Just hope that Salisbury picks up a better reputation than the former one in Southampton that went by the initials of SMC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted July 10, 2011 Share Posted July 10, 2011 Just hope that Salisbury picks up a better reputation than the former one in Southampton that went by the initials of SMC. He's done that already. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Chambers Posted July 11, 2011 Share Posted July 11, 2011 Thank you Declan for taking the trouble to post your thoughts,all the very best of luck.We'll give you a try ASAP!Tim. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted July 11, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 11, 2011 I suspected as much and wish you well, I will continue to grab bits and pieces as they appear and can understand the frustration with the limited funds available for stock that might sit there. I'll repeat what I said to Dave though, I would try and get your wholesaler to take back the continental stuff in exchange for more UK rolling stock as there is a fair Market in crews at the station with an hour between duties Certainly I've always felt welcome since the change and I can confirm Dec is as reasonable and friendly in person on the couple of occasions I've talked to him. Dec I would suggest further browsing the manufacturers area to see what models are in demand and give some idea for future orders. Ps I'm the one who's steadily buying the Kato trams Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dec Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Thank you all, I appericate hugely the sincere good wishes expressed since I posted. I was unsure if posting was an 'un-professional' thing to do but your comments have bouyed me up. It is hard not to take things too personnaly when it is your own business (as some of you would probably have warned me from your own experinces). I will continue to look in on this site, as pointed out there is a lot of knowledge herein and I hope to pick some of it up. I will be professional though and not bring 'Work' to any posts. No devious advertisments or bad mouthing difficult customers, I'd rather enjoy the hobby as well as be sucessful in retail support of it. My post from Sunday was in my mind today when a delivery from Hornby arrived. I spoke with my wife ( and watcher of all things financial) about the pace of growth in our railways selection and how I wanted to speed it along. That a delivery arrived monday afternoon worth £1700 in such a small box brought into sharp focus how difficult business growth is. However perseverence is the key, no point moaning. My attempts to learn more are currently centred on building a small end to fiddle yard layout with just 3 points. Wiring up some PECO motors and getting a probe for switching with LEDs for route selection should be enough right now, and I don't want to give up on the plastic modelling altogether . Regards and Best wishes Dec Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 What I've read so far you seem to have the right attitude Declan, hope no one comes along and makes you change your mind. Paul (RhB) is a useful contact for you, as he works, and lives local to you, I've known him for a few years, since he was a young lad helping his dad working as a volunteer on Swanage Railway. I'm thinking that I definitely will be paying your shop a visit next time I'm in the Salisbury area. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Dec, thanks for clarifying your position ... although I think you should spend your hard earned on more stock, carpet will only get under your feet ... What is harder to deal with are those who visit and complain about not having what they want without placing an order or saying what they wanted. How can I re-act to their desire? Guilty as charged ... however, whilst I have a very specific list of 'wants', I also occasionally get tempted by shiney stuff ... but if there is very little stock, how can one be tempted!! I know from friends that running a small buisness like a model shop can be a huge amount of hard work and getting the balance right is often difficult ... but don't forget to put temptation in the way of the weak willed ... it'll pay off I will be professional though and not bring 'Work' to any posts. No devious advertisments or bad mouthing difficult customers, I'd rather enjoy the hobby as well as be sucessful in retail support of it. Hey, there's nothing wrong with a bit of subliminal BUY STUFF FROM SMC messaging Don't forget to post pics of your layout on here, we're already looking forward to it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Metr0Land Posted July 12, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 12, 2011 The earlier posts suggest you have strong military modelling interests? There's quite a lot of interest these days by railway modellers looking to learn from military modellers (the front cover of Model Rail 158/July 2011 for example). As well as working on a simple layout/diorama, is it worth you having a go at applying military modelling weathering techniques to some stock to show what could be done? This would give your shop some uniqueness amongst railway modelling outlets and hopefully generate sales of weathering materials? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatC Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Good luck with the shop Dec. I drop in from time to time when I'm in Salisbury (I live in Romsey). I mostly model fairly obscure things in 009 narrow gauge so not many model shops stock the sort of items that I'm after but I do buy sundries such as paints, brushes and other tools from model shops so I'm looking forward to seeing what you've got next time I'm in. All the best, Patrick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Just hope that Salisbury picks up a better reputation than the former one in Southampton that went by the initials of SMC. SMC still trades AFAIK on E Bay only I think. As to Salisbury, I have visited and purchased. I go to Salisbury roughly twice a year and always check in. I wish Declan well. The shop's demographic area is very large but very rural. I hope there are enough modelers within it to sustain you. Even in the face of this forum, you would do well to allow other modeling disciplines within the shop as model railways rarely sustains on its own. Military modeling seems ideal and plastic kits have always attracted custom anyway. Some of that custom is attracted to model railways. I can vividly remember building several models of both aircraft and military subjects long before my interest in model railways started. Best of luck and I might meet you on the next trip to Salisbury. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted July 12, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 12, 2011 , I've known him for a few years, since he was a young lad helping his dad working as a volunteer. heh heh and how long is that Paul I'm probably older now than you were when we first met. Dec has a couple of weathered Locos in a display case already and the railway item in the front window at the moment is very impressive and a true crossover with military modelling. As I said in my first post the bits and pieces and paints are already good and adding casting stuff and airbrushes is an excellent expansion of that, getting in some of those neat fold up fume extractors too? I think advertising what ranges you can order with an example or two of each in the window might be worth considering to attract modellers into the shop, some nice big shiny logos from Hornby, Bachmann, Dapol, Piko might help them step in rather than past. Even some of the pre orders that are slow to be collected could be useful window dressing as you don't seem to suffer from strong direct sunlight. I'm very keen to support any local modelshop that provides the bits you need in a hurry such as brass, pins or paint are so much easier when you just need one. If the forum can feedback the info that doesn't come to mind when you visit then hopefully this will help keep another invaluable local shop going and hopefully to greater things. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
loggerhead148 Posted July 12, 2011 Share Posted July 12, 2011 Declan, firstly, good luck for taking such a decision - here's to your success Having just moved from the Big Smoke of London I've been wondering where to transfer my allegiences and have visited the shop when in town for meetings at Wilton so it will be nice to see it in its new guise. I'm going to be restarting a layout so will call in re track etc. Some thoughts: - Email some of the private schools in the area, some are bound to have have model railway/modelling clubs - perhaps offer a small introductory discount. I know Dauntsey's has a MR club for instance - Weathering - great idea and either offer the service (similar to another company with GT as initials) or else do workshops on a Saturday morning, whether for Railways or Military modellers - Offer 10% for pre-orders of new products, but bearing in mind your post above, you might have to say '10 per cent deposit' - Put a simple circuit in the window to catch the attention of children - Design your own 'gift token' which parents/grandchildren can give as presents to be spent in the shop - could be printed to order - Post on ARRSE (am sure you watch it anyway given your background - there is a military modelling and a railway section in there if you aren't already aware Hope that helps and good luck again! LH148 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dec Posted July 14, 2011 Share Posted July 14, 2011 Once again Gentlemen, Thank you for the words of support, and thank you to those who have visted the shop too. I'll attempt to answer a number of the recent posts here but won't make to much of the fact we have had deliveries from Hornby, Bachmann and Peco in the last 2 days. While it has been nice adding to the shelves I don't want to crow about it as you could visit after the latest deliveries have sold on only to think 'no change'. However i've taken the wealth of interest as a sign that my focus should be shifted. As said before I hope patience will be rewarded. re loggerhead148 :- 1) The shop is really too small to hold seminars but the idea to offer bespoke weathered models when requested is appealing. Once I get my own house ( and workshop) in order it may well become an option. 2) We do have a mini layout in the window area. It has 2x OO loops, a length of digitised track and a length of N, all used to test cutomers locos before purchase as well as to entertain the kids. It does mean that handprints on the windows need removing almost daily LOL. 3) We do sell gift tokens which I give a free Revell mini kit with if the voucher is £10.00 or more ( I recal being a kid and thinking vouchers were a boring present so the mini kit is there to give the recipiant an imediate kit to make too). Unfortunatly the free kit will only last till my current stock is used as price rises have made this too much for me to write off. We've been doing it for 16 Months though. 4) I didn't know about ARSSE so thanks for the tip. re PaulRhB, Your points have been taken on board even before I saw this on RMweb, I know you chat to my wife too. Hopefully you'll note the changes on your next visit and notice the higher level of Railway presence in the front right window. We do however suffer from the sun and fading is a problem. I hope your enjoying the tram sets. Jack Carpet LOL. But many have said the same, why worry about the carpet / ceiling etc. However while it means diverting funds away from stock I do think the shop should look appealing and to be honest there has been no investment into the internal decoration of the shop for nearly 10 years. As I see the shop business as a projection of what I represent I feel it should'nt look as shabby as it currently does. The first thing I did (helped by my wife and neighbours) was to deep clean the shop. The number of comments after we did that ( especially from modellers wives!) showed how overdue it was. I hope I can balence the next phase of improvement with keeping up stock levels. MetrOLand, PatC, DWhite4dcc and others. Regarding my own railway endevour. I will try and link it from my shop website Blog pages and get a sig line link here. But that will be a way in the future. The base is being constructed now. It will be 1/76 scale- narrow guage and has been based on reasearch though will be an amalgamation of three seperate scenes supported by real historic photographs. From the outset I have planned this in detail so it will be able to be transported and displayed. My inspiration was from Jamie's CALSHOT layout. I saw it at Woodgreen and was impressed with his enthusiasm and can do attitude to modelling. I therefore decided to build a layout as if I was building a military diorama and set a sustainable build pace. Fingers crossed. Thank you and best wishes Dec Sibley Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Jack Carpet LOL. But many have said the same, why worry about the carpet / ceiling etc. However while it means diverting funds away from stock I do think the shop should look appealing and to be honest there has been no investment into the internal decoration of the shop for nearly 10 years. As I see the shop business as a projection of what I represent I feel it should'nt look as shabby as it currently does. The first thing I did (helped by my wife and neighbours) was to deep clean the shop. The number of comments after we did that ( especially from modellers wives!) showed how overdue it was. I hope I can balence the next phase of improvement with keeping up stock levels. We don't waste money on soap, so why should you waste it on carpet ... think of your target audience man!! I can see your point about making a good impression though ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dec Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Hello Jack Thanks for the PM and i'm glad you eventually got my reply. In response to the query I have placed this to facilitate everyone. Voucher Regards Dec Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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