Manufacturing models

[billbedford]

But then most retailers aren't manufacturers, and most manufacturers have their own agenda.

[Ian J.]

I think most manufacturers already have their design, development, production and marketing systems already set up, and creating a new layer within the model railway buyer space is seen as too risky. The only way a higher quality band (for a premium price) is likely to happen is if a new player is willing to take on the risk. I was going to head in that direction with the Terrier project I was working on, but so many things have gone wrong for me recently that it became obvious I couldn't pursue it. I hope someone else has the guts and backing to be able to do such a thing.

[Barry O]

I think the figures would be substantially more than that Ian. Taking premium quality 7mm & 10mm RTR products for example that retail in the £1500 - £4000 sector which have a viable, if smaller, output to the UK and International market as a comparison even those products are tooled and manufactured in the far east.

 

What price an accurate P4 Princess produced on similar terms; I'd say it would be north of £500 and add a couple more if it were produced in the UK.

 

 

 

Leaving aside your quality comments as everything in this world is produced to a cost/specification no matter where it's made; I'd suggest readers look at MI4 and the resin-casting article and think how much the products would be if produced here.

 

Strangely enough Andy in the manufacturing world I am working in the customers demand ( quite rightly) very high quality but at a lower price - hence we have Lean manufacturing, Rapid Prototyping, Advanced machining, Synthetic Environments etc for development and Manufacturing Engineering to make sure we transition from the Design for Manufacture into Manufacture with Built In quality.

 

Where labour is cheap you don't need to use the most up to date techniques to remove what, in the UK, is our biggest cost driver - people.

 

If Cosworth can produce aircraft pistons cheaper than anyone else in the world by using one machining centre ( admittedly this was very expensive but can be used to produce a lot of different things), and one person then we need to re-engineer the expensive bits of model railways to make the UK competitive ( ie fastening it all together and applying detail parts and lining etc) Notice that to cut costs we all now fit the "Gubbins" on buffer beams of locos - how much would it add cost wise if the Manufacturers did it for us.

[ianmaccormac]

What I have also noticed on this thread is that noone has mentioned shipping costs.

Nowadays, a standard container will only cost about 300 quid to ship from China to UK.

But you have to fill it! That takes about 30,000 standard Hornby loco boxes. That cost is almost nil therefore.

This country used to be one of the best at product design, CAD, CAM, innovative manufacturing etc.

Gradually since about the time of the Sony Walkman - the cassette one - showing my age a bit here - there has been a complete change

in the education offered in state schools about design and manufacturing. It has happened at a time when many other areas of the world

have emerged, equipped their populations with the necessary skils in industrial areas and left us way behind.

Coupled with lack of Govt protection/help/understanding it would be very difficult to reverse the trend.

This is probably a 50 year plan that is needed and I cannot see British manufactureing of model trains as the necessary catalyst!

Just not enough money available in the sales.

What we need to do is have some people savvy enough to look at what can be done at what sort of cost and produce some goods that have already been sold

so as to be able to invest.

Just Like The Real Thing is doing this in 7mm. The pricing seems reasonable. It seems to have a good following but now seems to be slowing up a bit now that the originators and those with the initial capital have got mainly what they wanted. But I beleive that it is a made in the UK?

Is there a recent lottery winner or someone that has a bit of money that would be willing to do this in 4mm? Is there someone with the business nous to help? Is there some designers that could form a co-operative with these people to move things forward?

Or am I just being totally unrealistic?

3D CADCAM milling machines for 5000 quid, 3D printers for 8000, It's the CAD drafting skils that seem to be missing a bit but as there is a 3D group on here that are producing all sorts of masters - look at Bills stuff - surely if someone was to put some funds up front with a business plan, on here, and get a group together, something could be started?

It is a bit of a pipedream as I do not have the money. I have a couple of small Roland CADCAM machines and a very limited ability in the 3d drawing side.

People like Chivers are using the same kit for small end injection moulding patterns, small automatic machines that just about cope with the pigeon van.

Is there some way to get all interested parties together, as well as someone with some money and repeat the JLTRT formula? Or should JLTRT be approached for costing for 4mm?

Some ideas that should hopefully start a bit of a chat on here. What do you think?

Are you a designer? Are you loaded? Are you JLTRT?

Cheers

Ian in Blackpool, a modeller and small scale producer of parts for LB&SCR

[scots region]

What about the electronic side of the industry? I mean gaugemaster produce their controllers here and there all of an immensely high standard, true example, mine spent nearly Four years in a leaking rotten conservatory and still works fabulously