Castle Trains Warwick

[Guest 838rapid]

I popped In the shop a couple of times in the last few days.

 

There was no sign or mention of Dave or Sophie.

 

Hope this is not a sign that they may have moved out to pastures new??

 

Customer service seemed a bit relaxed to the normal standards.

 

Hope this isnt a sign of things to come or returning to old ways.

[burns471]

called in at castle trains on friday, I can confirm that both Dave and Sophie have left, the lighting is still poor,and the staff ,were not very helpful at all, does anybody know were they have gone, they made a good team friendly and excellent customer service, both of them always had time to help and chat, I read on this forum ,that Dave worked at Antics in coventry at one time ,so I will try there it is nearer than warwick for me

[Sir Hadyn]

I have a love/hate relationship with CT, and at the moment, it's not the former. I was quite sad to see how it's become, having popped in there last Thursday. I note there's a collectable model/train shop opened literally just down the road (41 Smith Street), but he was shut for a couple of days. Let's see what goes.

[Black Sheep]

I popped In the shop a couple of times in the last few days.

 

There was no sign or mention of Dave or Sophie.

 

Hope this is not a sign that they may have moved out to pastures new??

 

Customer service seemed a bit relaxed to the normal standards.

 

Hope this isnt a sign of things to come or returning to old ways.

 

 

I do know that Dave has moved back to Antics in Coventry as shop manager and Sophie went with him to fill the assistant manager's position.

[RedgateModels]

Well, my twopennyworth, as a first time mail order customer, I can't fault them.

 

Googled a Parkside 7mm toad brake van, they came up as being one of the cheapest with stocks showing on the website.

 

Ordered yesterday morning, their website tracking showed it despatched around 11:30 yesterday (very nice feature that), it's now in my hands at 9:30 the following day - less than £35 quid when the list price is £37.85 plus postage from Parkside

 

That'll do me fine

[Sir Hadyn]

The love hate relationship continues - I went in this morning and was most impressed with the service given by the three youngish members of staff. Testing of locos, swapping of duff locos and general advice given to various customers whilst I was in there.

 

Smith Street in Warwick seems to be attracting folk of our ilk, you have Modelenium just up the road, now doing continental HO and N (and some lovely stuff there too) and down the road, Metropolis (open Thursdays, Friday and Saturdays generally, but worth checking) for second hand and collectable stuff - and Eastgate Books for prototype research and inspiration... I always come away light of pocket!

[burns471]

anybody ever seen the layouts working since they altered the back, keep seeing working layouts in advert , never seen them work, seems a bit bad to advertise something thats not true , might have a word to a few mags about that , still they may have them going in the shop next door but one now theres a thought

[7013]

I have recently had an appaling experience with a retailer (In Warwick) when I ordered something online, I did not hear anything for a week even though the money went out of my bank account and they promised next day posting. Anyway they e mailed me back and apologised that the item was not in stock. They offered me three options, 1, re-order, 2, a voucher, 3 a refund. I opted for my money back but was told it would take up to 3 weeks. Well after 4 weeks no refund, so I mailed them again. Many exchanged e mails and stalling and another 3 weeks and I still did not have my refund so I regretfully threatened legal action. Again there was much apologising so I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and opted for a voucher as I needed to make other purchases. The shop agreed and said they would send me a voucher by return of post. Twelve days later and further e mails still no voucher. I am by this time getting quite p***ed off, it was only about £30 but there were principles to be upheld here.

I only live a few miles from the shop so I drove there, walked in the shop clutching a handful of Emails and spoke to the owner. Without any delay she took the money out of the till and gave me my refund with many apologies and reasons etc. So why did it take them 8 weeks to refund the money? and I might add I doubt I would have got the refund any time soon (without resorting to legal action) if I had not gone to the shop in person. What about someone ordering from this shop from where it is impractical to go to the shop in person?

Should we be naming and shaming this sort of service? It would be regretable if other modellers went through this sort of treatment and did not know about my experience, on the other hand I am mindful of that this may be an isolated incident.

I cleared this with Andy prior to publication, but I have removed the name of the shop, just left its location, I am sure modellers will be able to work out where it is, I would advise caution when ordering and making sure the item is in stock, better still collect it in person.

Model shops will be feeling the pinch like all of us so it is in their own interest to give the customer the best possible service if they want us to part with our cash.Needless to say I will never make a purchase from this shop again.

[Andy Y]

but I have removed the name of the shop, just left its location,

 

Well I scuppered that; I've just combined the two topics. Thank you for the factual and quantified input. I do hope that it will alert anyone else who may be similarly inconvenienced and result in better service levels for such customers.

 

 

 

[Black Sheep]

I have recently had an appaling experience with a retailer (In Warwick)

Should we be naming and shaming this sort of service? It would be regretable if other modellers went through this sort of treatment and did not know about my experience, on the other hand I am mindful of that this may be an isolated incident.

Model shops will be feeling the pinch like all of us so it is in their own interest to give the customer the best possible service if they want us to part with our cash.Needless to say I will never make a purchase from this shop again.

 

I agree that model shops are feeling the pinch, but that should be no reason to not give good service,

 

I feel it is time to mention my dealings with the same shop.

 

I bought a Dapol N gauge loco from Castle trains and handed it to my mother to wrap and give to me for christmas (a common arrangement in our family) if I remember correctly this was in september of last year.

After receiving it for christmas, I decided that as my layout had no track yet, I ought to at least start running some locos in and generally showing appreciation of things bought for me at christmas and birthday, as such I got a loop of track and wired it up on the dining table

 

the loco needed a nudge to get it running, after which it was fine, until you stopped it and tried to re-start it in either direction

 

Went back to the retailer and was told that they don't deal with Dapol and couldn't (or wouldn't) do anything.

 

took it to another shop that is actually a little more local to me, they sent it off, were told by Dapol that as I'd not bought it from the second retailer they couldn't do anything, so the retailer had their specialist look at it, gave it a clean and it runs perfectly.

 

needless to say, the second retailer is where I currently have a stack of lovely crimson coaches awaiting collection

[choochoomama]

I feel that I have to reply to the previous e-mail about poor service at the supplier in Warwick.I know people who have been dissappointed about the failure of service after payment and the long delay to reimburse money within a reasonable time and considering the popularity and choice it offers to enthusiasts like myself this does not reflect too well and has caused me to shop elsewhere as have some of my friends.

 

I have noted that the owners have recently opened a toy shop in Leamington Spa (Avon Toys) here's hoping their customers get better service! I can recommend Antics in Coventry for excellance service and helpful staff.

[pcc4199]

Any up-dates on Castle Trains?

 

I am thinking of ordering some motive power.

 

Cheers & thanks.

 

Andy

Burlington, Ontario.

[Andy Y]

Why gamble on there being an improvement when there are many retailers with better reputations on these pages?

[pcc4199]

The problem is, Castle Trains are showing the item I want is in stock, (if their web-site can be trusted), while other retailers are sold out.

 

That is why I was asking about up-dates.

 

Cheers.

 

Andy

[Black Sheep]

I've heard there be no change, and their website to not always be correct in quantity, if at all.

 

if you're after a local-ish shop, try antics in coventry (02476 551155) they've always been great at getting things for me,

 

usual just a satisfied customer disclaimer applies

[pcc4199]

Andy and Black Sheep,

 

Thank you for your input, will not make purchase at this time.

 

Cheers.

 

Andy

[BYMR]

I'v just phoned up Castle Trains to enquire about an item that was due to be refunded a couple of weeks ago now, the assistant on the phone told me he would look into that. I was curious as to how he would do that and pointed out that he was yet to ask me my name and/or order number. He promptly told me to p@*s off and hung up.

 

Brilliant service there. Any ideas on how to progress with this?

[BYMR]

Update,

 

the same young store assistant is now refusing to put me through to the manager and is hanging up on me every time he realises it is me on the other end of the line. 

 

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!

[Black Sheep]

I'v just phoned up Castle Trains to enquire about an item that was due to be refunded a couple of weeks ago now, the assistant on the phone told me he would look into that. I was curious as to how he would do that and pointed out that he was yet to ask me my name and/or order number. He promptly told me to p@*s off and hung up.

 

Brilliant service there. Any ideas on how to progress with this?

 

 

Update,

 

the same young store assistant is now refusing to put me through to the manager and is hanging up on me every time he realises it is me on the other end of the line. 

 

AVOID LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!

 

Trading standards time then.

[scorpion]

try an e-mail to the owner, of course it might get intercepted but you never know

[BYMR]

try an e-mail to the owner, of course it might get intercepted but you never know

 

I'm pretty sure all of my emails are being deleted as I find it impossibly hard to believe the manager would ignore all that I have written. I am remaining courteous in all my messages and am keeping a record of everything that I do send so that if I ever do get through to management I can send them through en-masse... or show to trading standards should it come to that. 

 

Shocking to find such poor/offensive levels of service in what must be a struggling industry for smaller businesses such as this.

[gwrrob]

I'm pretty sure all of my emails are being deleted as I find it impossibly hard to believe the manager would ignore all that I have written. I am remaining courteous in all my messages and am keeping a record of everything that I do send so that if I ever do get through to management I can send them through en-masse... or show to trading standards should it come to that. 

 

Shocking to find such poor/offensive levels of service in what must be a struggling industry for smaller businesses such as this.

 

Especially as you can get a 100 % better service just a few miles down the road from CT.Are we talking a lot of money here in your refund ?

[Black Sheep]

I'm pretty sure all of my emails are being deleted as I find it impossibly hard to believe the manager would ignore all that I have written. I am remaining courteous in all my messages and am keeping a record of everything that I do send so that if I ever do get through to management I can send them through en-masse... or show to trading standards should it come to that. 

 

Shocking to find such poor/offensive levels of service in what must be a struggling industry for smaller businesses such as this.

 

personally I don't see why your time, effort and cost should be wasted in trying to chase something you're legally entitled to (the re-fund) Trading standards etc are there to do that for you,

 

that, or if you paid by credit card, speak to the card company, they are joint liable under the consumer credit act, explain to them that you've paid out for goods that have not arrived and, having spoken to the company, believe have never been posted and can no longer get through to them, it is likely the card company will re-fund you and then they will chase the money from the shop to cover it.

 

if you paid by Visa Debit the above is also true as they apparently give the same consumer protection as if you'd paid by Visa Credit!

 

 

can you tell that I don't think that shops with service like this deserve to be in business?

[BYMR]

@gwrrob Only about £80 but to be honest it's not even the refund that's got me now. I have never been sworn at over the phone for just enquiring about anything... I had to take a few minutes after the call to let in sink in what had actually just happened. Was bizarre! I have had a very frustrating day trying to get through to the manager to lodge a complaint only to be constantly either ignored (phone not answered) or when it was answered, it was obviously the same individual who when I asked for the manager would hang up straight away. If I lived closer I would have gone straight over to the store just to see who it was that was being so rude. 

 

@Black Sheep, the problem is this is a refund issue. The original purchase was fine, delivered nice and swiftly but the offending item was broken, actually damaged. Took me a whole heap of emails and multiple days of trying to call then too to get through to the manager to sort out sending it back for the refund. Unbelievable!

[Black Sheep]

I was under the impression that if the item was wrong or not fit for purpose then the card issuer is still joint liable, but I'm not sure.