RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted September 9, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 9, 2013 By my count, that is now 3 manufacturers that have put their own money in to make models for the uk market, you, realtrack and ftg (when it appears) Don't forget Ixion - which has just 3 staff, 2 in Australia and Chris Klein in UK who all put up their own money to start with the N Gauge Manor, which financed the On30 'Coffee-Pot' which in turn led to the limited edition brass Manning Wardle and the Hudswell Clarke loco in 7mm. The success of this (almost 1000 sold) led to the investment in the Fowler diesel (as seen at Telford) and there are already plans for next years new release. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bigbee Line Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 I like the idea of the powered and dummy set, wish more dummies were available. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37255 Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Well, I may have already done half a dozen Hornby ones, but I can't help feeling I'll end up with a few J94s in LNER (to save filing down the smokebox numberplate) to convert to industrial ones! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted September 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 9, 2013 Whilst your model list has nothing for me in it, I do hope you succeed in this venture. By my count, that is now 3 manufacturers that have put their own money in to make models for the uk market, you, realtrack and ftg (when it appears) And Ixion (already mentioned) plus of course Kernow and presumably - although a larger concern in many respects - Hattons (who have sponsored a number of models) while Rails of Sheffield have presumably done so to some extent albeit (in what would seem to be a joint venture with Bachmann?). As far as I'm aware in these cases the model railway retailers have paid for the development of models and own the tooling although exact commercial arrangements are of course not in the public domain. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
zigzag Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Congratulations in getting started Dave and good luck with the business. Bold moves such as this can only be good for us modellers and shoudl be roundly applauded. 1 - We will get more models to choose from 2 - Dave has a proven record of consulting with modellers - which will help iron out as many inaccuracies as possible before the model is produced 3 - Dave aslo communicates well with modellers once the product has been delivered shoudl there be any issues with it 4 - The prices seem reasonable 5 - You can read between the lines regarding qc and delivery times that Dave feels that these are areas where other manufacturers are weak, and hes addressing that 6 - There seems to be a high degree of transparency and openess, which can only help all parties 7 - Innovative prodcuts - dummies, how long have we been waiting for these Thats a quick summary of why this a great move for all of us and good luck to you Dave. Whilst I can see that the J94 is ripe for a retool and is probably a guaranteed seller I am slightly surprised that a bolder protype wasnt chosen as a launch model to really stir things up and get people to take notice (a la the Heljan Falcon which in my view paved the way and proved that prodcution of the minor classes that we now see was viable) - but maybe best to go with a safer option to get things off the ground, then go radical when the busienss is on a firm footing. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 You terrible man Mr Jones, by releasing the last required loco needed to convincingly model the Waverley route in its optimum scale, I am sure to face the ultimate conundrum when the Claytons reach the shelves. Well done and the very best of British. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IainS Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Best of luck, patience and success. And at least one weathered N gauge "Baby" for me. Iain Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Fisher Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Nice too that Dave is the new Frank Hornby. You should try to get a unit on the industrial estate near Binns Road. Liverpool leads the way again in model railways! If your still in Liverpool Dave!? Good luck with the enterprise. Dont think you will need much luck. Born in L4 the proper area Everton... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Great Western Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Are the models being produced in limited quantities, so advanced orders are recommended or more commercial numbers so I could hold off until I've seen one in the flesh/read the reviews etc? I'm looking at 7mm editions of the Saddle tank. Great Western Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold A Murphy Posted September 9, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 9, 2013 I would like to join the growing chorus of approval: in a very small way I'll be putting my money where my mouth is to the tune of an n gauge BR J94 with taller bunker to begin with, and possibly another one to follow. Well done and very good luck and how about an n gauge ROD to follow up with..... I know, I'm leaving...... Alastair M Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenman Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Give the bloke a chance (so he can make some money to support branching into GWR GER types in the future). There - I've fixed that for you. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DJM Dave Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Nice too that Dave is the new Frank Hornby. You should try to get a unit on the industrial estate near Binns Road. Liverpool leads the way again in model railways! If your still in Liverpool Dave!? Good luck with the enterprise. Dont think you will need much luck. Born in L4 the proper area Everton... Funnily enough I've been thinking that for a few weeks. What if I return model railway production to Liverpool? That would on a few levels be quite cool I think. :-) Cheers Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted September 9, 2013 Author Share Posted September 9, 2013 I'm not speaking for Dave but I am thinking from a forum point of view. There's no point in wishing and wanting stuff that's not been announced as there will be a natural build up of momentum rather than a rash of announcements. Keep it to relevant discussions on products announced please and that'll cut down the amount that readers will have to wade through. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenman Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 The Clayton will be powered by a coreless motor with flywheels, have directional lighting, be DCC ready with the DCC board and blanking plug below the bottom of the cab window line, will have a close coupling mechanism, darkened profile wheels, low friction mechanism, NEM coupling pockets, but wont come with a smoke unit and realistic oil purges from the engines cheers Dave I'm pleased that Heljan's unfortunately rather poor effort at a Clayton has not "poisoned the well". I'd have thought it was a good 7mm choice, too - Judith Edge don't do a Clayton kit in that scale (though, of course, JLRT do). Or is there a concern that Heljan will leap in and queer the pitch, having already done the design for 00? Dapol Dave is a brave man, betting his house on this venture, and I take my hat off to him. I hope it works out. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Heljan's unfortunately rather poor effort at a Clayton Really? Early motor trouble - I'm sure you don't mean that. Overly bright headcode lights - fixable. Vertical underslung equipment faces - granted. Proud fan grilles - granted. So in whose view(s) was it a rather poor effort? Just asking because this is the first time I've heard it described as such. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Higgs Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 So in whose view(s) was it a rather poor effort? Just asking because this is the first time I've heard it described as such. Mine for one. Of the first large batch of Heljan Claytons a very large number of motors (or the gear trains) were duff and expired spectaularly, and needed replacement chassis. So early motor trouble - for sure. Fixed in later batches, but I would never buy one secondhand as you just don't know what you are getting. Anyway I wish Dave all the best. Hopefuilly the first model goes well and the anxiety of the money he has to put in will soon be past. I personally think the J94 is an excellent choice as it appeals to those with only small layout space. Not everyone needs or can use Westerns, Deltics et al. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Mine for one. Of the first large batch of Heljan Claytons a very large number of motors (or the gear trains) were duff and expired spectaularly, and needed replacement chassis. So early motor trouble - for sure. Fixed in later batches, but I would never buy one secondhand as you just don't know what you are getting. Okay Chris, thanks for your confirmation. As I suggested in my post, I discounted that, because these early ones were rechassised by Heljan/ Rails, to become perfectly good runners, and my subsequent locos have all been good runners. I'm looking for constructive and justified criticism of the model, that could give credibility to the Heljan model 'poisoning the well.' My good friend and Waverley devotee Iain Mac won't give them house room for their vertical slab sided battery-box/ fuel tank moulding, but that and the fan grilles are the only abuse of plastic that I've ever heard levelled at the model. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fenman Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 'CHARD, on 09 Sept 2013 - 17:19, said: So in whose view(s) was it a rather poor effort? Just asking because this is the first time I've heard it described as such. Mine. For example: one of the dominant design features of the Clayton is that wonderful greenhouse-like cab but the Heljan model doesn't even pretend to give any depth to the interior. For me this is too distracting even when the model is trundling past at realistic-ish speeds. You're right, I'm ignoring the terrible QC problems, but you have also highlighted some of the external problems. Put together, the model is, for me, too obviously A Model in a way that, to take a wildly different example, Hornby's Class 60 is not. It hasn't stopped me buying some of Heljan's Claytons, and they're better than anything I could knock up, but it's one of those models that I wish another manufacturer had done and, whenever I look at them, I feel a bit of regret about what might have been. I'm looking forward to seeing DJM's take on them. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 Mine. For example: one of the dominant design features of the Clayton is that wonderful greenhouse-like cab but the Heljan model doesn't even pretend to give any depth to the interior. For me this is too distracting even when the model is trundling past at realistic-ish speeds. You're right, I'm ignoring the terrible QC problems, but you have also highlighted some of the external problems. Put together, the model is, for me, too obviously A Model in a way that, to take a wildly different example, Hornby's Class 60 is not. It hasn't stopped me buying some of Heljan's Claytons, and they're better than anything I could knock up, but it's one of those models that I wish another manufacturer had done and, whenever I look at them, I feel a bit of regret about what might have been. I'm looking forward to seeing DJM's take on them. Paul Thanks Paul, I'm somewhat relieved, especially as without the cab compromises the thing would be unmotored! EDIT: and evidently no regrets here, as I await my nineteenth and twentieth examples to complete the allocation Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Legend Posted September 9, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 9, 2013 Really? Early motor trouble - I'm sure you don't mean that. Overly bright headcode lights - fixable. Vertical underslung equipment faces - granted. Proud fan grilles - granted. So in whose view(s) was it a rather poor effort? Just asking because this is the first time I've heard it described as such. My opinion too. Early motor trouble rather trivialises the issue, they just didnt work. The search light head code is a pain and the removal of the body with these infernal buffers is the worst bit of design I've seen in a long time. Hopefully Dave will not emulate any of these. (I'm sure he won't - much too sensible!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 7013 Posted September 9, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 9, 2013 Already got my Hornby J94 up for sale, will be ordering a DJMODELS OO version when It opens for business. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted September 9, 2013 Share Posted September 9, 2013 My opinion too. Early motor trouble rather trivialises the issue, they just didnt work. The search light head code is a pain and the removal of the body with these infernal buffers is the worst bit of design I've seen in a long time. Hopefully Dave will not emulate any of these. (I'm sure he won't - much too sensible!) Again, I'm encouraged, as all these faults have been fixed or are fixable. Had it been the wrong body shape, then I would have been concerned. I was gutted when my first four spent 16 months away having replacement chassis fitted, but Heljan honoured their commitments, and my modelling speed is so laid back it's horizontal, so I couldn't really claim to have been inconvenienced by their time back at Works. Conversely, if it had been a mazak issue, I would have been worried. NB: worst bit of design? Hornby built to a price GW tank axle arrangements? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iL Dottore Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 With his experience at Dapol, I am sure that Dave knows the UK model railway market as well as anyone, so I am curious to learn why only locomotives were chosen to launch DJModels? From what I read on RMWeb there is certainly a desire for high quality bog-standard freight wagons with accurate chassis and for suburban and other widely used coaching stock - two areas that the "usual suspects" have yet to fully address. I am looking forward to DJModel's success and await Dave's branching out (in OO, for me) to GWR Metals. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Yes things could get difficult if I grow too big, cheers Dave I think the trick is to avoid the pies whilst testing the trains Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob F Posted September 10, 2013 Share Posted September 10, 2013 Is it my imagination or have posts been deleted from this thread? ROB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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