Kernow GWR steam rail motor

[Neal Ball]

These look terrific models. Thanks for sharing.

[jonnyuk]

these kinda of flew under my radar but on Saturday i saw it running on the Hornby mag stand whilst i was chatting to the new editor. this prompted me to go to the Kernow stand where i stood chatting to a very knowledgeable chap on the prototype.

I have to say they are really stunning, the fine detail, livery, finish, just stunning.

i've tried to go back through this thread but i fear these fall just out side of my era, mid 30's, to early mid 40's just before nationalisation, unless i go current preserved (but i like the choc and cream livery) i don't think i can really stretch to one when in era stuff is on the way. unless someone can tell me how i cab get away with one (without using rule 1 😬)

[Edge]

I was getting a little uncertain about my order to be honest. Long development time and a recent request from Kernow asking for up front payment to help finance the project had me thinking about dropping the idea.

 

then I saw the model running on the Hornby layout and immediately handed over the cash on Saturday night :) it looked that good 

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, jonnyuk said:

i've tried to go back through this thread but i fear these fall just out side of my era, mid 30's, to early mid 40's just before nationalisation

No 97 was working until stopped on 27 March 1935, it was sent to Swindon Works in April 1935, officially condemmed in May 1935 and withdrawn for conversion to Trailer 214

In my book working until March 1935 is definitely mid 30s

Edited November 28, 2022 by melmerby

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, Edge said:

I was getting a little uncertain about my order to be honest. Long development time and a recent request from Kernow asking for up front payment to help finance the project had me thinking about dropping the idea.

I haven't had any request, as yet.

 

Scrub that, I paid a while back!

Edited November 28, 2022 by melmerby

[jonnyuk]

13 hours ago, melmerby said:

No 97 was working until stopped on 27 March 1935, it was sent to Swindon Works in April 1935, officially condemmed in May 1935 and withdrawn for conversion to Trailer 214

In my book working until March 1935 is definitely mid 30s

whoop...reason found....thank you for your help. order to be placed tonight

[Edge]

Here is the sample model running on the Hornby magazine layout 

 

[Mikkel]

Kernow's No. 63 was camera happy. I have now found a third photo of it in what is either all brown or lake. Again it has the "two narrow windows + filler lid panel" arrangement. The front window bars are dark, not white.

 

It is seen at Trowbridge, but there is no date. If anyone knows the allocation dates for Trowbridge we could perhaps date it.

 

The photo can be found in Colin Maggs' "Wiltshire Railways" on page 53.

 

[melmerby]

On 28/11/2022 at 21:05, Edge said:

I was getting a little uncertain about my order to be honest. Long development time and a recent request from Kernow asking for up front payment to help finance the project had me thinking about dropping the idea.

 

then I saw the model running on the Hornby layout and immediately handed over the cash on Saturday night :) it looked that good 

 

On 28/11/2022 at 23:03, melmerby said:

I haven't had any request, as yet.

 

Scrub that, I paid a while back!

No I didn't

I opted to pay in full in 2021 to secure the model at the stated price, it was deducted from my account.

I found they then credited it back a few days later.

I have now had an e-mail asking to pay up front now (at a new price), which I nominally did before, all rather confusing really.

 

It's still a good price for what is being made.

 

EDIT

Now definitely paid in full this time!

 

Ignore my whingeing

 

 

Edited November 30, 2022 by melmerby

[St. Simon]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

 

No I didn't

I opted to pay in full in 2021 to secure the model at the stated price, it was deducted from my account.

I found they then credited it back a few days later.

I have now had an e-mail asking to pay up front now (at a new price), which I nominally did before, all rather confusing really.

 

It's still a good price for what is being made.

 

EDIT

Now definitely paid in full this time!

 

Ignore my whingeing

 

 

Hi,

 

KMRC don’t ask people to pay for a pre-order to secure it (just putting in a pre-order is sufficient for this), so what you’ve experienced is the normal Kernow Web Pre-Order process where the money is initially taken from your account and refunded (if the item can’t be delivered within 28 days), as part of the card verification process. The money will then be taken when the model is ready for dispatch. If the cost of a model increases prior to dispatch, you’ll be contacted when it is ready for dispatch to confirm that you are happy with the increased costs. Only once you have confirmed this will payment be taken and the model is dispatched.

 

This is the case with the railmotor, the only difference is that KMRC are asking for payment slightly earlier than with other models.

 

If in the future, there is a pre-order you want to make but don’t want to go through the payment and refund process initially, give either branch a call or order in person, and a pre-order can be arranged without that initial payment step (with payment only being taken immediately prior to dispatch).

 

Simon

[Harlequin]

3 hours ago, St. Simon said:

Hi,

 

KMRC don’t ask people to pay for a pre-order to secure it (just putting in a pre-order is sufficient for this), so what you’ve experienced is the normal Kernow Web Pre-Order process where the money is initially taken from your account and refunded (if the item can’t be delivered within 28 days), as part of the card verification process. The money will then be taken when the model is ready for dispatch. If the cost of a model increases prior to dispatch, you’ll be contacted when it is ready for dispatch to confirm that you are happy with the increased costs. Only once you have confirmed this will payment be taken and the model is dispatched.

 

This is the case with the railmotor, the only difference is that KMRC are asking for payment slightly earlier than with other models.

 

If in the future, there is a pre-order you want to make but don’t want to go through the payment and refund process initially, give either branch a call or order in person, and a pre-order can be arranged without that initial payment step (with payment only being taken immediately prior to dispatch).

 

Simon

 

Actually in the case of the Railmotors they are doing something slightly different - they are asking people with pre-orders to actually re-order.

 

Quote from the email Kernow sent to me:

Quote

You can save £10 by paying in full for the model immediately, reducing the cost to £179.99 (or £289.99 for DCC Sound). I have already spent a very large sum of money on design and tooling without having asked for a deposit, and by paying in advance like this I can get the production completed much quicker than waiting for a business loan and also save us the finance charges which I am happy to pass on to you as a thank you. [snip]

 

In addition, I will add 1500 loyalty points to your account in recognition of your patience to date (worth £15 off a future order). If you want to know more about our Loyalty Scheme please check this link on our website: https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/pg/102/Loyalty-Account

 

The quickest and easiest way to take advantage of this offer is to simply place a new order through our website for the models you require. This does not have to match your existing order in any way and you can of course buy the sound option instead. Please remember to copy and paste “GWR Steam Railmotor £15 Loyalty” into the customer message field of the web order.

 

When I queried this and how it would apply to the two Railmotors I had pre-ordered, Greg from the sales team replied:

Quote

Both [your orders] were refunded when the orders were placed. They will probably show as unsent on your history forever because your online order history only shows online activity and therefore, although we originally cancelled the original orders on our tills here, the originals will never show as being despatched on your history.

 

If you choose to order online rather than by phone, you will need to add a note in the Special Instructions box stating 'GWR Steam Railmotor £15 Loyalty' as per the instructions in the email I sent to you. (In your case you can change this to £30).

 

Our staff will then note this and delete the original orders. It wouldn't hurt to also add - 'replacing original orders' to this.

 

So there's a complicated manual process going on here, caused by the long gestation period of these models and we have to trust that Kernow will manage it correctly.

 

Edited November 30, 2022 by Harlequin

[melmerby]

52 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

 

Actually in the case of the Railmotors they are doing something slightly different - they are asking people with pre-orders to actually re-order.

 

Quote from the email Kernow sent to me:

 

When I queried this and how it would apply to the two Railmotors I had pre-ordered, Greg from the sale team replied:

 

So there's a complicated manual process going on here, caused by the long gestation period of these models and we have to trust that Kernow will manage it correctly.

 

This cancelling & re-ordering was what was confusing me a bit, so like you I rang up and was given the same information

 

Yes. Pre-orders are being cancelled and new orders being raised at the new price and payment up front is required to confirm the new order.

I you don't re-order by 31/12/22 the original order will lapse.

[melmerby]

1 hour ago, St. Simon said:

Hi,

 

 

 

If in the future, there is a pre-order you want to make but don’t want to go through the payment and refund process initially, give either branch a call or order in person, and a pre-order can be arranged without that initial payment step (with payment only being taken immediately prior to dispatch).

 

Simon

I would've preferred it if at the time of pre-ordering an actual deposit was taken, (£30 maybe?) like many other retailers and if a price rise was required, then you could either cancel and get the deposit back or leave it and you pay the increase in the balance when the main payment is due.

[JSpencer]

Look on the bright side, there is a DCC sound choice now. For my re-order, I'm mulling over it... sound or no sound????

[Edge]

3 hours ago, melmerby said:

I would've preferred it if at the time of pre-ordering an actual deposit was taken, (£30 maybe?) like many other retailers and if a price rise was required, then you could either cancel and get the deposit back or leave it and you pay the increase in the balance when the main payment is due.

In fairness, Kernow’s full email acknowledges that they have made misjudgments with this project and that it would have been better for them to wait until further on in the project in order to get a price which was more stable for them. As it is, the long gestation time for this model appears to have eroded their profit margin to the point where the price will have to go up by quite a bit when they do go on sale. 
 

However, as a return on paying up front, they are offering to honour the original price of £179.99 for non-sound models. Considering the quality of their previous products and the sensational look to this one in the running sample, I don’t think there are any concerns on this front. I for one am happy to pay up for one at this stage of development 

 

 

Edited November 30, 2022 by Edge

[Chuffer Davies]

4 hours ago, melmerby said:

 

I you don't re-order by 31/12/22 the original order will lapse.

Logically what Kernow are planning to do is to lapse/delete all the original orders at the end of 2022 irrespective of whether the customer has re-ordered or not.  By doing this it removes the complexity of matching new re-orders to original orders and avoids the risk of despatching two models in error one against the original order and one against the re-order.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, Edge said:

However, as a return on paying up front, they are offering to honour the original price of £179.99

No, that's wrong

The original price was £169.99 for pre-orders, which has risen to £179.99 if you pay now against £189.99 after the deadline.

[melmerby]

3 hours ago, JSpencer said:

Look on the bright side, there is a DCC sound choice now. For my re-order, I'm mulling over it... sound or no sound????

Having heard the cacophony of noise at many of the sound equipped Warley layouts, with only one or two being more restrained and therefore more realistic such as Cobbold's Wharf, I'm still not convinced.

[3rd Rail Exile]

10 hours ago, melmerby said:

No, that's wrong

The original price was £169.99 for pre-orders, which has risen to £179.99 if you pay now against £189.99 after the deadline.

Depends what you mean by "original" 😀 

 

When I pre-ordered in August 2015 (and I'm sure there are some who did so even earlier...), it was £149.99.  

 

Happily paid up the £179.99 a couple of weeks ago - I can understand that a lot has happened in 7 years to increase costs...

[melmerby]

4 hours ago, 3rd Rail Exile said:

When I pre-ordered in August 2015 (and I'm sure there are some who did so even earlier...), it was £149.99. 

What would you have preferred, A DJ designed model at £149.99 or a Kernow designed model at £179.99?😄

[3rd Rail Exile]

1 hour ago, melmerby said:

What would you have preferred, A DJ designed model at £149.99 or a Kernow designed model at £179.99?😄

Fair point. 

 

I did say a lot had happened in 7 years...

[JSpencer]

On 01/12/2022 at 15:12, melmerby said:

What would you have preferred, A DJ designed model at £149.99 or a Kernow designed model at £179.99?😄

 

With hindsight, I suppose we should be glad that he really did fail to deliver. Better to be frustrated time wise than end up with a frustrating model.

 

Equally you get 1500 Kernow reward points (if you are replacing the original order) with £15 so its more like £155 in the end. 

Edited December 2, 2022 by JSpencer

[sjrixon]

I left it for a couple of weeks, but would be so disappointed to miss out. So upgraded my order to a sound fitted number 97. The pictures on the last page, amazing.. 

[Ian Hargrave]

On 30/11/2022 at 20:39, JSpencer said:

Look on the bright side, there is a DCC sound choice now. For my re-order, I'm mulling over it... sound or no sound????

Has there yet been a sample of this aired ? I’m also in a quandary before placing an order. If successful it could be the icing on the cake ….excuse the description…..and should work well on dc analogue as Kernow assert. It would certainly add a whole new dimension.

[Free At Last]

20 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Has there yet been a sample of this aired ? I’m also in a quandary before placing an order. If successful it could be the icing on the cake ….excuse the description…..and should work well on dc analogue as Kernow assert. It would certainly add a whole new dimension.

I think I read the sound was being supplied by Youchoos. They have a sound sample on their site.. Steam Railmotor

Edited December 5, 2022 by Free At Last