bescotbeast

Thanks for the words John, I think I've been very patient and as I've said, I did offer to pay for Hermes to collect the parcel from his front door, all was met with silence.

Thanks Trev, it's gut wrenching and I'm still looking at my options.

A Cautionary Tale It is with regret and a heavy heart that I feel compelled to write this but, I hope, you will see that I have been left with little alternative. Back in early 2017 I struck up a conversation with Jon Gavin via Flickr where I had seen some of his respray work. The chat centred on his work and the possibility of respraying some bogie Tarpaulin wagons I had at the time. Following a very good conversation a price was agreed and the two tarpaulin wagons, along with two POA kits, and some EWS transfers I didn't want any more, were sent off to Jon’s home. A further tarpaulin wagon was purchased from Hattons and sent direct to Jon’s address, bringing the total to three wagons to be resprayed. In due course Jon created some excellent custom decals to be applied to the three wagons, and by the end of March two wagons were ready. I was sent photos of the work done, and duly paid up for the work on the two completed wagons. I was more than happy with the work shown in the pictures, so decided that it was only fair to pay up promptly to show my appreciation. In November Jon approached me and showed me some SPA wagon hoods that he was making to see if I was interested, I ordered two and at the same time paid for the last Tarpaulin wagon that had now been finished. Some days later I asked Jon for a price to respray a Bachmann Class 37 into the identity of 37688 in Railfreight triple grey livery. Again, with the price agreed, I bought a donor Class 37 from the Rails of Sheffield eBay outlet. In March 2018, Jon contacted me via FB messenger to ask if I was happy with the job he'd done with the respray, and to check if the numbers were in the right location on the nose ends. At the time he showed me the pictures I had a household bill to pay so I asked him for a weeks grace to settle up until my next pay day, which was agreed. The following week I paid Jon £104 (March 24th), made up of £100 for the work and £4 postage costs. By the 6th of April neither the Tarpaulin wagon nor 37688 had arrived and I contacted Jon to ask if there were any problems and had he had any news. It was at this point things started to go wrong. A pattern became established that would repeat itself in that various excuses would be given as to why the items, which he had sent me photographs of as completed, were not being delivered. These ranged from he'd not had time to finish them (even though he'd shown me pictures of the two finished articles), been too busy to deal with them, car problems (his own, his mate’s and his partner’s), and various health issues (his own or his son). Naturally, when he said that his son had been in hospital I was anxious not to pressure him too much as of course things take a back seat in such situations. However, as time passed and four weeks had elapsed since I'd paid, I reminded Jon that I'd not received my two items of stock. Again, my reminder to him was met with similar excuses but he said that he'd get round to posting them to me. A further eight weeks passed, and so I again contacted him, to be met with further excuses, or on occasions just ignored, By now my patience was wearing thin, I felt I had been more than fair in giving him some space whilst he was claiming to be having family problems, but given that he had sent me photos of the completed items I could not fathom why it was proving so difficult to wrap them up and post them to me. I even offered to sort out a Hermes collection to avoid the need for him to actually take the items to a post office or collection point. I then made copies of my PayPal receipts remind Jon I had paid in full, as well as stating my displeasure that my two items being kept from me. There followed a few perfunctory exchanges before I received a message from Jon’s partner that due to ill health, she would be sorting out the outstanding issues, which led me to think this issue would be resolved. Unfortunately, after this promising start, a similar pattern of evasive behaviour and excuses became established. Again I have re-iterated my offer to organise a collection via Hermes to minimise the need to physically go out and drop off the items but there has been no response. I am beginning to doubt whether the items remain with Jon. As I write this on the 6th June 2018, I am still out of pocket to the tune of £305 and have nothing to show for this. Those of you who know me will know I have a reputation for being a forthright, even blunt, speaker but I genuinely do not like the idea of having to publish the sorry catalogue of broken agreements and lack of good faith that I have experienced with Jon Gavin. His work was excellent and the items that were returned I was more than happy with, which makes the current situation all the more depressing. I feel I have shown incredible patience and a willingness to accept some of the reasons he gave me why he hadn’t forwarded my items on face value. I understand that the work is done on a cottage-industry basis and that sometimes life intervenes but, given the items were shown in photos sent to me as being finished, and that I even offered to organise my own collection of the items, I cannot see what the problem is and I’m now left feeling frustrated, and not a little cheated. I hope members of the model railway community take on board my experiences, as I do know from speaking to a fellow modeler that this isn't the first time that this has happened, and can therefore, understand my sincere regret that I have been forced into this, but please, do be wary. The above has also been posted on my Pendeford Yard page over on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pendefordyard/posts/401808620320461 , this has already lead to someone contacting me to say that they'd also lost out to Jon. wagon on my layout by Simon Barnes, on Flickr Easiloader by Simon Barnes, on Flickr Cargowaggon by Simon Barnes, on Flickr receipt for 2 hoods and tarp wagon repaint by Simon Barnes, on Flickr payment to Rails for Bachmann class 37 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr items of stock by Simon Barnes, on Flickr items of stock 2 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr Transferry wagon Flickr by Simon Barnes, on Flickr payment for the Class 37 respray by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

worth knowing Charlie, I've got 2 1st Gen DMUs that need sound.

Not bad at all Andi, what kind of speaker did you use?

It's the modern way though, when Southern/GTR had there "dispute", the Seaford Branch was all but abandoned with a skeleton service on the best day.

Cheers Trev, next step is to get some sound in her.

Evening Dave and great to hear from, are you reading RMWeb from the bottom of a trench or from the steamy jungles of Borneo this time? glad you like the new additions and please do drop me a line pal. Speak soon Simon

31171 is finished, next will be some light weathering and when I can afford a sound chip. 31171 again by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 31171 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

Thanks for looking Andi

Some further progress made on my Class 37 and 31 projects 37235 finished by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 31171 masking tape removed by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 31171 again by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 31171 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 37104 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 37104 nose end by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

you little tinker Mick

Long overdue update, I've added some door operating instruction panels as well as a caution symbol to my first Italian bogie ferry van IMG_3476 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr A second one was started and has now been re-assembled and just awaits the addition of the aforementioned door instructions panel etc. IMG_3480 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr FS ferry van by Simon Barnes, on Flickr A coal sector Class 37 37239 was obtained off ebay for a reasonable price and work was undertaken to renumber it to 37235 as well as removing the headlight from the nose ends. 37235 close up by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 37235 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr IMG_3479 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr Another signal conversion is underway Another signal project by Simon Barnes, on Flickr My Blue SHIMMNS wagon has been repainted to match my other wagon. SHIMMNS wagon by Simon Barnes, on Flickr I've also obtained a Hornby Class 31 which is being repainted into Railfreight grey as 31171, photos to follow soon. As you can see I've had plenty to keep me busy. Thanks for looking Simon

We've probably been on the same train John when I've either been travelling to or from work.

I find time for modelling which can help with the stress of the job at times

I've been on the Railway since 1998, started off with Railtrack, was working a night shift when Stephen "cab for hire "Byers put Railtrack into receivership, had a stint with EWS, left before it became DB and now find myself working for Southern GTR in Brighton. I'm 45 at the end of June and I'd like to finish in 10 years time, my mother wisely told me to take out a Private pension when I was 17 and this was transferred into the Railway pension when I first joined .My wife and I have a plan afoot which we hope will enable our dream of myself finishing at 55 before I'm too worn out coming to fruition. Simon

thank you kindly for the pointers

Can I ask, how easy did you find it to remove windows? and how did you strip it? I'm asking as I've ordered a 31 from ebay and I intend stripping it and repainting it, this will be my 2nd attempt. The first attempt went badly and I was unable to remove the windows, I attempted to strip the paint in Brake fluid and the body ended up melting. As you can imagine I don't wish to go down the same road as my first try.

Top quality work Peter, they really do ooze atmosphere

I have to agree, those look very much like the real thing, I may have to invest in one or two

Well done Kit on managing to save something so important to Railway history in Britain and across the world.

The 58 is a cracking model in my view Andi, I've seen other peoples but never got round to getting one, if you are keen on them get over to Hattons pronto. Finances permitting I do intend on adding sound to her.

I'm sure Lindsay will back up your claim on spending my money. I found this image on Flickr of 58049 in 1988 58049 'Littleton Colliery' Railfreight Reading 1988 by Paul Smith, on Flickr

I've been after a Class 58 for the MGR trains for a long time now , and my good friend Mr Wiles pointed out too me that Hattons were selling a clutch of them. So come payday i purchased an example (58006) in Railfreight Red without cantrail stripes. I chose to portray it as 58049 "Littleton Colliery" to give it a West Midlands connection, this entailed renumbering and adding a cantrail stripe, this then was duly undertaken this weekend and some slight weathering added. 58049 a by Simon Barnes, on Flickr 58049 by Simon Barnes, on Flickr The opportunity was also taken to weather two recent additions to the coaching stock fleet, an RMB and an SO . MK1 RMB by Simon Barnes, on Flickr MK1 SO by Simon Barnes, on Flickr

Cheers Shed, I'm pleased with them and I'm looking to expand on them soon. Thanks , I'm pleased that people enjoy them.