Great Western

It seems that you forgot to wish DJM and his current projects well at the end of your diatribe.

PS2: I would t discribe my comment as a forceful attack, please tell me where I've lied or misrepresented the truth, or have I been reading the wrong thread and in fact all is well at rosy and well at DJ towers ?

I'm sure I've read on here someone that the firm isn't worried about duplication, as their models will be better....I think the reference was to the N Class 92?

You only have to go back to page 1 of this section of the site to see a number of schemes which were promised and subsequently failed to materialise the GWR 63XX and the Q6? Is another that seems to have died a death, although I do appreciate that sales of the OO saddle tank models weren't really earth shattering and that would've delayed production of further models in other gauges.

The point i'm trying to make albeit rather badly is that it's extremely difficult to balance the level of engagement we see here, with continued goodwill if you failed to deliver multiple times on cut offs and announcement dates, maybe the DJ Forum was a effort to censor negative comment as the firm would have Admin rights, who knows, we know Dapol do similar on their forum.

Although the website it appears is to a degree out of your control, and rotten bad luck that is to, again it does indicate a lack of for thought perhaps getting someone who apppears to be a unreliable rather than a proper firm to build it for you. I mean it's only the main portal to your business, I would have thought paying a larger sum of money would have been better to get et a cracking website on time and fully functional, rather than more missed deadlines etc, it's just another failure to deliver what you said you would. How long peoples patience will last when you expect them to handover their hard earned cash and is only something that individuals concerned can answer, how any people are you driving away with this scatter gun approach to development and announcement?

Like I said before a lesser known individual would have been marched off to the firing squad by now, at times the chap does display a lack of professionalism which is all important when he ultimately wants your money.

If the firm is in trouble either financially or grossly overworked by staking claims on models then it would be better to be open about it rather than keep promising things they cannot deliver. Personally if I had the balls ( which I haven't ) to venture into a similar set up I would concentrate on my own brand label models rather than attempting sexy crowdfunding initiatives like ATP etc. Surely the Administration is bogging you down to the point of having an adverse affect on the overall one man band operation ?

What are the chances of seeing a model that we can hand you cash for and feel in the hands by the end of this year?

Is the prize for a trip on the Caledonian sleeper still on offer for the people who ordered the class 92 ?

Is the GW are rail car still a proposition ?

What about the 63XX model in N?

It's all well and good saying you announced a 92 et cetera before the other firm, but do you really think the likes of Bachman, Hornby really take your announcements as a shot across the bowels when they wish to develop similar models? Even with Hornby and bachmanns history of delivery delays, at least they use our own cash and don't ask us to stump up in the hope will get what we paid for at some point.

Are you able to produce a list of live active and deliverable models so we can see where we are, or are we to assume that all the models you have announced will be delivered or are they dead ?

To admit that you've bitten off more than you can chew isn't a sign of failure, I for one would have more respect for the set up if you said that rather than bumble along the false promises and missed deadlines.

Do it right and a decent living can most definitely be made. I attend the odd trade show as a demonstrator, my recent local one, whilst full of very good quality layouts, was once again considerably down on attendance as it has been every year for the last few years. All of the trade commented that sales were down, again an unfortunate repeating trend. I see this as a very similar situation to the high street.

Most folk on here know what I do. Into my 5th year now. Business has grown at a quite frankly alarming rate every year. It's not the main part of my business, but as a service, a lot of customers now regularly give me stock to sell or part exchange against work, or new purchases. I have had to employ the wife as things are becoming too much for one pair of hands. My point? Niche and quality seems to work. If it was me, instead of making announcement after announcement, with complicated purchase processes, concentrate on a couple of projects at a time, get them to market, and then move on to the next. Probably wrong, but my overall feel reading this thread is that there's just too much being attempted here, and the logistics and management of it all are getting out of hand.

Lee has summed up what I wanted to say in a much more positive way than I did, but I totally agree I’ve no downer on DJM but as Lee says to much is being pushed through with the effect of a log jam delaying and bashing overall confidence in his ability.

Are you questioning my mental health?

I'm a customer of Minerva and a happy one at that.

Demanding customers? Mmm, I'm not sure that 'demanding' is the right word for some of them, in the smaller scales there seems to be a lot of perfectionist experts, who then demo unpacking their locos on You Tube, to then only run them on their respective Hornby track mats and that both baffles and fascinates me in equal measure.

If you have such grievances and anger with DJM, have you PMd DJ or spoken to him face to face? Rather than commenting, at length, in open forum?

BTW, the usual caveats apply, I'm merely a customer of most manufacturers.

I’ve certainly no anger towards DJM I wish him the best of luck in all honesty he’s going to need it to make a successs of the enterprise.

I wouldn’t discribe three or four pairs as “at length” either, this seems like one of those jump go brother Dave’s defence quick sharpe responses, if your happy with the way the various models are progressing or not, then fair play. I’m not a customer, and I doubt I will be, the reason why is the way it’s all played out on here it really doesn’t give confidence at all.

I don’t think I’ve made any negative comment towards Minivera, quite the opposite in fact.

It does appear the chap can do no wrong, almost attaining walking on water status among some.

If anyone think one person can run an enterprise like this with some of the most demanding customer base known to man you need to seek mental health assistance.

The chaps at Minerva seem to be doing it better, produce one model then on to the next with their own money as well.

They don’t engage in this kind of open season airing of their business and keep their views to fhemselves, anyone remember the almost playground “mine will be better than theirs” cry’s with the Class 92 and the other firm doing on to ?

There always seems to announcement of an announcement, hopes and maybes at news on XYZ project “next week” etc.

It all seems so hype them up to keep them interested, but it’s having the opposite effect people are being tired of this approach, tried of having to be refunded then reorder via a new ordering method. It seems rushed, muddled approach to a knife edge business.

This sounds like one big go at the chap, but believe it or not I actually want to see the models DJM has promised I would even be interested in a few OO class 92s, but I’ve no idea what’s what with dozens of projects.

We? 

 

I can't say I have ever pulled Bachmann or Hornby to bits when delivery times slip.

 

However, I did raise an eyebrow at someone who complained bitterly on a newsgroup that he would never buy the (then) brand new Ivatt 4MT because he had measured to the top of the chimney from the rail height, and it was 1mm too long compared with official drawings. (I kid you not).

 

We, as in the model railway community.

I can’t help but think with all these twists and turns, sheer bad luck of poor contractors etc that if the man behind this firm wasn’t a “known” face as in from Dapol previously a lot of people would have called the firm out as a chancing cowboy months ago.

Projects launched then dropped, significant periods of time with no information, some might say to much information of the latest drama etc.

It all seems like we’re asking a mate to knock up some Go karts for us not several hundred pounds worth ot model trains, all very matey with “lol” and banter, would we see the big boys communicate with their customers in such a way?

We pull Bachman and Hornby to bits when they late deliver, or take years to deliver a product but this firm seems to get continued good will and understanding.

Any idea where the 63XX in N is, the O gauge range etc ?

I know that one product pays for another etc, that’s fair enough but why keep diving into “if you pay for it, I’ll produce it at no risk to me” models when you initially set out a commendable stall to product three models on three scales before announcing yet more ?

Me to!

DJ models N gauge King thread

Hinted at on another area of the forum that a O Gauge King is in development, seeing as Hattons invested a lot of time and maybe money into the failed OO version would a O Gauge Model be in the offering after the LNER locos are delivered?

Two more stretcher bars fitted to the stabling yard points - I’ve been informed they should be at 90 degrees vice flat, however I’ve decided to push on with them like this as there much easier to install.

Two more stretcher bars fitted to the stabling yard points - I’ve been informed they should be at 90 degrees vice flat, however I’ve decided to push on with them like this as there much easier to install.

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My 3rd and hopefully last order from C&L arrived mid week so I’ve taken what little time I have to crack on with the trackwork.

Work finished up last night with two more points semi complete minus switch blades and slide plates.

(Picture 1&2) I soldered the power feed to the underside of the common crossing before I secured it in place this time.

(Picture 3) Common Crossing and guide rails gauged before securing into place.

(Picture 4) How work finished up last night, tonight if I get time I’ll press on with the plain line work, as I need to figure out how to assemble to JLTRT stretcher bars for the points.

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Awesome Brian, although it's embarrasing when someone else posts more progress on your layout than you do!!!!

Although Talyllyn has had a couple of new additions, which I'll bring up to date on very soon.

 

The most I've done is laid some edging stones and paving slabs that Phil at Intentio has done for me!

 

 

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Jinty

Would you be able to post a picture of point stretcher bars please ?

I’m about to fit them to my points, but I’m not sure how they should go.

Thanks

Not much modelling time due to various calls on my time, but some 7 mm scale chairs from Off The Rails within Shapeways arrived

 

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A switch chairs

 

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Check rail chairs

 

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Closer view of some of the switch chairs

 

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What I believe are tie rod fixings

 

From initial viewing a great product and one well worth pursuing a bit further as the detail seems well suited to 7 mm scale. Would be very interested in hearing from those who use these products with tips etc on their use

I ordered a few sets of check rail castings, they were crap quality wise extremely Brittle to the point I couldn’t use them.

Thank you David, a long way to go and some bumps along the way but it’s coming together slowly.

Picture (1 & 2) Up Main to Dn Main crossovers now decommissioned - the former Up Main is now the Bi Directional Branch.

The trackwork is component built from C&L (Rail and chairs) and Intentio (sleepers).

Although C&L took 7 weeks to deliver my order, Slaters do rail but the chairs I’m afraid your stuck with C&L.

Class 60 Railfreight line up proudly displayed on Courtybella Road.

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