ikks

Thanks Andy and your group....... seems a bit inadequate I know but it is sincerely meant.

Mike

11 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

CHANGES AT LOCOMOTION MODELS

 

Locomotion Models, which is part of the Science Museum Group, is undergoing reorganisation. As a result, Dennis Lovett*, Exclusive Models Marketing Executive, is stepping down from his part time role which will be incorporated into a full-time role covering marketing for Locomotion Models & Science Museum Ecommerce. These changes come into effect on 31st March 2022. Dennis has agreed to continue to provide some on-going support to the team as an advisor in a voluntary capacity.

 

Tom Mackie, Science Museum Group’s Group Retail Operations Manager said “with the transfer to a new full time Marketing role, Dennis felt it was right time to step down. We thank Dennis for his contribution over the past 3½ years during what has been a challenging time. We are delighted that he has agreed to continue in a voluntary advisory role as we build up to major events which are being planned for the 200th Anniversary of the Stockton & Darlington Railway in 2025”.

 

Dennis Lovett said “after retiring from Bachmann in 2018, I was invited to take a part time role with Locomotion Models and to assist in developing and promoting some exciting new models. With the business requiring a full-time Marketing position, now is the time to step back and finally retire from day-to-day involvement. I will remain as a volunteer to assist the Locomotion Models team in researching and developing new models with its manufacturing partners. I will of course still be involved in the hobby and may even now have the time to finish some of my own projects”.

 

 

Now go and put your feet up Dennis after your great work there!

Thanks Dennis for all of the models you have had a hand in bringing to market.........good luck and good health in your" retirement".

Kind Regards Mike

2 hours ago, Accurascale Fran said:

 

Hi @G-BOAF,

 

Your frustrations are completely fair, and believe me, you wouldn't believe how frustrated we have been over the past 24 months in particular. Two years of a global pandemic has caused untold hardships for us all in so many ways, and has basically ballsed up global manufacturing. This is beyond the niche area of model trains, and automotive production is one that shows it well. Lockdowns have a knock on affect for everything that goes into any manufactured item, from mining raw materials, to electronics production (the hoops we've had to jump through, the begging, pleading and forward planning for stuff like electronics alone has been huge.

 

What is the worst is that it's something beyond our control, and the control of the factory. They are as hamstrung as us. What contingency can there be if all suppliers are hamstrung? This has been an unprecedented situation.

 

We contacted again in the very early hours of this morning, and they are working hard to mitigate their lockdown as much as they can to get the job done. It's easy to have a go at those without a voice, but I can assure you they are doing absolutely everything to get them finished, as they don't get paid till they do.

 

We have two(!) 40ft containers lined up to ship these out. We priced air, and with the current global situation it is 6 figures. That's just unrealistic. The factory say they will leave come hell or high water by the end of this month, which does make it mid-May. It's not ideal, they are so very close to the finish line, but this is a final bump in the road to test the patience of us, and our customers. It is a week more than we had thought when we sent out the invoices with the balance date of April 30th. We wish we could change the circumstances, but we are in the hands of the gods. The factory are doing their absolute best in difficult circumstances. 

 

If you don't wish to wait further, we fully understand and appreciate that. Just send us your order number via email and we will cancel it for you. Otherwise, we thank you all immensely for your support and patience. 

 

Cheers!

 

Equally frustrated Fran. 

Hey Fran, I am sure that most of us sympathise with your frustrations but truly, it doesn't matter, I know at some stage be it sooner or later I will end up with a superb model of an iconic  machine, so whatever the circumstances, the wait is for me, of no real consequence ..............continue to produce the best.

Regards. Mike

"

2 hours ago, Phil Parker said:

 

No chance. I don't want to be responsible for you lot any longer than I have to be!

Sounds like it will soon be time to pack your little cardboard suitcase. bucket and spade etc. and head off to the seaside too!!. Yes the site has been a bit slow but sh^t it's not the end of  the world, I'm sure it will be fixed in good time..........wouldn't have a Mods job for quids, even if I could do it!!.

Mike

12 hours ago, Coombe Vale said:

A man enters the confessional and says ,"Bless me father for I have sinned; it has been one month since my last confession. I've had sex with Fannie Green every week for the last month."
The priest tells the sinner, "You are forgiven. Go out and say three Hail Mary's."
Soon, another man enters the confessional. "Father, it has been two months since my last confession. I have had sex with Fannie Green twice a week for the last two months."
This time the priest asks, "Who is this Fannie Green?"
"A new woman in the neighbourhood," the sinner replies.
"Very well," says the priest. "Go and say ten Hail Mary's."
The next morning in church, the priest is preparing to deliver his sermon when a gorgeous, tall woman enters the church.
All the men's eyes fall upon her as she slowly sashays up the aisle and sits down in front of the altar.
Her dress is green and very short, with matching shiny emerald green shoes.
The priest and altar boy gasp as the woman sits down with her legs slightly spread apart, Sharon Stone style.
The priest turns to the altar boy and whispering asks, "Is that Fannie Green?"
The altar boy replies, "No Father, I think it's just the reflection off her shoes"...

Yay............a joke and good one too!!

On 05/03/2022 at 20:21, AY Mod said:

Unfortunately we are being blighted by performance issues again with slowdowns from around 17.00 yesterday (just as I start a week off!) and with the ability to post collapsing around 05.00 today.

 

I have had to take the software down to bare bones without any of the additional functions to try and isolate any issue in the software which may be a contributory issue with limited success. Performance is still very patchy.

 

I have escalated the issue to the hosting provider but, so far, they deny there's a problem at their end; that's what they did 3-4 weeks ago in the last bout of problems until the server had to be rebooted for another issue which, surprise surprise, cured the problem. I have asked them to carry out a reboot of the virtual machine and if they can do that it may involve many hours of downtime.

 

Plans are underway for a change of hosts because of the poor performance. Initial preparation and consultation was completed yesterday ahead of the move, which is a major exercise involving massive amounts of data, which will start to happen after I get back.

 

I apologise for the problems but, believe me, there's no-one more annoyed about it than me at this moment!

Go on holiday Bud, we'll all be here to whinge and complain when you get back! and hey! enjoy it. It's model trains, which we all love.........but perspective mate.

Mike

What absolute RUBBISH # 2, I certainly can......sob!!

Mike

16 hours ago, McC said:

Why did you post that!!...........now I have to find a sleeping tablet to quell my excitement!!!!!

That is something special.

Mike

On 24/02/2022 at 00:14, melmerby said:

I'm with you.

I consider the bloke a fraud. Rather like Thomas Edison.

Possibly never invented anything but gets the credit for loads.

e.g. the "Bagless Vacuum Cleaner". The bagless vc existed before Dyson came along, his only contribution to the market was to develop a domestic version for British company Vax, for which he was paid (IIRC) £100,000.

He promptly went off and started his own company to manufacture it. He then sued Vax when they had the temerity to also produce the one he had designed for them!

He lost the case (not surprisingly).

He later sued them again when they refined it claiming they were infringing his designs. He lost again.

 

Where I previously lived the local electrical repair man swore by Dyson cleaners because the constant stream of repairs kept him in business!

 

I purchased a Die-Soon pet efficient vac 5 years or so ago, the blxxdy thing goes for about ten minutes before it needs to be taken apart, cleaned out and started again, it blocks at the head and the intake into the cylinder very quickly. In my view, a very poorly designed piece of equipment. My 35 year old VAX 4000 has no such issues, it's just a pain to drag around.............Sorry to go off topic, will shut up now!!

Mike

5 minutes ago, Wheatley said:

123 also double headed with Gordon Highlander on the very line I'm modelling, so kits for both have been in the cupboard for years. In theory 123 should be an easy build from the LRM kit - no valve gear or quartering to worry about and just the tender to source as the LRM kit has a different one. The plan for that is super detailed Tri-ang believe it or not ! Painting it will be fun, Gordon Highlander more so ...

5 minutes ago, Wheatley said:

123 also double headed with Gordon Highlander on the very line I'm modelling, so kits for both have been in the cupboard for years. In theory 123 should be an easy build from the LRM kit - no valve gear or quartering to worry about and just the tender to source as the LRM kit has a different one. The plan for that is super detailed Tri-ang believe it or not ! Painting it will be fun, Gordon Highlander more so ...

Yes that's my issue, the painting, my efforts always seem to stuff up all of the effort I have put into the building, so with my deteriorating sight and unsteady hands, I have basically given up painting but I have never been a Goddard or  a Rathbone indeed far from it. I could never even come close to the RTR stuff.

Mike

13 hours ago, Wheatley said:

Seeing as the RTR manufacturers are picking their way through my unbuilt kit pile, I confidently predict that the next Scottish locos to be announced will be the So'jer and Glen Douglas. They won't do CR 123 because that's the one I really want.

 

I'm modelling the 1960s so the preserved liveries are authentic for me. There's something strangely satisfying about sticking 25kv warning placards on a pre-grouping livery. 

CR 123 did rail tours double heading with 103 I think.......so just maybe!!

Still love a Spinner though!

Mike

21 minutes ago, GordonC said:

 

It'll depend a lot on who you ask, for me, steam has very little appeal and its diesels or especially AC electrics that capture my attention

That's not what I am saying

Didn't I see/read on another thread by some high profile individual or other. that diesels don't have the appeal/charisma etc. of steam, well speaking of my last few orders as a dyed in the wool steam man, they have been, a Deltic, Class 37, Class 31, The Fell and an improved Precedent..........sorry H you ain't got it quite right!!  Oops, sorry  and Lion!!(Rapido). Quality models, steam or diesel will sell at a fair price, I reckon.

Mike

Oh my God, stoppit, stoppit ,stoppit...............bankruptcy looms, about to order the "as delivered one"

Mike

We have quite a mob of them on our place and the morning chorus has to be heard to be believed, it is magnificent, never been swooped by one either. Have been by a Wattle bird though!!. This the only place I've ever lived where there are no sparrows, quite amazing as 10Km down the road there are squillions of them but that's in the township of Myponga.

On 26/03/2019 at 06:48, Steamport Southport said:

As we've already strayed from the Midland.

 

Probably one of the most famous. Edge Hill No 1. I was trying to find one of the Eric Treacy photos of it, but couldn't find any. I hope a Jack Nelson model will suffice. 

 

http://www.lnwrs.org.uk/Modelling/layout_jn_dio5.php

 

 

Jason

Superb modeller

Mike

Good to lighten up sometime!. Liz's done 70 years as Queen, so just celebrate and enjoy..........then paint it green again.

Mike

Thank goodness. an absolute pile of rubbish!

A man walks into a suburban bank branch in Sydney, asking for a loan for $4000. “Before we lend you the money we are going to need some kind of security”, the bank manager says. “No problem,” the man responds, “here are the keys to my car. You’ll see it, it’s a black Porsche parked in the back of the parking lot.” A few weeks later, as the man returns to pay off his loan plus the interest of $11, the manager came over. “Sir, we are very happy to have your business, but if you don’t mind me asking, after you left, we looked into your accounts and found out that you are a millionaire – why would you need to borrow $4000?”

“Well,” the man said, “It’s simple: where else can I park my car for three weeks in Sydney for $11?”

One day, The Lord says to Adam, “I’ve got some good news and some bad news.”

“Well,” Adam replies, “give me the good news first.”

The Lord explains, “I’ve got two new organs for you. One is called a brain. It will allow you to create new things, solve problems and have intelligent conversations with Eve. The other organ I have for you is called a p*nis . It will give you great physical pleasure and allow you to reproduce your now intelligent life-form and populate this planet. Eve will be very happy that you now have this organ to give her children.”

Adam, very excited, exclaims, “These are great gifts you have given to me. What could possibly be the bad news after such great tidings?”

The Lord looks upon Adam and says with great sorrow, “You will never be able to use these two gifts at the same time.”

Mike

A pig goes into the telegraph office, fills out a Send Telegraph form and gives it to the telegraph operator. The operator reads it and it says, “Oink oink oink oink oink oink oink oink.” The operator then tells the pig, “For the same price, you can have nine words in your message. Would you like to add another ‘oink’?” The pig, completely taken aback, looks at the man in disbelief and replies, “But then it wouldn’t make any sense!”

Mike

I don't have a lot of modelling interest in matters Western, but these look stunning and I do have a Met Bo-Bo (impulse purchase, because I saw them  on my frequent visits to London)  so just maybe..........!!!

Have to save up though {initial thoughts, too expensive but looking at the price of some of the basic recent wagon releases, they are an absolute bargain)

Shut up wallet, stop groaning.

Mike

4 hours ago, Accurascale Fran said:

 

Good morning @G-BOAF,

 

I'm afraid not. As referred to above, the COVID outbreaks in China slowed production in the last couple of weeks which lost the factory up to 2 hours per day of productivity (every staff member is getting tested daily) and this hampered us at the final hurdle. 

 

We have also been assessing the production samples, and all is good apart from the lack of paint on the engine room detail which the factory forgot to do, so this will be done before they leave the factory. 

 

 

 

They are still tantalisingly close, but delivery now slips into Q2 from late Q1. We will have a more specific date when they arrive back in work in a few weeks. With so little left to do on them (apart from engine block painting)  no sloppiness should creep in and any new workers would not be on a project this advanced on their first day. So rest assured quality would not be affected.

 

We're sorry about the delay everyone, but once again the 'C' word (no not that one!) has nobbled us a bit at the very final hurdle.

 

Thanks for your continued patience, and we will have these models above (and more!) available to view on our stand in Glasgow.

 

Cheers!

 

Fran 

God!,

I'm so glad I didn't order a purple one ,NEVER be able to hide that box from SWMBO, looking forward to my green one though, have a brown paper bag waiting!!. Looks to be a brilliant model.

Mike

Wonderful model John, I used to see it at Derby but from a distance as it bypassed the main station area and went via the avoiding lines next to Chaddesden sidings. It always looked very futuristic to my schoolboy eyes but like you my pocket money never even went close to a purchase.

Rgds.....Mike