Western Dave

Totally Agree The telemetry reports are NOT used for drivers hours, they are in effect only used to monitor the drivers delivery rate and as proof (via the inbuilt GPS) that the driver actually stopped at the location when a customer claims they did not. With regards to the "strict rules" you refer to these are only on 7.5 ton + vehicles fitted with tacho's. It should also be considered that if the driver is "self employed" then the duty of care and responsablity lies with them. If they driver is employed and a 7.5 tone + driver under the last set of EU laws for drivers hours etc... that were adopted all these drivers now by law have to have a CPC (certificate of professional competence) which was formally held by the employing companies transport manager. No surprise to hear that most companies no longer have transport managers as nearly everything covered under the CPC is now the responsability of the driver! Don't disagree but the lines are VERY blurred on employed/self employed nowadays. I speak not as someone in the transport trade but as a very large user of road transport in terms of small parcels/packets and pallet freight and either use or have used most of the companies in that trade. The bottom line is the customer is in the driving seat always demanding quicker than instant delivery and not wanting to pay anything for it. this in turn drives the price through the floor and reinforces all the bad practices and corner cutting we see/hear about which is driven by us :-)

Company is registered at companies house to Benjamin Curtis and the VAT registration is also valid Gives an address of FIFTH FLOOR, CIVIC HOUSE 156 GREAT CHARLES STREET QU BIRMINGHAM WEST MIDLANDS B3 3HN Based on my experience scammers don't usually go to these lengths. If they are your only option and still in doubt pay on a credit card for additional protection. Sad reality where potentially a new business is up and running but being scammed is one of the first thoughts.

Hi All I have been reading this thread on and off now since it first started and as someone with first hand business experience of company liquidations (not mine but customers and suppliers) I would just like to make a few observations to you and maybe a few pointers as there is a lot of he said she said/misinformation flying around etc... I stopped posting some time ago but I felt must post here to try and help you a little. 1. Please be prepared for the liquidation process to take a VERY long time. I have known big/small companies go under with small.large sums owed and it can take years and will certainly NOT take less than a year if everything is clean and simple. 2. A creditors meeting has to be called and anybody owed money or with a "vested" interest can attend and listed to the liquidators and ask questions. I would suggest you nominate a spokesman or jointly appoint a solicitor. at the meeting a director of the company will be present and may make a statement and may take questions ( in this companies case only 1 director was appointed at the time of the liquidators being appointed. 3. Expect to be "blagged" off at the meeting as it will only be the start of the process and the liquidator will purely outline the "known" situation at the time (the full story will always take a long time to discover) and they will also outline the process ahead. 4. Be prepared to be told that the liquidators will be paying a senior member of staff of the liquidated company to assist them (yes I know that's not going down well but it will happen. sadly the liquidator needs help and inside knowledge to start the recovery process) 5. Anybody who is owed money or has made a payment by whatever process should and must make themselves known to the liquidator so that can get a clear picture. 6. Over time going forward you will get reports/statements from the liquidators updating you of their findings and advising what monies are available (if any of their fees and legal costs) for distribution. 7. Remember that if this process if followed correctly and any company director is found to have been knowingly traded the company while insolvent or not discharged their duties as an officer of the company legally then you have a seperate case against the individual(s) even if it was a Limited company. 8. Whilst all this is wrong and at best frustrating hindsight is a wonderful thing and history is exactly that history but the future is going forward which is what everyone must now do. It is easy for me to say all the above because I am not involved in this in anyway but I did feel the need to try and shed a little light (in a dark place) on the matter. Now I have that all off my chest I will retire again from RMWEB and wish you all well, patience and good luck

I will do myself and others a favour and won’t be posting on this forum in the future

If expecting a response within 3 weeks is a bad attitude then I’m guilty without a doubt, but as you are not aware of the full facts of the issue and that I was actually trying to help them save money by colsolidating orders as I know full well how tight margins are and how demanding customers I would not have expected to have encountered he repose I did from them not once but twice when I was trying to work with them it is they who would save money not me as all the back orders were free carriage. And if you check online would see it’s not just me with the same concern.

Not tried to couple 2 units together yet. Have test run both 5 car units I got and both are the same

Don't start me on that one. I own and run a business with 3 ecommerce websites and have that all day long.... I wasn't expecting an instant response but would have thought if their MD was bothered in my concern he would have taken the trouble to make contact before 3 weeks (and counting) had passed? Like I said in a PM life is what it is and its their loss I have placed orders with other smaller shops

The email was as a result to a phone call!!! I appreciate they may be small but good manners cost nothing and that was the cause of the compliant in the first case

Their is definitely a lack of free movement on these bogies when I moved them around and they do catch on the white mouldings. Late last night I done another test run and set the track up on2nd/3rd radius and the trailing bogie in coach 3 catches as it exits the curve and onto the straight (their is a very distinctive click followed by a derail). This only occurs when the driving care is leading, when it propels it does not happen. My gut thinks their are 2 issues 1. As others have stated the catching of the bogies during movement 2. Some of the couplings not returning correctly after existing a curve possibly being caused by them not being seated correctly always

third on some corners and fourth on others, but once I actually start doing some proper track laying it will probably be flexi track and better than 4th

They received it, without doubt! PM sent

Dont hold your breath I’ve been waiting 3 weeks now for a response but nothing! and I too would praise them in the past for great service but of late it’s not been so good sadly

7C1DCDA3-567E-4A35-B2CA-ECABB7B5E57A.MOV So had a test run out today and have to say all was good no derailments D6361DA8-6D1B-4D94-A609-746BA932B566.MOV

It’s gone to the dogs and dog... everyday I come home wondering what the #@#@ this county will be like in another few years We call it deskilling amongst other things ....

It's a joint venture between TMC (great shop in a shed), Hornby (design Clever) & Ikea (flat pack Guru's) = Flat Pack sheds

I left you a message yesterday and again this morning, I'll wait until I hear from you Thanks

Does anyone every get a response from Locomotion? I have been calling them for 3 days and the message says they are open from 10am leave a message (I call and do after 10am) but no response still! I'm starting to sound like one of my customers moaning I know but 3 days and 5 messages is a bit silly...

Rumour has it that an East Coast Limited edition version is on its way from Hornby but due to the uncertainty of who will be running the line at its release date the model is to be supplied in plain grey plastic primer with an assortment of old Humbrol paint colours, some old stock paint brushes and some Letraset Transfers to make your own livery

I Think two discussions are being merged/confused in this topic. The issue of Hornby's financial situation is different to that of the price of models, ie: its not just Hornby who have increased prices in recent years. We can all be armchair "experts" in why and what is Hornby's problems and we can all offer up a solution but none of us are privy to the full facts of what has happened and what may happen in the future because we are not part of the Hornby executive team. Without a doubt it is a very tough trading environment for everyone out their at the moment and even tougher when you are not maybe in the best of trading positions in a market which consists of ever more challenging consumers wanting an absolute replica of every model in every livery right now and with exactly the same number of model rivets as the real one and woe betide if ones missing all coupled with the fact its a discretionary sale. I run a business and am fortunate that despite is being a tough demanding challenging market (and has been for years) we are profitable but I certainly would not want to get into this market at this time. Dave

Please feel free to tell me what bigger picture I'm missing here? I was/am playing devils advocate it is your posts that are confusing one post your saying it was agreed everybody would be the same selling price another one your saying that was not the case and then this post your saying its ok for people to sell at whatever price because its a free market! to say I'm confused would be an understatement.... I have consistently said something needs doing and I stated that in my opinion ( as a business owner who runs 3 ecommerce websites, an eBay shop and an Amazon shop) for clarity a dealer should refer it to the CMA for guidance.

The CMA don't need to take the 10% view if it is deemed to be a act against the consumer interest they can act upon it of if they believe there is a great collusion between parties. Clearly there is as its implications apply to all REP limited editions and also Bachmann have stated that prices of new releases should not be discounted by more that 15% off the RRP in the first instance. In all honesty if I was a dealer involved in this at this time I would be referring this matter to the CMA for guidance, at worst the first reporting dealer to the CMA will be seen (in law) as the "instigating reporter" and treated with leniency in the event of their being a formal investigation.

I'm playing devils advocate here, there is a difference between price fixing and over charging. You have also previously said that it was agreed everybody would stick to the RRP which is a contradiction to your statement above " The price was not fixed by anyone, price was fixed by Bachmann when they announced an RRP. Agreeing to sell at the RRP gives no one an edge over anyone" the RRP is a recommended retail price and is not a fixed selling price. No business can be forced to sell at a set price. As I have said before businesses need to make money and manufacturers/importers need to set up modern methods of distribution which allow genuine dealers to buy and sell in confidence that it is not a race to the bottom. We have had simile issues in my trade where businesses lose sight of their margins in the chase to sell the most boxes. The railway modelling trade is not like the supermarket trade and should try and stop the pile it high sell it cheap mentality.

So long as your happy that's all that really matters, its your business and that should be respected. Although I have quite considerable business experience (in my view) I don't have a detailed knowledge of this trade enough to be specific but from what I have seen written here I would be seriously concerned and would certainly not have been putting into the public domain some of what has been as it is only going to cause comment and ill feeling in some quarters, as the old saying goes "a little knowledge is often dangerous" and pricing for many reasons is a hot topic on this forum at the moment

I think the CMA would take a very different view to any sort of price agreements and or manipulations intentional or otherwise. In my business sector 2 years ago there was a massive CMA investigation and one manufacturer was fined £17 million on a turnover of £180 million 2 others were severely sanctioned and 18 dealers were also sanctioned. The result was a free for all in the market when everybody woke up and smelt the coffee that in this day an age you cannot have these sort of agreements which are deemed to work against the consumer. The powers of the CMA are huge and I would not advise anybody in any trade to enter into or agree to any sort of pricing "arrangement" without having it checked out by a qualified specialist solicitor. The issues here are caused in the main by distribution channels not being managed by manufacturers and certain businesses (in all trades) seemingly not wanting to make a profit and shift vast numbers of boxes without actually realising the damage they are doing to their own business (lack of profit to reinvest) and their own business sector. If manufacturers/importers actually set up modern clear distribution channels most of these issues and conversations would not be needed.

There is always a delay on the run to Chinese New Year in getting containers away. As a rule depending on where the factory is located it’s beween 7-14 days from factory to 9n board actual UK bound ship (when the co trainers is taken from the factory it rarely goes direct to shipping port it normally goes on a barge or feeder service to main shipping port) then it goes onboard ship to the UK which depending on shipping line will take between up to 4 weeks to get to port here, which seeing the boxes I’ve been sent before is usually Thames-port so allow 3 days for onward to the factory then resent to the dealers. As a rule we allow 60 days for door to door on the goods we bring in from China