Widnes Model Centre

We were at the Bachmann Launch two weekends ago. There was no mention of 2018 Rep Specials. The 2017 rep announcements are due this month.

Not sure how much found its way onto Ebay. The bulk of it was collected by Hornby and then sold on as used to retailers. We bought miles of the long straights. Sold at cost plus 40p per length and the 40p went to charity. Proved extremely popular, had a photo in the shop with James May, Oz Clarke with the track. The British Heart Foundation were the recipients. The loco's in our Hornby cabinet all rest on the actual track used.

Chances are with this particular model, they coupling is jamming. Try moving the coupling and make sure it is moving freely.

Not checked it out yet, but we were at Bachmann launch on Sunday. New web site will be all singing all dancing, incorporating Pocketbond. Not sure if we are meant to see the new site as we understand it is being upgraded and ready by the 12th of January. Keep checking it.

As 2017 draws to a close a lot of us will be reflecting on the past year and looking forward to 2018. Many of the above posts and messages have made me realise that there are many people we have met that we wouldn't have done, had we not opened our shop. The messages of support have been very well received and we would like to end the year by thanking all of you. The Three Musketeers have certainly put a smile back on Gill's face. Without going into too much detail, Gill and I both worked in a sector that most people would say that they don't know how we did our jobs. Looking back, neither do we. Looking forward to 2018. The shop looks like a plague of non modellers have stripped it for presents. Suppliers please note, models are for life, not just Christmas, please can you send supplies? Hopefully this time next year we will have seen some Humbrol matt black acrylic. But in just over a weeks time the new releases will be announced along with the delivery of what we call "The laminated books of dreams and broken promises". Some call them 2018 Catalogues. Happy New Year to all involved in RM Web. Barry, Gill and Thomas.

Thanks guys. I have looked at those links but as you say web page out of date, no photographs and no response to my email. I was hoping someone had taken photographs in the signal box..

Thanks Rob, you made Gill laugh. After she came off the phone.... can you ring on the mobile? You had to be at this end to understand what she meant. Thank you and Mark ever so much. Hopefully you will return.... Happy New Year to the 3 Musketeers.

About four years ago we were asked to provide materials to Liverpool Museum. The modellers there were building a layout that was to be housed in the Kyle of Lochalsh Signal Box. Although we were invited to see the layout when it was completed in the museum workshops we never saw any photographs of the layout once it was installed. Unfortunately it was the modelmakers last project as they were made redundant on it's completion. Does anyone have any photgraphs of the layout as it is exhibited today? Or any other details regarding the layout. Many thanks in advance.

Perfectly acceptable, she will be delighted. Just in case he wants to give out more hugs...... I will throw the sickie in, he's a big lad.

Correct Mark. What makes my day, having seen your posts... I have now met reevesthecat.... :-) I feel like Tiny Tim now!! God Bless Everyone.... Edited to add good warm feeling.

I read your post before giving my reply Phil. As you rightly point out being on a till and having such nice people come into the shop. Yes, it was the power of RM Web and the honesty of one of its members. Happy Christmas everyone indeed!

Hi Mark, You have just made Gill cry for the second time today, you won't believe how her mood has changed since reading this. Thank you so, so much. She is on a slow recovery and this almost sent her backwards. Was the review going to be good or bad? :-)

Hi all, Very strange post and forgive me for posting this: Mid-afternoon, three brothers came to the shop who had never visited before. They brought items to the till, one of which was a Bachmann Tram. We had two in the shop and asked if we would do a discount for the two. I agreed as one brother said he would buy it for the other as it was such a good price. Upon tilling up at the end of the day we discovered the till was down. It was down by the exact amount of the first Bachmann tram. We reviewed the CCTV and we can see my wife putting the tram through the till. She however did not take payment but handed it over in a bag. My wife has not been very well for quite some time and this has really upset her as she knows that every penny counts. It is quite clear from the actions of the customer that this is a genuine mistake and there is clearly no intent to evade payment. They did say they would be back and I believe this to be the case. The brother mentioned RM Web and I hope he sees this and contacts us. It would certainly cheer my wife up. Barry Widnes Model Centre

Hi Rich, On a serious note. I went onto your site and got an Avast "Ransomware warning". Clicked out and tried again and came up clear. Originally "Padlock" wasn't showing, so there is/was some sort of issue earlier. We are running latest version of Firefox.

I think it is redirecting customers to us as we are open. Andy Y feel free to delete as I have been very cheeky. Happy Christmas everyone.

You are right in your assumption, we certainly would not. Who in their right mind would?

Disappointed in Dapol: Why didn't they just send all retailers a one line email? "No need to check, all perfect". Would have saved me hours yesterday! This has been the fastest selling loco we have ever had in the shop. You see it, you buy it, you love it. They are even courier proof. Hardest part is removing all the packaging from the clam shell. I have ordered the N Gauge versions(s).... even ordered some for the shop.... Legend above suggests Model of the Year, gets my vote.

How was this communicated to you by Hornby? We have heard nothing and have sold out of 14XX.

Widnes has changed a great deal in the past 15 years or so. As a child my father used to tell us to stop breathing as we drove over the bridge. The smell was awful, not any more thankfully. We moved here in 2004 and I have to say, we love the area. Pies in the fryer, not for me either! The arches on the viaduct,all 59 of them, but did did you see the "spiral arch"? There is only one and I was led to believe it is fairly unique. Local myth is that it is the only one of its type. I was taking photo's of it some years ago and a bus load of students from the Far East disembarked. Eavesdropping as you do..... Spokesman was explaining to the engineering students how the weight of the viaduct was supported by using this piece of engineering. I would be interested if any forum member can shed any further light on the spiral arch.

You could even pop into Widnes town centre. Piles Butchers, 81 Widnes Road, WA8 6AZ, sausages to drive from Wigan for! Just come over the bridge from North Wales, queues, just like nostalgia seem a thing of the past.

An even simpler message or two on Messenger yesterday revealed they have and have taken them off sale as they have been all pre-ordered. Not much point in listing them on your website if you don't have any left over. Hattons sold out, Rails, sold out. Kernow had 5 for sale. Looking at my back order and lack of invoice, suggests we aren't getting any.

We know of a few shops, can you identify which shops? We haven't received any, nor can I find them on my back-orders.

Respectfully, those concerns are still very much current and still being felt by retailers. It was only last Summer, (2016) when Steve Cooke sat in the rear of our shop and explained there would be no more fire sales. We had invited him to the shop to explain the massive stock dumping through certain outlets. By the time he came to leave we had an email to say that there was a fire sale starting the following day. He seemed a little lost for words. May not have been through Direct Sales but through other outlets. 2016 was actually the year of the great fire sale. We still have stock that we are selling for a lot less than we paid for it. Retailers still have stock that they paid less for than the same items they bought months earlier. Why do you think there are so many bargains still knocking around? We are led to believe that retailers were buying from other retailers as it was a lot cheaper than buying from Hornby. From our own point of view Hornby shot themselves in the foot, we told Steve Cooke that. To misquote George Orwell from his novel, Animal Farm, "All Retailers Are Equal But Some Are More Equal Than Others". In my humble opinion the previous management at Hornby flattered to deceive. Put simply. we couldn't trust them. We are led to believe that we don't all pay the same for Hornby products. We continue to see stock being dropped through their National Accounts. Until this announcement there was still among a lot of retailers a real fear that another fire sale was only just around the corner. Difficult to place orders with Hornby when that fear is foremost in your thoughts. Once bitten twice shy as the saying goes. Why is that fear subsiding? Retailers are putting their faith in Lyndon Davies, a man with nearly 40 years experience of this industry. I have often been outspoken when it comes to Hornby, mainly because I believe in principles. His announcement as CEO led to much jumping for joy in the trade. If Mr Davies is reading this: May I suggest that there are a lot of fantastic people employed by Hornby with a real love of their company. Start at the bottom and speak to staff, not their managers, who have "been there, done that and got the XXXXL T Shirt. Their love of Hornby is infectious. For those readers who have missed this, an insight well worth reading. http://www.gaugemaster.com/articles/product-spotlight/oxford-diecast-Interview.html

You win the most accurate post of the year as far as we are concerned.

Agreed, Humbrol is probably the brand we sell the least of. But it is also the favoured brand of the more mature of our customers, it is the brand they grew up with. I hardly ever use it, but in my case, that is because we don't have a lot of the colours due to the supply issue. That is an issue for Hornby to resolve as this will keep the Humbrol customers happy and loyal. We stock, Vallejo Model Air and Colour, AK Interactive, Army Painter, Tamiya, MIG and all manor of derivatives. With exception of Army Colour, individually all the other brands outsell Humbrol.