Burtonoldbridgea

Alex Hi. Quick thanks to you and your team for coming to Bury St Edmunds Model Railway Club 70th Anniversary Exhibition yesterday and taking time to present many of us with a close up of current pre production items and also discussing the very interesting plans for the future. As you know I have some items on order and to discuss your objectives and plans with the positive commitment that you have for the future of the business is most gratifying. I regard you positive attitude in coming to the populous as reassuring and your plans for the next few years likely to produce even more quality items. Such interaction is well appreciated by those who discussed with matters with you and further orders, certainly from our Club Members will follow. Perhaps some of the other more "recluse" manufacturers might well take a leaf out of your book and take the time to get close to the purchasing element and listen and they might generate the success I believe that you will have. Well done and keep developing those ideas.

Being adjacent and "inside" Coastal DCC premises (go to it and see what I mean) I felt more than obliged to take a good look around. Run by Brett the whole operation is professional and more than competitive such that "money was spent" and a further non sound loco left to have the combined efforts of Kevin at Coastal and Brett at Orwell tend its maladies and make it better after fitting sound. With Coastal DCC, Orwell Model Railways and Scograil all within a front door of each other pretty much all aspects of the hobby are covered and frankly what they dont have on the shelf can normally be sourced efficiently and competitively in a short time frame. Ipswich is very fortunate compared with many areas to have the cross section of asset available so professionally. Use it dont lose it through lack of support.

Very, very, competitive and totally professional. It does sometimes take 72 hours to get the right response but rather that than 24 hours and not get the service. Its all a question of balance - and as you rightly say supporting that which we have - the alternative is, as we all know, we will loose it. Kave always found both the guidance and service of this supplier to be beyond reproach and worth of 5*****

Thanks to all for their advice and guidance. Interestingly looking at the wheelsets on youtube video in noticed the following comment relating to the issue... "After waiting what seemed an eternity for these wagons I made a purchase of sixteen at the Dapol stand Alexander palace. Upon unpacking these wagons I noticed that three bogies wheel sets fell out and a panel in the wagon was missing. Dapol were not interested in helping me and it was a chance meeting with the MD on the Dapol stand at the Loughborough show in June that partially solved my problems. Couple that with the issues I had with the Class 68. I will think long and hard before making a further purchase at Dapol. Bachmann forgive me I will never betray you again. " My italics - so Dapol do know about the issue or someone does and I cannot help feeling that I agree with the writers sentiments. Maybe we will get a response from Chirk - or not. Enough said - on with the rectification work though.

Thanks Mark. Not sure if I made it clear (probably not!) its the MJA twins that I am having issues with - appreciate your very swift and useful response

As per posts # 289 and # 306 I have the issue of a number (3 on a total of three sets) of bogie frames warping and the wheelsets dropping out. As a result of this and the fact that the items are sold out pretty much nationwide I contacted Dapol direct by email a couple of weeks ago initially (no response whatsoever) and then by phone today. Regrettably I drew a complete blank and was told to take them back to the wholesaler and get an exchange but when I pointed out that there were none available the tune changed to OK get a refund. It appears that Dapol neither carry spare bogies frames or wheel sets nor indeed intend to irrespective of the availability of their competitors on equivalent spare parts. Sadly and possibly through their own lack of communication with the marketplace they allege that they were unaware of the issue and no one had brought it to their attention. ( I did suggest that for good customer relations that they might read RMweb but they said that they do not see that as a normal means of communication!!! shame they might be a little more in tune with their marketplace.) Now my issue is not resolved - Dapol were also unable to provide me with the correct details of wheel size and wheel set point to points or indeed a resolution to the problem. The only minor crumb that there will be a "next batch" and before the next order they will see whether the issue warrants any spares! That depends on their team at Chirk deciding whether that it is necessary. As to when it might be - no idea was offered as to time frame save that the unit comes in complete and packaged and they simply receive and dispatch. A question to the forum however - is there an alternative bogie that is suitable - I appreciate that these are not quite the correct bogies and I guess my alternative is to replace the whole bogie frame pronto to enable use. Sorry for the long winded whinge but Dapol have proved that they can do a good job but through things like this and their inability to cover off and accept issues (thought that they had learned that long ago with those recurrent issues that they had) I suspect that they will loose market share and slip backwards.

Having damaged a class 58 body I am seeking a replacement having drawn a line with all the "normal" areas of supply, Heljan, Howes and all those who no longer support their own products! Thanks