Mel_H

I don't hold a candle for Dave Jones, but there is no suggestion fraud at all. If so, it would have been picked up. The business simply ran out of cash and he, correctly, put it into liquidation rather than 'trading while technically insolvent', which is what many firms (in other sectors) do. Indeed, if he was on the make, or trying to push it too far, he could have put out a call for the next deposit payment etc. The sad truth is that he was a one-man band, trying to do too much, with too little capital and too little ability in some areas. Few people have all the talents to be the project leader, advertising manager, sales manager, PR manager, customer service manager and financial controller et al, although for small businesses, that's what many have to be. The bedrock of the business should have been quality all the way through in everything, with solid delivery of everything. Things might have been different if Dave Jones had taken on board the good advice and assistance that I understand he was offered (in some cases for free) - something that other players in the market have done. Running a business is a tough gig, especially when it comes to relationships with your investors who also happen to be your customers. Let us all hope that we've all learned something from this (suppliers and customers/commentators) alike. Although it's cold comfort, it's probably best that DJM collapsed when it did, rather than after the 2nd and 3rd deposits had been taken for example. I know that's not great if you are one of the many who lost money, but it's probably time to accept things as they are and take the final report as 'closure'. Tin Hat on, I'm running for the shelter now....

Just a couple of facts that may, or may not, be of interest: According to official figures (the Gazette), in 2019 there 122,181 companies that went into insolvency, an increase for the fourth consecutive year and a rise of 6.0 per cent compared to 2018. According to Companies House there were 672,890 new companies registered in 2018/19. This is an increase of 8.5% compared to last year and the highest number of incorporations since 2009 to 2010.

From another site DJModels liquidation claims were £174K Fledgling manufacturer DJModels Ltd, which collapsed a year ago, has left outstanding claims for £174,428 after being put into voluntary liquidation by its sole owner and director, Dave Jones. In its Final Report published yesterday (2 June 2020) ahead of the company’s formal dissolution, Manchester-based liquidators CG&Co say that no funds are available for distribution to creditors. The £174,428 is due to 41 unsecured creditors - including people who had paid deposits for models that were to be produced - and had lodged an official claim with the liquidators. In addition, 178 other people told the liquidators that they made claims through their banks and credit card companies to receive a refund under the insurance protection they offered. The value of these claims is not known, nor does the report state how much in deposits had been collected for models yet to be produced. It is understood that the total number of people who had paid deposits was much higher, but as they have not contacted the liquidators, the figures are not known. It is normal practice for liquidators to deal with claims made, not to analyse the records of the failed company to establish who might be eligible, as this would simply incur additional cost. The liquidators’ main role is to realise as much money from the sale of any assets, and collect any monies owed to a failed company. The report adds: “A significant amount of time was spent dealing with the claims of unsecured creditors,” adding, “there are a significant number” of individuals who had “paid a deposit for goods not provided.” At the time of the firm’s collapse, Liverpool-based DJ Models was in the early stages of producing a 4mm scale model of BR’s 1980s Advanced Passenger Train prototype (APT-P), and a 2mm GWR 4-6-0 King class. Development work had progressed from a June 2018 laser scan of the surviving vehicles at Crewe Heritage Centre, to an initial CAD drawing of the driving car and an early 3D test print of it, before the company, owned by Dave Jones, ran out of cash on 4 June 2020. The APT model’s development cost was financed by customers paying instalments as the project progressed. It was also possible to pay the entire amount ‘upfront’. The project had initially been advertised as a ‘crowd funded’ model, with the price of a full 14-car model being £995.95. Models were to be sold in 5, 6, 7, 10 and 14-car formations. The first 25% deposit (£248.99) was collected in early 2018. A further three deposit payments were due to be made as the project progressed through development stages, but the project did not reach the second deposit stage. Although tooling of the APT-P had not started, DJ Models owned the Intellectual Property (IP) rights for two other models it had produced directly for its retail customers. Both in 4mm, they are understood to be the Southern Region Class 71 electric and Hunslet Austerity 0-6-0ST steam locomotive. These IP rights were sold by the liquidators on 15 January 2020 for £2,300. Agents were used to provide a valuation of the IP. While not revealing the IP buyer’s identity, the liquidators confirm that it “was not a connected party,” meaning it was not Mr Jones. Other models made by DJ Models were completed as contracts for suppliers, such as Merseyside-based Hattons Model Railways, for which it made a 4mm GWR 0-4-2T 14XX class steam locomotive. In these cases, IP ownership rests with the specifier. The company did not have any employees, nor any other assets. It appears that the tooling for DJM’s two ‘in-house’ models was not owned by the company, although the report is silent on the subject, other than recording a ‘nil balance’ against ‘tooling, laser scans/plans’. The status of the tooling - typically costing around £250,000 for a locomotive - is unknown. It is believed that the tooling remains in China at the factory that made it. The liquidators received £4,000 ‘cash in hand’ from Mr Jones to pay for the liquidation, plus the £0.10 that was in the firm’s bank account. Mr Jones also deposited £800 with the liquidators to “cover the remaining costs of liquidation.”

If this has been mentioned before, I apologise. Browsing, I've noticed that the LYR tank in lined BR is a 'bargain' at Rails. It appears substantially cheaper than other outlets, and appears also to be generally low in stock (or sold out) elsewhere. Hopefully, this is helpful to someone?

Didn't know there were any spare Mk4 bodyshells - do you mean the part-built Met Cam Nightstar stock?

When you've bought too many 91s...

No, it was only the one shade. Indeed, it didn't survive in traffic long enough with GNER to need a repaint. The GNER blue appeared very dark, especially on dull days.

BTW, Captain Tom's Just Giving page closed six hours ago - giving a final total raised of £38.969m (including Gift Aid of £6.173m) https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/tomswalkforthenhs I'm proud to be one of the 1.5m who was able to make a donation.

And, here is the current updated description on Hornby's page for R30069, which includes an explanation of what's been happening and an apology about the website being overwhelmed. Here is the link, to save searching for the model in the shop https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/gbrf-class-66-captain-tom-moore-a-true-british-inspiration.html

Well, if there are any other early birds; the worm is currently available and the ground (sorry, website) is yielding easily...

If you sign up to Hornby's email newsletter, then you'll get updates generally (slightly) before RMweb, and you don't have to keep an eye on this site. That said, this is a pretty exceptional announcement...

This is very interesting; I recall going around Glasgow Works sometime afterwards where there was a burnt-out Mk3 in one of the sheds. I took a photo (not very good), and recall that it was by then rusty. I assumed it was vandalism, but had always curious what it was - and now I have the answer!

In the very early 1980s I bought a 4-character headcode blind box, complete with blinds, from Collectors Corner. Tell you what, it was bl**dy heavy carting it onto the train at Euston! My plan was to take pictures on film (way before digital), and then cut them out (having done the maths to get the correct distance away, etc) and illuminate them from behind. The only snag was that the winding/actuating handles had been removed (I suspect when the headcode box was taken out of use), which made it a right pain to change the blinds. The label said that it came from Stratford, but I don't know which loco. I guess it might have been a 47, as if it was a 31, then the handles presumably would 'go down', rather than 'come up'. One day, when I have time (the year 2045?!!) I might revisit this..

Nice. Curiously, some time ago a relatively rare picture of D15 in blue was on another thread here. Notice the steam-era shedplate and the name 'Holbeck' stencilled in white on the buffer stocks

It will be the pricing bot coming back from a tea break... I read a fascinating article on this sometime ago about how a book (that no-one was buying) ended up being priced at £14,000 due to pricing bot algorithim failings. Anyway, that's OT. Keeping looking chaps!

Don't have enough container flats? Then use an open wagon. That's what the Australians did to solve their problem. It's a CDY Open Wagon, available here http://www.auscisionmodels.com.au/CDY-Open-Wagon.htm

My modelling skills probably don't extend to doing all the remedial work that you had to do, so fingers crossed. I must say that your description of how you overcame the problems was very helpful and I'd be inspired to have a go. P.S. And, before any 'keyboard warriors' attack me too, I stand by my statement that your video is 'fair comment' and once you'd been alerted to the changes Hattons' has made to its procedures you highlighted this in the captions. I think some of the flack you've suffered is overly harsh (especially as your video includes much helpful information too) - but then when you stick your head up, that's what happens on here. It's why I'm only an occasional visitor to RMweb. I'd come more often if it was a friendlier place...

Thanks for the video - it's nicely produced and has a good commentary. From what I've read on this thread since the first 66s were delivered to customers, it's a fair review being 'warts and all' - and certainly is 'fair comment'. It's also good to see a video from someone who does actual modelling and has a layout that's 'finished'. Nice layout! Crucially, you make it very clear that the sound project and quality is excellent, as is the detailing and livery application (despite some errors). You are also fair in not comparing it with the Bachmann product, because it is from a different era. Taking close scrutiny is fair comment given, as you have pointed out, the claims Hattons makes about the overall standard of the loco. When a manufacturer says that it is raising the bar on detail ('Setting higher standards', another one once said), then it invites close examination to see if its claims stand up. In terms of QC, it is clear that Hattons' factory has not delivered fully on this aspect. Obviously we don't have figures, but it appears that QC issues are higher than new products from other manufacturers. The drive shaft issue is interesting. It may be that it fell out in the post; this was an issue with the Lima 67. Although with these you could easily tell as there was a rattling sound. The root cause was that the central can motor too easily 'popped out' of its mounting if roughly handled in transit. I picked up a few very cheap Lima 67s from eBay, which had the description "doesn't run, rattling sound', but I digress. These problems can be fixed (Heljan had similar problems with bits falling off in earlier times) and we all accept that the assembly is very fiddly and the quantity of glue used has to be sparing, otherwise you end up with 'blobs'. But that's the arena anyone enters when they choose to go into manufacturing their own locomotives and stock. Hopefully Hattons will take note of yours (and others') comments, and introduce QC improvements to subsequent production runs. In terms of the returns issues etc, it does again highlight some of the internal problems that Hattons has with communications to customers - again this is not hard to deal with, if Hattons wants to. I've got a 66 on order, and have been 'umming and ahhing' about whether the cancel, based on other people's (and now yours) feedback. At the moment, I'm going to 'take the risk' and if it's a dud, return it. Again, thanks for such an honest, and balanced, appraisal of our 'toy trains'...

When you have too many FL 86s... [Not my picture: 86627/638 + 86609/608 DIT MO 0718 Crewe Basford Hall-Felixstowe, Belstead Bank, Ipswich 23/3/20. Keith Partlow]

I gather it's still coming... [late news, a truck ran it over..] PS As a Morris Ital owner, I do have a sense of humour...

It will be fascinating to compare. I wonder if Model Rail will mention Dapol's in its review, seeing as BRM didn't (and didn't even mention that the Dapol one exists).

It is with great sadness that I inform you that M.A.C. Horne FCILT (who wrote as Mike Horne) and who was a Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Carmen, died this morning (26 March 2020) of a heart attack (not connected with COVID-19). Following in his father's footsteps, Mike joined the Metropolitan Police for whom he worked in their forensic laboratory. He later became a railway Area Manager with London Transport. Latterly he became a noted transport author and researcher and had the most encyclopaedic knowledge of a wide range of subjects, especially (but not limited to) transport. He had recently published the 2nd volume of his history of the District Railway, produced to celebrate the railway's 150th anniversary in 2018. He will be missed by many and our thoughts are with his family and friends. We have no information regarding Mike’s funeral which will obviously be impacted by the current restrictions resulting from the pandemic but will pass on detail as appropriate. His books included: The Victoria Line - A short history (1988) ISBN 1 870354 02 8 The Northern Line (second edn 1999) ISBN 1 85414 208 9 The Jubilee Line (2000) ISBN 1 85414 220 8 The Bakerloo Line (second edn 2001) ISBN 1 85414 248 8 The Metropolitan Line (2003) ISBN 1 85414 275 5 The Victoria Line (second edition 2004) ISBN 1 85414 281 X The District Line (2006) ISBN 1 85414 292 5 The Piccadilly Tube - A History of the First Hundred Years (2007) ISBN 978 1 85414 305 1 (Hardback) London’s District Railway: A History of the Metropolitan District Railway. (2018)[1][2] ISBN 978-1-85414-425-6 The Last Link - The First 30 Years of the Hampstead Railway ISBN 978 0 9507416 6 6 150 Years of the The Hammersmith & City Railway Published jointly with London Underground Ltd The Aldwych Branch of the Piccadilly Line (with Antony Badsey-Ellis). Capital Transport 2009 ISBN 978 1 85414 321 1

Good news. Incredibly, despite the advanced state of the samples (painted pre-production ones I presume) Bachmann DID alter the tooling to get the roof dome correct on the Bubble (and the 117 too) according to the picture on Rail's site now. (Also pix in this month's BRM, but obvs not allowed to post them here)

Not strictly a 'bargain' as such so OT (mod delete if inappropriate) but a price drop - unusual for a limited edition. The NRM says its forthcoming Class 33 will be £10 cheaper than expected. It must be the 'high density' headlight savings...

I've just done that, and it says my order has not been despatched. So, if you're not happy about the colours on 66623, you can simply cancel your order, online now!