What will it be? (next showmans/road loco kit)

to be honest... we just make what we are told too.

Steve has altered the contents of the next kit due to this casting arriving and to reduce our work load a bit to help us catch up. it can be difficult to follow a strict kit list when you rely on out side suppliers on so many things. a slight delay on their part and its puts us behind when it comes to the machining side.

we are committed to getting you guys a kit and paying the bills at the end of the month, so things do get changed around.

Just to expand a bit on Craig comments. We try to make the value of each kit of parts roughly equal, so we don’t build up to a huge kit for the last one supplied and you the customer are getting value for money. When we initially plan the contents of each kit, its based on an ideal world with suppliers doing what they say they will and I have to say with a less than complete idea of the designs finer details. Inevitably as the design progresses and orders are placed some suppliers let us down. The orders we place are big for us but for the LWC steel foundry our orders are minuscule. We come along and want 60 off when their normal run is in 000’s. Guess who get put to the back of the queue. We try to anticipate this by placing orders early, but we still need to be careful because if we’re not then everything becomes ready at the same time and our cashflow takes a pounding. We are ‘filling in’ gaps caused by delays with the flywheel, water pump and gear change castings but I’m sure you would agree that that is better than doing everything sequentially. The availability of the Winch Drum casting will enable us to spread the workload us at a time when we’re still under pressure due to the sudden departure of our cnc turner.

Regards

Steve

You tell em Steve,

Variety is the spice of life....its a bit like Christmas, a box arrives and you don't know what's going to be in it, although you always know what ever it is it's going to cost you.....just like at Christmas.

.....actually Isable has called a week or so back to advise a change in my kit schedule, all very efficient as ever.

Robfishman wrote:Variety is the spice of life....its a bit like Christmas, a box arrives and you don't know what's going to be in it, although you always know what ever it is it's going to cost you.....just like at Christmas.

.....actually Isable has called a week or so back to advise a change in my kit schedule, all very efficient as ever.

If you misspell Isabel's name you may not get any Kits

Oops sorry Isabel, that's me at the bottom of the list

Robfishman wrote:Oops sorry Isabel, that's me at the bottom of the list

Oh! That's you a marked man now.

I would blame the phone....but then I typed the letters and didn't check. I'll have to post a kit of Maltesers to Isabel to make up for it

One of the late great Eric Morecambe's memorable quotes comes to mind...."I am playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order" only in this case its letters.

Hi STW

Wondering what is earmarked for next week delivery hopefully?
Got next week off work and not sure what to do with it. (Use it or loose it lark)

I was hoping it was going to be this week.

I thought it was in the post!!!!! Errr ...................... What kit are we talking about!!!
Tony

Hi Lynn, Tony and Chop

I saw Steve and Dean at the weekend as they were literally round the corner dropping off a Foden and they very kindly popped in to have a look at the engine and discuss a few bits. During the conversation we covered the next couple of kits as I too am impatient and am struggling to wait to light something up. I'm sure one of them will correct me if I am wrong here but Dean said he expected to send the winch and some other bits towards the end of next week ( i.e very early March) and then the next kit would be steam fittings hopefully at the end of March but there was a lot of turning required for that kit.

It was however very nice to catch up with both of them personally and I hope I didnt hold them up too long on their return journey. Having spent most of my working life driving I didnt envy the day they had had. I believe it was something like Daventry Malvern Gloucester Western Super Mare Bognor Regis Daventry. Of course the visit to Bognor brightened up the day as only to be expected, although sadly they brought the rain with them as well as a big wagon.

( The vultures are circling again!!!! )

Cheers Kev

I am not a vulture. I prefer nice new meat to chase after. Sorry wrong forum.

Knowing if a kit is coming does help the planning for the off work week. STW may even be completely unlucky as I am thinking of popping in to see them.

lynnr wrote: STW may even be completely unlucky as I am thinking of popping in to see them.

You better get on the brush a bit quick Craig, unless the factory floor is still as clean and tidy as it was when I was last up.

hi stw i dont like to keep on and keep ringing isabel but would u think there will be a boiler, tender and smokebox ready in march for me many thanx mike

Hi Mike,

The fillets for the tender sides are scheduled on the big lathe for tomorrow and should be done by Monday. All being well they will be welded on to the tender sides, cleaned up and a number of Kit 7's will then be available to ship by the middle of next week.

A batch of boilers are currently in production. My best guess is 5 R/L boilers should be ready by the end of March and you are pencilled in for one of them.

We have the smokeboxes, chimney's and chimney caps in stock but are still waiting delivery of the chiney bases. These were due in in January then Februry and now we've been told they are imminent. As soon as they arrive you will be sent one as a matter of urgency.

In the mean time, if you any of these things are holding you up we do have stock of all the later kits. One of these can be sent as a replacement. The Kit numbers are only a guide. Whichever kit you progress with there will certainly be plenty for you to be getting on with.

All the best

Dean

hi dean

i will apollogise for ringing isabel today as i have only just seen this message, like i have said i just want to get it on a rolling chassis asap not just for me but so i can show it at rallys as well and give u a bit of advertisement and hopefully get a few more customers for u. i do about 15-20 shows a year and i was hopeing to have it with me every step of the way, sorry to keep on and hopefully hear next week about the tender.

hope all is well in the factory

many thanx mike

good news... the next kit went out today

more good news...

i took a photo

Hurraayyy!!

Looks good to, which bits did Lynn do??

Brian

Not tellin'

I am not even sure what I am looking at...

lynnr wrote:Not tellin'

.........if when we open the box the parts jump out paint and fit themselves then we will know.

hi dean
is there any news on the tender yet
many thanx mike

Hi Mike,

They're packed and waiting to go. I think Isabel was planning to send the running behinds tomorrow (Thursday) Your name is on one. You might want to give her a call in the morning if you get a minute to confirm they are being despatched

All the best

Dean