News from JLTRT

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer

I couldn't stop going back to look at the Class 47 - it looks great. :thumbs:


Regards

Dan

Dan, Dan, Dan, I showed you exactly what you needed on the Finney7 stand. Sort of airsmoothed box shape. ;-p

Had a really good chat with Pete W. Started off as an enquiry about Bulleid coaches (which by the way are still on the list of coach kits he intends doing), progressed to talking about Spamcans he's known/owned/repaired and then on to his concerns about how the amount of new 7mm RTR is changing the hobby. Top bloke.
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
Any indication of which Bulleid coaches - 59' or 64'? pre 1948 Eastleigh or post 1947 BRCW? Bournemouth stock? #100s? 'Queen of Sheba' 4-subs.......?

Nothing for certain but I thought Pete mentioned 64'. Just hope he recognises how important the different types of brake coach are in making up sets. I'm quietly hoping that a loose BCK will be on the cards.
 

Brian Wainwright

Active Member
The Derby Lightweight is soooo tempting, because they were so much part of my childhood on the former GC (and joint) lines out to Hayfield and Macclesfield. As a pre-group modeller, I cannot possibly justify such a thing and yet I must confess I would like one. And I don't normally even look at diesels!
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Had a really good chat with Pete W. .... then on to his concerns about how the amount of new 7mm RTR is changing the hobby. Top bloke.
That would be interesting to hear about. I suspect the Dapol 08 has greatly impacted sales of his 08, for instance.

PS that Duff does look good!!
 
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Martin Field

Western Thunderer
And I've just cut a set of bogie frames for my scratchbuilt one. So, do I ignore this or do it in S scale? It would still be worth a good bit as a scratchbuilt and I will be making under floor motor bogies. Nah, the Hell with Mr. Waterman, I'll do it anyway. No-one ever stopped me before!
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
That would be interesting to hear about. I suspect the Dapol 08 has greatly impacted sales of his 08, for instance.

PS that Duff does look good!!

I suspect the fact that two companies now producing at RTR version of his pannier kit won't be helping JLTRT either.
 

djparkins

Western Thunderer
I suspect the fact that two companies now producing at RTR version of his pannier kit won't be helping JLTRT either.

I think we need a bit of perspective here.

As the old saying goes "What goes around, comes around".

JLTRT weren't averse to offering a little competition to others when they came onto the scene, so now, in a spirit of consistency - and of embracing the 'free market', they must surely welcome the competition they are getting in turn from the RTR offerings.

Did JLTRT think of Slaters when they introduced their BR Box Vans? or DJH or PRMRP with their Diesel Kits? Did they think of MMP with their Diesels and Mk.1 Coaches? Of course not – and none of us would expect them to. They are in business, after all. But by the same token, so are all the rest of us, be it RTR or kit manufacturers.

And anyway, their web site states that JLTRT kits are the most accurate around – so they should have absolutely nothing to worry about. Theirs will not be the only 08 kit to be affected by the Dapol RTR version, but what is the point of complaining? You just have to take it on the chin, like the rest of us.

DJP/MMP
 

Stirling O

Active Member
It's about time we had something original, rather than replicating what all ready exists. I can't be bothered to count, but how many 7 mm GWR panniers are on the market. Yes I know that there were many variations of the pannier, but duplication of certain types still occurs. I know it's all about economics, but I wish just for once, somebody would take the bull by the horns and produce something original, and NOT GWR!!

Davey
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
It's about time we had something original, rather than replicating what all ready exists. I can't be bothered to count, but how many 7 mm GWR panniers are on the market. Yes I know that there were many variations of the pannier, but duplication of certain types still occurs. I know it's all about economics, but I wish just for once, somebody would take the bull by the horns and produce something original, and NOT GWR!!

Davey

As a fairly recent convert to 7mm I must admit that my first visit to a G0G show at Telford back in 2013 was a bit if an eye opener.

I model BR(S) in north Cornwall which is mainly ex LSWR/SR with a light mix of BR and ex GWR.

I wasn't really prepared for how many of the stands were selling GWR related items and how few covered LSWR or even SR subjects. The likes of Finney7 are redressing the balance slightly with their revamped range but that's a comparative drop in the ocean.

Even when it comes to parts, you pass countless stands of GWR related loco fittings and only really have Laurie Griffin and Roxey for the LSWR/SR. (shout if you know of others)

To a degree I think the current bias to GWR types results in people modelling what's available and perpetuates the apparent non-popularity of other companies. So yes I'd agree it would be nice to see less GWR duplication and more coverage of other companies.

Anyway I think we've probably strayed off-topic somewhat.
 

Pencarrow

Western Thunderer
I think we need a bit of perspective here.

As the old saying goes "What goes around, comes around".

JLTRT weren't averse to offering a little competition to others when they came onto the scene, so now, in a spirit of consistency - and of embracing the 'free market', they must surely welcome the competition they are getting in turn from the RTR offerings.

Did JLTRT think of Slaters when they introduced their BR Box Vans? or DJH or PRMRP with their Diesel Kits? Did they think of MMP with their Diesels and Mk.1 Coaches? Of course not – and none of us would expect them to. They are in business, after all. But by the same token, so are all the rest of us, be it RTR or kit manufacturers.

And anyway, their web site states that JLTRT kits are the most accurate around – so they should have absolutely nothing to worry about. Theirs will not be the only 08 kit to be affected by the Dapol RTR version, but what is the point of complaining? You just have to take it on the chin, like the rest of us.

DJP/MMP

I think Pete's concern was more the fact that it's new RTR coming in replacing the demand generally for kits and fewer people having a go at building them.

A general worry that 7mm is starting to the same way as 4mm where the dominance of RTR and RTP is leading to many modellers not actually making anything.

I think there's room for both in 7mm and 7mm is more of a builders scale and a much smaller market than 4mm. So I think there will be a change but on the plus side, will the RTR stuff bring in new blood who will then go on to build kits?

Interesting times.
 

Oz7mm

Western Thunderer
Not all of them will build kits, and many of them do not have, or do not believe they have the skills to do so. The RTR manufacturers need production volumes of 500+ for a project to be viable. There are few prototypes that will generate those sorts of sales. Lower volumes mean higher prices so if you want something a bit less ordinary, it will cost you more.

Note that the offerings to date have been diesels (including the Heljan offerings at a considerably higher price point)and small tank engines. The result is a tendency for layouts to begin to look the same - it seemed like that to me at Kettering this year. Heljan / Hattons have announced the LNER Pacifics while Heljan have announced a GWR Prairie (GWR again!) but I think we may be waiting a while before we see something like an Ivatt 2-6-0 and I think you will pay £600 for it. But then, good kits cost that sort of money (and more) these days by the time you have bought wheels, motor and gearbox.

Kit makers will continue to have a market but they must go together rather better than some of those offered today if 7mm is to have variety in the future.

Just for interest, now we have had the Dapol 08 & Jinty and the Minerva 57xx Pannier, can anyone think of a loco that could sell in the quantities that these will and that can be produced in a similar price bracket?

John
 
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