Trade Titfield Thunderbolt News

[Simon]

New Shop

Brief update:

Preparations for the new shop venture are continuing. Opening stock will include the complete ranges of Oakwood, Lightmoor, Millstream, RCL, Twelveheads and Wild Swan titles, in addition to existing stocks and more new titles besides.

Today also saw the launch (at last) of a full online shopping facility on the website. In less than one hour after uploading it had produced its first order

Thanks to all friends, contacts and suppliers for your support, I hope to respond by producing a retail experience worthy of everyone's faith in the project and suitable for the 21st Century.

I am especially grateful to my friend George Mumford who is doing real wonders with developing the website and a fantastic "back office" system.

I look forward to seeing some of you on the 13th!

 

[iploffy]

New Shop

I am still trying to find the post that gave me the name of the book about painting and weathering techniques to be able to put my order in

Ian

 

[28ten]

New Shop

I am still trying to find the post that gave me the name of the book about painting and weathering techniques to be able to put my order in

Ian

Martin Welch?

 

[Phill Dyson]

New Shop

Martin Welch?

The Art Of Weathering

 

[Simon]

New Shop

Well after sorting out the "toilet from hell", today has been mostly putting undercoat on primed MDF skirtings and a lot of tedious filling of holes. My clever friend George has put aside working on the new stock control system, donned old clothes, and has been "mucking in" for which I am very very grateful.

Excitement was provided when I decided that the hi tech alarm (which I don't want and should already have been removed but is subject to some "discussion" between lease company and previous tenant) need to at least be eased off the wall to allow a fitting to be removed.

Cover off one box, screws out, no probs. Cover off second box, unpleasant alarm noise inside building (but not outside), after a logical assesment and being aware of additional batteries and concerned not to start the "big outside" noise - I hit it very hard with my hammer, which resulted in a much reduced squeaking.

"Oh dear", "In for a penny in for a pound" and "I'm going to sort this **** machine out once and for all" were the various thoughts that were running through my mind at this point. After weighing up the options and poring over the circuit diagrams (well OK not the last bit) I went up the road to borrow a ladder from the hardware store and returned. George held the ladder while I ascended armed with tools appropriate to the task ahead. After carefully removing the cover over the fixing screw and undoing it, I was met with the anticipated deafening shrieking noise, the sort of thing that keeps neighbours awake while service engineers with complicated tools and codes are urgently requested but often not found.

With a little trepidation and with a gathering audience of bemused locals, I took hold of my trusty number one hammer and whacked it as hard as I could.

The shrieking noise stopped, pieces of alarm fell on to the floor

I then spent the next hour or so removing the system from the premises - sensors, control pads, flashing lights, batteries - Gawd knows how much it all cost. Removing the trunking pulled copious quantities of paint off walls, so after work tonight I hope to return with Unibond and filler. (It will be great to get back to thinking about books, stock shelves etc, hopefully sometime soon....)

Going back to the alarm, having chopped up the trunking and put nearly everything into a bin bag, Mark, (nice guy, previous tenant's associate, still removing stuff from the basement) took a phone call from previous tenant who had been talking to lease company "we need to keep the alarm" sez he.

After fishing various bits of circuit board and sundry other pieces out of the bin I assembled them in a pile with the enclosures and odd flashy looking bits (but not the batteries, which semed to have disappeared)

He seemed happy enough, I hope they didn't want to use it again 8)

Sorry about all that, I just had to tell someone :wave:

 

[Steph Dale]

New Shop

Simon,

Blimey - you have been having fun haven't you?

And to top it all when you check your 'mail, you'll find that yours truly has another tenners worth of business for you.  Yep, last of the big spenders ;-)

Steph

 

[7mmMick]

New Shop

Simon,

That sounds like my kind of DIY ;D I had a similar incident recently when reovating our house with a small digger and the mains water, watered the next doors lawn beautifully  You're at the bottom of my list to fit my new burglar alarm  ;D

Best regards Mick

 

[Simon]

New Shop

Simon,

That sounds like my kind of DIY ;D I had a similar incident recently when reovating our house with a small digger and the mains water, watered the next doors lawn beautifully  You're at the bottom of my list to fit my new burglar alarm  ;D

Best regards Mick

Ah yes, water ;D

It won't kill you quite as effectively as elastictrickery but it sure can make a mess

In my defence I generally use less hammer-work in my "putting in" jobs 8)

 

[Simon]

New Shop

Well today was a sort of "pre opening opening", a good few people turned up and all is looking good for the "proper" opening bash next Saturday.

Progress report, DIY more or completed, today saw some stock laid out temporarily.

Earlier this week:

 

[Steve Cook]

New Shop

Excellent stuff Simon 

Really pleased all the paperwork got sorted and you are now in and off to a flying start. You've made cracking progress and I'm looking forward to the 'opening proper' next weekend  ;D

Steve

 

[28ten]

New Shop

Looking forward to next Saturday. I have just visited you with google street view  Whats parking like?

 

[iploffy]

New Shop

with the way I feel now I think I may take a trip to bath on the train next sat hopefully

Ian

 

[Simon]

New Shop

Parking is OK. You will definitely find a legal on street space within quarter of a mile max. Usually you will find a space in the very immediate area. There is a car park opposite Somerfield (now Co Op) in front of New Oriel Hall. The worst restriction in operation is "2 hours no return within an hour". Traffic Wardens seem to keep away from Larkhall anyway.

If all else fails (and I don't think it will) feel free to park in Grosvenor Park (where I live), where there are always spaces. This is over the A4 off Grosvenor Bridge Road. Still only 5 minutes walk max, a safe walking route with pavements all the way and proper Pelican crossing to get across A4. Then turn left into Lambridge Street, shop at end on right.

If anyone else needs any more info then please ask. I will have my mobile with me and switched on on the day so anyone travelling down feel free to pm me for number.

Today's task is to try and trace the lettering for the shop name from my "old" sign which is irretrievably built into my shed as part of the internal wall under the workbench :vista:

My friend Dave has purchased material and has generously volunteered to cut them all out on a jigsaw for me tomorrow, so I'd better get my finger out.

A bit of toast and another tea first though I think

 

[Captain Kernow]

New Shop

All looks splendid - looking forward to Saturday! 

 

[Simon]

New Shop

Sign above shop front painted in undercoat today, Dave working on letters for same, all emulsioning in shop public space now completed and today's bonus task was painting the ceiling - George did a fantastic job on this and it really does look quite smart.

Tomorrow should see us purchasing and erecting shelving, putting up bright new noticeboard and new piece of "slatwall" display, (assuming it arrives as promised and the hairdressers next door will take it in if we are still out cllecting shelves)

Boxes of stock are already getting in the way and by the end of tomorrow it will start looking "something like". I'm not going back to the shop tonight as I'm exhausted and in any event need to do the next write up for the "local look" a brilliant free distribution magazine for the east of Bath - I've got to have it by the 10th.

I/we am/are enjoying the whole process though, there seems to be a lot of interest and positivity around the whole thing. A bloke walking past today asked if I'd be stocking O gauge track as he wanted something for the model he'd built to "stretch its legs" on and young guy asked about more general modelling materials and supplies, he's building military dioramas in his flat just around the corner.

It would appear that there are a lot of us modellers about, even in Larkhall

 

[28ten]

New Shop

Simon
did you ever visit the OPC/Roundway/Motor books in Headington, Oxford? that way a lovely little shop that stocked models and books, a perfect combination in my opinion 

 

[iploffy]

New Shop

Well simon I think you have a second use for the shop selling modelling gear to the masses.

Ian

 

[Simon Dunkley]

New Shop

Well simon I think you have a second use for the shop selling modelling gear to the masses.

Ian,

I believe Simon has plans to support the discerning cognoscenti, i.e. 1:32 finescale components.

 

[Captain Kernow]

New Shop

Simon
did you ever visit the OPC/Roundway/Motor books in Headington, Oxford? that way a lovely little shop that stocked models and books, a perfect combination in my opinion 

My brother & sister-in-law used to live nearby, so we once went for a walk that took in a visit to the shop (I pointed out which packets of Parkside Dundas I wanted for Christmas, IIRC...)

 

[Neil]

New Shop

I've taken advantage of a fine spell this afternoon to load Shell Island into the car, ready for the journey ahead. I don't know if it was over-excitement at the thought of free sausages or hitting fifty last week but I nearly forgot the lighting rig. Hopefully I will have remebered sufficient stuff to be able to play trains successfully on Saturday.