Trade Titfield Thunderbolt News

Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

A big thank you to all customers, visitors and supporters of the Titfield Thunderbolt Boookshop.

As I sit here with a bag of sprouts at the ready, listening to "Ernie" and Craig Charles on Radio 2 and writing descriptions of new books for the website update, I can honestly say that results so far in the shop have exceeded my reasonable expectations.

I have hugely enjoyed welcoming customers old and new to the new shop and look forward to lots of talking and tea drinking in 2011 :thumbs:

Thank you again to everybody and especially Cynric for making me feel so welcome here.

Simon
 
S

Simon Dunkley

Guest
New Shop

I would hope that he got them on as soon as he opened the new place: nothing like the smell of boiling sprouts to get one into a festive spirit, and it would really add to that "dusty bookshop" atmosphere... :)

Best wishes to all,

Simon
 
iploffy

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
New Shop

It's not the  smell of cooking em I dont like it's the after shocks  :eek: :eek: :shit: anyway bubble and squeek for boxing day best part of christmas

Ian
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

The sprouts were marvellous, with few after shocks to report :eek:

Bit of a red letter day in the shop today, the stock control system (written by my deeply clever friend George) is installed, every single book in the place is on it and all quantities of stock are accurately recorded. From this morning onwards all sales are being scanned in from barcodes or via "title look up" on the system.

This means that nobody will now have the pleasure of trying to decipher my scrawl, neither will I come to think of it - thank you George!

Latest book in the place is Nick McCamley's amazing pictorial record and story "Second World War Secret Bunkers" covering Monkton Farleigh and other places - mind blowing!

http://www.monkton-farleigh.co.uk/index.htm
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

Not yet but the shop database now has 2000 titles on it :eek: and it is possible that we may push the whole stock out on to the web in due course.

Having got the basic shop systems up and running it is the website that I now need to focus on I think.

I've just had a Booklaw order in and have the Roge Geach "Old times" Westerns book, Hugh Ballantyne's West Coast electrics and the big new WD book in stock.

Today saw a complete stock of Archive back issues and the remainder of the Lightmoor canal and shipping books come in, plus re-stocks of the Crowood modelling titles. New Kevin Robertson stock should come in tomorrow.

The bookshelves really do look good and full now :thumbs:

R
 
lancer1027

lancer1027

Western Thunderer
New Shop

OH DEAR :-[ :-[just recieved my copy of the new Roger Geach's book( exellent book) :shit:. Sorry Simon, if i knew you were getting that in i would have ordered through you :thumbs:. I think a website with a full list would be great. I would rather buy a book that i want from someone i know than elsewhere. Your better off with my money than a complete stranger. So basically top and bottom, no holes barred, no pulling punches, no messing about, well you get the gist WEBSITE, website, WEBSITE :thumbs:

Rob :wave:
 
Neil

Neil

Western Thunderer
New Shop

Full stock listing on the web sounds to be an excellent idea; obviously here we can PM, e-mail or pick up the phone and say "have you got a copy of ....?" but the wider railway book buying populace may make the assumption that if it's not on the web, it's not in stock.
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

Big changes in the shop today, I ripped out the window display area, which was waaay too big and blocked views into and out of the shop.

It has revealed some very dodgy dry lining and a gas pipe, and requires immediate remedial DIY, but better to tackle it sooner than later I think. On the plus(?) side I now have lots of re-usable MDF sheets all over the place :headbang: :thumbs:

We are working on the all books on the web project, George has devised a cunning plan. New in stock from today is "Railway Modeller", which will be a regular, as is "Garden Rail" already - guilty pleasures both of them :))

Spotty Siding has come out of the window and Peter Barnfield has sketched me a brilliant idea for a new display model for the remaining window area (this sounds insane but the shopfront is wider than the shop)

I intend to try building it in 1/32, it is a sort of "Pomparles Siding meets Gormenghast" idea, industrial buildings towering up into a corner with a railway of sorts at the bottom.

I am feeling very enthusiastic about it and will post a picture of the idea when I get access to camera etc.

Gawd knows how I will fit it in with everything else that is going on :))
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

Here is the idea. The tracks would have to be simplified (if standard gauge) - mixed gauge perhaps :scratch:

It would end up being a bit simpler architecturally too, but I think I could build something in this spirit. It would be very tall!

 

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Neil

Neil

Western Thunderer
New Shop

Wow! Will it be a working model? Will it have lights? I could see it being a real eye catcher.
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

Been thinking again, latest idea is for a sofa at the front of he shop to replace the window display :))

Yikes - there are now six whole people in the shop - a seventh has just arrived :eek: :eek:

Got to go...
 
Ressaldar

Ressaldar

Western Thunderer
New Shop

Simon said:
Yikes - there are now six whole people in the shop - a seventh has just arrived :eek: :eek:

Got to go...
Click to expand...

might have to make that two sofas if the attendance keeps rising ;)

fingers crossed

regards

Mike
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

Thanks for the comments :thumbs:

Yesterday turned out well, I think the sofa idea has taken firm hold (two would be better but you wouldn't be able to open the door), my final visitors were Brian Lewis and wife, inimitable good value as ever, and I finished the day gently pricing and putting out some more second hand stock.

Kindnesses continue, a chap walked in (dealer in soft toys) and gave me a quaint Hornby O gauge shortie pullman and a battered but beautiful signal he'd picked up with a lot of bears. The signal is very well made, pre war, at least gauge one and I will enjoy restoring it.

Fingers crossed, the whole thing is proving a thoroughly enjoyable (if knackering) experience - there is so much still to do!!
 
iploffy

iploffy

OC Blue Brigade
New Shop

Simon we may be on our way down to you mid-late feb as it's my Bday and I want another book this time on spray painting

Ian
 
Simon

Simon

Flying Squad
New Shop

It will be great to see you Ian - any particular biscuit requests? It's usually custard creams and I'll make sure that Charlie doesn't get to the tin first.

Good news this morning, went to Wickes and found the exact (give or take a mm or two) flooring that I need to make good where I have taken out the display. Two packs of that plus two sheets of 4mm MDF will see the front of the shop hopefully smartened up this week :thumbs:

Then its scouring the local papers for a nice comfortable looking sofa to relax in, I can just imagine having strategy meetings with George from a gently reclined position in the sunshine of the window, glass of something suitably refreshing in hand...... 8)
 
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