railway depot!!!

[ajay31]

hi there, anyone familiar with the railway depot in leigh on sea.
apparently the shop has closed overnight without warning.
just as well i hadn't placed my order that i was going to (about £800)
there is a sign saying to contact flair in burnham but is the guy likely to shut that just as quick and without warning, as i cannot afford to lose my money as i am sure others have.

i spoke to who i thought was the owner but apparently he was unaware of the shop closing and is seeking legal advice in regards to the theft of his stock by his partner ( the said burnham shop).

i hear there is a good shop in chelmsford but can anyone reccomend this as i am now a bit dubious, or is it better to get the less personal touch and order straight through the net?

any info would be a great help.

regards ajay

[John H-T]

Ajay,

Sorry to hear your story.

In general I try to support my local shop in Derby, whom I have confidence in, although I do some shopping on the net, mainly from stores like Rails of Sheffield. Always remember that you have to pay postage which can cancel out any price advantage.

I think it is important to support model shops as long as their prices are reasonable. I couldn't have saved myself much buying at the Nottingham Exhibition today and only bought the ZTC decoder, which my shop does not stock, and some books.

Best wishes,

John H-T.

[paul miller]

I went to the Nottingham Show to-day and thought it was the best yet.
I agree with John, it is nice if you can support your local shops, but it is a worry if as in ajays case you find them disappearing overnight. Especially as a lot of us save money at these shops.
I suppose it is a fact of life now that they are struggling, along with all retailers.
Paul.

[Trev]

I've always used Signal Box Model Railways (in Kent I believe), for online ordering and can thoroughly recommend them. Prompt delivery and no problems if you have to return anything.

[hairyhandedfool]

If you know what you want I find it better to shop online and compare prices, but if you need advice or are unsure the local one is better. However I would never leave an order of that amount anywhere (unless your into big scale models or kits).

I usually go to Hattons as they have my choice of loco's cheaper than else where but holt models do decent discounts too, rails are good and have second hand stock but when I left them an order for a to-be-released model it never came, although I wasn't charged for it. some people have had problems with hattons, namely some items not being included in the package but I have never had this happen to me.

Hattons and Rails are the most well known online shops but by no means the only ones. Pick up a couple of model mags and have a look at what is there.

[paul miller]

I have used Rails a lot. I have always been satisfied with the service.
I have used Southhampton Models as well and they have been good.
Paul.