There is an awful lot to share, the point of this update just to bring it to your attention that we have been able to do some white metal casting. We haven't got everything and we haven't got mountains of the stuff we have produced, but its a start.

Some of what we said on 27/03/20 has come to pass but not all of it

COVID-19 / Coronavirus - We are open for business and operating as normally as we can.

As it turns out we have had little problem in our supply chain for materials, our 'overflow' suppliers have been a little different.
Machines have been kept running because thats what they do, so some components are in surplus. The problem is that as predicted we've been so busy with mail order that any operation that requires a person in front of it (all the assembly and packing) has suffered, so some items have become low or even exhausted. When this happens we have assembled enough to deal with the immediate demand but this is so inefficient and wasteful compared with the normal production batch size.

The one thing we didn't consider in our initial Covid thoughts was that all our trade customers would also become busy and we would see increased demand from them and this has resulted in us getting quite far behind on that front.

All in all despite the increased business we're in about the same position as we normally would be at this time of year, which we are extremely greatful for as there are many businesses and people far worse off.
.

COVID-19 / Coronavirus - We are open for business and operating as normally as we can.
I am working in isolation at our unit (we can't take the machines home) and Pat is working in isolation at home.

We are already seeing an increase in Mail and Telephone orders and we're hoping that this will support the loss of the four Spring shows, as these represent about a sixth of our income.
However, whilst most welcome this is not without its own set of challenges. A quick and dirty calculation suggests that if we're lucky it may increase our daily mail order by up to 300% over the period covering the cancelled shows.
This is likely to impinge on production, which might lead to some shortages and hence delays in dispatch and we would ask for your patience and understanding.

There are a few outside factors that might cause us problems such as the ability to obtain raw material such steel and brass and our ability to use a third party for the Chemical Blackening of certain components. Also, if 'Lockdown' is tightened it may be that the authorities don't agree that isolating in my unit is the same as isolating at home, in which case we'll have to suspend actual manufacture and concentrate on assembly and packing at home.

You may also be thinking why we're bothering when the government will support us. Well, as of this date it seems they won't, because in the past we have taken a portion of our income as dividend on profits.
The astute amongst you may turn around and say, 'yes but when applying for Universal Credit the government takes dividends into consideration as income', and you would be correct.

Anyway, we're here to provide the best service we can under the circumstances and main thing is for EVERYBODY to keep themselves safe.

( I'm staggered that we haven't put anything on this news page for six and a half years, although as someone once said to me 'what can't speak, can't lie')

We have introduced a News Letter, which is available by email subscription, or free from our stand at shows. It will contain information about whats happening in our business, new products, updated products and further information on using some our products.

To subscribe by email CLICK HERE and send the email that opens

Well here we are in our nice summer break between shows; as usual we're looking to get some development work done in the quieter period. A definite this year will be re-introducing the Signals, we know it definite because we're about 80% of the way through it. We WILL be working on the self quartering wheels. There are also some other projects such as re working the wagon buffers so that in brass rather than white metal and have the hole already through instead of having to drill them, and a 4mm brass centred wheel kit in a bag for both Drivers and Bogie/Tender wheels. Along with all this we'll be making some alterations in production equipment, methods etc to improve our efficiency and maintain/improve our quality.

Well here we are in our nice summer break between shows; as usual we're looking to get some development work done in the quieter period. A definite this year will be re-introducing the Signals, we know it definite because we're about 80% of the way through it. We WILL be working on the self quartering wheels. There are also some other projects such as re working the wagon buffers so that in brass rather than white metal and have the hole already through instead of having to drill them, and a 4mm brass centred wheel kit in a bag for both Drivers and Bogie/Tender wheels. Along with all this we'll be making some alterations in production equipment, methods etc to improve our efficiency and maintain/improve our quality.

We have introduced a News Letter, which is available by email subscription, or free from our stand at shows. It will contain information about whats happening in our business, new products, updated products and further information on using some our products.

To subscribe by email CLICK HERE and send the email that opens

Well here we are in our nice summer break between shows; as usual we're looking to get some development work done in the quieter period. A definite this year will be re-introducing the Signals, we know it definite because we're about 80% of the way through it. We WILL be working on the self quartering wheels. There are also some other projects such as re working the wagon buffers so that in brass rather than white metal and have the hole already through instead of having to drill them, and a 4mm brass centred wheel kit in a bag for both Drivers and Bogie/Tender wheels. Along with all this we'll be making some alterations in production equipment, methods etc to improve our efficiency and maintain/improve our quality.

Well here we are in our nice summer break between shows; as usual we're looking to get some development work done in the quieter period. A definite this year will be re-introducing the Signals, we know it definite because we're about 80% of the way through it. We WILL be working on the self quartering wheels. There are also some other projects such as re working the wagon buffers so that in brass rather than white metal and have the hole already through instead of having to drill them, and a 4mm brass centred wheel kit in a bag for both Drivers and Bogie/Tender wheels. Along with all this we'll be making some alterations in production equipment, methods etc to improve our efficiency and maintain/improve our quality.