Willy
Western Thunderer
I bought a LMS 3F kit from JLTRT only to find the tender frames didn’t line up with the wheels but when I contacted them I was told that they know but they are doing nothing about it! Fortunately Adrian of this parish came to the rescue with some correct frames which he kindly let me have. In the building of the loco I found the instructions were not clear as to what motor to use but, as I was going to Kettering, I though I would ask them what motor/gearbox they suggested. I asked someone on the JLTRT stand and he just shrugged his shoulders and said, “I haven’t a clue mate, you had better ask ABC” and he then turned away to speak to a customer who had just turned up but he obviously knew! (Some service that!)
Sometime later I though I would give them another chance and decided to order a couple of SR vans online but, when I came to pay, there was no postage rate for Ireland and I was asked to contact them via the link provided. I duly filled in this box with my address, etc. and that was nearly 2 months ago and I am still waiting for a reply!
So, with ‘customer service’ like that they will never get another penny me, not that Mr. W will care I’m sure.
Sorry for the rant but I am just a little fed up with people saying how wonderful these people are, and perhaps they are if you are part of the clique but, to the likes of myself who is not a ‘name’, they couldn’t seem to care less.
Sometime later I though I would give them another chance and decided to order a couple of SR vans online but, when I came to pay, there was no postage rate for Ireland and I was asked to contact them via the link provided. I duly filled in this box with my address, etc. and that was nearly 2 months ago and I am still waiting for a reply!
So, with ‘customer service’ like that they will never get another penny me, not that Mr. W will care I’m sure.
Sorry for the rant but I am just a little fed up with people saying how wonderful these people are, and perhaps they are if you are part of the clique but, to the likes of myself who is not a ‘name’, they couldn’t seem to care less.
eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
I don't know Pete Waterman personally but perhaps a PM on here, I believe he is a member of WT, might be worth while ?
Col.
Martin Field
Western Thunderer
Bill, a PM? I'd say kick some real ar** till it bleeds, mate. That is appalling service. Maybe JLTRT has had it too good for too long and is getting complacent. Didn't there used to be an O gauge company in Leitrim? Of ancient history?
Willy
Western Thunderer
Thank you both but I just can’t be bothered now.
I should have learnt my lesson a couple of years ago when I inquired about the buffer spacing on the GWR Fruit van and got the same ‘couldn’t care less’ reply so I blame myself for persisting with them.
The 3F is laying unfinished in a box and I will sell it on eBay sometime because I haven’t got the heart to finish it.
I don’t know of an 0 gauge company in Leitrim Martin, and I would be very surprised if there was one. I am going to a small exhibition in Enniskillen next weekend where there is an 0 Gauge layout from Co Mayo so I will ask him.
Thanks again.
I should have learnt my lesson a couple of years ago when I inquired about the buffer spacing on the GWR Fruit van and got the same ‘couldn’t care less’ reply so I blame myself for persisting with them.
The 3F is laying unfinished in a box and I will sell it on eBay sometime because I haven’t got the heart to finish it.
I don’t know of an 0 gauge company in Leitrim Martin, and I would be very surprised if there was one. I am going to a small exhibition in Enniskillen next weekend where there is an 0 Gauge layout from Co Mayo so I will ask him.
Thanks again.
eastsidepilot
Western Thunderer
Well if you can't get to talk to him at a show you can kick arse here at least !
Col.
Willy
Western Thunderer
Well if you can't get to talk to him at a show you can kick arse here at least !
Col.
I don’t think there would be much point trying to kick a*** here Col. as most members seem to be JLTRT supporters.
Martin Field
Western Thunderer
Bill, an old chum in Devon used to buy stuff from a company in Ireland. Perhaps it was Leinster? Apologies for my ignorance of Irish geography. It's just that if I ever went there I'm almost certain I'd not want to return! Actually, Leinster Models now rings a bell. I think they made Jamieson style "scratch aid" kits. He did business with them and Home of O Gauge, who I assume have also gone down the pan. Then he "caught" gauge 1 and became a committee member. His widow gave me his beautiful Gauge 1 model locos when he died, but Reg never committed a damned thing to paper. As a time served steam engineer he kept it all in his head, so I had no idea how to complete his work. I even went to a Gauge 1 Get Together at the then Chairman's untouched 1930s house in Harrow and was not well recieved. Nobody wanted to help or even speak. There are some nice people in this game without doubt and then there are the others, amongst whom you and I would number JLTRT no doubt.
I would say the 3F is such a simple loco, you'd be better off spending the ebay money on some wheels and n/s sheet and making it yourself.
Cheers.
I would say the 3F is such a simple loco, you'd be better off spending the ebay money on some wheels and n/s sheet and making it yourself.
Cheers.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Just as a thought, and if you are still after a 3F, keep an eye on one of the well known on line auction sites for one of the late John Maidment's kits under the JM label. It was the second brass kit I ever built, goes together almost exactly like a Connoisseur kit and remains one of the best runners I have. Sadly I understand that John's family destroyed all his patterns, drawings etc on his demise, so you won't get a brand new kit, but it's truly worth persisting in a search.
Brian
Brian
Willy
Western Thunderer
Yes Martin I think you may be referring to the late Kieran McGowan who passed away a couple of years ago aged 94. He founded and ran Leinster Models Kits which were more of an “aid to scratch-building” as they contained basic stampings and no detail parts. He was a gentleman in every sense and knew how to look after his customers.
I have moved on now and I can do without the 3F although the 3M kit mentioned in Brian’s post may well tempt me!
Willy
Western Thunderer
Thank you Brian, I will keep an eye out for that.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
I don't want to come across as a JLTRT apologist here (I can be deemed to be biased, as I have had a lot of help from the company in the early days of my professional model building empire) but there's a couple of things that ought to be said.
JLTRT are usually the first to admit that some of their steam outline kits are unlikely to be upgraded or corrected since the kits themselves don't really sell all that well any more. Kits brought in from other ranges are somewhat more susceptible to the lack of upgrades and so on. If time and money were unlimited, I'm sure the more obvious problems would have been sorted out, but both those items are probably currently better spent on new kits where there is a market waiting for them.
Customer service can be rocky. I'm saddened to hear that you've had problems, Bill. Remember, though, that although JLTRT play among the "big boys" they're not actually all that big. The full-time employees can be counted on the fingers of one hand, supplemented by freelancers and part-timers. If you haven't had a reply to your enquiry, try again, phone them, whatever. Keep badgering. I've had to repeatedly email for some things, but at other times a small packet of replacement components will arrive within a day or two. Keep pestering!
Laurie Lynch is the main person at the factory up in Scotland. He's a nice bloke, and does come across as a bit stand-offish. His sense of humour is very dry, which probably doesn't help at times. If he doesn't reply to an email it's more than likely he missed it and it's been drowned in the rest of the stuff he's dealing with. He has always said to me, when I've called, to email things so he's got a record of a request. And keep emailing until you get an answer.
As with many of the "cottage industry" manufacturers, I am very grateful for JLTRT and Pete Waterman for being there and supporting our hobby. We would miss them if they weren't there.
JLTRT are usually the first to admit that some of their steam outline kits are unlikely to be upgraded or corrected since the kits themselves don't really sell all that well any more. Kits brought in from other ranges are somewhat more susceptible to the lack of upgrades and so on. If time and money were unlimited, I'm sure the more obvious problems would have been sorted out, but both those items are probably currently better spent on new kits where there is a market waiting for them.
Customer service can be rocky. I'm saddened to hear that you've had problems, Bill. Remember, though, that although JLTRT play among the "big boys" they're not actually all that big. The full-time employees can be counted on the fingers of one hand, supplemented by freelancers and part-timers. If you haven't had a reply to your enquiry, try again, phone them, whatever. Keep badgering. I've had to repeatedly email for some things, but at other times a small packet of replacement components will arrive within a day or two. Keep pestering!
Laurie Lynch is the main person at the factory up in Scotland. He's a nice bloke, and does come across as a bit stand-offish. His sense of humour is very dry, which probably doesn't help at times. If he doesn't reply to an email it's more than likely he missed it and it's been drowned in the rest of the stuff he's dealing with. He has always said to me, when I've called, to email things so he's got a record of a request. And keep emailing until you get an answer.
As with many of the "cottage industry" manufacturers, I am very grateful for JLTRT and Pete Waterman for being there and supporting our hobby. We would miss them if they weren't there.
Steph Dale
Western Thunderer
@oldravendale
Bless you, Dad. Your memory...
Your 3F was an Alan Gibson design, probably one of the early blow ups from the Kean Maygib kits. Still worth getting hold of if you see one, but I suspect there weren't many produced.
Steph
Bless you, Dad. Your memory...
Your 3F was an Alan Gibson design, probably one of the early blow ups from the Kean Maygib kits. Still worth getting hold of if you see one, but I suspect there weren't many produced.
Steph
adrian
Flying Squad
I'm using a 2 stage one from Finney7
http://finney7.co.uk/SDMP.htm
It assembled really easily and the meshing was spot on, I'm more than happy with it and would use them again. I reckon it'll fit in the firebox ok, I'm nearly at the stage of fitting the boiler to the footplate so I'll find out sometime next week.
Willy
Western Thunderer
If their steam outline kits are ‘unlikely to be upgraded or corrected’ then they should tell you that before they relieve you of your money, not leave you to find out for yourself. However, that does not excuse their ‘customer service’ at Kettering, in fact there is no excuse for it. The man just couldn’t be bothered to talk to me and helping me overcome a problem I had with their appalling kit instructions. Instead he was too busy trying to get away and talk to his mate or whoever it was. If they know their shortcomings then they should try even harder to help customers when they are face to face at these exhibitions. After all, they do ask a premium for their kits, despite their faults.
Also, I have never heard the name Laurie Lynch so how is someone like myself who is not in the ‘know’ supposed to be aware of his existence?
I am not going to spend more time and money badgering them, either by phone or email because life is too short and at aged 71, I have other things to do.
I know you are an exceptionally good model builder Heather and I greatly admire your work but this is my whole point. People like you get the red carpet treatment while the likes of myself are treated with distain. And you do come across as a JLTRT apologist and I will not accept that. You may miss them if they weren’t there but I shan’t be buying from them again.
Willy
Western Thunderer
Thank you Adrian and if I ever get round to completing it, which is doubtful now, I will keep that in mind. I have the tender finished with your outside frames and very good it looks too, so thank you again for coming to my assistance there.
Heather Kay
Western Thunderer
Fair points. I understand your point of view.
Scale7JB
Western Thunderer
Never bought a thing from JLTRT personally. The problem with motors and gearboxes though is that they're very personable.
When I first started building kits I was quite peeved that you had to buy all the different bits from different suppliers, but now I totally understand it. A kit manufacturer simply cannot know what spec of engine you want to build, so does he design a kit around a £15 fold up etched gearbox and cheap Mashima, a £125+ milled 3 stage gearbox with added flywheels, or a giant Faulbauer (spelling?) powerhouse?
I think maybe JLTRT could be given the benefit of the doubt here.
I do believe MOK kits do base their kits around abc gearboxes, but no one else that I know of states a preference.
JB.
When I first started building kits I was quite peeved that you had to buy all the different bits from different suppliers, but now I totally understand it. A kit manufacturer simply cannot know what spec of engine you want to build, so does he design a kit around a £15 fold up etched gearbox and cheap Mashima, a £125+ milled 3 stage gearbox with added flywheels, or a giant Faulbauer (spelling?) powerhouse?
I think maybe JLTRT could be given the benefit of the doubt here.
I do believe MOK kits do base their kits around abc gearboxes, but no one else that I know of states a preference.
JB.
oldravendale
Western Thunderer
Sorry for misleading.....I've believed this to be a JM kit for the last 25 years or so!@oldravendale
Bless you, Dad. Your memory...
Your 3F was an Alan Gibson design, probably one of the early blow ups from the Kean Maygib kits. Still worth getting hold of if you see one, but I suspect there weren't many produced.
Steph
B
Willy
Western Thunderer
The problem is that the loco body and firebox is a one piece resin casting and there is very very little room for a motor/gearbox combination and very few will fit. Therefore I think, in the instructions, they should at least give some indication as to which ones would be suitable. It is not a wide choice after all. And even if they don’t put anything in the instructions they should be prepared to discuss it face to face at an exhibition so there is no excuse for their behaviour at Kettering and I disagree that they should be given the benefit of the doubt.