29th May 2014 – ‘L’ Class / Exhibitions / Etc

29TH MAY 2014 – ‘L’ CLASS / EXHIBITIONS / ETC

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AUSTRALIA’S PREMIER RAILWAY MODELLING MAGAZINE IS ON THE NEWS-STANDS

READ ABOUT US IN

We will be attending the

TOOWOOMBA MODEL TRAIN SHOW THIS COMING WEEKEND

IN CONJUNCTION WITH PGC SCALE MODELS & BLACK DIAMOND MODELS

Founders Pavilion

Toowoomba Showgrounds

Clive Bergofer Events Centre

Glenvale Road, Toowomba, QLD

TOOWOMBA

31st MAY – 1st JUNE

SEE US ALSO AT

EPPING

7th, 8th & 9th JUNE

‘L’ CLASS

The response to the release of the ‘L’ class has been nothing short of spectacular and so SRM would like to extend our thank to our many supporters for your early orders.

Just a reminder that our launch was in association with

MOTIVE POWER MAGAZINE – ISSUE 93

which includes a special offer to their subscribers.

In our first run of this model we have tried to present a cross section of the prototype to satisfy customers from every state. We labelled it “first run” because we confidently think there will be considerable support for a further run in some other fabulous liveries.

Here are some of them

For a chance to win the loco of your choice from the first run absolutely FREE

be one of the first 100 customers to EMAIL YOUR TOP 6 REQUESTS for the 2nd run to

Lclass@southernrailmodels.com.au

Noting your name / address / phone no & e-mail address.

Winner will be drawn from a barrel of the first 100 emails received. WE WILL KEEP THIS OPEN FOR 1 MONTH ONLY.

In answer to a number of questions & matters raised on our web site, facebook, forums etc. the Australian market for all gauges roughly looks like this:

NSW 42%; VIC 25%; QLD 15%; SA 8%; WA 5%; OTHERS 5%

Off course, this doesn’t reflect all the facts. Many modellers will collect or run models of prototypes from other states. My own collection includes around 10 or 12 locos from overseas manufactures including BHPB & some hand-painted Hamersley Iron. However it really is up to the Sandgropers to get behind both the “L” class & the DFZ class being produced by Southern Rail Models.

And why not? Auscision have previously announced many WA freight wagons ( I know they run through to other states -which is why they are supported ) but they originate in WA so why not model your own State in HO 16.5mm or 12mm

Just on the DFZ class, it is out of the question to produce a plastic RTR WA loco in Sn3½. There just isn’t the volume to support the cost. However if you are interested in the DFZ class in HO scale 12mm gauge please email me at info@southernrailmodels.com.au with your request.

NPRY CEMENT HOPPERS

Despite SDS models jumping the gun on SRM with this model which we very clearly announced some 8 or 9 months ago – long before they started their tooling – we will be continuing with the model. Again, we appreciate our valuable clients and indeed many new clients since the Hobson’s Bay Exhibition for their continued support and confidence in placing their orders for what they obviously believe will be a model of the superior quality and detail that is associated with Southern Rail Models.                   (Don’t fall of your perch Terry Flynn).

Tooling is well & truly on the way and we expect running samples in about 6 weeks and the model to be available around August.

The pre delivery price remains at $215.00 a 4 car set ($53.75 per wagon). That’s around 14% better priced than the competition.

V/LOCITY

Unpainted, full running samples will be arriving today, Thursday. We will spend some time evaluating them but we expect production to commence in around two weeks so we are still on track (excuse the pun) for a Caulfield release.

VIC TANK CARS & NEW TRACKSIDE RANGE

We are getting closer & closer but our frustration continues. Chinese customs are now making life difficult as they are holding up DHL sample deliveries including our new TRACKSIDE range. Not even anyone in China can give us an explanation and we have been told it might be three weeks before we see them.

We are doing our best but Murphy’s law does have its way sometimes.

We are hoping our luck changes and they arrive in time for the Epping Exhibition

OPEN LETTER TO THE HOBSON’S BAY EXHIBITION COMMITTEE

Just recently SRM received an invitation to Exhibit at the 2015 Exhibition. We understand from other sources that the booking for the 2015 exhibition was made at the same time as the booking for 2014.

If this is the case why did you canvas all the retailers/major model suppliers for our views on the 2014 exhibition as they don’t seem to count?

I personally canvassed all of these suppliers at the 2014 Exhibition & like the 2012 exhibition it could only be classified as an unmitigated financial disaster despite anyone publicly proclaiming it a success. The costs to all the interstate suppliers (Austrains, Auscision, On Track SDS, SRM, & Eureka ) in particular far outweighed the return.

I advised your committee in 2012 that irrespective of previous successes for the Hobson’s Bay Exhibition, times are changing and organisations need to adapt to those changes.

I outlined to you in 2012 what I considered to be problems associated with the Exhibition. They included:

An inappropriate venue because it had no parking Public Transport to the venue was also difficult. The date of the Easter weekend is unsatisfactory for a number of reasons:

A) As a Christian family we have a preference for recognising & participating in the significance of Good Friday in the Christian Calender – not setting up Exhibitions.

B) The same can be said for the Sunday Christian celebrations – also applicable to the public

C) As a person with some marketing experience gained over 40 years why would you want
to reduce your potential exposure with over 600,000 Melbournians escaping not only for the weekend but for the school holidays.

D) Three day shows are not necessarily the best shows. You get more people through the door over a two day show than what you get over the first two days of a three day show, significantly reducing costs by a third & increasing profits E.G. Refer the Brisbane Exhibition.

Regarding the 2014 Exhibition, I thought the venue was good but significantly let down by the lack of transport from the tram stop to the site & poor local internal signage. I am unsure of the success of any public advertising but I would suggest far more street advertising is required & greater use of free community advertising on radio, TV & newspapers.

Seriously, my colleagues & I suggested another weekend such as the previous weekend which should be available as it falls into the school holidays, would capture a lot more people before they go on holidays & make it a two day show. Our observations where that we had a good number of modellers through on the Saturday but not enough. The Sunday crowd was mostly the same suspects but fewer of them whilst Monday was a family day but again more required. More layouts would also help.

We are all aware of the difficulties with venues, dates etc. We are also aware of a number of retailers who have already indicated they will not be participating in 2015. This is also the position we are considering and will not be rushing to confirm our participation. For these reasons, Southern Rail respectfully request that the committee reconsider the suggested dates for 2015.

Yours sincerely

Rob Stevenson. MD

Southern Rail Models

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