Modelworks Administration

[Shawki Shlemon]

I am not a model works builder but to my thinking the least the company awe's their customers is to publish the design for all the parts and make it available free of charge to their customers and then they in turn can find a way to make these parts or have them made by someone and the tragedy will be less hurtful .This will also restore confidence in this type of business .

[pcplod]

That's an excellent idea Shawki if it was only bits that other modellers could help out with in their workshops.

But many of these poor folk seem to have laid out substantial sums for things they haven't received - and it seems from reading between the lines of Dean's comments that it's the boilers which are lacking and not many of us want to make boilers for ourselves, far less others.

Plod

[qwerty01]

What happened when Winsons went belly-up? Did people with part built models get the opportunity to complete them or is there still lots of half built Winson engines out there?

I have got a Winson Ruston & Proctor which I have bought as a project and had never steamed. Much of the detail design on it is appalling and most of the fittings have now been replaced. The crank pump was a brass body with a brass ram and the boiler inspector condemned the safety valves just by looking at the design! Now steamed it half a dozen times and slowly getting there.

Anyone else got one of these machines?

[the_viffer]

In many if not all cases people were offered completion kits (at substantially higher than the plainly uneconomical rates offered by Winson).

As for safety valves well I bought a loco some time ago with a then current Southern Fed certificate. It failed an accumulation test when tested and I had to make a proper safety valve before it was safe to use. So far as I heard the problem with Winson valves was that they were more than effective and likely to dump from SWP to slightly below atmospheric before closing.

As some of you know I tend to speak as I find and sometimes in rather forthright terms. I think however it is unfortunate to compare Winson with ModelWorks so aggressively and, on the whole, there is a deal to be said for not scaring off the punters who might be inclined to buy the residue of MW. Sure the purchaser might not be able to help but if we scare them off and there is no purchaser then no one will help.

[steamfittings]

Hi All,

One of the idea's behind mine and Steve's new venture was that a full set of drawings would be available to purchase, this will at least restore a little confidence so should anything then happen, the drawings will be available to enable completion of an engine part way through.

We also plan to sell individual parts rather than have stock sitting on the shelf (better for cashflow) plus we've considered selling each kit at different amounts rather than a fixed price. This way customers only receive what they have paid for and what the kit is worth. The overall price would remain the same, but as an example a tyre kit might cost £150 but a boiler kit £2000. This is only a start though and everything is currently just in the idea stage, we have many other ideas to help protect any current or potential customer in the future. Hopefully all this will all become clear if we are successful in aquiring our bit from the administrator.

Regards

Dean

[alexinsuffolk]

Dean,

I think you should go and have a look at www.Steamcar.net (discussion forums) as it would appear there are some lika builders on there, who seem to be missing bits and bobs.

Perhaps they would appreciate your efforts to supply parts/ info or even the hint of drawings.
Regards

Alex

[steamfittings]

Thank you Alex,

I'll go on and see if i can help.

Regards

Dean

[durhambuilder]

I must admit I like Dean's idea of selling individual bits, If for example I could buy plans, a CNC'd cylinder, crank and other bits and bobs I'd be happy to make the rest or buy the odd bit here and there.

[alexinsuffolk]

Yes
I have to be honest a Likamobile that way would be the way for me to go to, as at the moment business is a bit quiet, so I could buy and build as required or as the ££££ allow.
Also could make some of our own bits and bobs to modify it to our tastes.
So probably good if it can be done.
Alex

[Boadicea]

Jun 9, 2008 20:21:22 GMT durhambuilder said:

I must admit I like Dean's idea of selling individual bits, If for example I could buy plans, a CNC'd cylinder, crank and other bits and bobs I'd be happy to make the rest or buy the odd bit here and there.

But he would not make any money would he!

Excellent opportunity for some of you guys to buy T-V's 14XX and manufacture the remaining kits and sell them to those needing them.

Maybe it is time for t_vWorks.

[steam4ian]

G'day all.

I have no involvement of any type with Modelworks. Unless I win a lottery I will never be able to buy a kit loco; maybe a "Ruby".

I reading these sad posts I see an opportunity for the steam/model fraternity to pitch in and help those who are stuck.

For those who are skilled machinists and have time there are lots of bits to make. I am sure equitable arrangements could be made for reimbursement, barter and trade to avoid tax. This the opportunity for some to stop looking down their noses at "cheque book engineers" and help them along the way. It is the time for cheque book engineers (sorry guy, gals) to gain some skills and make some of the parts.

Modelworks demise is a sad lesson in how the fraternity must support its suppliers. Few people deliberately put themselves through the bankruptcy court! At the same time a prudent business owner has his assets isolated from the day to day business activities; I have my house in my wife's name and run a limited company simply to firewall my limited assets from any professional indemnity claims.

I wish well those who are facing loss and hope we can sort them out.
Best wishes to anybody, including Dean, who is trying to salvage the situation.

Regards,
Ian

[gcbil]

I have so far just read this thread with interest, but cannot really now keep quite. Steam4Ian's view really depends on what side of the fence you are. Keeping the assets 'ringfenced' may be OK for the likes of MW's chairman and directors but provide no protection whatsoever for people like myself who now find themselves in the list of creditors. With no assets, the Administrator has no way of raising any substantial cash value to pay creditors who now stand to loose everything. In my case that means not only the model (returned to MW for fix ) but also the substantial purchase price. I am sure that Mr Jones is in fact laughing all the way to the bank.

[Boadicea]

gcbil, I think yours is a particularly unfortunate case - once the doors of MW are shut then whatever is in there is in the domain of the administrator. If you have suitable receipts, you can argue the loco belongs to you and was on loan to MW during the repair period, and demand it be returned. You mention the bank - well, of course, they will get their cash first and anything left over will go to the other creditors - so how much the business is supported by loans determines how much of any assets sold will actually be seen by REAL people.

As Alan says, everyone will have to be patient and wait, which is very frustrating. Administrators, like all admin people, take forever to do nothing and then do it wrong.

Steam4ian makes some good points about kit builders helping themselves and being helped. Presumably many bought a kit because they wanted to be up and running in a far shorter time than scratch building. The prospect of setting up a workshop, if they have the skills, is more costly than writing off their experience so far. For the scratchers to help them would take much organisation, the bits would be of variable quality from different sources and to get them all fitting together, assembled by an unskilled person - well, challenging, but possible.

A grim situation - but they do not need me to tell them that, and it takes a great deal of sympathy to fill a pint mug.

[alanstepney]

gcbil, If you have not already done so, you should contact the Administrator immediately.
Personally, I would phone then follow it up with a letter.

You will find Alan Clifton to be a resonable guy, and I am sure he will do his best to help you.
That particular model is YOURS, and does not belong to the company, and so it is essential that you let them know so that it is not assumed to be normal stock.

[ron]

This is a sad story and I hate to be a pessimist but as a relative newcomer to model engineering I have been quite disappointed with some of the dealings I have had with model engineering suppliers [with honourable exceptions] I wouldn't be surprised if more go the way of Modelworks. Certainly anything of any great value I order from now on will be paid by credit card.
Ron

[steamfittings]

Hi gcbil,

Just to let you know, any models that were at the factory that i knew for certain belonged to customers and not MW's, i've labelled with their name and details. Therefore if your model was genuinely there to be fixed i am sure it will have your name and details on it and i'm certain in time there will be no issue with the return or collection should the administrator allow. I also did this for as many kits as i could that had been paid for by customers and were put 'on hold' awaiting delivery or collection.

Good Luck and Regards

Dean

[kiltman20]

Thanks Dean:

That's great to know as both Colin and I had kits awaiting delivery.

Rob M.

[qwerty01]

A lot of people look down their noses at Maxitrak and their products, but they have been trading for 30 odd years and have diversified and spread their market into spares, materials, second hand and repainting. Maybe anyone who does consider taking the MW business over could look at that business model and learn a little. The engines may not be the same size, detail and status on the rally field as the 4 1/2" Burrell or Foden lorry but the proof is in the pudding. There is loads of them out there, they generally go like buggery and the company has traded through good economic times and bad for a sustained period of time.

[the_viffer]

Jun 10, 2008 16:54:24 GMT Boadicea said:

But he would not make any money would he!

Excellent opportunity for some of you guys to buy T-V's 14XX and manufacture the remaining kits and sell them to those needing them.

Maybe it is time for t_vWorks.

I've always liked you, Boadicea.

[jvas]

Hi All,

Any news on the Modelworks front? Any solutions found?

Jeremy