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Steve Webb Models - gone.


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15 hours ago, Paul Marsh said:

Worst day, Steve Webb Models have closed. A very dark day and can't see much hope for modeling now.

 

https://www.stevewebb.co.uk

A bit OTT to link the closure of a single retailer with the total demise of our hobby. Certainly another of very many model shops that have gone over the last decade, but I'd have thought that all this is inevitable considering how our hobby is continuing to contract. Fewer punters and too many shops chasing less business can only mean one thing - look at your own high street for evidence of that. Those model shops that remain will pick up SW's on-line business and may well benefit somewhat. A nuisance for those locals that used the shop personally, but as with many other bricks and mortar outlets selling all manner of stuff, they're just not getting the revenue anymore.

A golf shop opened near me a couple of years ago and has now gone. All manner of small shops selling, what appears to me to be very niche products also come and go - no doubt at considerable financial loss to the owner. The mystic shop that appeared in our town and sold all sorts of hocus-pocus rubbish lasted a year and then folded -obviously they never saw that coming!

Our hobby is still declining from its 'happy time' of a few decades ago, but will endure albeit in a much changed and smaller form.

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Quite true along with suppliers to the shop not stocking products, even advertising new products at really good prices, with only 10 or so in the warehouse. Sold out overnight, no date when they are due in stock again, if ever.  

 

Sc09 hornet glow motor a fine example for instance.......advertised on recent rcme mamon page, UK supplier sold out, no restock date, what a way to run a railway.....

 

 

 

 

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On a very personal note, I shall pursue this hobby until the day I die, or sooner if I unexpectedly become severely incapacitated. It's no exaggeration to say that it has been the single most important factor in keeping my sanity over the years.

Edited by Futura57
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8 minutes ago, Futura57 said:

On a very personal note, I shall pursue this hobby until the day I die, or sooner if I unexpectedly become severely incapacitated. It's no exaggeration to say that it has been the single most important factor in keeping my sanity over the years.

Too true......I started with model aircraft when I was a very young child and in the following sixty or so years what with work, marriage, houses, mortgage, children, illnesses, declining health and the general worries of life, have found it to be a wonderful distraction. Never had a break in all the years as some do. During a very worrying time some thirty years ago, the only time that my mind was clear was over the field, chatting to mates and helping out as normal - flying a model is totally absorbing with 100% concentration needed so brilliant for blocking out all the other rubbish going on.

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24 minutes ago, Rich Griff said:

Quite true along with suppliers to the shop not stocking products, even advertising new products at really good prices, with only 10 or so in the warehouse. Sold out overnight, no date when they are due in stock again, if ever.  

 

Sc09 hornet glow motor a fine example for instance.......advertised on recent rcme mamon page, UK supplier sold out, no restock date, what a way to run a railway.....

 

 

 

 

 

5 units in stock at Leeds Model Shop. What a way to run a railway!

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tbh, I'm surprised there are ANY brick and mortar model shops at all - footfall must be low, and falling; business rates high; parking for high street shops is expensive etc. etc..

 

Sadly, I think it's all going to be internet based within 5 years or so. Which is a shame when it comes to more expensive stuff...... 

 

For my own part, in the last 6 years I haven't set foot in a model shop, but have bought numerous items, large and small, online, from all th major retailers that do online.

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Thanks Alan, been doing the rounds since I posted, yes 5 in stock, brilliant stock control system that shows actual stock, until the *sale* button pressed, then stock updated ( other retailers take note !!!! ) , offered at 50p less than my usual nail order shop, oh my head is in a spin.....but not carriage free over £100....can't have everything I suppose.....

 

Lms, was that a railway company ?

 

Hope my paid order in "my" shop can be refunded......

 

Maybe lms will be my first port of call in future but I recon thier supply is the mamon page.

 

Thanks Alan, very much appreciated, thanks.

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1 hour ago, Rich Griff said:

Quite true along with suppliers to the shop not stocking products, even advertising new products at really good prices, with only 10 or so in the warehouse. Sold out overnight, no date when they are due in stock again, if ever.  

 

Sc09 hornet glow motor a fine example for instance.......advertised on recent rcme mamon page, UK supplier sold out, no restock date, what a way to run a railway.....

 

 

 

 

That has nothing whatsoever  to do with Webbies, Their mail order system was excellent at showing which items were in stock and every mail order that I ever had from there was a perfect trouble free transaction.

 

Might be an idea to save your  recounting of having repeated failures to do something as simple as actually find something online, order it and actually go on and use it,  for a different thread.

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1 hour ago, GrumpyGnome said:

tbh, I'm surprised there are ANY brick and mortar model shops at all - footfall must be low, and falling; business rates high; parking for high street shops is expensive etc. etc..

 

Sadly, I think it's all going to be internet based within 5 years or so. Which is a shame when it comes to more expensive stuff...... 

 

For my own part, in the last 6 years I haven't set foot in a model shop, but have bought numerous items, large and small, online, from all th major retailers that do online.

The market will steady itself over the coming years. My guess is that we'll wind up with just a handful of high street model shops nationwide, and those remaining will be the larger businesses that we're familiar with now and who also have a good internet store. I'm not going to speculate on the ones that I believe won't survive, after all that's just me guessing, but I do see the internet only stores also needing to watch out as well.

 

 

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Hi leccy,

If the shop says stock is in *shadow stock* taking a few days to arrive, and does actually arrive, fair enough .

 

For a shop supplier to say they have no particular stock in stock, an no idea when it will come into stock, what then.....no stock for the shop to sell, but advertised as "being available from supplier"....

 

Anyways trying Leeds model shop, better known as model shop Leeds, if I can get them to answer the phone 0113 264 6117.....

 

Have a great day my friend 🤓

Edited by Rich Griff
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8 minutes ago, Rich Griff said:

Hi leccy,

If the shop says stock is in *shadow stock* taking a few days to arrive, and does actually arrive, fair enough .

 

For a shop supplier to say they have no particular stock in stock, an no idea when it will come into stock, what then.....no stock for the shop to sell, but advertised as "being available from supplier"....

 

Anyways trying Leeds model shop, better known as model shop Leeds, if I can get them to answer the phone 0113 264 6117.....

 

Have a great day my friend 🤓

Then they are telling you what the situation is, with regards to their stock levels.

 

In other words Its. Out. Of. Stock.

 

 

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Then why do the shops advertise a product as being for sale ( ignoring all sales of goods acts stuff for now, a different and very big bag of sweets, some being bitter lemons ) , some times described as being "in stock" ( no problem ), as being "in shadow stock" ( being in stock with shop suppliers ), again no problem as long as supplier actually has the product in stock, just taking a few days to get to shop then to you ( or me ) or some other similar supply situation wording, such as "stock due dec25th" etc.,   

but

to advertise the product for sale when the shop supplier does not have the product in stock, and/or no idea when the product will come back into stock with them, if ever,  after a very recent very expensive rcme double page glossy advert......the mamon page.....

 

are they gunna do a ripmsc soon I wonder....

 

Hopefully MSL can supply as long as they have the stuff in stock......😁, Hopefully thier stock control system is a modern real time one unlike the old *update overnight* systems that are still out there....they were good in the day but data was always 24 hours old......how many tins of beans ???

 

If the shops cannot get the stock, they have nothing to sell.

 

In servo shop/ webbies case, who knows why they have closed......only hope it's not related to a health issue.....

 

 

I have a feeling they will reappear on the web high street as they have vast amounts of experience......anf good will related stuff,  commodities not to be thrown away.

 

Yes I have purchased from them.

 

Have I purchased thro the likes of hobby king, NO, never.....

 

Have model shops purchased thro the likes of hobby king, then to me/us, probably.......

 

I would love to purchase 2 X paw engines, but price forces me to go with SC 09 hornet....

 

Onward and upward 🤓 with a good, nicely flared out landing.

 

 

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38 minutes ago, Rich Griff said:

Then why do the shops advertise a product as being for sale ( ignoring all sales of goods acts stuff for now, a different and very big bag of sweets, some being bitter lemons ) , some times described as being "in stock" ( no problem ), as being "in shadow stock" ( being in stock with shop suppliers ), again no problem as long as supplier actually has the product in stock, just taking a few days to get to shop then to you ( or me ) or some other similar supply situation wording, such as "stock due dec25th" etc.,   

but

to advertise the product for sale when the shop supplier does not have the product in stock, and/or no idea when the product will come back into stock with them, if ever,  after a very recent very expensive rcme double page glossy advert......the mamon page.....

 

are they gunna do a ripmsc soon I wonder....

 

Hopefully MSL can supply as long as they have the stuff in stock......😁, Hopefully thier stock control system is a modern real time one unlike the old *update overnight* systems that are still out there....they were good in the day but data was always 24 hours old......how many tins of beans ???

 

If the shops cannot get the stock, they have nothing to sell.

 

In servo shop/ webbies case, who knows why they have closed......only hope it's not related to a health issue.....

 

 

I have a feeling they will reappear on the web high street as they have vast amounts of experience......anf good will related stuff,  commodities not to be thrown away.

 

Yes I have purchased from them.

 

Have I purchased thro the likes of hobby king, NO, never.....

 

Have model shops purchased thro the likes of hobby king, then to me/us, probably.......

 

I would love to purchase 2 X paw engines, but price forces me to go with SC 09 hornet....

 

Onward and upward 🤓 with a good, nicely flared out landing.

 

 

 

What on earth are you talking about? It surely cannot have anything to do with Webbies - AFAIK they haven't run a glossy two page advert in quite some time. Maybe someone else knows what a mamon page is, but I'm not seeing any relevance to this topic.

 

This sort of stream of consciousness posting is completely off topic in this thread, and you are dragging in all sorts of irrelevant nonsense that is nothing to do with the topic of this thread, but more related to your own frequently posted diatribes which seem to come out every time you say that you are looking to purchase something.

 

We get it - you have an issue with suppliers and you seem to run into issues at every stage in the process, but unless Webbies was one of those suppliers it's irrelevant to this thread and your baseless speculations aren't helping.

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1 hour ago, kc said:

Steve Webb used to be the Enya importer or main agent didn't they?   Is there any other agent for Enya engines and spares now?   Or do Enya even make engines now!

 

 

You can still purchase Enya engines and spare parts direct from Japan. Ken Enya speaks good English and responds to emails promptly. But production of new engines is strictly limited and sporadic.

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I first went to SWM before I could even drive - and actually cycled the 26 miles from Congleton to Frodsham to visit the shop. Occasionally when we were out with the family I managed to pursuade my dad to do a detour to the shop and bought my first OS40FP engine then and JR 517 servo with the little money I had then (My dad bought the 517 servo as I didn't have enough) and Steve Webb actually remembers it, as he was serving the shop back then - we talked about it a couple of weeks ago.

So I have been going to the shop 35 years or so and feel I've lost a friend...

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I delayed posting as it is like losing friends. My association with Webbie.s has been on many levels not just as a customer but supporter, reporter, and contributor almost since they first opened in 'the small shop with the stock'. Working in Frodsham myself many a lunch break could see me walking the five minutes to pick up bits and pieces and a friendly chat with the crew. I know this will have been a most difficult decision and wish AL, Steve, Aidy and all the team my very best wishes and thanks for there fabulous effort and contribution to our hobby over the years which has so often gone over and above the norm. They should all be very proud and will remain life long friends. Linds

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6 hours ago, kc said:

Steve Webb used to be the Enya importer or main agent didn't they?   Is there any other agent for Enya engines and spares now?   Or do Enya even make engines now!

 

 

Enya are still alive and well.

 

They just released this new .35 http://www.enya-engine.com/store156C_1/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=625

 

Nice and lightweight as it's based on the .25 crankcase.

 

Here in Oz service direct from Japan is fast and reliable. It also used to be a bit cheaper than when we had a single distributor 🙃

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11 hours ago, Christopher Wolfe said:

Enya are still alive and well.

 

They just released this new .35 http://www.enya-engine.com/store156C_1/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=625

 

Nice and lightweight as it's based on the .25 crankcase.

 

Here in Oz service direct from Japan is fast and reliable. It also used to be a bit cheaper than when we had a single distributor 🙃

Actually the Enya SS series were first released in the very late 1980s! Granted the version you link to has a funky new cylinder head. The original range had an SS25 and SS30 aero, while the 35 was reserved for helis where it was up against the OS 32.

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Hi Ken, as said, Ken enya, enya Japan.

 

Air mail for the parts I ordered was not expensive and arrived more quickly than some UK based suppliers !

 

As a matter of interest, what engine please ?

 

You are aware if the little end arrangement on the smaller enya engines ?

 

May be, to quieten the forum god's🌡️, a new thread on your enya ?

 

Thank you lms, model shop Leeds, they phoned me !

 

Order on way !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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