Hornby Magazine - Stove R Project – last chance to register! Options

[Doug]

Hornby Magazine’s Stove R project has been popular since it launched in HM October 2009, but we are still someway short of the number of registrations that we need to make the model a reality. Dapol will be producing the Stove R for Hornby Magazine, but it will only be available directly from the magazine’s publisher Ian Allan Publishing.

In order to produce the LMS Stove R we need to receive 3,000 registrations to make it a viable proposition, but as it stands we currently only have around 1,000 potential orders and the deadline for registration has now been set as November 25 2009. If we don’t receive the required level of interest we will not be able to take the project forward. On the other hand, if modellers come forward the model could be ready for the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition in 2010.

Hornby Magazine Editor Mike Wild said: "Even though it is only a month since we launched the project, crunch time is already looming. We want the model to be produced and for it to be a success, but the economics mean that we need to have expressions of interest in the region of 3,000 to make it viable to produce.

"Anyone who has been involved in production of a ready-to-run model will tell you that there is a large risk involved in producing it. The initial set-up costs are high and this is why we have invited readers to express their interest in the Stove R through a dedicated e-mail address and postal address."

All you need to do to register your interest in the Stove R is send an e-mail to stoverproject@wildcomms.com stating how many models you would be interested in and include your postal address, daytime telephone number and e-mail address. We are not asking for money yet, as the model will not be produced unless the right level of interest is received. Registering interest does not commit you to buy later.

If you aren’t able to register by e-mail you can write to Stove R Project, Hornby Magazine, PO Box 945, Peterborough PE1 9ER.

[Stanier6256]

Hmm. I think I foresaw a result like this. The Stove'R' was a relatively rare beast. You didn't find it on passenger trains as a rule - mostly on fitted freights. As the producer of an etched kit for this very attractive vehicle I can vouch for the fact that not many modellers really want one. I re-ran my kit recently for the benefit of readers of this group and got excatly twelve takers - all of whom got a kit. If I say I'll do something, I do it - though I did lose money on it. However I don't expect to see many more of my etched kits out there any time soon. I advertised on two other forums and got no takers at all.

Alistair Wright
'5522' Models

[Doug]

Why was it called a Stove? Was it a stove on wheels with a permanent pot of tea on the go?

[80class]

It seems there have been quite a few people sending emails to the address recently! Just tried to express my interest but the email bounced back due to the the inbox being full! ( SMPT ERROR: Recipient address rejected: Mailbox message count quota exceeded, please try again later. )

Looks like I'll be trying again later then!

Rob

[Mike Wild]

It seems there have been quite a few people sending emails to the address recently! Just tried to express my interest but the email bounced back due to the the inbox being full! ( SMPT ERROR: Recipient address rejected: Mailbox message count quota exceeded, please try again later. )

Looks like I'll be trying again later then!

Rob

Hi guys, I'm on the case with the Mailbox so that you can send your e-mails. All being well it will be back up and running within the hour. I'll put a post up once it is sorted.

Thanks for your patience.

Mike.

[Mike Wild]

Right, I'm back and so is stoverproject@wildcomms.com

The mailbox will be downloaded daily, so this problem shouldn't re-occur.

Again thank you for your patience and please keep the e-mails coming!

Mike

[Richard Johnson]

***To save any more E's to mailbox or direct.... has my interest been received?

Regards

Richard

[80class]

I've resent my request, hopefully the project will end up running!

Rob

[Stanier6256]

Why was it called a Stove? Was it a stove on wheels with a permanent pot of tea on the go?

It did indeed have a stove. If you found yourself guard on a fitted freight or parcels train which terminated in a standard BG and it was winter time you would soon be frozen because a BG at the end of a train like that would have no steam heating. The vehicles in front would probably not all have steam heat pipes. If on the other hand you found yourself in a Stove 'R' you were laughing as a shovel full or two of coal off the loco, and some live coals, and you would be snug as a bug in a rug. For this reason these little vans were kidnapped by all the other companies and spent long periods off the LMS to the chagrin of LMS guards. The 'R' I think referred to the fact that they were 3 inches narrower than standard coaching stock and therefore could go to places where bogie vehicles were banned.

The goods brake vans had stoves of course, but they were draughty and rode very badly at speeds above 20 mph, so again the 'R' was the vehicle of choice.

The Stove was seldom seen on the end of passenger trains because six wheelers with their short wheelbase can get a terrible wagging on the end of a fast train, and I guess the guards on those trains would complain if they were expected to ride in one.

BTW looking at the 3d solid model on the Hornby site I would suggest Simon K has a good look at the end of a real Stove 'R' as the right hand handrail and steps on the model are quite different to those on the real thing . Pity to get it wrong, just supposing this project goes ahead. There are quite a few of these vehicles in preservation so there is no excuse for getting it wrong. I expect Paul Bartlett's photo site will have loads of pictures.

Alistair Wright
LMS Society coaching stock Steward

[Mike Bellamy]

... looking at the 3d solid model on the Hornby site I would suggest Simon K has a good look at the end of a real Stove 'R' as the right hand handrail and steps on the model are quite different to those on the real thing . Pity to get it wrong, just supposing this project goes ahead. There are quite a few of these vehicles in preservation so there is no excuse for getting it wrong. I expect Paul Bartlett's photo site will have loads of pictures.

Alistair Wright, LMS Society coaching stock Steward

Sorry Alistair - is there some confusion here - isn't it the Hornby Magazine (Ian Allan) who are commissioning Dapol to produce this - and if so then Simon from Hornby Manufacturing wouldn't be involved. Isn't it Dave Jones (??) at Dapol who needs to take note of this?

I hope that Mike Wild is monitoring this topic and ensures that Dapol correct the error you have pointed out.

Mike

[Stanier6256]

Whoever. I merely wanted to point out a potential error. I don't think it makes a lot of difference who is going to produce this - I doubt very much that the 3000+ subscriptions will be achieved by Dapol. Even if they are I would be very afraid, very very afraid, as my experience is that punters will say they would like something and then when it comes out they don't buy it. No target price has been mentioned AFAIK and when it is I fear many 'subscribers' will melt away. The correct way to do this kind of marketing (a method I use personally for '5522') is to call for deposits. When enough have arrived to cover the tooling the project starts and not before. I've only had one non-starter in 25 years but I never lost money on a kit either and my cash flow was always positive. In the early days of '5522' I used to listen to what people asked for at shows, and sometimes I actually produced the kit they suggested. After it took me twelve years to dispose of a batch of LMS Dining cars I realised that that kind of market research is unsafe. Dapol may find this out shortly I think.

It is somewhat ironic that apart from those wretched dining cars the only other kit I did which 'stuck' was my Stove 'R' done way back about 1988. A recent re-run of it (re-tooled and upgraded)produced only 12 takers.

Alistair W

[Manfred Ebinger]

Alastair Wright produces an etched kit of the stove R, so I can understand the poor sales. Not veryone can put these together and achiieve a finish like the present crop of ready to run models.
However, if recent history is anything to go by, any ready to run model of something unusual, such as the stove R seems to fly off the shelves.
Finally, I have been able to get an email through to register an interest in this model.

[Tomstrains]

What Liverys are they going to be in (if they are ever done at all)

[Mike Wild]

We're planning to produce the Stove R in the following liveries:

LMS with maroon ends
LMS with black ends
BR crimson
BR maroon (without lining which is accurate for the vehicle)
BR blue

E-mails are continuing to flow in to the registration inbox and while there have been a lot more since the news story on this and other forums, but there is still a little way to go. If you haven't registered yet and you want to see the Stove R produced then please do drop a line stoverproject@wildcomms.com

Also we will be taking registrations at the Spalding Model Railway Exhibition on November 14/15 and Warley National Model Railway Exhibition on November 21/22, so if you want to speak to us in person then that is the time.

I'd also like to repeat that registering your interest in no way commits you to buying the model in the future.

Cheers,

Mike

[spaceship]

..........However, if recent history is anything to go by, any ready to run model of something unusual, such as the stove R seems to fly off the shelves.
Finally, I have been able to get an email through to register an interest in this model.

I tend to agree with you Manfred; unusual vehicles do seem to be popular these days, and I have a feeling that this particular one will be no exception. I like it, and I think will add some extra interest to (ex) LMS passenger trains; and other companies as well, as I understand from what Alistair wrote. Woow.. kidnapping vans by other companies...I'll be darned

Well, I think I am going to 'register my interest' as well, folks.

Btw we are talking about OO gauge here, right?

Greets to all
Jos