Supply me!

Originally posted 9/12/2009

I popped down to my local model shop today, mainly because I haven't been in since september and the proprietor is a nice guy. His speciality is diecast, so I never really expect to walk out with much, but he can order a fair selection including many scenic ranges. Today's goals were a forklift and the Ratio gantry crane.

We both thought I was in luck, but the item in stock turned out to be the loco lift, and I need something with a wider span. So, while I was in store, he phoned the distributor. None in stock. They can get them by March... I ordered the forklift anyway, as it won't hold anything up nor even be attached to the layout. It's not even certain if the forklift will come- the distributer isn't reliable.

This isn't an uncommon stituation, and it's why largely I've turned to mail order since moving to NZ. I once ordered some Peco 3rd rail insulator chairs, and they took three months to come. I don't really blame the shops, as I've never expected any store to have every last odd bit I want in stock, and I've always been happy to order the bits knowing I can have them in hand pretty well as quickly as by mail order. But if the wholesalers don't keep a good stock level, what hope do the shops have of satisfying customer requirements? We're not talking esoteric items either, I've ordered all my track from Hattons and Lokshop as there was apparantly no code 75 available in NZ. Not exactly an unusual product of limited appeal.

I really want to support my local dealer, so there's somewhere to go when I want rail joiners (not that these are even reliably available!) or paints, but given a choice of a wait of months for inflated prices (NZ$200 [£87] for a Hornby 155? Ouch!) to buy locally or a week for the same item for far less from a British or German supplier, there isn't really a choice at all. The only trouble with German items is ordering enough to make the postage charge worthwhile- Deutsche Post/DHL have much higher base charges than Royal Mail.

On a lighter, non-whingy note, I today booked my flights and accomodation for the National Model Railway Convention in Christchurch at Easter. This will be a new experience for me, I gather it's a bit like something like scaleforum in format, but for all scales, outlines and eras. Should be interesting!