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N Gauge Class 390 Pendolino (post Kickstarter) with Rapido


Revolution Ben
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It may come down to how those who have pledged for multiple sets getting things across the line.

 

If some who have done this are willing to though advertise them first on the forums or offer them to people in your situation Steve, at a good price even pre-arranged then they have got a sale for sure and you get one at more cost to yourself but not playing Ebay roulette trying to get one and hoping you don't have to sell your soul to the devil to get one!

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What's the criteria for the time frame in which the pledging period runs?  Obviously it can't just drag on until the figure is reached but can an extra reasonable period (e.g. another month) be added if it looks like word needs further time to spread?

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Richard is absolutely right - the Kickstarter period is set in stone - anything up to 60 days and we went for the maximum.  The point of that is precisely so things don't just keep dragging on, with constant extensions.

 

I think it's fair enough - from the start we have all known what's needed, known what's required and it's simple to explain.  This evening I contacted several NGS Area Group co-ordinators (in some cases following up emails) to ask them if they'd heard of the project, and if any of their members were interested.  I was surprised at the number who had not.  I firmly believe there are many, many modellers out there who don't know about this scheme but who would pledge for a Pendo if they knew.

 

So my message now is simple; if you support us please find as many people as you can - even those on the periphery of the hobby - to tell about the scheme.  Don't assume that others know, or that someone else has told them!  As I have said before, I would hate to come up 5K short and then have a dozen or more people tell me that if they'd only known they'd have pledged!

 

The key messages are:

 

*  We need no money now, and will only take money if the project is totally funded

*  Rapido offer quality: their N Gauge chassis is matched only by Kato quality according to CJM and their OO APT-E (the only product they've announced so far) is on schedule.

*  If we make it only those who pledged will get models; no orders will be taken afterwards.

*  The deadline is January 18th - it's all or nothing by then.

 

I know I am starting to sound a bit like a broken record though...!

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

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Morning All,

 

Just found something interesting which points out just how influential a successful kick start can be.

 

Last year there was a unsuccessful kickstart for a OO gauge GWR Railcar but it had a good patronage (sadly not good enough).

If you go to the Dapol website and look at the development page for OO you will see in final CAD design phase a GWR railcar it's fair to say coincidence maybe but Dapol may have seen that and said people want that kind of stuff lets give it to them!

 

So if Pendo fits what you want layout wise especially if you want AC locos well this can only make them listen harder to us seems that kickstart may have made them take a look at the possibilities!

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The Pendolino was "bagged" by Dapol many years ago but found itself on the back burner because of the "disappointing" sales of OHLE traction in N (and possibly in other scales too). What we are being offered now is a superbly specified train, a manufacturer with a quality track record, two committed project sponsors to manage delivery of the project, and the chance to acquire the train at "trade" prices.

 

Ever since the beginning the average pledge has been around £370 and with the current pattern we still need 20 new backers a day to hit the £210000. Although I am convinced there is a market for the N Pendolino informing those potential buyers means we have to get outside our comfort zone to find them. My MP is a member of the Transport Select Committee so she has had the treatment, and even so there must be plenty of HS2 supporters in parliament and elsewhere who are still unaware that the current West Coast train is going to be available if the Kickstarter succeeds. Getting them to part with £370 in the days after 18 January has to be our goal. Folk that I see socially are beginning to think I am mad about model trains, but it turns out some of them are too, but I never knew it. Walking around at Warley with publicity stuck to my shirt front, back and sleeves was outside my comfort zone, but the real impact only came when I spoke to people on a one-to-one basis and explained the whole project. It has been suggested that I swing through the Houses of Parliament on a rope during a televised debate but I am not yet convinced that would assist our cause. :no: :no: :no: :no:   but ......

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Morning All,

 

Just found something interesting which points out just how influential a successful kick start can be.

 

Last year there was a unsuccessful kickstart for a OO gauge GWR Railcar but it had a good patronage (sadly not good enough).

If you go to the Dapol website and look at the development page for OO you will see in final CAD design phase a GWR railcar it's fair to say coincidence maybe but Dapol may have seen that and said people want that kind of stuff lets give it to them!

 

So if Pendo fits what you want layout wise especially if you want AC locos well this can only make them listen harder to us seems that kickstart may have made them take a look at the possibilities!

 

 

It was N Gauge not OO.

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Hi , I doubled pledge the other week to get the poppy pendo so I really hope enough get on board or Rapido are willing to take the jump into the "dark." Funnily enough has been the resistance to the real train stopping co workers giving me time of day - flyers in office ignored. Also some Branson kick back experienced in other spheres!

 

Robert     

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Just found something interesting which points out just how influential a successful kick start can be.

 

Last year there was a unsuccessful kickstart for a OO gauge GWR Railcar but it had a good patronage (sadly not good enough).

If you go to the Dapol website and look at the development page for OO you will see in final CAD design phase a GWR railcar it's fair to say coincidence maybe but Dapol may have seen that and said people want that kind of stuff lets give it to them!

It was N Gauge not OO.

You are right, it was in N Gauge. I was the one who was running it. ;)

 

The Dapol railcar was not influenced by my Kickstarter. In fact, the reason I ran the kickstarter was that Dapol had announced they had no plans to scale down their 00 model to N Gauge.

 

In short, a good (but unsuccessful) Kickstarter is unlikely to persuade manufacturers. Rapido have indicated they may go ahead with production if the kickstarter is close but this woukd be at full RRP.

 

So to reiterate the point that others have made, our best chance to get a Pendolino is to ensure that this Kickstarter is sucessful. It is the only guaranteed way to get an N Gauge Pendolino and we will get it at a substantial discount compared to any other possibility.

 

Of course I realize I am probably preaching to the choir here. :D

Edited by Karhedron
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Upped my pledge from a 9 car to an 11 car set, can't manage two complete sets sadly, although if we're really close I may change to two 9-car non-DCC sets, as that's actually a fairly modest jump from an 11-car DCC-sound set!

 

Seems momentum is still quite high, so if this final push continues it does seem doable.

 

Cheers,

Nick

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Hallo,

I have just spoken to my preferred model shop whose owner has not pledged yet. I gave the full sales pitch, asked him to pledge für 10 or so.............

I have pledged for more than I want, speculating that there will be enough people in a year's time who "wished they had pledged" 

 

Still a long way to go GBP92K,

 

es grüßt

pc

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Not wishing to teach anyone to suck eggs, and no doubt Ben & Mike have thought of this, but perhaps firing off scattergun press releases to the national media? Some sort of time angle and how this is innovative but rail modellers are an eclectic bunch and aren't all web based? Or an angle about reshaping the model train market and how dynamic and 21st century the industry is embracing new ideas, aimed at  the business sections of the Telegraph, Times etc. competition for Hornby, Canadian invasion, any angle that gives some interest. Steph McGovern covers interesting business snippets on BBC Breakfast and tweets (no idea how that works though!)

 

Definitely send details to the Metro & Evening Standard (free paper in London) with a London rail angle - Virgin Euston etc. Huge numbers read those every day. RMT? Can they email their members or include in their newsletter emails if they have them?

 

If someone can offer themselves in person or by phone (I used to do radio phone interviews to promote events, hated it!) up for BBC Breakfast, local radio, anything.....I appreciate that puts pressure on the team but my experience of even slightly obscure projects/products is that any national coverage, especially TV puts a rocket under it. Perhaps a short interview with Rapido in Canada?

 

Offered in a spirit of keenness to get it over the line and brainstorming. I'm about to post to non-railway forums I'm on as there are modellers lurking out there!

 

Will be increasing my pledge imminently.

 

Tony

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Not wishing to teach anyone to suck eggs, and no doubt Ben & Mike have thought of this, but perhaps firing off scattergun press releases to the national media? Some sort of time angle and how this is innovative but rail modellers are an eclectic bunch and aren't all web based? Or an angle about reshaping the model train market and how dynamic and 21st century the industry is embracing new ideas, aimed at  the business sections of the Telegraph, Times etc. competition for Hornby, Canadian invasion, any angle that gives some interest. Steph McGovern covers interesting business snippets on BBC Breakfast and tweets (no idea how that works though!)

 

 

I would have thought that if anyone had the contacts to do this, it would be Ben!

 

I'm still wavering - and have one question - how soon after the end of the appeal period would the cash be taken, if it goes ahead? I'm in the middle of having the kitchen replaced, and consequently even more skint than anticipated. If the money has to be collected in January, that might well rule me out. If it was in 6 months time, it would be fine!

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I'm still wavering - and have one question - how soon after the end of the appeal period would the cash be taken, if it goes ahead?

 

Kickstarter take the money anytime from the end of a successful project to the next 10-14 days. The nature of these projects is that the cash is generally needed for the projects to go ahead (and Kickstarter want their share!).

 

Cheers, Mike

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Folks

 

For any of those of you that have pledged - when you have pledged does your confirmation email (or your Kickstarter account) tell you that you are backer XXX? It tells us what backer number you are and that would be helpful to know for order numbers!

 

Cheers, Mike

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Folks

 

For any of those of you that have pledged - when you have pledged does your confirmation email (or your Kickstarter account) tell you that you are backer XXX? It tells us what backer number you are and that would be helpful to know for order numbers!

 

Cheers, Mike

Hi Mike

 

Mine didn't.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

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Hi Ian,

 

Kickstarter rules prevent us from pledging!! Directly, that is... I will be in for two - one 9, one 11 and one with sound....

 

When it comes to publicity Mike and I have been doing our best and there should be a nice op ed piece in the new issue of Railway Modeller that's out is week.

 

There's not much I personally can do with my employers however as editorial rules are very strict about staff not promoting pet projects and so on, as we have to be impartial , which I fully support!!

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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As Ben says we can't pledge directly, but there are ways and means if necessary!

 

I'm after at least 2 sets, probably 3 (2 x 11, 1 x 9). The real question is how many to fit with sound!

 

I'm quite happy to buy some sets for sale after and to top up the Kickstarter project (again if necessary).

 

Cheers, Mike

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Thanks - well that scuppers that idea! Not to worry, I already have records of the pledges and unique reference numbers, I just might have to share the reference numbers manually.

 

Cheers, Mike

 

 

Mike you will get a lot more info from Kickstarter once the survey is done in the manage backers section once complete.

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