PPS Steam No More? :o

dougrail · Post by **dougrail** » Wed Mar 28, 2012 11:56 pm

PPS Steam appears to have stopped the main part of its tradiing. Going to the PPS website.

"We have now ceased trading as PPS Steam Models and DJ Engineering and are pleased to announce that all future sales are being handled by Simon Whenmouth of Anything Narrow Gauge."

Apparently though, "Alan's Steam
Locos and Spare Parts

In due course, we shall be continuing here in Frome with the manufacture and supply of Janet and our De Winton locos, together with various spare parts. "

A sigh of relief in a way, but sad to see PPS Steam slim down as it were. Anyone know anything about this?

METHSSNIFFER · Post by **METHSSNIFFER** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:00 am

There will be only Roundhouse and Accucraft left soon ! Least u will still get track from peco!

Narrow Minded · Post by **Narrow Minded** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 12:01 am

Yep

http://gardenrails.myfreeforum.org/about5502.html

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 10:55 pm

dougrail:68547 wrote:PPS Steam appears to have stopped the main part of its tradiing. Going to the PPS website.

"We have now ceased trading as PPS Steam Models and DJ Engineering and are pleased to announce that all future sales are being handled by Simon Whenmouth of Anything Narrow Gauge."

Apparently though, "Alan's Steam
Locos and Spare Parts

In due course, we shall be continuing here in Frome with the manufacture and supply of Janet and our De Winton locos, together with various spare parts. "

A sigh of relief in a way, but sad to see PPS Steam slim down as it were. Anyone know anything about this?

Doug et al-

Was this on his website, as there is no mention of the Janet and Jane/Janet/Mamod repair bits on the PPS web page now.

http://www.pps-steam-models.co.uk/

Thanks

Sir haydn · Post by **Sir haydn** » Mon Apr 02, 2012 11:04 pm

Simon said something about this saturday so I suspect he has now bought DJ engineering too.

Chris Cairns · Post by **Chris Cairns** » Fri May 25, 2012 10:46 am

Following my enquiries regarding PPS De Winton spare parts here is an update.

Simon - Anything Narrow Gauge wrote:Alan has retained all the parts to the De Winton and when I last spoke to him intends to make them again although he was going to have a holiday first. If I hear more I will let you know.
I basically bought all the shop stock but none of the manufacturing side of the business.

Roy Wood - Roy Wood Models, Swanage Models wrote:I'm writing to you off group simply because this isn't yet common knowledge but I will be taking over the PPS Janet and de Winton from Alan next week.

It's not quite happened yet as I have been away all week but if I can be of any help please let me know.

Kind regards

Roy Wood (Roy Wood Models, Swanage Models)

Chris Cairns.

dougrail · Post by **dougrail** » Fri May 25, 2012 1:30 pm

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the updates! I was particularly saddened to see PPS go as it was always a pleasure to long-distance shop with Alan's emporium - and unlike some, accepted 'informal' payments for small items such as £3 for a part? In the post with a letter. 2 mornings later? Part received. Alan was always a gent on the phone too.

Also on the technical side of things, unlike 98% of 'upgraded' Mamods, I got the entire boiler and controls and shield from PPS, so spares alwats appreciated!

Busted Bricks · Post by **Busted Bricks** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 1:34 pm

As always I'm late to the ball. I would love to take over the manufacturing of locos. I did contact John Prescott about a year before he passed away but he never responded. It seems that there isn't a big interest in selling on a product line after manufacturers stop production. Shame really as there have been some nice designs out there which I'm sure still have market potential. By updating production methods to utilise modern technologies such as CNC turning and laser cutting it should be possible to have a viable business. Many parts can be shopped out so there is no need to invest heavily in machinery.

I have the permission to manufacture the Cracker loco and since I have recently lost my job I am once again looking at the viability of starting production. It does require a substantial initial investment in parts (the key to getting the righ prices is buying in quantity) and I'm not yet sure if I can bankroll it. Busy getting quotes for parts though. I'm not entirely sure about demand either. Seems to me like people have moved away from simple, non-scale locomotives onto big scale locomotives.

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:11 pm

Last I had seen about six months ago on the web Cracker production was up and going in Califonria and a price ($800 US) had been set, so did that builder (number four I think?) fall through like the others?

Busted Bricks · Post by **Busted Bricks** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 2:13 pm

Not heard about that one. Any links?

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:02 pm

Busted Bricks:72111 wrote:Not heard about that one. Any links?

Well, I was about 50% right....

The "Cricket" was a production development of the "Cracker" design.

http://www.cricketlivesteammotor.com/

Not sure if he is producing them or not, but he does have some videos of production on the YouTube.

Busted Bricks · Post by **Busted Bricks** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 12:44 am

Spule 4:72114 wrote:
The "Cricket" was a production development of the "Cracker" design.

More of a development of the original Cricket I should think (read the "about us" page

)

Spule 4 · Post by **Spule 4** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 5:32 pm

More here:

http://www.steamup.com/index.php?option ... upola-view

...and here.

http://www.sidestreetbannerworks.com/lo ... 2.BLW.html

Thanks for the clarification, I had thought that the two models were related in development, appears to be similar but not directly related.

Busted Bricks · Post by **Busted Bricks** » Sun Jun 24, 2012 6:13 pm

Great links, thanks a lot.

There is no way getting around China. I have received parts quotes from UK CNC turners and the parts are actually more expensive than if I make them myself! However I have some experience sourcing parts from China.

Parts like the gears are 1/4 of the UK price. Probably made in the UK anyway but by buying direct I can cut out the middleman.

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