I like the TT Band! Anyway, the other day Mrs Moonglum and I were driving home listening to Jazz FM and were rather impressed with what being played but had absolutely no idea who or what it was until the end. Martin @port perran posted this band some time ago, probably not everyone's cuppa but here goes...


I think it was this track. Note the audience mixed in with the musicians. There is another track called "Chimera" that is sort of King Crimsonie...

Tim

my lost B&Q order has now moved from unhappy to Angry phoned them 3 times now 3 time told they will be a call back to rearrange delivery 3 time nothing   

Well they're not the ideal source of information on such things at this point. I read that Heljan weren't actively seeking a buyer, which is very different to being on the brink of collapse.

No, me too. Couldn't quite put me finger on it, but it seemed too clunky, almost like they were trying too hard or something.

Quote from: njee20 on March 27, 2026, 06:32:32 PMIs that fact? I've not following the intricacies of the whole thing. AS don't seem to have covered themselves in glory at this point!

If you mean the business model then yes, this approach is said by AS to be the only workable solution to saving Heljan.

IMHO the biggest slap in the face to retailers is the massive (and in some cases it really is £hundreds) discount suddenly offered overnight online against stock they have already paid for based on now defunct RRPs.

In some cases retailer exclusives have also been snatched away and that feels a bit nasty.

Setting aside the ins and outs of the financial health of Heljan, the apparent lack of comms with their former dealers is, as some have said already, brutal.

Skyline2uk

Is that fact? I've not following the intricacies of the whole thing. AS don't seem to have covered themselves in glory at this point!

Quote from: ntpntpntp on March 27, 2026, 01:38:11 PMSeems to be some "support your independent retailer" content appearing on Facebook, I've had at least 2 emails with it too. (Rails and TMC)

It's interesting that the thread on RMWeb moved as this one has from the acquisition message through outrage to what are the retailers going to do if everyone adopts a D2C model (and then it was locked by RM administrators).

I've had the emails too. The body text is the same from every retailer. Just the presentation and tweaks to make it retailer specific.

There are photos in the header blocks of 30 independent retailers (some of which don't stock Heljan, by the way) but the first two are Rails and TMC, so it feels like a retailer cartel quickly got together to launch their "Retailer First" campaign on the back of this message, in response to the D2C approach for Heljan.

It seems quite brutal. For example, Rail's own sponsored Warships with early 3 character headcodes are now no longer "available only at Rails", but are now "available only on Heljan's website", and at a lower price. Heljan 47s are now sub £100 or sub £200 with sound, whereas some box shifters are still trying to sell sound versions at 15% of the previous RRP of £350. I'm sure that the dust will settle, and retailers and manufacturers will get used to it, but I think the most important point to remember is if this business model was not adopted for Heljan, the firm would have gone bust.   

Bob

This week... time to repaint a Farish D67 to convert it to 45012 in blue. Photo here of it at teatime today; it has all glazing removed, full yellow ends and a blue roof: