Alan Curtis Models and N Scale Kits

[engineshop]

Who is behind  N SCALE KITS that took over the N-scale part of Alan Curtis?

http://www.nscalekits.com/

[keystonecrossings]

I had a suspicion, but I was wrong. A WhoIs lookup of the domain registration shows an address in Great Britain...


Whois info for, nscalekits.com:


Registrant:
 N Scale Kits
 Hillside
 Southwell,  NG25 0JZ
 GB

 Domain name: NSCALEKITS.COM

 Administrative Contact:
    GET FREE DOMAINS FROM ----- www.uk2.net -----, ,  hostmaster@uk2.net
    One Canada Square
    Canary Wharf
    London,  E14 5DY
    UK
    +044.2079871200
 Technical Contact:
    GET FREE DOMAINS FROM ----- www.uk2.net -----, ,  hostmaster@uk2.net
    One Canada Square
    Canary Wharf
    London,  E14 5DY
    UK
    +044.2079871200


 Registration Service Provider:
    UK2.NET
    http://uk2.net/
    For support and FAQs please go to http://support.uk2.net/


 Registrar of Record: TUCOWS, INC.
 Record last updated on 23-Feb-2007.
 Record expires on 23-Feb-2008.
 Record created on 23-Feb-2007.

 Domain servers in listed order:
    ULTRA104.UK2.NET   
    ULTRA103.UK2.NET   

[TrainCat2]

Whoever it is, they paid alot of $$$ for the N-Scale line. Alan Curtis offered it to me for $48,000. Too pricey and too long for a ROI.

Regards
Bob Knight

[Mark5]

Whoever it is, they paid alot of $$$ for the N-Scale line. Alan Curtis offered it to me for $48,000. Too pricey and too long for a ROI.

 

[sirenwerks]

Whoever it is, they paid alot of $$$ for the N-Scale line. Alan Curtis offered it to me for $48,000.

I had a suspicion, but I was wrong. A WhoIs lookup of the domain registration shows an address in Great Britain

So the new company is in England, right? Which makes sense, since AC Models was an English company. Bob, imagine what the shipping would have cost over the $48K... Add that to the ROI wait.

[keystonecrossings]

The owner of N Scale Kits and I have made contact. He will continue the relationship I had with Alan, assuring that the PRR F30a and F30d flats will be available through Merchandise Service stateside.

Good news! 

[3rdrail]

The following notice was posted on Trainboard:

Alan Curtis’ models will soon be produced by N Scale Kits.
Please visit www.NScaleKits.com for the previous range of AC Models.
New products will be available later this year too.
If you want to contact us please mailto: peter@nscalekits.com
Peter Harris
N Scale Kits

There has much speculation in American N Scale circles about the future of Alan Curtis’ excellent range of intermodal and flat cars. We are delighted to announce that N Scale Kits have purchased the patterns and moulds of AC Models. Work is taking place to start production by the start of April 2007.

If you would like further details, please contact Peter Harris at peter@nscalekits.com

With best wishes

Peter

[nscalesteve]

Whoever it is, they paid alot of $$$ for the N-Scale line. Alan Curtis offered it to me for $48,000. Too pricey and too long for a ROI.

Regards
Bob Knight

hey Bob, don't you think this was something to be kept confidential between Alan and you ?
do you really think to post this figure in a public forum was in any way clever ?

[TiVoPrince]

Guess I get to pay
Peter and not Bob.  My flat and spine car addiction will continue without any end in sight...

[TrainCat2]

hey Bob, don't you think this was something to be kept confidential between Alan and you ?
do you really think to post this figure in a public forum was in any way clever ?

No problems here boss, there was no confidentiality agreement. I did volunteer that I would not discuss anything until a deal had been concluded and I kept my word. I have no idea what the current owner paid, nor is it my business to know. I am sure that it was less since the company is in the UK and known to AC. Hey look at TASWDTAH, people are putting all kinds of numbers out hoping to catch someone who will take them up on it. I am not saying AC did that, but the price was out of line for the standard 3X year gross totals.

On that subject, Al Westerfield inquired if I wanted to buy the line since he will be putting business up for sale and retiring. The figures were discussed in the open amoungst several people at the last Proto Rails in Jan. There is no secret to it and no secrets to ACM.

So, No and a mute point.

Regards
Bob

[3rdrail]

If there ever was any one thing that would make me forsake N scale and go back into HO, it would be Al Westerfield's kits. I hope whoever buys the line would consider using an incredible shrinking machine and offering many of them in N scale. I know I'd be "happier'n a dead pig in the sunshine" if they were available in N scale, starting with "The Yellow Kid" PRR Limited. 

EDIT: To get back to the Alan Curtis subject, I suspect the recent decline in the dollar relative to the Pound Sterling may have made the price too high in dollars for many US buyers.

[amato1969]

Amen to that!  Westerfield makes some amazing kits for the HO crowd.

[John]

TASWDTAH, people are putting all kinds of numbers out hoping to catch someone who will take them up on it. I am not saying AC did that, but the price was out of line for the standard 3X year gross totals.

TASWDTAH is an Atlas creation .. we can discuss EBay here

[TrainCat2]

Thanks John, Still getting my feet wet on this forum's rules.

[John]

Thanks John, Still getting my feet wet on this forum's rules.

Very few rules ..

- Product announcements ok
- Personal (non-commercial) sales ok
- Politics,religion, porn - not ok
- Personal attacks - not ok
- Ebay links - ok - within reason ( I decided what that is)
- Off topic conversations - OK, provided they do not violate previous rules.