Frequently Asked Questions
We have answered a few questions that you have been asking recently. We hope you can find an answer below but, if your question/query is still unanswered, please do contact us. We endeavour to get back to you as soon as we can.
Do you offer a Click & Collect service from your branches?
We operate a Click & Collect service for both our Camborne and Guildford branch. The website is available 24/7 and the phone lines are open between 10AM and 4.30PM Monday to Saturday and 10AM and 4PM on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
We encourage customers to reserve items prior to visiting our stores to avoid disappointment, especially if stock availability is limited.Unpaid reservations will be reserved for a maximum of 28 days, we do not have a maximum collection period for paid for collection items.
Do you charge for pre-orders in advance?
You will not be charged for pre-orders we will charge your card once again as soon as the items arrive. There are some exceptions which must be paid in full at the time of placing your order and these are clearly shown in the product description. You can also place a pre-order by phone or in person at our Camborne or Guildford branch and we would not charge in advance for these (although the same exceptions for a few items would also apply).
Why am I unable to place an order for pre-order items at the same time as In-stock items
Currently online Pre-orders must be ordered separately from in stock items. A pre-order order item is clearly marked as being available for Pre-order on the item page..
My order has not arrived yet, but it was shown as despatched a few days ago. Why is this?
Unless we have advised that your order is being sent by Courier (APC or DPD) or Royal Mail Tracked 24, please allow 10 working days from the advice of despatch for the goods to arrive. Royal Mail 48 is often delivered within two working days, but delays can occur. If your delivery has not arrived within 10 working days, please check with your Post Office to make sure they are not holding it for you. If they do not have it, please contact us by phone 01209 714099 or email.
What do I do about an item which has been delivered with a fault?
Please contact us first before returning any item. It may be something which can be remedied with advice over the phone or by email. We can then advise whether the item needs to be returned and, if so, by which method.
Do you price match or offer further discounts?
We don't offer any form of price match. For discounts, we offer our Loyalty Account, and our "Four or More" coach offer.
Can I pay via Instalments
We do not directly offer an instalment process. However, we do allow payments options via PayPal etc. where customer may make use of the instalments options they provide.
Loyalty Rewards
Our Loyalty Rewards scheme is free to join. Every time you make a purchase through your account online or in either of our shops a point is awarded for each pound that you spend. For example spend £1 and receive 1 point, spend £53 and receive 53 points. Each point is worth 1p of loyalty credit. Once you have reached 500 points this is automatically converted to a loyalty credit.
You can spend this credit immediately or you can continue to collect points and let your credit build. Please note that points are not awarded for postal charges.
Simply create your website account with us, you will automatically be enrolled. To login / create your account click here.
Four or More Coach Offer
Buy any four or more eligible coaches and get £1 discount per item number. The discount will be automatically applied at despatch on eligible items.
Can you tell me when a new release item will be available which I ordered from you?
In many cases we can, but you may be able to find out yourself without having to send an email. If it is for one of our exclusive models, please visit our dedicated page on our website. We generally can't give specific delivery dates until production has commenced, but you can often find out how far a model is progressing by using the link marked 'Limited Editions' towards the bottom of our website.
If the item is a standard range model, from either Bachmann or Hornby, please go to www.bachmann.co.uk or www.hornby.com and enter the product code into the search box. If a delivery date is available it will be shown therein and will be as up to date as any information we already hold.
What does the 'Heart' icon indicate?
you can save your favorite products to your Wishlist by clicking / tapping the heart icon, Items added to your Wishlist can be accessed at the top right of the page. You must be logged in to save your Wishlist. You can also share your Wishlist by email, Facebook, WhatsApp, or 'X', and return to your Wishlist anytime to complete your purchase.
Do you have a Repair Service?
No, sorry. We will try to remedy faulty items under warranty, if possible, to prevent the need to return them to a manufacturer, but we do not offer a repair service.
Do you fit DCC decoders to locomotives?
Yes we can do this for many, but not all, locomotives at the time of purchase of the locomotive from us only. Please enter 'DCC Decoder Fitting' in the search box of our website. You will also need to select which decoder you require if you know which one you want. If you are unsure, please contact us.
How long will it take for my order to arrive?
If you have selected DPD Courier Delivery or Royal Mail Tracked 24, this will normally be with you on the next 'working' day, provided you have placed your order by 1430. Working days are classed as Monday to Friday. We do not have collections at weekends or on Bank Holidays.
So, for example, if you order by 1430 on a Friday, you should receive your order on the Monday. If your order is received on the Friday, after 1430, it may not be despatched until the Monday and you will receive it on the Tuesday, or even Wednesday if the Monday was a Bank Holiday.
Items sent by standard Royal Mail are done so by Royal Mail 48 hour delivery.
You give free delivery on UK orders over £250, but the website has just tried to charge me £14.99. Why is this?
We do offer free delivery when the order is over £250. During checkout you are given two delivery options to select from. To get free delivery, you must mark the option for Courier (DPD) delivery and NOT the Royal Mail option. This option is provided for customers who prefer not to have courier delivery, but we have to charge this at £14.99.
Are online payments safe and secure - what is Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) or Two Factor Authorisation (2FA)?
New EU and UK regulation has been introduced to improve security for online payments through two-factor authentication. As this is a legislative change, you will see two-factor authentication being used at all businesses that take card payments, including us. SCA will require all online and card payments to be confirmed independently in two of the following three categories:
• Knowledge (such as a password or PIN)
• Possession (such as a message to your phone)
• Inherence (a biometric method such as your fingerprint)
It is therefore referred to as two-factor authentication, or 2FA, and makes paying by credit card even more secure by ensuring that you, the cardholder, initiates or authorises a payment yourself.
Since March 2022, when making an online purchase, you may need to authenticate payments (usually via a one-time passcode sent to your mobile phone by your card provider or via your banking app). We advise you to make sure your details are up to date with your card provider to ensure that any purchases go through as smoothly as possible.
Do you buy second hand or value collections?
Sorry we do not deal with any second hand items and we are unable to value your collection.
Can we connect with you on Social Media?
We welcome you to connect with us on Social Media, see below, for daily announcements and offers, also for the latest news visit our news page here:
If your question/query hasn't been answered above please contact us here.
