Not more terms & conditions; not a help page; not an FAQ page; but something of a combination of all three, with further explanations of why things are as they are, and hints on using the site and the products. Topics are in alphabetical order – use your browser’s Ctrl+F search function to move around quickly. Being added to as we think of more things to write.
Add to basket
This button does what it says, but its presentation depends on search results and stock levels. For a search with multiple results, you can only add one of a given product at once; to order another, press it again once the banner shows the first one has been added to your basket. For a search with only one result (which takes you straight to the product’s own page), there is usually a box to the left where you can select how many you want. If this box is not there, it means there is only one of the item in stock, and the site will not let you order more than one. It also means that it’s either the last one ever (product to be discontinued) or supply is such that it’s likely to be a long time before it’s back in stock.
Altering a web order
Once placed, you cannot add to a web order, as we are not allowed to increase the amount taken from your card. You will need to place another order, and pay the P&P again. You may still amend it, so long as the changes do not cause the original amount to be exceeded.
BACS payments
You can pay for your order by direct BACS transfer to our bank account. Select BACS payment on the checkout page then follow the instructions on the order confirmation. However, there are four things you should note: if the amount paid needs to be decreased, we will contact you for your bank account details so we can process the refund; it’s only available to UK-based customers (as P&P usually does need decreasing on overseas orders); if you make a mistake entering our bank account details and the money ends up in someone else’s account, then it’s your job to sort it out, not ours; and if you don’t pay within seven days, the order will be cancelled.
Brexit
The Brexit Deal took effect at 2300 GMT on 31 December 2020. Customers receiving goods in the EU are no longer charged UK VAT on their orders, but you may have to pay local VAT or its equivalent upon receipt. The VAT status of all other countries (including Northern Ireland) is unaffected.
Bulk packing
If you order more than one of any item, we are likely to bulk pack it (save our profits the planet and all that). Please add a note to your order if you do not want us to do this, e.g. if you’re buying a few signal kits to farm out to club members for construction, and they’ll all need a set of instructions.
Card payments
We take credit and debit cards under the Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Discover brands. We are PCI-DSS compliant. If not paying on the website, do not send your card details by e-mail or leave them on the website as PCI-DSS means we are not allowed to accept them.
Cheques and Postal Orders
We no longer accept cheques and Postal Orders as a means of payment.
Clearance items
Items listed under this category are mostly those that came with the takeover of Mainly Trains, but which were not MT’s own products. They will not be added to the printed price list and will not be restocked once sold out.
Corridors & gangways
Are they the same or not? Unfortunately different railway companies did not use these terms to mean the same thing. We will try to be consistent: a gangway is the connection between two carriages whilst a corridor is the aisle along the side of the carriage giving access to compartments, lavatories and… the gangways. You never had gangways without a corridor (or a central aisle in the case of open stock) but some carriages had a corridor but no gangways.
E-mails
Please ensure that your in tray is set to receive e-mails from both andrew@modelsignals.com and donotreply@opayo.io. The first one is needed to receive information about the progress of your order and any questions we may need to ask you; the second ensures that you receive confirmation from Opayo of your payment.
Facebook
No Facebook, sorry…
Forwarding agents
Overseas customers using UK forwarding agents: please be aware that we accept no responsibility for any loss or damage to your order after it arrives at the forwarding agent. You will also need to pay UK VAT on your order.
Health & Safety
Although many of our so-called whitemetal castings are now made from lead-free pewter, it would safer for you to assume that they all still contain lead. Avoid producing fine dust, and wash your hands before eating or drinking after working with them.
Etched products have sharp edges and sometimes (very) sharp points too – take care when handling them.
Instruction sheets
All kit and component instruction sheets will eventually be downloadable from the website, via each product’s own page. They will always be the most up-to-date version, so if you are about to start building your kit, check with the site that the supplied paper instructions have not been updated to correct mistakes or to add additional prototype information that has since come to light.
Kit contents
So-called “complete kits” generally exclude wheels, bearings, motor, gearbox, couplings, paint and transfers, although there are exceptions. The downloadable kit instructions will state which parts are required for completion; if they’re not present yet then please ask if you’re not sure what you are getting for your money. We can usually supply all the additional parts, with the exception of paint. The type of wagon/carriage wheel specified is those fitted when built; wheels were upgraded over the years, e.g. Mansell carriage wheels changed to plain disc. Comet carriage kits do not include door hinges, train alarm gear or vacuum/steam pipes.
Liquids
We cannot send liquids through the post. The solvents and fluxes formerly available at shows have been deleted from this site.
LMS carriage renumbering
All the Comet LMS carriage instruction sheets give only the post-1933 numbers. If you need the original numbers instead then we can probably supply them. The 51L L&Y and LNW kits give both sets of numbers.
LNER carriage renumbering
The Comet LNER carriage instruction sheets generally give both the pre- and post-1946 numbers. If they are not listed then we can probably supply them.
Loco driving wheels
We only sell insulated wheels, suitable for 00 and EM. Markits wheels are priced singly, so you will also need to order another wheel, an axle and crankpins for a complete wheelset. Markits are in the middle of changing the tyre material from nickel silver to stainless steel; if you have a part set of wheels, we cannot guarantee that current or future stocks will be of the same material. Gibson wheels are packed as two wheels and an axle; again, crankpins are extra.
Mashima motors
All Mashima motors have now sold out. Production in Japan has ceased; there are no more to import. The Canon CA1620 is a replacement for MH1620; replacements for other sizes have not been found yet.
Minimum order value
We do not have a minimum order value, but the P&P charge is £5.40 for the UK for all orders, and a minimum of £5.40 for overseas orders.
Multiple scales
A warning will appear on the Checkout page if you have ordered items in more than one scale. Carry on if this is deliberate; please review your basket if you have made a mistake.
Narrow gauge modelling
We stock very few narrow-gauge specific items, although many products are still usable. When searching, use the parent scale as the first filter, then the other categories to narrow things down further.
New products
You can easily see our latest products by clicking in the search box and pressing return without typing any text. Products are displayed in reverse date order of being added to the site.
No pictures…
Yes, it is a bit disappointing that some products don’t have a picture yet, but then they didn’t on the predecessor sites either. We are slowly working through this; if there’s a picture you desperately need to see, just let us know. The same applies to the product instruction sheets that were a feature of the MSE and Comet sites.
OO and O gauges
You won’t find them, because we use 00 and 0 instead!
Out of stock items
Orders placed via Opayo time out after 30 days, after which we cannot take payment. Items shown as out of stock are thus those which are unlikely to be back in stock within this period, and you cannot order them on the website (contact us if you want go on the alert list for them). Other items may also be out of stock temporarily, but expected within 30 days. They will be shown on the site as in stock and you may order them, but processing your order will be delayed until they appear. Web customers will be sent an e-mail to advise that the order has been placed on hold. If they still don’t turn up in time then depending on their relative value they will go on back order, with the rest of the order despatched, or we may contact you to see if you agree for payment to be taken in advance and the whole order despatched at a later date.
Payment timing
Payment is only taken (i.e. the money moves from your account to ours) when your order is processed, and not at the time of ordering, except when paying by BACS. As we have 30 days to complete Opayo transactions, a shadow is put on your card to ensure sufficient funds remain in your account for this period. The various card issuers are a bit inconsistent on whether or not the shadow appears on your statement, and sometimes disappears after a few days. Web customers will be sent an e-mail once processing is complete – expect the order to be posted on the next Monday or Thursday.
PayPal
Sorry, we don’t take PayPal. Or bitcoin…
Personal data
To process your order, we need your delivery address, and your card address if this is different. We also need your e-mail address so the site can inform you whether your order was accepted or not. Your phone number is helpful but not mandatory, even though the checkout page says it is. If you don’t want to provide one, just put 01652 635885 (the Wizard Models number) as the format is checked. All this data is collected securely by the Wizard Models site. Your card details are collected by our payment agent Opayo on their site – we never see them. When processing your order, your contact details are entered into our customer database, but they are deleted from the website once the order has been processed. You may request a copy of the information held on you in the database, or its deletion. We also keep a paper copy of your order (plus some of your card details if you have chosen to pay by phone or post). We are required to keep the card details for 18 months, and the paper order until seven years have elapsed since the end of the financial year (August-July) in which the order was placed. Once no longer required, the paper records are incinerated. No personal data will be passed to third parties, with the exception of Opayo, the Webmaster, any ultimate purchaser of Wizard Models Limited, and any body having the legal right to see it.
Phishing
If you should happen to use a search engine to find our products, please be very careful to ensure that the hit you select is part of www.wizardmodels.ltd, and not another site. Some websites purporting to have information on our products are very suspicious looking.
Railway companies
Products are listed under the building company, and all subsequent companies that used that item. For example, L&YR carriage LYRD084 is listed under the L&YR, LMS and BR. On the other hand, Bulleid carriage S1 is not listed under the SR, as they weren’t built until 1949, despite being an SR design. For these purposes, the pre-1923 amalgamation of the L&YR and LNWR, and the H&BR and NER are ignored, as are train operating companies after BR’s privatisation in the 1990s. Infrastructure items (mainly signalling) are listed under Railtrack and Network Rail as well as BR, if they lasted that long.
Rolling stock wheels
We only sell insulated wheels, suitable for 00 standard, 00 finescale, EM, P4 and 0. They are priced as two wheels on one axle, but without bearings.
SCA
Strong Customer Authorisation – so we know who you say you are. Once on the Opayo site and having entered your card details, you will probably (some transactions are exempt) be asked for some additional information such as a password, security question, or a one-time code sent to your land line or mobile. You will need to have arranged which with your bank in advance.
Scales and gauges
Most items on the site are scale-specific, and within a given scale, some are gauge specific. We think that all items are now allocated correctly – let us know if you find any anomalies. You may assume that all items listed as 4mm – P4 are also suitable for S4.
Searching
The text string you enter in the search box (it needs to be at least 3 characters long) is looked for in the product titles and the information on the product pages. Hits are counted when the string is found as a whole “word” or at the start of a word. For example, entering SC001 will find products SC001, SC0011, SC0012 etc. It will also find S4/KS2, because SC0017 is mentioned in the product description. It would not find BSC001 etc, if such a string existed. It’s best to avoid plurals: e.g. buffer will find both buffer and buffers, but buffers will not find buffer. Non-alphanumeric characters are ignored, so the usual wildcards don’t work, e.g. SC00* or SC00? are treated as SC00. Multiple words are allowed, and all have to be present for a hit. Case is irrelevant. Use the product category, scale, railway company, manufacturer and price filters if you get too many hits. And do check your spelling – Bulleid is not spelt Bullied!
Show flyers
These may sometimes be included with your order. They are for your information and as a favour to the show organisers – they no longer imply that Wizard Models will be at the show!
Stock levels
Stock levels are now live on all products, except: most of the signal kits; virtually all the carriage kits; and most of the wagon kits. If live, the current stock level will be shown on the search results page and each product’s own page and the site will not let you order more than the number shown. For items not yet having live stock levels, if there is only one of a particular item left, either because it’s about to be discontinued or supply is (very) sporadic, then the site will stop you ordering more than one. Please note that the level shown is only updated when you place the order, not when you add it to your basket. This means that someone quicker on a keyboard may pinch it from you – there’s nothing we can do about this! Also, the levels shown are the maximum that can be packed with the stock to hand, which might lead to short orders if you order products with common parts – there might not be enough to pack both, and the site is not clever enough (yet – we’re working on it) to realise this. The amount taken from your card will be decreased – we no longer put items on back order.
Tarnish
We do not regard tarnish as a manufacturing fault, nor a valid reason for returning goods. All it indicates is the product is a slow mover! It is easily removed before soldering or gluing components together, and paint sticks just as well to it as it does to bare metal.
Twitter
No Twitter either. There was an account, but it’s been deactivated due to only so many hours in the day to do things.
US and Canada
We are happy to export to the US and Canada, but our insurance company will only cover us if less than 2.5% of our annual turnover is to these countries. You will be advised to delay your order until the next financial year (starts 1 August) if this limit is breached.
VAT
Wizard Models Limited is VAT registered (no. GB 911 3584 42). Both VAT inclusive and VAT exclusive prices are shown on the site, the current rate being 20%. The VAT status of an order depends on where it is being sent to, and not where the payment is made from. For example, if you order from Australia but want the items delivered to a relative in the UK to pick up when you are over here on holiday (or are using a UK forwarding agent), then we cannot deduct the VAT, as we cannot prove to the UK VAT authorities that the goods have been exported. Conversely, if the same UK relative orders the goods for us to post to Australia, then VAT will be deducted. BFPO addresses are VAT exclusive, but check that the site has picked this up properly before proceeding to the payment stage.
Weight
Many (eventually all) products have a weight under the additional information heading. This is the packed weight for postal purposes, and not the weight a finished wagon (for example) will add to a train!
Windows 7
If you are using Windows 7 with Internet Explorer 10 or 11, you may experience problems putting items in the basket or checking out. If this happens, either try another browser, or place the order by phone.
www.51l.co.uk
This site is now defunct. There is a redirect in place to this one, but it will not be renewed when it expires.
www.cometmodels.co.uk
This site is now defunct. There is a redirect in place to this one, but it will not be renewed when it expires.
www.modelsignals.com
This site is now defunct and has a redirect in place to this one.
www.wizardmodels.co.uk
This site is now defunct. There is a redirect in place to this one, but it will not be renewed when it expires.
www.wizardmodels.com
Nothing to do with us!