Shoreleave Models works to a slightly unusual production schedule, largely because the business fits around my main career at sea.
A considerable amount of our research, CAD modelling and new-product development actually takes place while I am offshore. Long periods at sea provide an excellent opportunity to work through drawings, photographs and historical material, refine models and develop new locomotives, wagons and accessories ready for production. As a result, it is quite common for several completely new models to appear shortly after I return home.
The physical printing side of the business is different. Our printers, resin-processing equipment and workshop are at home in Scotland, so the main production runs take place while I am ashore. During these periods the printers tend to run extremely hard, producing both existing favourites and the new designs developed during the previous trip at sea.
This means Shoreleave Models operates more in production runs than continuous manufacture. We try to build up a reasonable quantity of stock before I return offshore, but some models have been selling considerably faster than we originally anticipated as word spreads
When I head back to sea, the shop doesn’t close. Clare takes over the sales and dispatch side of Shoreleave Models and continues selling and sending out everything we managed to print during the previous production run. However, once a particular model sells out, it will normally have to wait until the next time I am ashore before another batch can be produced.
So if something you particularly want is showing as available, it may be worth grabbing it rather than assuming another batch will immediately follow!
Planned Print Runs
| Production Period | What We Expect to Be Doing | Stock Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Current offshore period | Developing the DeWinton range and several wagons. | Sold out of Cabless Sentinels, Several Basic Cab Sentinels available, wagons available and Kerr Stuarts selling quickly |
| Onshore – October/November | Printing DeWintons, Wagons and restocking Sentinels (all variants) and Mann Steam lorrys | Will be posted on Ebay as they become available and updated here |
These dates should be regarded as a guide rather than a rigid manufacturing calendar. My work schedule can occasionally change, and individual models may require further development or testing before being released.
We will continue to announce major print runs, restocks and new releases through the website and our usual Shoreleave Models updates.
It is perhaps not the most conventional way of running a model railway company, but it is where the name Shoreleave Models comes from: models are designed while travelling the world’s oceans and brought into physical existence when I finally get some shore leave.