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Mr Levy,

Just picked up the new E/8 Stanier in British Railways livery from Terry at Much Ado About Toys this afternoon.

It is superb - excellent quality and a really good smooth runner. Really pleased. Looking forward to the Spamcan and a Streamliner (please) !!!

Many thanks

David Webb 20/6/09

Take a look

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CKpxp2g9p4

Dear Allen,

I only recently found your press release of July 31 and am trying to determine its real meaning. Key personnel changes often bode ill, and I earnestly hope this is not the case here. I had no idea that Lionel and MTH were seriously entering the UK market, but surely their products would not be competitive with the kinds of discriminating tinplate collectors who buy Ace trains. The MTH Scotsman model is risible compared to the Ace model I own. And their Tinplate Traditions line, though quaintly charming, is simply a throwback to early large-gauge Americana, surely an irrelevant apples-and-oranges kind of comparison to Ace products. And yet the tenor of your announcement seems negative for Ace. I hope I am simply reading too much into it.

 

I have bought three Ace locos since I first found your site on the net back in 2003, which is one every two years, about par for an American school teacher. Economic downturns such as this wretched one we are now enduring always freeze teacher cost-of-living raises first, but I nonetheless hope to purchase a Castle sometime after Christmas, and I am hopeful that somewhere in Ace's future there might be a large, beautiful LMS engine barreling down the tracks. Through the years, you have produced the kinds of models fit for a king, yet at a price fit for a commoner, something which makes Ace Trains the true royalty of the hobby. I've looked high and low for models comparable to the quality of yours, but on the rare occasions I've found something even close, it invariably carries a price double or triple Ace's. I sincerely hope, as we approach another Christmas season in our two great nations, that this magical run of Ace Trains is not about to be sidetracked.

 

Sincerely,

Mike Whitney 13/11/08

USA

Dear Allen and Team 

I just want to tell you what a splendid job you are all doing. I fell over ACE last year on a visit to John Ross' shop in the Blue Mountains (Trains Planes and Automobiles) and took up my wife's suggestion (Bless her!) to get the green Flying Scotsman, ostensibly as a desk model; would look good on a piece of red Jarrah - a West Australian eucalypt - in an appropriate glass case. Well, the case never made it and now I have a blue Silver Fox, a CR Celebration, an LNER green Celebration, a maroon Metropolitan Tank and a black BL LMS Lady Patricia, all with coach sets! So you are well represented in NW Sydney! And Martin Wrigley got a lot of help with his Special Collection! I lived west of Fort William as a lad and travelled daily into school on the West Highland Railway, very occasionally in the Observation Car - so I have one of those also, and a BR poster of the coach crossing Lochybridge under Ben Nevis from about that time. Trips to London were via Edinburgh joining either the Flying Scotsman or by sleeper joining the Night Scotsman, with breakfast in the North British at Kings Cross, or pie and tea at York about 10pm on the way north as a Sea Cadet; memorable journeys. 

My plot is to build an abbreviated version of Waverley Station in Edinburgh, hence the Scottish influence - the Metro Tank was supposed to be another LMS but was misrepresented on E-Bay. I have a 30x15' board erected around an upstairs studio with windows on all sides and have the final package of track due next week. The initial circuit has been up and running since February. Then the serious modelling needs to start. With too many other diversions the job will take too long but I'll send some photos progressively, and via the ATOC. The room is so good to be in, not only now with the rail diversion, but also with views south across the garden and paddock and north into the distant ranges. 

Generally everything runs well. The Tank flanges don't cope well at speed with the frog on the Atlas points; they are on the generous side! I just have to drive carefully! I'm using 72/84" diameter track but the curved points have 54" on the inner rail which need care with the smaller locos. The ACE Pacifics handle them OK but the BL can only handle them in one direction. Some severe quality control on the coach assembly lines in the new plant would be helpful; and the Chinese are pretty good at that, is my experience. I have some 93"diam express points coming for mainline operation which I hope will handle the expresses at speed. 

I have a maroon LMS 2-6-4 on order via Len and have the LMS coaches in the plan, perhaps the Pullmans also. The non-streamlined maroon Duchess is, I think, amongst the most stunning of locos. I saw the Aster model in Perth a few years ago; at 10000 dollars a pop! Don't be in too much of a rush with the production; I need the share market to recover a bit! I've had to be in catch-up mode to gather such as I have, and for which I am very grateful. Boys Toys! 

I trust that I haven't bored you with all my waffle. I understand what it is to be at the receiving end of business "challenges" and thought that a bit of positive feedback wouldn't go amiss! Hang in there. 

Regards 

Alan Boddy  12/06/09

Hi Ace Trainers

 

I received my 2-6-4 from Much Ado About Toys yesterday; The service from them I find very good & friendly; the model I received was the British Railways version 3 cylinder loco. I have been running the loco in and find it is a good runner; one small problem was that the rear trailing bogie wheels were "floating" on the track & the rear wheel of the bogie was lifting clear off the rails. This was cured by adjusting the retaining nut by threading it down allowing the wheels firm contact with the track. My layout has old Bassett-Lowke track so this problem may not apply to more modern track users. I could send photo but don’t know how to load it to the club website. A very nice and excellent great model .

 

Regards to all ACE Trainers

Alan Sangster. 19/06/09

To Len and all the ACE team,

My Stainer 2-6-4 arrived today and I just wanted to thank you for its safe delivery and to say how pleased I am with the loco.

I think you can all be justly proud of producing such a great looking and great running loco.

Very best regards,

Barry Audsley 01/07/09

Dear Mr. Levy and Mr. Mills and all at Ace Trains,

My LMS liveried Stanier Tank has arrived safely in Germany. Many people have no doubt written to you to mention their appreciation of the model, so there is a danger of my repeating what others have already said. It is simply superb. It is beautifully proportioned, well finished and the running characteristics are excellent even at low speeds. It has a very (if I dare say it) Maerklin/Lowke feel to it. Congratulations on producing such a stunning locomotive.

Best regards,

Philip Hearn,

Oldenburg, Germany 07/09/09

Hello Allen, Hello Len

Today, I have received the Stanier E/8 : Wahooo ! Superb ! You know what ? I'm very happy

You have done a very good job !

Thank you.

Best regards.

Yves Zonca 23/09/09

Allen

That would be brilliant. 

Could you put me on the order list for an Eton, with deflectors, in Maunsell Green. 

Can I also just add that Len did you proud by replacing a rather noisy Stanier with another one, no quibbling and very much on trust, that underpins why, as a company you are so highly regarded.  Needless to say both Staniers that I now own, a BR green one from Modelfair and a BR Black from you are immaculate runners. 

I am so looking forward to the two Bulleids that I have on order from Modelfair.  Another locomotive that I had hoped you would manufacture so was delighted when you announced that you were doing so.  I will also order some A1's when they become available. 

I cannot begin to explain to you how much enjoyment your locomotives and rolling stock bring to a mixed layout that I have with original Hornby.  Each a treasure. 

Regards 

Peter Loy 11/11/09

My dear Allen,

I have received this morning the Etat coaches set. I want to thank you for your help. And also congratulate ACE for the quality of its products. These coaches are realy superb. I don't tire of watching its... I hope that you will continue to have copies of french coaches or locomotives on your catalog. We don't have same products in France: there is no more manufacturer of tinpalte trains since the disappearance of AS or Atelier 43.

But even if you stop to produce that sort of products, I will make some infidelities with french materials. Probabily, english locomotives will run on my tracks as soon as possible, and "honni soit qui mal y pense"...

I wait now for news from Shamorck Trains about the canopy.

Merci beaucoup, thak you very much, and May-be I will contact you soon one mor for a locomotive.

François Bluteau 10/12/09

Dear Allen,   

Thanks for yet another stunning Ace train.  This makes my fourth Ace engine, and all are in immaculate condition, just as good as the day I bought them.  These are the finest trains I've ever seen, and as long as you keep making them, I'll keep buying as I can, for I don't think we'll ever see anything like them again, at least not in my lifetime, and affordable to average-income persons, as well.  I'm sure the day is coming when you'll want to retire and spend all your time reading, relaxing, and sailing the local lakes and seas, but I hope it's not any time soon.

Yours,

Mike Whitney USA 04/07/2010

Recent 'Spamcan' comments seen on the AEC Trains Owners Club forum.

Blackmoor Vale arrived today

This is my first Ace Trains loco and am very impressed with the quality and finish. The packing is first class and really liked the fact that it is wrapped in soft cloth to prevent scratching.Can't wait for Repton to arrive.

From 'Velovenom' Via the ATOC Forum

19/8/2010

 

Hi Velovenom, Have to agree. Of course!

The Spamcans are truly great. Big. Heavy. Kinda-like a scaled-down weight-thing going on there I think.

My Tangmere really gives my layout's Maldon Rail points a proper caning (which they relish and are more than capable of coping with).

From 'Clickedyclack' Via the ATOC Forum

20/8/2010

 

"Fighter Command" looks amazing in Works Grey. Thank goodness it ran like this for three weeks, minus nameplates, to give us a valid excuse for running it.The finish on this model is fantastic.

From 'Howardstarr' via the ATOC Forum

20/8/2010

 

I got my Southern Green Hurricane in the post yesterday. To say I was excited would be a gross understatement! It is a thing of beauty, and the weight is quite astonishing. I think I’ll need to invest in a 20-volt transformer however; 12-volts doesn’t seem to cut it with this beast. Any information on where I can get one I can plug into a socket in Australia without it exploding would be much appreciated! In the mean time I have posted some pictures of my new addition on my blog, which can be found here:

http://brightonatlantic.wordpress.com/

From 'DavidH' via the ATOC Forum

20/8/2010