Closure of Eileens Emporium

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derekrussan
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Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby derekrussan » Sun Dec 11, 2022 2:16 pm

I am very sorry to have to tell you that Russan Limited, trading as Eileens Emporium has ceased trading and appointed liquidators.

We have done our best to send out all the stock we have for pre-paid orders. I am sorry that we were not able to complete all of them.

Any clains against the business should be sent to:

Christine Vaines, Begbies Traynor, Suite C 11 Kingsmead Square, Bath, BA1 2AB | T: 01225 316 040 | Email Christine.Vaines@btguk.com
Derek Russan, Eileens Emporium.

David Knight
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby David Knight » Sun Dec 11, 2022 2:58 pm

Very sad news. It was a pleasure doing business with you.

Best regards,

David

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steamraiser
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby steamraiser » Sun Dec 11, 2022 3:52 pm

Really sorry to hear the news. You and your family built the business up to be the best supplier in the west country for all those bits and pieces we all need.
I wish you and your family all the best for the future.

Gordon Ashton
Bristol.

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jim s-w
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby jim s-w » Sun Dec 11, 2022 4:20 pm

Sorry to hear that Derek

Thanks for your service over the years. Best wishes for the future.

Jim
Jim Smith-Wright

http://www.p4newstreet.com

Over thinking often leads to under doing!

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Paul Willis
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Paul Willis » Sun Dec 11, 2022 4:46 pm

Derek,

I'm very saddened to hear about the end of an era. When we spoke at Thornbury a few weeks ago, you said that people had just stopped spending money on hobbies. It unfortunately seems that this is the consequence.

All the best wishes to you, and all the rest of the family involved in what was a real family business, and a modeller's much needed friend.

Take care,
Paul
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

bevis
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby bevis » Sun Dec 11, 2022 5:21 pm

Another sad ex-customer here.
Thanks for all your efforts over the years,
Bevis

Jan
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Jan » Sun Dec 11, 2022 7:24 pm

I’m sorry to hear that, Derek.
Eileen’s has always served me well.
Thank you and everyone there for all you’ve done for the hobby; particularly in the West of England.

Peace

Jan

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jjnewitt
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby jjnewitt » Sun Dec 11, 2022 9:04 pm

Sad news for the hobby.

All the best to you Derek and Co and what must be a difficult time. Thanks for all that you've done. You will be missed.

Justin

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Neil Smith
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Neil Smith » Sun Dec 11, 2022 9:36 pm

So sorry to hear this news and what it means for the team there. The very first thing I did when I shifted from thinking about getting back into modelling to doing something about it was to place an order with Eileens, and my latest order arrived only a matter of days ago.

Whilst there will be other outlets selling various tools and bits of brass and what have you, what will happen to the items you could only get at Eileens? I am thinking in particular of the various Bill Bedford etches (W irons, bogies, jigs, etc)? It would be a crying shame if they were lost to the hobby.

With best wishes to Derek and the team.

Neil

DaveHarris
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby DaveHarris » Sun Dec 11, 2022 11:07 pm

Very sad news! Athe best to Derek and the team

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Jim Summers
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Jim Summers » Mon Dec 12, 2022 9:29 am

This is such sad news, not just for the hobby, but of course for Derek and the team.
Eileen's was always innovative and forward-looking, and really worked for their customers.

Thank you for that, folks.
You did not deserve this outcome, but every good wish for the future.

Jim

Daddyman
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Daddyman » Mon Dec 12, 2022 9:54 am

Neil Smith wrote: Whilst there will be other outlets selling various tools and bits of brass and what have you, what will happen to the items you could only get at Eileens? I am thinking in particular of the various Bill Bedford etches (W irons, bogies, jigs, etc)?
Neil


Wizard do the BB W-irons.

martin goodall
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby martin goodall » Mon Dec 12, 2022 12:11 pm

What makes this news all the more surprising and disappointing is that, under Derek Russan’s ownership, Eileen’s Emporium had been such a good, well-run business. I greatly admired the way that Derek developed the business after he acquired it.

The fact that Eileen’s Emporium has found it necessary to cease trading sends shivers through the whole hobby and model railway trade. Is this a sign of things to come? Is scratch-building and finescale modelling a dying art which is now being pursued by a reducing number of model railway enthusiasts? If so, will other traders supplying this part of the market also find it necessary to close down?

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Neil Smith
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Neil Smith » Mon Dec 12, 2022 12:47 pm

Daddyman wrote:Wizard do the BB W-irons.


Thank you. And the jigs and various other bits but having had a look not the bogie subframes.

Mark Tatlow
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Mark Tatlow » Mon Dec 12, 2022 1:56 pm

Daddyman wrote:Wizard do the BB W-irons.


But they only retail them, so once their stock has gone soo too has the source.

Going back to the original topic, this is terrible news for the hobby in general and me in particular.. However, the worst news is for Derek and family as many of them were involved in the business and are now, presumably, unemployed. I hope they find their feet and the loss to them is not too disastrous. Good luck to all of the Russans.
Mark Tatlow

gavin
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby gavin » Mon Dec 12, 2022 2:23 pm

Although I am not one to normally post following the same trend as previous commentators, feeling it can often appear self-indulgent, I too must on this occasion offer my best wishes, at what must be a very difficult time, to all those involved.

Having been, no doubt like many others here, a customer of Eileens’s since it’s first incarnation I can only thank Derek and his family for continuing such a great tradition so well.

You will indeed be greatly missed.
Gavin
Scalefour News Editor

Terry Bendall
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Terry Bendall » Mon Dec 12, 2022 2:31 pm

As others have said, this is very sad especially for Derek and his family. We should remember that Derek is also a Society member and supported us at Scaleforum and Scalefour North through sponsoring the Eileen's Emporium prize for the best example of scratchbuilding seen at the exhibitions. He was also willing to help in other ways.

Terry Bendall

David Dornom
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby David Dornom » Mon Dec 12, 2022 2:41 pm

What a tragedy , for the family and for the hobby. They have been very good friends to us all, and I am so sad to receive this news at this, of all times of the year. I wish the whole family all the best for the future, they deserve it. David Dornom

Albert Hall
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Albert Hall » Mon Dec 12, 2022 2:50 pm

Derek and his team have been part of the furniture at Railwells/Scalefour SouthWest for as long as I remember. As a show steward and dogsbody, I spent much time lugging their crates of stock up the stairs into the main hall, then watched in amazement as Derek dovetailed everything back into the van when we brought what was left back down again. Definitely not the way a business should come to an end. With very best wishes for the future.

Roy

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Horsetan
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Horsetan » Mon Dec 12, 2022 7:04 pm

Mark Tatlow wrote:
Daddyman wrote:Wizard do the BB W-irons.


Neil Smith wrote:Thank you. And the jigs and various other bits but having had a look not the bogie subframes.


But they only retail them, so once their stock has gone so too has the source....


All the BB valve gear / motion etches will be lost as well.

I can think of at least one tools / model supplier that might be tempted to expand their empire a little further. Whether they can cope with it and run it, of course, is another matter.
That would be an ecumenical matter.

drewt
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby drewt » Mon Dec 12, 2022 8:04 pm

Terribly sad news, I hope you have better times ahead. Andrew Treves

billbedford

Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby billbedford » Tue Dec 13, 2022 8:57 am

Neil Smith wrote: I am thinking in particular of the various Bill Bedford etches (W irons, bogies, jigs, etc)? It would be a crying shame if they were lost to the hobby.


Those etches are "Long Tail" items. This way of doing business may work if a shed load on remaindered books for next to nothing but tends to fail if new stock needs an investment which is not likely to turn a profit for five years.

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Jol Wilkinson
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Jol Wilkinson » Tue Dec 13, 2022 8:28 pm

Bill,

if the tooling still exists then the items could be produced in economical quantities. It then depends on who holds the rights to them and if those rights can be purchased for a realistic price..

It is also possible that sufficient stocks of etches may still exist to make it worthwhile for someone to acquire and market them in the short term.

Jol

billbedford

Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby billbedford » Tue Dec 13, 2022 10:22 pm

Jol.

The tools still exist.

While the liquidators will expect to sell whatever etches remain with Eileen's Emporium, it should be pointed out that what does remain will be the least well-selling items in the range.

Philip Hall
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Re: Closure of Eileens Emporium

Postby Philip Hall » Wed Dec 14, 2022 12:29 am

I have just found out about this whilst at sea this week. I recently received an order from Eileen's at their usual speed despite all the postal troubles.

So sorry to hear this news, Derek, and I wish you and the family all the best at an awful time for you and the business. You have served us so well over the years and as so many have said, will be very much missed.

Philip


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