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To date we have not received an acceptable offer for the business complete as a going concern. We have received some low offers which we have not accepted. We have also had interest expressed in some sections of the range. We have therefore decided to continue trading into 2008, but with reduced hours. We will only be offering a telephone ordering and advice service on WEDNESDAYS (9.30-1.00, 2.00-6.00) commencing on 9th January. Of course, mail, faxes and e-mails can be sent 24/7 as usual, but we will no longer be able to offer the fast turn round of orders we have been well known for.

Some kits are already no longer available as we have run out of some critical components and it would be uneconomic to order more for a short period of operation. This affects the 48ft LB&SCR Billinton carriage kits.

If we have still not received and accepted a reasonable offer by the early Spring we will almost certainly then sell all stock to exhaustion and break the range up for disposal.

With best wishes for Christmas and the New Year,

Andrew Mullins
sales@branchlines.com
P.O. Box 31, Exeter, EX4 6NY, U.K.
Tel/Fax: +44(0)1392-437755
Business hours: 9.30-13.00, 14.00-18.00
(PLEASE NOTE THAT FROM 9TH JANUARY WE WILL ONLY BE OPEN ON WEDNESDAYS, 9.30-1, 2-6)
Monday -Thursday

12th November 2007

ALAN GIBSON : As from the 16th November the business will be operating from new premises - Unit 1, Acorn Centre, Barry Street, Oldham, Lancashire, OL1 3NE. The trading name continues as "Alan Gibson".

Colin Seymour and Chris Wild, the new owners, can be contacted at that address or by telephone - 0161 678 1607 or by FAX on 0161 785 8208

29th October 2007

ALAN GIBSON : His business has now been sold to Colin Seymour, who will be trading from Oldham, Lancashire, from 16th November. The business is still in Norfolk for the next couple of weeks. The new telephone number and address (will be a PO Box number) are to be set up, but in the meantime please continue to send or phone orders to Alan. After the changeover date, Alan will still be happy to take orders and will pass them on to the new owner. All components other than the loco kits will be available, so, in Alan's words, "everything should carry on as normal". The loco kits will be looked at in due time, possibly with a view to doing small batches. The final thing is that the trading name has also been sold, so it will still be "Alan Gibson".

Subsequent to the 12th August announcement, below, Alan Gibson has confirmed to the EMGS that he has received interest from four potential buyers.

The latest news is that at least one of these is quite serious and negotiations are at an advanced stage for the sale of the Alan Gibson product line which obviously includes the wheel range. Alan also reports that despite some recent significant increase in the sale of his wheels, good stocks remain and will be maintained for the foreseeable future.

Alan assures us that he will keep the EMGS and any other interested party fully up to date with progress in this matter.

Stocks of the Alan Gibson products held by the EMGS Trade Officer remain good and are being replenished as demand requires.

In recent months it has become widely known that the manufacturer of the Sharman range of wheels has been seeking to sell that part of their business but it is understood by the Society that so far no successful bidder has come forward. Similarly, more recently, Alan Gibson has contacted us and advises that he has decided to retire and has announced his intention to stop the manufacture of his entire range of products. Many of you will already know of his earlier decision to withdraw from the kit market.

The E. M Gauge Society is very much aware of the potential impact to many of its members of the decisions of those manufacturers and has been looking for some time into ways in which we can assist in ensuring products such as Driving wheels remain freely available in both EM and P4. However, these manufacturers must make decisions based upon their financial well being and it is not our intention to interfere with that decision process.

The Society will keep its members fully up to date with progress through its normal channel of the Newsletter and on its web site www.emgs.org