"1/700 Meridian "Trafalgar" (coming) back?" Topic

All:

From another thread today here: TMP link

Skytrex has a page of links to sites that got the ranges they sold off.

I have been watching for new status on the 1/700 Meridian "Trafalgar" line for some years. Clicking the link I ultimately arrived at a page which is is well worth a look:

link

As will be seen if you visit this link there is a four-page formatted "store" module with all the appearances of being in business (41 results), colour images, very impressive.

Anyone able to contact/visit Navy Models & Books to learn the status? I can find nothing about the date of this site, latest perhaps 2013? Perhaps another "false start", but a well-presented one if so?

If anyone is more in "the know" on this please speak up. I am going to pursue this further and will report back. If anyone can glean anything authoritative about the current fate of Meridian "Trafalgar" please post here or PM me.

Cheers.

The last entry on the news page is December 2015,

They have a stand at Partizan this weekend.

Have you tried using their contact page link

John:

Thanks very much for the link I hadn't yet begun a quest for more information. It is a little confusing as the News Item would appear to offer the entire Meridian line for sale. Yet their "Store" seems to be active as I have just added a couple of ship models to the Basket for purchase?

I have just sent an email to their contact link and will post any response here for those who may be interested.

This page is still running. Few months ago I bought three boats. They are very nice, pretty but expensive, too irresistible …

you can get in touch: navymodelsandbooks@yahoo.co.uk
The person in charge is called Patricia

My reading of the News Item is that the WW2 and modern ranges are for sale, not the Trafalgar range.

Good luck with your quest!

MJS:

Thanks, I will probably order a British Squadron pack later today. You're correct irresistible.

John:

Yes, that's my reading as well after overnight.

Cheers,

Cheriton, I sent a private message.

It would be great if they added new models to the range to include the smaller ships like brigs and sloops. 1/700 would suit models like this really well as they do get quite small in 1:1200.

This is the lastest message I received from the company:

" NEWS LETTER

Hello to all our subscribers and to new folk. We are delighted to say we have been invited to have a table or two at 'The Other Partizan' this coming Sunday 21 August at Newark. This is a first for Navy Models and Books and we are very much looking forward to it.

We are taking the opportunity to launch three new Meridian Trafalgar ships

Sorry no pictures yet,
HMS Terror MT120
Bomb vessels were built with extremely strong hulls to withstand the force occurring when the mortars were fired. HMS Terror was part of the naval forces attacking Copenhagen in 1801. They took part in the Battle of Baltimore 1814 and attacked Fort St Phillip 1815. HMS Terror was part of Arctic explorations in 1836-37, 1840-43 and 1845-48 her strong hull being able to resist the pressure of ice in these regions. Bomb vessels were also used as convoy escorts and occasionally cruised against enemy shipping with mortars dismounted.
Price for kit £9.95 GBP

Privateer MT121
Ketch rigged, these vessels were commonly used as privateers by all maritime nations. Variously armed this ship as modelled was equipped with 3 pdr guns, more than adequate to subdue most merchant ships. If conditions were calm they could be rowed. This vessel was also equipped with an 18pdr long gun situated in the bow. This weapon was used to dismast a merchant ship when the privateer was involved in a chase. Privateers carried large crews both to subdue and re-crew captured vessels.
Price for kit £9.95 GBP

HMS Pickle MT122
Probably the best known schooner of Napoleonic times as she was selected by Admiral Collingwood, Commander in chief of the British fleet at Trafalgar following the death of Admiral Nelson, to take despatches to the Admiralty in London informing of the huge victory at Trafalgar and also giving news of the death of Nelson from wounds received during the battle.
Pickle's captain was John Lapenotiere, for his mission he was promoted to Commander and soon after made post of captain. He was also given a reward of £500.00 GBP (5 times his current salary at the time). This was just reward as he made good time despite violent storms which nearly sank Pickle when her pumps blocked and the crew were forced to bail the ship using hand buckets.
HMS Pickle was built in Bermuda, purchased by the British navy and was eventually lost by being wrecked off the Spanish coast in 1808. She captured a French privateer (Favorite) in 1807.
Price for kit £6.95 GBP

Thank you for taking the time to read our news letter"

MJS:

Cheriton, I sent a private message.

Received, thanks, will reply this weekend…

This is the lastest message I received from the company

Are you using their contact link or some other address? I have sent a couple of queries in the last two days, do they normally relatively promptly?

Cheers,

*guinness

The company usually take a while to respond, moreover maybe they are on holiday.

I saw them at the show – really excited to see new models of smaller ships now being released. They have more on the way but are not sure quite when they will be ready. I guess this may depend on sales.

Very nice folks. I like the way they have decided to sell the range either and full kits or in constituent elements to reduce the cost for those who want to make their own parts such as sails without the etched detailed. the SOL have a very real presence and the relative thickness of various parts looks much better at this scale than the smaller models.

I shall definitely be getting into this at some point.

Timmo uk

I shall definitely be getting into this at some point.

I have been poking and prodding at their website for the last few weeks without result. I finally struck paydirt when I was contacted by a very gracious and enlightened employee about the Meridian 1/700 line. It seems that most (or all) of the items in the cataogue are are available at this time.

I have (yesterday) successfully ordered one "MTSP2 Squadron of [three] French ships" and almost immediately received "Your order has been received and is now being processed." Now, this morning I have already received "Your recent order on Navy Models & Books has been completed".

Great results finally, let's hope this is evidence of their level of commitment to the Meridian line.

Nice folks, I'm sure but, the pictures are up at their site now… The new models don't look very good to me…

Unfortunately I think the same :o(

Yea – they look crude compared to the old stuff…