I like to thank the 165 people who took the time to complete and submit their choices in the survey
Some of the results have been a bit of a surprise and are not what I expected. A full break down of all the results submitted are shown below. Please note not all the surveys received contained a full set of answers which is why there are slight variations in the total number of responses to each question. A number of suggestions were put forward and I've tried to address the majority of these below.
Finally many thanks to everyone who sent compliments which are all very much appreciated.
1. How easy is it to find what your looking for on the EFE Zone site?
Very Difficult 2 1.2%
Difficult 1 0.6%
OK 23 14%
Easy 138 84.2%
Results are far better than I expected.
2. Do you prefer the black page background used EFE Zone pages or the white used on the OOC Zone Pages?
EFE Zone 78 47.6%
No preference 58 35.4%
OOC Zone 28 17%
I was expecting the white background to win by a mile! For now things will remain as they are on both sites but I've taken note and the EFE pages won't be getting the white background makeover I had planned!
3. When checking for site updates do you use the links in the scroller on the home page or the dedicated updates page?
The scroller links 44 27.2%
Both 68 41.9%
Updates page 50 30.9%
Both the scroller & dedicated update pages will remain as they are.
4. How useful do you find the EFE & OOC News pages?
Very 137 84%
Fairly 26 16%
Not very 0 0%
Not at all 0 0%
Again not what I expected and thus my idea of possibly dropping the news pages has now been scrapped.
5. How often do you use the Fleet Focus operator pages?
Often 36 22.8%
Occasionally 104 65.8%
Never 18 11.4%
Despite the pages being used rarely by most the section will be maintained and expanded as it appears most have used them at some point.
6. Would you prefer to see the EFE & OOC Zone sites combined into a single site? (i.e. one home, news and updates page etc)
No 76 46.4%
No preference 44 26.8%
Yes 44 26.8%
It seems the majority are fairly happy with things the way they are. In fact both the EFE Zone & OOC Zone are already based on a single website www.modelbuszone.co.uk, consideration may be given to having an additional combined home page at this domain address.
7. Would you like to see the site expended to cover one of the following model bus ranges? (Due to the limited amount of spare time I have, covering another range would probably mean I'd have to slightly scale back the amount of coverage given to the EFE & OOC models.)
No 71 43.5%
CMNL 37 22.7%
Britbus 48 29.5%
Corgi Classics (Buses) 7 4.3%
Corgi Classics are now unlikely to be added. Overall more people would like to see the site expanded to cover further ranges but equally a substantial number would also prefer things to stay as they are. Depending on what happens in regards to future OOC model releases I may consider adding Britbus coverage if there is a big reduction in OOCs releases in 2008.
8. Which types of model do you mainly collect? (All results are out of a possible total of 164.)
Buses & Coaches 155 94.5%
Trucks 25 15.2%
1:24th Buses 14 8.5%
Other models 12 7.3%
The trucks up take is less than I expected as is the interest in 1:24th Buses. The EFE trucks will however continue to be covered on the site along with the Gilbow 1:24th models as releases of both types of models are quite low.
9. How often on average do you visit the EFE Zone site?
Every day 41 25%
Several times a week 90 54.9%
Once a week 28 17.1%
Few times a month 5 3%
10. In terms providing information how would you rate each of the following site features?
a. Model casting index pages (those containing lists of all the releases of a particular casting)
Don't know 3 1.9%
Good 146 90.1%
OK 12 7.4%
Poor 1 0.6%
The section index pages will thus remain as they are.
b. Commissioned Models / Commissioners Section
Don't know 17 10.4%
Good 122 74.9%
OK 23 14.1%
Poor 1 0.6%
c. EFE Truck Section
Don't know 65 40.4%
Good 80 49.7%
OK 16 9.9%
Poor 0 0%
This section will at some point be upgraded in a similar way to the bus section (ie new index pages & larger model pictures)
d. Deluxe Series Models
Don't know 23 14.3%
Good 114 70.8%
OK 24 14.9%
Poor 0 0%
As releases of De-luxe models are now quite low consideration is being given to expanding this section to include the growing number of re-worked standard release models.
e. Gift Sets
Don't know 22 13.4%
Good 108 65.9%
OK 33 20.1%
Poor 1 0.6%
Like the trucks section this will eventually be upgraded in a similar way to the bus section (ie larger model pictures and better individual set pages)
f. Fleet Focus Operator Pages
Don't know 18 11%
Good 118 72.4%
OK 27 16.6%
Poor 0 0%
As mentioned above this section will be updated and expanded once all the EFE bus model sections have upgraded.
g. Individual model pages & their model pictures
Don't know 2 1.2%
Good 148 90.2%
OK 14 8.6%
Poor 0 0%
I'm very happy with this result as changing these pages now would be a bit of a nightmare!
h. EFE Zone Fotopic Gallery
Don't know 20 12.3%
Good 119 73.5%
OK 23 14.2%
Poor 0 0%
These results are far better than expected and as a result I will continue to maintain the Fotopic site.
A number of suggestions were put forward as follows....
Q. I would like to see the redecorated code 3 models produced by LBRT, especially the ones for Country Bus Rallies.
A. The Country Bus Rally & Amersham Running Day models along some of the other L.B.R.T. models are listed on the Commissioners page and links provided to the model pages on the L.B.R.T. site.
Q. Would like to see some of the promised prototype data on the trucks that has been promised for some time! Also, has anyone mentioned that the Atkinson Artic box vans and flatbed are under the opposite headings?!
A. Despite my best efforts I've been unable to source any information in regards to the ERF KV, AEC Mark 3 and Mark 5 trucks. If anyone can provide some details they'd be gratefully received. No one else had pointed out the heading error which has now been corrected!
Q. Could a section be provided where a livery could be nominated for application to an existing model that may influence EFE to produce such a model?
Q. Perhaps readers could submit a "wish list" of models we would like to see EFE and Corgi produce. It could influence their future product planning?
Q. Requests from collectors which could be collated and passed on to the manufacturer in bulk "petition" form e.g. I see a need in my collection for a bus recovery vehicle - a decent one which doesn't look like a cheap toy - either a Matador as used by many companies post war or one of the bus conversions. I remember Central SMT used to convert their own from Bristol Lodekkas and Leyland single deckers.
A. This is something that I've considered doing but it could prove to be quite a time consuming feature to set up and maintain. However I will now consider a trial page for one of the existing EFE bus castings with a view of gradually rolling it out across the rest of the models if successful. Not sure how a bulk petition would go down with the model manufacturers or whether it would be taken seriously if it was compiled from website submissions (ie multiple submissions could be made by individuals which could also make the survey idea mentioned below a bit unreliable)
Q. Prefer model pictures against a plain background and not buildings.
A. In most cases unless a contrasting background is necessary (ie white model) the models are now photographed against a plain white backdrop.
Q. Would it be possible to have a survey of "most wanted" models, say, once a year?
A. This first survey has gone pretty smoothly so consideration will be given to a "most wanted" models vote which could possibly tie in with wish list suggestion mentioned above.
Q. It would be nice (if possible) to have the strike count for the models
A. Due to the large number of individual model pages on the site (well over 2100) this would be technically quite difficult to implement at present.
Q. Basic specs of the real vehicles, engine power/torque output, speed, weight etc. It's a very hard subject to access anywhere else. Most websites and books discuss who bought them and which routes they ran on but nothing much about the vehicles themselves.
A. The main problem with this idea is actually finding a source detailing these technical specs and the fact that many vehicles would have had varying specification depending on operators individual requirements.
Q. I'd love to see you extend your coverage of Corgi OOC to include Corgi Trackside. While their castings used to be basic compared with EFE, they are now pretty much on a par.
A. Currently I have no plans to extend coverage to any other truck ranges. Bearing in mind the results above the trucks appear to have little appeal to the majority of visitors to the site.
Q. I understand that time is limited, but I am still waiting for the Irish Operators to be added to the fleet focus.
A. The Fleet Focus section is currently not being updated while work continues to upgrade the original EFE model bus pages. Only four more bus sections now need upgrading and once these are completed I intend to fully update and add new operator pages to this section.
Q. I feel you should contain a section on accessories for EFE/Corgi. There is an excellent range of London Transport garage kits in card currently available, as well as bus shelters, figures etc.
A. This is an idea that I'd be interested to hear the views of other on although I do feel it might be slightly outside the original aims of this site and perhaps something that's already covered elsewhere.
Q. Model timelines. ie order in which models were sold with month/year of introduction.
A. This is something that might be implemented in the EFE History once this section is added to the site.
Q. I would like to see CMNL BRITBUS and CORGI CLASSICS on the site!
A. It's unlikely that all three would ever be added, the main problem with the Britbus & CMNL models is that I don't have any photographs of the majority of the releases and the survey results show little interest in Corgi Classics of which I have a large collection of photographs!
The survey results show that Britbus is the must requested range but a fairly large percentage would prefer coverage to be restricted to the existing OOC & EFE models. If Corgi sufficiently reduce output of OOC models in the future I may consider extending coverage to include the Britbus models.
