DT/CC,
Have no fear about speaking your mind about out of town guns.I am not a big fan of WR, in fact I think their sleeving jobs which they used to do were awful.
Probably the cause of the demise of the Brum guntrade was the fact that the trade would provide any standard of finish dependant on the delivery date and cost.Where as if you had to ask the price of a Boss or Purdey, you probably couldn't afford it.
As for asking for a firm delivery date, all you got in London was a look of disdain.