[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (StewartR @ 12 Oct 2006, 12:10) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>As to the pictures of the old hornby and the new evening start,side by side for comparison,I would still rather have the Hornby,due to strong motor and mechanicals and also the fact that when I pick the old Horby one up the floor wont get littered with tiny detail parts that fall off,I bought the "master set" the otherday,before I have even got "Prince Paladin" out the VERY tight foam insert a part broke off,when finally out and being inspect a load more plastic bits fell off,and it comes with a bag of more even small plastic bits to add on aswell,namely the cylinder drains!!!!God I hate all this micro rubbish plastic detail!!
Funny you should mention it but there was discussion on this very issue not long back.

The detail is good as long as it's securely fastened on to the loco.

Unfortunately it often isn't.

I don't really bother with all the extra plastic detail as a lot of it falls off. I think the idea is to only apply it if you intend to use the model for static display. When the loco turns to go round small radius curves much of the extra detail is forced off as the wheels articultate to a degree a real loco couldn't. Some manufacturers actually tell you this in the instructions.

 

[silver760]

It drove me bananas, it cane with a spare axle for the rear pony with rimmed wheels rather than the smooth ones and instructions to remove the smooth wheel and replace it with the rimmed variety, this was included in the packet with the small pipes for the cylinder drains, well I took the screw out carefully and put it to one side, then the little metal plate slid inside the bodywork, could i get it out?No wat, so I had to dissasemble the loco to get it out, first off undid the wrong screw and the motor rear bracket came off!!

Anyway, I got the plate back, fitted the new axle and gave it ago, every bend the rear pony jumped the rails.
Damn, so I had to change it back, the reason the wheels are smooth on the pony is because it doesnt articulate like the scotty I have here????
I assume that axle must be for display purposes or straight track only aswell!!
Both the tiny doors on the sides of the cab,which were glued on at the factory were the first thing in the bin after one fell off before it was out the box!!

There is NO NEED for all this micro detailing, not only can you not see it unless you have your nose pressed against it, but its just a constant pain in the butt.

I had a bachmann 0-6-0, with the same problem, all the detail bits fell off, then the gearbox went, that went straight in the bin,

None of my oldies have these problems and most are older than I am!!

I also bought a Bachmann G scale GE45T ton switcher, held together with the same chinese glue, it just DOESNT STICK, it might hold it in the factory and on the boat, but as soon as it gets here and out the box, their like an old christmas tree dropping pine needles!!!

I for one dont want it and do no need it, it just stresses me out when a high cost new purchase starts falling apart in front of my eyes!!

Laters, Stew.

 

[Brian Considine]

QUOTE (StewartR @ 12 Oct 2006, 04:38) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>There is NO NEED for all this micro detailing, not only can you not see it unless you have your nose pressed against it, but its just a constant pain in the butt.
Laters, Stew.

This is probably the very first time I have ever seen anyone complain about fine detailing ! Most people seem to complain about it missing (even if you cannot see it when running)>

regards
Brian

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 12 Oct 2006, 16:48) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>This is probably the very first time I have ever seen anyone complain about fine detailing ! Most people seem to complain about it missing (even if you cannot see it when running)>

regards
Brian
I was a bit surprised too.

Guess you can't please everyone.

 

[Thunder]

i have found the last couple of comments in this thread very interesting, I think it sums up the dilemma that, manufacturers have, with us "Railway Modellers" and i can understand both sides, there are those who place their model locos in cabinets, never to be run, and require all the detail, and there are those who want to run their trains with the every day wear and tear that entails, therefor need a more robust model, i fall in the middle of the two, and believe that the manufactures have got it just about right with the new models, in that, all the finer detail can be applied if wanted, and left off, if you are going to run your locos, But saying that, i entirely agree with the comment about items glued on from the factory, you only have to look at some of these, and they fall off.

 

[Doug]

I like the detail, but alas I store my locos back in their boxes when not in use and the little fiddly bits end up coming off quite often.

Until I have dust free storage fiddle yards set up, I just have to put up with this.

I imagine most people have the same problem. Detail is welcome, but when man-handling the locos and putting them away in tight foam packaging, it is a bit of a pain.

 

[neil_s_wood]

QUOTE (Doug @ 12 Oct 2006, 18:52) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I like the detail, but alas I store my locos back in their boxes when not in use and the little fiddly bits end up coming off quite often.

Until I have dust free storage fiddle yards set up, I just have to put up with this.

I imagine most people have the same problem. Detail is welcome, but when man-handling the locos and putting them away in tight foam packaging, it is a bit of a pain.
So we're pretty much all agreed then....

 

[cbeagleowner]

I guess it's things like this that makes people put them in display cases.

 

[Doug]

Here is a video on the Evening Star and the 9F's including an interview with David Shepherd.

You can buy the DVD here for £19.99.

 

[Doug]

The extra rollers for the rolling road arrived and the 9F went on straight away. A day on that machine will hopefully smooth out any roughness. This is what it looked and sounded like when first put on:

I have realised that half the sound from this loco (and probably others too) is resonating from the tender that is just a hollow plastic box.

I've opened the tender up, stuffed it with cotton wool; opend the coal load and filled that too; and now it sounds much better. Try it for yourself

 

[spaceship]

Interesting videos Doug, especially the scale 1:1 footage. Thanks for sharing.

I have a 9F myself, what can you do about the "rocking and rolling"?
Jos

 

[Doug]

QUOTE (spaceship @ 12 Dec 2006, 13:07) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>...what can you do about the "rocking and rolling"?
I'm not sure. I ran the loco in for a day on the rolling road. Oiling it every few hours. It ran much better after that, but the problem is due to the loose axles and tight tie-rods that pull the axles back and forth.

 

[Jeorge]

Here's my 9F pulling all my stock.

EDIT: Hmm, I guess I cant embed

 

[dwb]

A cautionary word for anyone fitting a DCC decoder to their 9F; take great care not to dislodge either of the copper coils on the PCB next to the DCC socket. I don't know how I did it, but one of them came loose at one end so that the motor would not turn until I had reconnected it. I managed this by unwinding a coil and soldering the newly freed end to the pad where the original connection had been made.

I used a Zimo MX 63R decoder which fits in the boiler space provided quite easily. The MX 63R is smaller than a Lenz Gold, though I don't the installation is any neater than Doug's in his 9F review. The difficult part is constraining all the wires in the harness until the body is mated with the chassis.

Hauling power appears to be well above average. The 9F has few problems with a CMX clean machine on the level, but there can be wheel slip when pushing it backwards up a 1:25 incline.

I have fitted a pair of Kadee long length NEM couplings front and rear with a sliver of 10 thou plasticard to take up the "slop" in the factory fitted box. It looks like shorter NEM Kadees would work, but for now I am content with the long ones. Being an NEM fitment, changing at a later date should be no problem. I fitted the front Kadee whilst I had the front pony truck removed when adding the DCC decoder.

Mechanically my model appears perfectly sound with no evidence of the "rock and roll" that Doug has commented on in his example.

All in all, a most satisfying model; highly recommended.

David

 

[John]

Dear All,

I am trying to dismantle the tender of the Evening Star version of the Bachmann 9F (Catalogue No. 32-850), to fit a sound decoder and speaker. This tender seems to be assembled contrary to the diagram which was in the box (Diagram No. E3285-IS001).

I have removed 2 screws under the rear and there are 2 lugs under the front. I cannot separate the top from the bottom. I think there must be a hidden screw somewhere and I have no idea how to get to it.

I don't want to break something major by trying to force the top away from the chassis. Has anyone else done this and can give me some advice?

Regards
John Russell
Vienna, Austria

 

[John]

QUOTE (John @ 7 Jan 2007, 17:39) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Dear All,

I don't want to break something major by trying to force the top away from the chassis. Has anyone else done this and can give me some advice?

Sorry. just forget this message. I discovered that with a bit of pushing on the lugs and pulling on the top of the tender, the top came away from the chassis. I'm always a bit cautious with a new model which I have not dismantled before and then find that a bit of brute force is required!

 

[Makemineadouble]

I'm interested in what sound decoder your going to fit. I have three older 9F's the Hornby body with loco drive chassis, they all have the soundtraxx DSX sound only decoder in the tender. They do sound good and pull very well.
Perhaps you could grace us with a few pictures of your installation