Have you suffered major issues with new models?

My Pendolino had marks on it. Still not sure what they are but they wont come off with water. I have had detail parts broken off on various Hornby and Bachmann steam locos. These were repairable with some airfix glue.

Probably the worst one was a new Roco S3/6 bought from Ebay, the buffers were bent and the coupling between the loco and tender was broken. I complained and was sent two sets of spare parts. What annoyed me about this is that the damage couldn't have happened in the box or in the post. It must have been put in the box damaged. What were they thinking? I wouldn't notice?

Actually now I think of it the worst one was when I bought my Trix Big Boy. This was the shops fault. It should be secured to a wooden plinth by means of three screws which screw into the chassis and tender chassis. The neglected to do this so the Loco and tender bounced their way up and down unsecured in a wooden box between Florida USA and Melbourne Australia. Needless to say it was well done in by the time it got here. They paid for repairs but how stupid was that? The loco weighs a kilo and a half, did they think it would just sit there?

Confining this to UK prototype, I have bought half a dozen locos a year for the past 10 years, about 50/50 model shops and mail order.

Non runners as received= 0. (Rejected 2 locos in shops as although they ran, one was jerky in one direction, the other noisy; all mail order items have run well straight from the box.)

Running and reliability problems = 2. Screaming Hornby 08, wayward coupler mounting on Hornby 31

Damage in transit = 4. All mail order, and it was minor components that had fallen off, all easily relocated.

Early damage in operation = 4. Bachmann Deltic buffers and glazing fell off, Hornby A4's and a Q1 shed several small detail parts. Again all very easily relocated.

Other problems.

Bodies very tight on chassis making removal for DCC decoder fitting rather fraught. Affected Bachmann WD's and K3's, Hornby A4's and A3's, and one example of the Britannia.

Poorly adjusted pick up wipers are a commonplace, (this affects product from elsewhere as well) and I have pretty much accepted the need to optimise these on all new purchases so that all wipers are in contact whatever the wheel positions may be. Ray of sunshine: purchases of those relatively new introductions that I have purchased (Bachmann 9F and Fairburn, Hornby Britannia) were all properly set up as received.

QUOTE (neil_s_wood)Actually now I think of it the worst one was when I bought my Trix Big Boy. This was the shops fault. It should be secured to a wooden plinth by means of three screws which screw into the chassis and tender chassis. The neglected to do this so the Loco and tender bounced their way up and down unsecured in a wooden box between Florida USA and Melbourne Australia. Needless to say it was well done in by the time it got here. They paid for repairs but how stupid was that? The loco weighs a kilo and a half, did they think it would just sit there?


I once saw one that had the front screw come loose in transit. as a result the rear of the loco had stayed on the track but the front had flopped backwards and forwards and took on a distinctly "Daliesque" apearence!

Peter

Dapol N gauge 66 - distinct wobble when running , probably due to a non-concentric wheel somewhere. Slight stutter in running and flickering lights , indicating pickups not properly adjusted. Mind you it could still be made to run very slowly on feedback. As I got it for nowt, new , I'm not actually complaining

Hornby 31 - one wire loose from connector on circuit board. Loco running fine. In a totally stupid act I attached it to a random connector and promptly blew the decoder

Bachmann 108,- some force was required to move the tight fitting body off its mounting lugs to get inside to fit decoder. My hand slipped and I cracked the silencer pipe at one end. Rapidly repaired with a touch of solvent

Apart from that , nothing to report . Mind you I'm not a heavy buyer of RTR, and a number of my locos are kit built (don't get me started on the demerits of Tenshodo motor bogies)

Had a couple of hornby loco's in recent years that failed to run from the box due to shorting out somewhere hidden, also bits dropping off when looked at too hard. All returned and exchanged without issue to the shop they came from. The modern steam stuff seem to like throwing the metal tyres off the spoked bits occasionally too which can be a faff to put back on. That and some very indifferent haulage/light running wheelslip which may be down to the track a bit too. Oh and a Brit with a liking for one particular set of points to the extent that it wouldn't budge from them without fail if you ran across at low speed. Funnily enough not had any issues with the other 2 main UK prototype manufacturers (not yet tried vitrains).
Not hornby bashing at all just the facts from my experience. Doesn't stop me buying their stuff either.

Folks,
Thanks for saving me from myself

dbclass50.
Quote,
Interesting about the Bachmann Liliput 05 - I have a couple of Liliput liliput 05's & they are both fine - I have yet to find a Bachmann Liliput 05 that runs well.
I have a couple of DB 2-6-0 tank locos - the Bachman Liliput runs very so-so with a very slight but distinct "waddle" - the Liliput Liliput is 100%.

Neil,
Quote,
I so wish I had spent the extra and bought the Trix one. Still I have learned my lesson now!

Looks like Ebay for some Wien products.plus new motors to go inside

All the best,

David