SimonMW

Not strange, and not at all uncommon. The db is a business asset.

My Deltic finally found its way through international post to me. There is a loose bit in the box from somewhere, not sure exactly where (see image, any ideas where it is from?). Two of the bogie chains are hanging from the bogies and no longer attached to the body (is there a consensus on best way to reattach?). When test running it started off with an awful really loud clonk on every motor rotation (loud enough and synchronised enough that I wondered if it was actually part of the sound lol) but that stopped shortly after starting test running. It is an incredibly smooth runner, very impressive. The sound is very good too. Is there a cold start sound process like the new Bachmann 37 I got also?

Excellent point... I'll check when it arrives.

I've had a faulty item I sent back to Hattons (a Dapol large prairie), and they are going to send a replacement - all good there and as expected they are advising they will send that without postage cost. Now I currently have some small items in my trunk with Hattons. "OK" I think to myself "let's get them to send all together so we can save on postage"... so I email and ask them, including saying that I would of course be prepared to cover any additional postage above the replacement item's postage to include the trunk items. Apparently that is too hard. "We are unable to ship your trunk with the replacement item. You would have to ship your trunk separately to this as the trunk and the replacement item are done on two separate systems". I had to laugh... I wonder whether they'd still be unable to do it if I was offering to cover the replacement item's shipping with my trunk items' paid postage, at my expense? At the end of the day it's all good - I would have had to pay shipping for the trunk items anyway. Doesn't seem like a very customer service-focused approach though. 🤷‍♂️ Perhaps an opportunity to look at improvements.

I picked up 2 x Prairies - 6190 and 5150, both with 'factory' DCC (Dapol Imperium decoder I think?). 6190 works fine - DecoderPro configured with address and run in fine. Runs nicely, adjusted the accel and decel rates and done. 5150 - DecoderPro "sees" it and can read the decoder, and changing DCC address appears to be applied, but it never responds to any "go" commands on its new address. A decoder reset (4 to CV8) does a partial reset (addresses don't change back to 3, but other parameters do drop back to default), and the issue remains - I am unable to address it at all on any address, short or long. So it's back in a box and back to Hattons for a replacement :( Overall though, nice models.

This is mine with a Youchoos / Zimo.

I've been in discussion with both Rails and Accurascale about this over last few days. Emails with Tracy Barber (Director at Rails) have revealed that orders for D9002 were incorrectly supplied from the factory. Accurascale were not aware of the issue until too late to resolve. Apparently (as this was a joint Rails/Locomotion order) this issue affected both exclusive D9002 retailers, i.e. there is a shortage of D9002, it's not that Locomotion got the ones Rails didn't get. Emails with @Accurascale Fran and Stephen McCarron at Accurascale have advised me that D9002 "as preserved" was unique to Rails/Locomotion, and Accurascale are unable to provide D9002 as preserved - as they don't have any. I'm currently working with Rails and Accurascale to see if there is an alternative option which will work, but Bottom line - neither Rails nor Accurascale have spare D9002s as preserved, and we have missed out on D9002.

Good call. I've emailed Accurascale - if anyone has a better method of reaching out to them please let me know.

They contacted me first two weeks ago saying: ***** I'm emailing in regards to your order for the 'Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry' Class 55 D9002 Deltic in Two Tone Green Livery (As Preserved) - DCC SOUND - we haven't charged your order just yet. There has been a slight mix up in production at the factory whilst the correct amount was supplied some of the D9002 Deltic models actually contained the incorrect loco 'Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry' Class 55 002 Deltic in Two Tone Green with full yellow ends (1980) - DCC SOUND We are currently in contact with Accurascale and awaiting their response to see how they wish to proceed with this issue, so we will keep you updated. If you do not wish to wait, or wish to swap to the 55 002 Deltic please do contact me directly as I will be the first point of call for this issue. I really do apologise for this mix up, we hope to get it resolved as soon as possible. **** I replied saying I'd like what I ordered please. Then last night this came through: **** I am writing with regards to your preorder for the 'Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry' Class 55 D9002 Deltic in Two Tone Green Livery (As Preserved) I am afraid we are not going to be able to supply the original version you had ordered as Accurascale had confirmed that the factory will not be producing any more, we are therefore left with the option of switching your order to the non preserved version or refunding your deposit and cancelling the order. We are very sorry for any inconvenience this has caused, as I am sure you can appreciate this is out of our control and deeply saddens us to not be able to fulfil the original order. Please could you contact us within 7 days to let us know how you wish to proceed. **** And here we are... After expressing my disappointment and annoyance, I've asked them to advise which ones they actually do have available... But from the look of it that will not be D9002 as preserved.

After placing an order with deposit on D9002 with sound (as preserved) in January 2019 Rails of Sheffield contacted me overnight and said that there is a stuff-up and they don't have any. I am very disappointed. What is even more frustrating is that Locomotion Models briefly had stock yesterday and emailed out that they were available, and I didn't worry because of my pre-order with Rails. If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them.

After placing an order with deposit on D9002 with sound (as preserved) in January 2019 Rails have now contacted me and said that there is a stuff-up and they don't have any. I am very disappointed. What is even more frustrating is that Locomotion Models briefly had stock yesterday and emailed out that they were available, and I didn't worry because of my pre-order with Rails. 🙁 If anyone has any suggestions I'd love to hear them.

Sent all three of mine (different variants of the Rails Iron Mink) back for a full refund. All three suffer the same issue - wheels locking against the body resulting in being dragged along the line with wheels static. Yes you may say I could remove the wheels, file away the underbody, etc. But that's not really the point. These were not cheap, and should work. Accepting poor quality controlled product just because we can fix it is never going to change anything.

Gentlefolk, I have picked up a lovely David Geen 6 wheel milk tank kit which appears complete but is lacking instructions/documentation/plans. Does anyone have such that they would be willing to PDF and share? Kit code is W051.

Horribly slow posting this evening (Aussie time, lunchtime UK). I posted a reply, it took so long I thought it had died (about 3 minutes), tried another browser, and completed reposting it that in the time the first one took to finally complete... then the second one eventually also posted 3 or 4 minutes later lol... so I ended up with a double post. I've never seen it that bad... Edit - posting this took about 5 seconds... so it's certainly intermittent!

Or a simple statement from Hattons on how the cab lights are setup As noted previously, my 6-function decoder runs all of the external lights fine, per the manual... just not the cab lights, again as per the manual's statement that they won't work with 6-function decoders. If a 10-function decoder will work it would not be overly difficult for them to let us know (with comment on logic level vs full output functions required). All in all though, a lovely model. Even if I have had to glue on an axle cap, and struggle with the steps when taking the body off to fit the decoder!!!