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Class A3 4-6-2 in O Gauge from Hatton's


Hattons Dave
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I corrected my bad mistake and fitted lamps to the A3 after not only having changed the colour, but also the rather thick lamp handles by replacing the printed ones against thinner wires. 

Some time ago I had already replaced the original quite thin plastic steam brake pipe by a brass one from "62CModels" I changed a little.

Rgds

Bernd

 

 

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Edited by Franzburg
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  • 4 weeks later...

I had intended to use a Chime whistle for Papyrus and found , at least a similar whistle as the one I had seen in a video about the whistles of Flying Scotsman, on Ebay. It was a 6 tone Chime whistle and so I  changed it to a 3 tone one. 

But it was in vain, because meanwhile I had found out that no Chime whistles at all were fitted to A1s/A3s, except to 4472 when it visited the US in 1969.

Rgds

Bernd

 

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Edited by Franzburg
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  • 4 weeks later...
On 23/12/2019 at 16:36, Franzburg said:

Shortly before Christmas 3 further photos of Papyrus. Real coal for the tender (on plasticard) and mudguards prototypically broadened a little bit with plasticard.

Rgds and blessed Christmas

Bernd

 

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Hi,

 

Where did you get the fittings for the correct A3 Cylinder Cocks? I've been looking and struggling to find the right place for them

 

Thank you

 

Tom

 

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Following on from earlier posts re A4 handrails. Now I have received mine and did not know about the missing handrails, I am reeling from and annoyed about the absence of cabside vertical handrails. I emailed twice with no response but managed to speak to Dave Mylett on telephone at the second attempt. He didn’t seem to be concerned by the problem. There are NO spares available to match those on the tender, he was NOT prepared to cover the cost of my procuring handrail knobs in fact his only offer was to issue a refund for the locomotive. He said he was not duly concerned as “it did not affect the running of the loco”. As a retired quality assurance engineer this attitude to customer relations is deplorable.  I have since ordered hand rail knobs from a competitor and if suitable, I will use them. if not, then I shall have to review my options as I have already received name and number plates for my chosen completed model. It’s a poor show as I have been a customer for many years and might have been for a long time yet.  However, customer care does not appear to be at the forefront of Hatton’s policy. Other model suppliers are available.

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So a manufacturer that says "sorry you don't like OUR product, you can have your money back" is bad? That sounds very fair to me. There's a bit more to worry about in this world right now than a little handrail on a model train. 

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I agree with Cuddle, Hattons should do more to put right their error.  It's truly deplorable that they knowing of the problem and not offering a good solution.  They could and should have at least sourced the correct hand rail knobs and included 4 with each loco sold. Oh and they could easily have produced a template for drilling the loco.  At £750 its a bargain really but this gross error and the lack of customer support is lamentable. Just offering "your money back" if you are not satisfied is not what I would expect from a truly customer focused organisation.

Norman

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As the MD of a manufacturing company, I find myself somewhat torn in this debate.  
 

I obviously do not want to provide anyone with reasons not to buy my products, so good & accurate descriptions, complete compliance with specification, and good customer service are pretty much obligatory.  I guess Hattons take a similar view.  I’d want to avoid any significant blunders too, of course. 


 

If a customer bought one of my products, and then decided there was a feature that he didn’t like, or indeed a feature he considered indispensable was not provided, all I could or would do would be to refund him, once he had returned the goods to me in saleable condition at his expense.  
 

I absolutely would not be prepared to enter into discussions about modifications or customisation to a standard product.  
 

The product is offered “as is”, and is well described, and in this case, the “warts and all” have been covered at length in the forums and media.  (and if anyone thinks my approach is wrong, let’s imagine I say, “ok, I’ll send you some knobs and wire”, and let’s imagine you make a prize 8o77ocks of drilling the loco, or pour glue over it or whatever, and then you come back and say “ah but it’s your fault, because you said I could, so please give me a refund now“ for something fit only for the dustbin.  And I’m sure you won’t be that man, but somebody will.)
 

 

One can argue that it is, or is not, good value, but it is what it is.  I think you either have to take it and accept that a £750 Pacific doesn’t have handrails, or return it and get your money back, which might be disappointing but is fair.  It would certainly be difficult to argue that the model is “not fit for purpose” on the basis of a couple of handrails.
 

my 2 cents’

 

atb

Simon

 

 

 

 

Edited by Simond
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Hi Simond

An interesting view point I guess but if Hattons had supplied the necessary bits with a clear and "unambiguous at your own risk" all would have been well.  IMHO To deliver a model at £750 knowing that there is a serious error without trying to make amends smacks of arrogance, I am truly disappointed in Hattons lack of customer service.

Norman

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Not wanting to sound sarcastic but the time spent talking about the handrails you could have fitted the damn things. Don’t forget the other options are DJH kit plus wheels motor get someone to paint it costs you say £1000 and it still needs to be built or their great value!!  for money ready made at £3000 to £4000 (crazy money and dubious build methods) or Finney 7 much better quality than DJH but you will probably pay extra for the tender of your choice and still have to build it. Or a ready made painted £750 rtr that needs a few additions like the handrail, strike plate for coupling at the front and whatever else you may choose to add. If your going to the trouble of numbering and naming a few other less difficult jobs isn’t that bad. I know it’s annoying to some but all I’m trying to say is it’s a great model.

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6 hours ago, norman said:

truly deplorable

 

14 hours ago, Cuddle Headrigg said:

reeling from and annoyed about the absence of cabside vertical handrails

 

Come on guys, get some perspective on this. It's an omission, it can happen and it slipped the eyes of numerous people. 

 

It's an easy fix if it offends or you can discuss with Hattons and get a refund if you are unwilling or unable to do it. Otherwise it is an excellent value product and Delticfan has correctly given alternatives but if you can't fit a handrail I think they're beyond you. If you think it should be right for the price you paid it's unlikely you'd want to pay the price of having it built for you. 

 

Please do stop the inappropriately emotive phraseology though, you should be better than that. 

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Yes quute right an easy fix especially for Hattons. All they needed to do was supply 4 knobs - really easy.

As for "if it offends" how could it not?  Jones the driver and his mate would have serious problems climbing into the cab with only a single handrail. 

Norman

 

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8 minutes ago, norman said:

Yes quute right an easy fix especially for Hattons. All they needed to do was supply 4 knobs - really easy.

As for "if it offends" how could it not?  Jones the driver and his mate would have serious problems climbing into the cab with only a single handrail. 

Norman

 

And likewise really easy for the modeller, especially if modelling in 7mm, to get their own knobs, most probably from their own stash, especially if they've build kits

 

How many loco's or items of rolling stock have you left unaltered?  

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58 minutes ago, norman said:

Jones the driver and his mate would have serious problems climbing into the cab with only a single handrail

 

They'd get by, have a word with the foreman back on shed that night who'd get a fitter to fix something from the parts bins. They wouldn't have sent it back to Doncaster for a refund. ;)

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15 minutes ago, atom3624 said:

Wasn't there a video way back when, on Pete Waterman's track, pulling 10 or 11 carriages?

 

Al.

Thanks. I will have a look for it. Whilst it is good to read the manufacture's name on each individual bolt head, I sometimes wonder if the hobby as a whole has lost sight of the need for performance.

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6 minutes ago, Adrian Stevenson said:

Al is correct. Here is a link to the video:

 

Cheers, Ade.

 

Thanks. Very impressive. I think the curves on Leamington are around 8foot radius. The test loco was making light work of a heavy train round them.

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