Class 66 in OO Gauge - New Announcement

[TomScrut]

10 minutes ago, The Black Hat said:

 

How do you mean buffer stage. I am thinking the black box where the LEDS light up might not line up with the body fully, thus causing the light not to travel through and light up the front. 

 

The amplifier buffer which powers the LED from a logical output.

[spamcan61]

1 hour ago, adb968008 said:

 

All respect but I doubt anyone here knows how many they made and sold.

For all we know it could have been a huge sale and huge success, but with a huge sale comes the usual 1% of issues, which are simply magnified to a larger number by volume of sales.

 

I agree completely, it would be unwise to judge success or failure of the 66 as a business venture based on the wailing and gnashing of teeth in this thread, I was really trying to point out that at the end of the day  it's about money, not axleboxes falling off.

[rob D2]

All this talk of a “ second run “,

IIRC the tooling for a modern loco is £100k + so I’d expect to see a lot more coming .

 

 

[adb968008]

26 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

All this talk of a “ second run “,

IIRC the tooling for a modern loco is £100k + so I’d expect to see a lot more coming .

 

 

Still hoping on a second run of Barclays...

 

but as the first lot haven't sold out, My guess is we will be waiting a while...

As the 66’s havent sold out, and are one year newer, with 2x competition feasting on the same current era liveries, i’m not betting on a second run, until the first have sold out.

 

Just a hunch, but my guess this clear out of damaged ones is a prelude to 66’s being released to trade customers.

 

[TomScrut]

33 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

All this talk of a “ second run “,

IIRC the tooling for a modern loco is £100k + so I’d expect to see a lot more coming .

 

 

 

Depends really. They did make 36 different models from the start. We don't know how many of each they made.

[rob D2]

I don’t see why it would be any different to a Bachmann 66 or a Hornby 60 or anything else ? It wasn’t a crowd funded limited edition ,

 

Unless the tooling was made of play dough and only good for one run

[TomScrut]

24 minutes ago, rob D2 said:

I don’t see why it would be any different to a Bachmann 66 or a Hornby 60 or anything else ? It wasn’t a crowd funded limited edition ,

 

Unless the tooling was made of play dough and only good for one run

 

If they made 500-1000 of all 36, they'll have stock for a while and that would probably cover the tooling off.

 

Most others make 2 or 3 versions to launch new tooling not 36.

 

I aren't saying they won't make more, it's just that the sheer amount they have done in terms of variations, if they have done a decent amount of them all then they have possibly made more than a lot of tools EVER make.

Edited October 23, 2020 by TomScrut

[Roy Langridge]

21 hours ago, Roy Langridge said:

Just bitten the bullet and order a pre-owned 66 for £120. This is one with big headlights that I am hoping I am up to fixing.

Roy

 

Bad etiquette, but I quote myself to give an update:

 

Ordered at 12:05 yesterday, arrived 14:00 today. Described as "Class 66 66404 in DRS compass livery - Pre-owned - minor glue mark on roof grille - incorrect box" but what arrived is the best of my three 66s and it only cost £120.

 

Ok, yes the box is wrong (66433 not 66404) but the mark on the roof is so minor that you have to look hard to spot it. All axle boxes firmly stuck on and no wobble on a short test.

 

Now to order in the sound and sort those big lights out. Now considering another EWS 66... 

Very pleased.

Roy

Edited October 23, 2020 by Roy Langridge

[GEOEng03]

11 minutes ago, Roy Langridge said:

 

Bad etiquette, but I quote myself to give an update:

 

Ordered at 12:05 yesterday, arrived 14:00 today. Described as "Class 66 66404 in DRS compass livery - Pre-owned - minor glue mark on roof grille - incorrect box" but what arrived is the best of my three 66s and it only cost £120.

 

Ok, yes the box is wrong (66433 not 66404) but the mark on the roof is so minor that you have to look hard to spot it. All axle boxes firmly stuck on and no wobble on a short test.

 

Now to order in the sound and sort those big light out. Now considering another EWS 66... 

Very pleased.

Roy

Agreed. The descriptions have been overzealous with regards to the issues.  And certainly a shrewd move to shift returned stock by them. To be fair, the nameplates have been a bigger issue that what was listed as a fault, with the Freightliner one I brought being quite wonky, but still happy for the price. 

 

The postage offered by them is up there with the smaller dealers (Derails etc...) as everything I've ordered has arrived next day with the normal £4 option... 

 

I do agree with the earlier post mind, regarding the consistency in pricing for the 'listed' faults. But there have been some cheap ones appear. 

Cheers 

 

[The Black Hat]

3 hours ago, TomScrut said:

 

Depends really. They did make 36 different models from the start. We don't know how many of each they made.

 

I would say that there would easily be far more class 66 models coming. I would think Hattons are working on a mod for the big front light version so that is sorted and I think many other liveries will follow. Theres still some that have never been done... and variants like Euro fitted buffers thats not done either.  

[Roy Langridge]

7 minutes ago, The Black Hat said:

 

I would say that there would easily be far more class 66 models coming. I would think Hattons are working on a mod for the big front light version so that is sorted and I think many other liveries will follow. Theres still some that have never been done... and variants like Euro fitted buffers thats not done either.  

 

Indeed, if the first batch has covered / mostly covered the tooling costs then any more made will be more profitable.

 

Sorting our what are, in the main, minor issues (although with significant impacts) will only make this model better.

Roy

[TomScrut]

9 minutes ago, The Black Hat said:

 

I would say that there would easily be far more class 66 models coming. I would think Hattons are working on a mod for the big front light version so that is sorted and I think many other liveries will follow. Theres still some that have never been done... and variants like Euro fitted buffers thats not done either.  

 

Maybe so, but I'd expect given how many have been made that there maybe is not a financial requirement to do so in terms of paying off tooling.

 

I'd be very keen on some of the celebs they haven't done where the Bachmann ones bring over £150 second hand.

[YesTor]

4 hours ago, rob D2 said:

All this talk of a “ second run “,

IIRC the tooling for a modern loco is £100k + so I’d expect to see a lot more coming .  

 

I'd agree, plenty more liveries to cover and more emerging on the prototype almost on a weekly basis (or at least it feels that way at times!).   That said, I can't imagine they'd consider further versions of the more 'run of the mill' liveries that have already been covered - even if the niggles were to be corrected - at least not until those already on the shelves have cleared and Hatton's having a clear feel of there being justifiable demand for more.  To do otherwise would be commercial suicide? 

 

6 hours ago, Roy Langridge said:

The engineering problems would not be hard, or costly, to correct. 95% of the problems are related to the rotating axle boxes, a redesign there is limited in scope. 

 

Indeed, sort out the axle boxes, correct the lighting issues and it's pretty much job done.  Worst case scenario, if Hattons did away with the rotating axleboxes concept altogether (and I'm not suggesting that they should), then they'd still have an infinitely superior model to any other 66 on the market.  Some tidying up of the glue application wouldn't go amiss - although to be fair this latter advice could easily extend to almost all of the manufacturers anyway, so hardly a unique and unresolvable issue. 

 

Now, on a lighter note...  did I hear someone mention 'Evening Star'... 

 

Improved axlebox design?  Lights all in correct sequence?  Where do we pre-order...?

 

 

Al

 

Edited October 23, 2020 by YesTor

[TravisM]

As others have pointed out, the biggest upfront costs in the beginning are the tooling, everything else is secondary.  I’m sure Hatton’s will continue producing Class 66’s and maybe the next batch will have improvements which have caused issues.  I think the biggest problem with the first batch is the rotating axle boxes and the wobbles they’ve caused, all minor but still annoying.

[37501]

I would welcome a bog standard EWS one with the correct font for the EWS on the body side, if a second production run happens. 

[Edna Clouds]

On 23/10/2020 at 00:57, Johnfromoz said:

No.  Until or if the are re-engineered I have no confidence that in the long term, all will remain attached.  In any case, it is not a feature of importance to me.  This issue has been done to death BTW.  

Too right mate; this topic (unlike the axleboxes) just goes round and round.

[markw]

On 22/10/2020 at 14:45, The Black Hat said:

Anyone had issues with some of them where the day / night lighting doesn't switch over?

Yes, I have a pre owned sound fitted 66 756 that f0 turned on night lights and f22 didn't change between day and night.

I found all 6 of the switches set the wrong way, with the switches corrected it works ok now.

[Roy Langridge]

A further update to my £120 pre-owned 66404. Following the excellent advice from Martin-C I have fixed the lighting so that the two marker lights work as they should. 
 

It took me about an hour and was fairly straightforward despite not having the steadiest of hands these days. 
 

My lighting PCBs were fairly well stuck and one was not in straight. I managed to remove them with a pair of parallel square nose pliers (a very useful tool) applying them across the width of the PCB and wiggling gently.  
 

In doing the job, two cab steps became detached removing the body and two steps from the dams fell off. Nothing too hard to remedy. 
 

Thanks Martin-C, your website was excellent. 
 

Roy

[TravisM]

I'm very surprised that Hatton's have remained very quiet on the points raised given the excitement when first announced.  If you phone Hatton's help desk, they are extremely helpful and seem to out of their way to resolve any problem, which to me is a huge bonus point.  As I said in my earlier post, I'm sure the comments will have been taken on board and when a second batch is commissioned, hopefully they will all be addressed.

[Lowlander]

Having come back to read this topic after a week, the mood has certainly changed from all doom and gloom. Now people are actually seeing how good a model this is, admittedly not without minor faults. For just over a hundred pounds it is a bargain. Good to see mention of a second run also. Hopefully that will be confirmed. Enjoy your models. Stephen

 

Here are some of my finished models.

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by ayrmrg

[big jim]

19 minutes ago, ayrmrg said:

Having come back to read this topic after a week, the mood has certainly changed from all doom and gloom. Now people are actually seeing how good a model this is

 

 

money talks, well less money anyway! 

[Roy Langridge]

I was already happy with my two full price models, but at £120 I was happy to fix the lighting fault on a third. 
 

Sound on order so should get fitted this week. Just need my KUAs to come now 

 

Roy

Edited October 24, 2020 by Roy Langridge
Typo

[GEARJAMMER]

Sorry if I'm repeating questions already asked but I'm in a position where I'm very tempted by a Hattons 66, specifically one of the Freightliner locos, I have read some of the 170 pages on this thread (I will fess up and say I haven't read all of them, I've not got the time) and I'm aware of the potential issues with the axle boxes which to be fair, with guidance on here I'm pretty confident I could sort out if they become an issue. The same applies if any bits fall off to be honest.

 

What im not confident about rectifying is the electronic side of things, folk have mentioned some lighting functions not working? I'm wondering if this just affects certain models or if its hit and miss? Im not actually to fussed about day/night functions, just so long as it has three white lights on the front and reds on the rear, i wont use the day/night function nor would i use cab lights.

 

That all said, am i best avoiding certain models? Im tempted with some of the second hand models, the ones with scratched handrails and glue marks dont bother me to much as im guessing these can be hidden by weathering?

 

Lastly, while I've been looking at the green Freightliner locos i did see a model of 66623 in Freightliner G&W Orange, however it looks pale in the photos as per the orange that 66413 got, can anyone say either way if 66623 is the right shade of orange, i seen 66623 when it was first painted and it was a much deeper shade than that of 66413.

 

Ta.

[truffy]

1 hour ago, GEARJAMMER said:

What im not confident about rectifying is the electronic side of things, folk have mentioned some lighting functions not working? I'm wondering if this just affects certain models or if its hit and miss? Im not actually to fussed about day/night functions, just so long as it has three white lights on the front and reds on the rear, i wont use the day/night function nor would i use cab lights.

 

IIRC it primarily (solely?) affects the large headlight versions:

 

 

There is a fix a couple or so pages back. But you have to possess skills with a soldering iron, and large cojones. 

[Lowlander]

2 hours ago, GEARJAMMER said:

Sorry if I'm repeating questions already asked but I'm in a position where I'm very tempted by a Hattons 66, specifically one of the Freightliner locos, I have read some of the 170 pages on this thread (I will fess up and say I haven't read all of them, I've not got the time) and I'm aware of the potential issues with the axle boxes which to be fair, with guidance on here I'm pretty confident I could sort out if they become an issue. The same applies if any bits fall off to be honest.

 

What im not confident about rectifying is the electronic side of things, folk have mentioned some lighting functions not working? I'm wondering if this just affects certain models or if its hit and miss? Im not actually to fussed about day/night functions, just so long as it has three white lights on the front and reds on the rear, i wont use the day/night function nor would i use cab lights.

 

That all said, am i best avoiding certain models? Im tempted with some of the second hand models, the ones with scratched handrails and glue marks dont bother me to much as im guessing these can be hidden by weathering?

 

Lastly, while I've been looking at the green Freightliner locos i did see a model of 66623 in Freightliner G&W Orange, however it looks pale in the photos as per the orange that 66413 got, can anyone say either way if 66623 is the right shade of orange, i seen 66623 when it was first painted and it was a much deeper shade than that of 66413.

 

Ta.

Hi

 

You should be ok with the Freightliner green models. If you're not confident about fixing the axle box covers you'd best avoid. The light fix is only required for certain models with larger side lights. The orange one does look to light in colour. Stephen.