The Ghost of IKB Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 It will be incredible (in a bad way) if thats official, but if not and its some olivias mock up, what are they thinking? Are they trying to disuade customers from buying? The whole thing is bizarre. Its fishy that no other retailer is showing those picks, so hopefully this is NOT the production version. Anyway ive gone on about it enough. Lets wait and see what happens. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Roy Langridge Posted March 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2021 Heljan’s Facebook page said that the 25s were here and listed all of them, including the weathered 25155. Roy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 9 hours ago, The Ghost of IKB said: It will be incredible (in a bad way) if thats official, but if not and its some olivias mock up, what are they thinking? Are they trying to disuade customers from buying? The whole thing is bizarre. Its fishy that no other retailer is showing those picks, so hopefully this is NOT the production version. Anyway ive gone on about it enough. Lets wait and see what happens. Could well be. Olivias had photos up of both the 94XX and the recent sound fitted bubble cards days before any other retailler 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crisis Rail Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 13 hours ago, The Ghost of IKB said: Please god, i hope for heljans sake that mess isnt the factory weathering. That - is - horrendous. *Checks Date* No - a few more weeks yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyman7 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 Goodness, this takes the negativity for a new model to new heights.... I've had a TMC despatch advice for the two-tone green TOPS one, I'm looking forward to it. I've an unweathered blue one ordered too (I've also ordered an SLW one). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Roy Langridge Posted March 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2021 (edited) 23 minutes ago, Crisis Rail said: That - is - horrendous. Yep - I thought aspects of 33012 were bad. 25155 is so off that you can't really believe that it is real. Makes even some of the dodgy "weathered to a high standard" models on ebay that only look fit for a complete strip down look quite good. Roy Edited March 5, 2021 by Roy Langridge Clarity 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators AY Mod Posted March 5, 2021 Moderators Share Posted March 5, 2021 I've just had half a conversation with Ben about the images seen (until we got interrupted) and he's looking into it further. Initial comment is that it is not as approved for production with the factory. So, before piling in, can we please wait for a response? 2 5 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post 61661 Posted March 5, 2021 Popular Post Share Posted March 5, 2021 (edited) Good Morning All, The photos of the weathered BR blue 25 have come as an unpleasant surprise this morning. I'm sure I don't need to say that it is *absolutely not* what we approved with the factory and I am hugely frustrated and disappointed with what has been delivered in this instance. A phone call to Denmark has just confirmed that the random QC checks undertaken before shipment to the UK did not reveal any problems at that stage. Unfortunately the model shown by Olivia's is from the production batch and is clearly way below the standards we demand. Like you, I expect much better and we will take steps to ensure this cannot happen again. HOWEVER, it's important to note that this appears to be a (particularly severe) rogue example and not representative of the wider production run. Nor is it any reflection on the rest of the Class 25 models, which are decorated to a high standard. If any other examples crop up that are poorly finished, we will take them back and resolve the situation with our supplier. I'm also disturbed by the state of the headcode panels in the Olivia's photos, which are clearly not as specified and appear to have been messed around with. A quick look at the photos on other retailer websites, and the Heljan Facebook page, will demonstrate how they actually look. Finally, I can only apologise and recommend that if you receive a weathered Class 25 that does not match your expectations, please return it to your retailer for exchange/refund. Hope this helps Ben Edited March 5, 2021 by 61661 9 2 3 11 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Class 158 productions Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 Thank you for the clarification, glad to hear that you are on the case. From those photos, the head codes that looked ‘pushed in’ and damaged, could this be from rough handling? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
61661 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 (edited) 5 minutes ago, Class 158 productions said: Thank you for the clarification, glad to hear that you are on the case. From those photos, the head codes that looked ‘pushed in’ and damaged, could this be from rough handling? Cheers Without seeing it in the flesh I couldn't say for sure. I don't want to speculate as I don't know the recent history of this specific model. Edited March 5, 2021 by 61661 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost of IKB Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 Heres the weathered green version....... https://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/Heljan/Heljan-class-25/Heljan-2531-class-25-3-d5244-weathered-editionin-br-two-tone-green-with-small-yellow-panels-livery/ 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted March 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2021 13 hours ago, The Ghost of IKB said: It will be incredible (in a bad way) if thats official, but if not and its some olivias mock up, what are they thinking? Are they trying to disuade customers from buying? The whole thing is bizarre. Its fishy that no other retailer is showing those picks, so hopefully this is NOT the production version. Anyway ive gone on about it enough. Lets wait and see what happens. Why on earth does Olivia’s display it in such a state on a website for all to see ? It truly beggars belief. Deeply upsetting for Ben who has worked so hard for this and other Heljan projects over the last three years. For the retailer I can only describe it as a spectacular own goal. Could someone perhaps persuade him to take it down from the website before any more damage is done ? Unfortunately he avoids this forum. Enough said. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Roy Langridge Posted March 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2021 22 minutes ago, The Ghost of IKB said: Heres the weathered green version....... https://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/Heljan/Heljan-class-25/Heljan-2531-class-25-3-d5244-weathered-editionin-br-two-tone-green-with-small-yellow-panels-livery/ Oh.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyneux Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 8 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said: Why on earth does Olivia’s display it in such a state on a website for all to see ? It truly beggars belief. Deeply upsetting for Ben who has worked so hard for this and other Heljan projects over the last three years. For the retailer I can only describe it as a spectacular own goal. Could someone perhaps persuade him to take it down from the website before any more damage is done ? Unfortunately he avoids this forum. Enough said. What do you think Olivias have done to misrepresent the Heljan product? They look like well taken nicely lit photos to me. If that’s what the product out if the box looks like, that’s what it looks like. Not much Olivias can do. Guy 2 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sulzer71 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 34 minutes ago, The Ghost of IKB said: Heres the weathered green version....... https://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/Heljan/Heljan-class-25/Heljan-2531-class-25-3-d5244-weathered-editionin-br-two-tone-green-with-small-yellow-panels-livery/ Oh dear Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zunnan Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 I know I've laid into these models, but I still recognise they are for now leaps and bounds ahead of what is currently out there so are the defacto Rat on the market. That is a monumental let down by the factory on both of those weathered models, and something that I know will not sit easy with anyone at Heljan in the slightest. Some stern words with the factory and hopefully easily resolved for future releases. As an aside, that is a similar gunk and slapdash application to the weathering done on the Kernow edition Dogfish, which I found a bit disappointing in the flesh and very at odds with the samples shown online. Ben, are you sure the factory is following instruction with the weathering spec? 3 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roddy Angus Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 52 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said: Why on earth does Olivia’s display it in such a state on a website for all to see ? If the photos of are of the actual models, as Ben acknowledges above, then Olivia's are doing the right thing. I would be more concerned if they were showing an image which did not reflect reality. I think it unfair to criticise Olivia's on this occasion. Best wishes Roddy 1 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Ian Hargrave Posted March 5, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 5, 2021 42 minutes ago, lyneux said: What do you think Olivias have done to misrepresent the Heljan product? They look like well taken nicely lit photos to me. If that’s what the product out if the box looks like, that’s what it looks like. Not much Olivias can do. Guy There no suggestion or implication that there is misrepresentation in the post.Nor was it intended.But in that state would not the better course of action have been to have withdrawn the model and any similar and contacted Heljan via Ben. He presumably expects to receive income from sale of such . Yet on display is a product which appears not fit for purpose. Curious. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lyneux Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 36 minutes ago, Zunnan said: Ben, are you sure the factory is following instruction with the weathering spec? So just exactly how do you specify what a good weathering job looks like in words? It's so subjective. I'm sure the weathered sample they signed off probably looked superb. But it's really hard to say what is good and what is bad using words alone. Words are what contracts are written with unfortunately. Visible brush strokes though... that's terrible. I do feel sorry for them but surely this is the factory's fault not Olivia's? Guy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
61661 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 36 minutes ago, Zunnan said: I know I've laid into these models, but I still recognise they are for now leaps and bounds ahead of what is currently out there so are the defacto Rat on the market. That is a monumental let down by the factory on both of those weathered models, and something that I know will not sit easy with anyone at Heljan in the slightest. Some stern words with the factory and hopefully easily resolved for future releases. As an aside, that is a similar gunk and slapdash application to the weathering done on the Kernow edition Dogfish, which I found a bit disappointing in the flesh and very at odds with the samples shown online. Ben, are you sure the factory is following instruction with the weathering spec? Thanks Zunnan, It is a let down - anyone who knows me will confirm that I'm usually pretty laid back, but I'm furious about this. Since I joined Heljan I've used professional modellers to supply high quality weathered control samples for the suppliers to copy and the results have generally been excellent (LLB 37116, faded blue 33012 etc) and well received by customers. Although we don't yet know the extent of the problem, in this case the factory has not supplied what we asked for and the production models shown in Olivia's photos do not match the quality of the samples we approved. The 25s come out of a different factory to the Dogfish and as the wagons you mention were before my time with Heljan I can't say what the process was at that time. Ben 2 1 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_sterling Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 9 minutes ago, 61661 said: Thanks Zunnan, It is a let down - anyone who knows me will confirm that I'm usually pretty laid back, but I'm furious about this. Since I joined Heljan I've used professional modellers to supply high quality weathered control samples for the suppliers to copy and the results have generally been excellent (LLB 37116, faded blue 33012 etc) and well received by customers. Although we don't yet know the extent of the problem, in this case the factory has not supplied what we asked for and the production models shown in Olivia's photos do not match the quality of the samples we approved. The 25s come out of a different factory to the Dogfish and as the wagons you mention were before my time with Heljan I can't say what the process was at that time. Ben I completely sympathise Ben, truly galling to see all of your Hard work, and that of everyone in the process up to the point of weathering, to see it spoiled from that point forward. All being well these may be the only ones, and even if not, the issue can be resolved before too long. Paul. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ghost of IKB Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 4 minutes ago, Paul_sterling said: All being well these may be the only ones, and even if not, the issue can be resolved before too long. I think its unlikely that these are the only two rogue examples. Theres lots of things that can be said about olivias, but i think its not feasible that they picked the only 2 bad ones out of their allocation and chose to put them on the web site. Heljan have been screwed over by the factory and should pull them (the weathered locos) out of the market before their reputation is damaged too much. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covkid Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 1 hour ago, Ian Hargrave said: Why on earth does Olivia’s display it in such a state on a website for all to see ? It truly beggars belief. Deeply upsetting for Ben who has worked so hard for this and other Heljan projects over the last three years. For the retailer I can only describe it as a spectacular own goal. Could someone perhaps persuade him to take it down from the website before any more damage is done ? Unfortunately he avoids this forum. Enough said. I have to echo your question Ian, simply because Olivia's are trying to sell these models. Obviously preordered is an issue, but if I walked into Olivias and saw one of those I would be instantly dissuaded and my wallet would be safe in my pocket. Apart from the weathering application my concern is about the cab front handrail and more importantly the cab door handrails. They should have a curve at top and bottom but be vertical parallel to the bodysides. The examples shown on here are not straight. The class 25 has been my favourite class iof BR diesel and I have waited a long long time until someone improved on the Bachmann version's dodgy cabs and underframe. I was hoping Heljan, then Bachmann then SLW might finally produce the perfect class 25. Unless Ben can reassure us that these first runs are not what Heljan intended to produce, then my choices are more limited. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_sterling Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 16 minutes ago, The Ghost of IKB said: I think its unlikely that these are the only two rogue examples. Theres lots of things that can be said about olivias, but i think its not feasible that they picked the only 2 bad ones out of their allocation and chose to put them on the web site. Heljan have been screwed over by the factory and should pull them (the weathered locos) out of the market before their reputation is damaged too much. I agree, though it was an attempt on my part to avoid disaster-ising until its known for sure. Paul. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveb860 Posted March 5, 2021 Share Posted March 5, 2021 2 hours ago, The Ghost of IKB said: Heres the weathered green version....... https://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/Heljan/Heljan-class-25/Heljan-2531-class-25-3-d5244-weathered-editionin-br-two-tone-green-with-small-yellow-panels-livery/ That appears to have fingerprints in the paint from handling when wet Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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