fezza Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 Sadly the running qualities of British N are still inconsistent, especially compared to vastly superior US and Japanese equivalents. I didn't mind too much when they were much cheaper than foreign equivalents but now they have hiked the prices I am far less forgiving (£95 for a N gauge Pannier tank???) Now if it don't work properly, it goes straight back.... My advice is always test before buying - even Hattons will do this if you go into the shop. If it isn't perfect send it back to the storeroom until the shop have found one that works properly. Don't be fobbed off by 'it will improve with running in' - if it is not designed and assembled properly running in will not help so why take the risk? Retailers don't mind - satisfied customers almost always come back. But even that doesn't always work - I am desperate for a good Ivatt 2MT but have tried examples in four model shops and have yet to find one that runs adequately... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold D9020 Nimbus Posted August 3, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 3, 2016 But even that doesn't always work - I am desperate for a good Ivatt 2MT but have tried examples in four model shops and have yet to find one that runs adequately... Is that the Farish 2-6-0? Both of mine are superb runners. However the Dapol 2-6-2Ts I have found to be poor runners—they do improve with a lot of running in but are still nowhere near as good as the old Minitrix model from the 1970s (just a shame that the Minitrix one doesn't look like much the real thing). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted August 3, 2016 Share Posted August 3, 2016 With analogue I didn't find many problems with n but once I went Dcc I had a lot of problems and I've now gone to 00 I'm not convinced on the pick up system on the new diesels like the 37 and 31 I just don't like it Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
fezza Posted August 10, 2016 Share Posted August 10, 2016 Well, since the last post a couple of days ago another Farish loco has failed. This is a 47 that I have already spent a lot of time working on - lowering the body to correct height and filing the gear housing to stop it fouling points... Not something you should have to do with a new model at this price. Yes, I have given up finding a Dapol Ivatt that works and based on the current failure rate I'm not sure I want to spend £150 on a new Met Cam. I am seriously considering selling up and getting out of N gauge after nearly 25 years as prices rise sky high and reliability fails to improve. At least I have a few things to trade in if I move fully into 0. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpgibbons Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 This loco QC issue is certainly troubling, especially as here in Oz I'm reliant on mail order. Is there anyone out there offering an N Gauge loco fettling service that could turn indifferent runners into good ones? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MR PJ Posted August 17, 2016 Share Posted August 17, 2016 Hello, I have had a few problems with Farish diesels (about 15 locos) and none with my 7 Dapol diesels. I agree that fettling can be required, at least for the Farish models. For the price paid its not really good enough - but at least for experienced modellers something that can be got round. I do sympathise with people who live abroad and find a model is delivered defective, but surely if a model is being posted to the other side of the world the retailer should take responsibility in part for not testing the model prior to posting. I have found two main problems with my Farish 47 fleet (oddly the 37s don't seem to have the same issues) - firstly the contacts in the body sometimes seem to not make contact with the contacts from the bogie - in one model I found that a contact was bent, apparently ex-factory. Another issue has been split gears, one model of 47535 had a split gear straight from the shop (replaced straight away). I've bought a Farish 57 at knock-down price to provide a supply of gear etc to future proof my 47 fleet, the fuel tank has been modified and fitted to 47710, so I have the trombone pipe they couldn't be bothered to model.... Cheers, Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Crepello Posted August 23, 2016 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 23, 2016 Yes, the 47 contact problem is strange; it's covered in a dedicated 47 thread on here. I thought I was the only one who'd encountered this, but Benn has kindly advised how to correct it. Maybe it's a hangover from the first new 47 batch with the height error which Bachmann haven't thought to correct with the revised (current) version. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted August 24, 2016 Share Posted August 24, 2016 I'm not going to list the problems I've had, as the list would a) be long and b) be the same as those that SOME people have encountered and opposite to those that OTHER people have encountered..... So what is the comment? This- The overall failure rate for most models is somewhere between 5% and 20% depending which shop or manufacturer you talk to. However if you buy ONE of a model and it isn't good then YOUR overall failure rate for that model is 100%. Statistically you can be completely at odds with someone else even if you have a dozen or so of a type- the fluctuations won't iron out completely over the whole production run of certain models (thinking of the batches of 200 of some limited editions). For example- my stock of Dapol A3s is well into double figures, with 100% reliability used on the heaviest trains on an exhibition layout. Yet others have yet to get one to run at all. On the other hand I've now had four Farish Jubilees at various times with 100% failure - the one survivor is currently away for new valve gear having snapped a pin. A good friend has six and they run on an exhibition layout with no issues at all. Even if the failure rate for a Farish Jubilee is 1% then my four would only come to 0.1% of the production of the first batch. Randomness makes me unlucky and others fine. My issue, and it does me no credit that with degree level statistical training it took so long for me to understand it. But frustration with a failure does that (or at least id did that to me.......) Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
dpgibbons Posted September 3, 2016 Share Posted September 3, 2016 Hattons tell me that on request they will test locos before despatch, although this may delay shipment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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