rails of sheffield

[davefromacrossthepond]

Nicely done.

[amdaley]

Looks fantastic.

Wouldn't mind spending a few hours in there 

[Ian Hargrave]

Would win a prize for interior design alone...apart from the goodies on display..and all locally sourced as well.

[JDW]

Yeah I went in the new part for the first time last week, and very impressive it was.  Whilst in there, despite not having what I went in for, the staff were still very helpful in relieving me of a significant sum of money.

[WolfofBadenoch]

Bought a couple of 87s from Rails when they came out. One turned up missing a small plastic Multiple Working cable cover. I expected them to be sold out but on contacting them i was told to send it back (postage provided by Rails), and 6 days later i have a new 87 with complete MW cables and covers.

 

Very pleased with Rails.

[37pits]

I've bought a few items from Rails eBay shop and each and everyone has been an excellent experience

[Chamby]

Oops - be careful with the latest newsletter from Rails dated 3rd November. Some of the Bachmann coaches stated as DCC, I suspect are not. Normally, with Bachmann items, if it doesn’t have DC after the catalogue number, it won’t be DCC fitted.

 

Edit: Rails are aware and updating.

Edited November 3, 2018 by Chamby

[Ian Hargrave]

I've bought a few items from Rails eBay shop and each and everyone has been an excellent experience

And today,Rails have a good number of Heljan OO 47’s nearly all weathered to a quality standard on eBay .I have by coincidence been running some of my fleet for the first time in ages. Despite their oversize reputation they do stand up well ,have a quality feel,and perform smoothly. These are quality models...end of.

[Ed-farms]

Just wanted to post some much deserved praise for Rails of Sheffield, I ordered a Dapol N gauge 68 with sound in their recent sale and asked my parents to pick it up when they were passing (saved me a few quid on postage), however when testing it the model did nothing. Thankfully my parents were passing again a week or 2 later so took it back, after testing the chip in another loco it was definitely dead, they tested a new 68 and then transferred that sound chip to mine which killed it. So it seemed the PCB was dud, Rails duly swapped a chassis from another 68 and put the sound in to give me a fully working DRS liveried sound fitted 68 and them with 2 dead 68's - which presumably went back to Dapol for fixing.

 

Top service there

[Frond]

After much indecision I finally decided to order a Bachmann H1 Atlantic La France Tuesday afternoon only to find that it was not in stock at Rails but was "on order ". Explaining my incompetence to my wife that evening (it was supposed to be my Christmas present) l went back onto Rails website only to find is was now showing as in stock. I quickly ordered one.

 

That was at 7:50 Tuesday evening, it arrived at 10:30 this morning (Thursday) - great service especially with free post.

 

Just had an e-mail from Rails to say that the streamlined Coranation is due in next week! I have one on order - hope my credit card can stand it!

[Big James]

Brilliant service form rails recently. I got the Hornby H class train pack in the advent calendar sale but due to Xmas and a house move I never had a chance to take it out the box and inspect till last week. After going to run it for the first time I noticed that the dome, funnel and various details had been broken off in the mail. After a quick email and sending it back. I received the replacement today it looks blinding but I’ll test it tomorrow to make sure it’s fine. But cracking from rails as usual from Rails.

 

Big James

[bart2day]

Rubbish service from Rails yet again. Ordered a new loco for my sons birthday and specifically asked if they had one that was brand new opened, as my son cant handle things that aren't brand new. They said they did but it arrived today with the box in tatty condition and with hairs in. The train itself was even upside down in the box. Blatantly been opened. Birthday ruined. 

 

Thanks Rails of Sheffield.  

[Oliver Rails]

On 02/02/2019 at 17:24, bart2day said:

Rubbish service from Rails yet again. Ordered a new loco for my sons birthday and specifically asked if they had one that was brand new opened, as my son cant handle things that aren't brand new. They said they did but it arrived today with the box in tatty condition and with hairs in. The train itself was even upside down in the box. Blatantly been opened. Birthday ruined. 

 

Thanks Rails of Sheffield.  

 

Hi Bart2day. 

 

I am really sorry to hear the service you received was not up to standard.

 

I have sent you a private message so that I can investigate what went wrong. We pride ourselves on our customer service and I apologise for the inconvenience caused.

 

Kind Regards

Oliver

 

[CovDriver]

Just wanted to say fantastic service from Rails ordered a replacement Dapol signal yesterday at about 12 midday and it arrived with me about 30mins ago great service.  

 

 

[Haymarket47]

Major disappointment I’m afraid. Wife bought me Class 37 Concrete Bob weathered for Christmas and to cut a long story short I’m now on my third  loco. Put it on the track to find the same issues - lights not working again, flickering and at one end no cab light at all. So frustrated that they did not check this before it left the premises. Given that I’ve already wasted so much time phoning and going to the post offfice  I tried opening it up to have a look myself (I know, I know). The lights seem to rely on little prongs to make connection from the led circuit to the chassis for power. They are plainly not connecting properly. So I tweeked the prongs and managed to get the front and rear working (still no cab light at one end) although there was still some flickers on the rear lights ( on the front end) as the loco went forward - but it was better than before. I thought stuff it I’ll live with that and so went to put a decoder in - fan bl%&#£y tastic now a screw has lost its head some how and I can’t get the body off. I’m as well chucking the heap of junk in the bin. Sorry for the rant but at £150 this shouldn’t be happening.

Edited February 10, 2019 by Haymarket47
I put third replacement rather than third loco.

[mezzoman253]

13 minutes ago, Haymarket47 said:

Major disappointment I’m afraid. Wife bought me Class 37 Concrete Bob weathered for Christmas and to cut a long story short I’m now on my third  replacement. Put it on the track to find the same issues - lights not working again, flickering and at one end no cab light at all. So frustrated that they did not check this before it left the premises. Given that I’ve already wasted so much time phoning and going to the post offfice  I tried opening it up to have a look myself (I know, I know). The lights seem to rely on little prongs to make connection from the led circuit to the chassis for power. They are plainly not connecting properly. So I tweeked the prongs and managed to get the front and rear working (still no cab light at one end) although there was still some flickers on the rear lights ( on the front end) as the loco went forward - but it was better than before. I thought stuff it I’ll live with that and so went to put a decoder in - fan bl%&#£y tastic now a screw has lost its head some how and I can’t get the body off. I’m as well chucking the heap of junk in the bin. Sorry for the rant but at £150 this shouldn’t be happening.

Re the screw with no head.

 

I had what I thought was a similar problem.

 

However, on further inspection, the screw head was fine but off centre. This became obvious by shining a bright light into the hole. I just persevered and got the screwdriver to bite and it came out. 

 

This may not be what you have, but if you do it should help.

 

Rob

[Haymarket47]

11 minutes ago, mezzoman253 said:

Re the screw with no head.

 

I had what I thought was a similar problem.

 

However, on further inspection, the screw head was fine but off centre. This became obvious by shining a bright light into the hole. I just persevered and got the screwdriver to bite and it came out. 

 

This may not be what you have, but if you do it should help.

 

Rob

Thanks Rob, my son and I have had a good look and the head is definitely out of shape and I can’t get any purchase on it to remove it. I should have just sent the thing back (again). Such a shame as it is a nice loco and the weathering is good too. 

[Haymarket47]

Well, with a bit of perseverance and a lot of patience I finally got the body off and a decoder installed. Lights are working (except for the cab) and she is a lovely runner. Pity about Bachmann’s rather poor design for getting power to the lights on their 37s. In the interest of fairness I should say that Rails were very good at replacing the faulty locos that I had contacted them about and as I said above if they had checked the last one they had sent then I would have been most grateful and much (precious modelling) time would have been saved.

[charliepetty]

10 hours ago, Haymarket47 said:

Major disappointment I’m afraid. Wife bought me Class 37 Concrete Bob weathered for Christmas and to cut a long story short I’m now on my third  loco. Put it on the track to find the same issues - lights not working again, flickering and at one end no cab light at all. So frustrated that they did not check this before it left the premises. Given that I’ve already wasted so much time phoning and going to the post offfice  I tried opening it up to have a look myself (I know, I know). The lights seem to rely on little prongs to make connection from the led circuit to the chassis for power. They are plainly not connecting properly. So I tweeked the prongs and managed to get the front and rear working (still no cab light at one end) although there was still some flickers on the rear lights ( on the front end) as the loco went forward - but it was better than before. I thought stuff it I’ll live with that and so went to put a decoder in - fan bl%&#£y tastic now a screw has lost its head some how and I can’t get the body off. I’m as well chucking the heap of junk in the bin. Sorry for the rant but at £150 this shouldn’t be happening.

Sadly this is a common fault with all Bachmann 37s, when we fit sound in these this happens on a regular basis, the older the models the worse it is as the contact strip gets tarnished and looses its electrical connection.

 

Charlie

[Silver Sidelines]

To add a more positive note, thank you Rails for some speedy service.  Ordered a Hornby J36, posted out Saturday arrived here Monday safe and sound.  Super little model.  As I said on the Hornby thread much underated - lots of fine detail and runs really nicely.

 

Apparently I 'spotted' two of these around 1960, shedded in Carlisle and the other from Hawick.  I am guessing that I saw both whilst spotting at Carlisle Citadel.

 

Thanks Ray

[Bernard Lamb]

Good service from Rails again.

One item on my last order was out of stock, even though it was listed as in stock.

They sent the other items with a note saying one item to follow.

I got an email on Saturday to say that the remaining item had been despatched and it arrived today.

Bernard

[royaloak]

On 10/02/2019 at 13:30, Haymarket47 said:

Major disappointment I’m afraid. Wife bought me Class 37 Concrete Bob weathered for Christmas and to cut a long story short I’m now on my third  loco. Put it on the track to find the same issues - lights not working again, flickering and at one end no cab light at all. So frustrated that they did not check this before it left the premises. Given that I’ve already wasted so much time phoning and going to the post offfice  I tried opening it up to have a look myself (I know, I know). The lights seem to rely on little prongs to make connection from the led circuit to the chassis for power. They are plainly not connecting properly. So I tweeked the prongs and managed to get the front and rear working (still no cab light at one end) although there was still some flickers on the rear lights ( on the front end) as the loco went forward - but it was better than before. I thought stuff it I’ll live with that and so went to put a decoder in - fan bl%&#£y tastic now a screw has lost its head some how and I can’t get the body off. I’m as well chucking the heap of junk in the bin. Sorry for the rant but at £150 this shouldn’t be happening.

Do you honestly expect them to check every loco works as it should before posting it out?

As John McEnroe famously said 'you cannot be serious'.

 

That loco is obviously defective from manufacture so not the distributors fault!

[Black 5 Bear]

1 hour ago, royaloak said:

Do you honestly expect them to check every loco works as it should before posting it out?

As John McEnroe famously said 'you cannot be serious'.

 

That loco is obviously defective from manufacture so not the distributors fault!

Many outlets routinely do this as a matter of course, Derails is one such shop. 

Having purchased somewhere in the region of 25 locos from them over the last 4yrs without having to make a single return, they are getting it right in my opinion.

 

[Ian Hargrave]

If when you place your order with Rails you request them to check and test prior to despatch,they will do so. 

 

I asked for this when ordering a Heljan WR 47XX last August because of its questionable reputation of delivery in “kit form”. It arrived promptly in immaculate order by next day courier...no extra charge.

 

I have dealt with Rails for fifteen years and have never had the slightest cause for complaint.Their service is excellent. As is,incidentally,that from Derails too.but as Little Dan doesn’t stock Heljan,I could not use his services on that occasion.

 

[JDW]

I would guess that for a shop the size of Rails (and Hattons, etc) with the amount they send out, it would be very time consuming to test everything before sending it, especially with new stuff which can be expected in most cases to work right from the box.  Smaller shops are probably more likely to have the time, as they will be packing and sending much fewer items every day.  That said, am I right in thinking that I read somewhere that  @charliepetty does test all of Realtrack's models before sending to customers?