Hattons announce 14xx / 48xx / 58xx

[woodenhead]

Found this from 2011

 

[boxbrownie]

Found this from 2011

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IomCYdM9rEc

Just means the gearing is set very low, most likely has a scale top speed of 20 mph

[Captain Kernow]

Just means the gearing is set very low, most likely has a scale top speed of 20 mph

Yes, plus a decent motor and a well-designed and built gearing system and effective pick-up.

[Coombe Barton]

This has probably been asked and answered many times before, but has anyone tried to fit the body onto a High Level 14xx chassis? And if so (in any shape or form) did it?

[Pannier Tank]

This has probably been asked and answered many times before, but has anyone tried to fit the body onto a High Level 14xx chassis? And if so (in any shape or form) did it?

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/21/entry-21363-new-chassis-for-the-hattons-14xx/

 

https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=6127

[Coombe Barton]

Thanks

 

Not going down that route, then.

[Captain Kernow]

Thanks

 

Not going down that route, then.

John - do PM me if you would like any tips, it is possible to fit a metal chassis, just a bit less straightforward than, say, a Bachmann loco.

[Coombe Barton]

John - do PM me if you would like any tips, it is possible to fit a metal chassis, just a bit less straightforward than, say, a Bachmann loco.

Thanks.

 

But life, with what it's throwing at us at the moment, is just too short.

 

I'll stick with the Iain Rice stuff from 30 years ago.

[jwd]

Can anyone who has seen (or bought) both please tell me how much better the DJ body is compared with the current Hornby one (is that the same as the old Hornby/Airfix)?

I'm sure it's better detailed, but a bit or vastly better?

I'm not interested in the chassis, that would be replaced anyway, but it sounds a lot more hassle to get an etched chassis into the DJ one than the others, does the body make it worthwhile?

 

In a nutshell, superb body, crap chassis.

[tomparryharry]

In a nutshell, superb body, crap chassis.

 

Captain Kernow of this parish has done extensive surgery on said patient....

[The Stationmaster]

Talking recently to Captain Kernow about his major surgery on one of these I expressed the view that once/if  Hattons stock is exhausted it might be a better idea to produce it as a set of moulded parts for body only plus some underframe details as that could well be the best way to start to get a really good running model.

[Butler Henderson]

Talking recently to Captain Kernow about his major surgery on one of these I expressed the view that once/if  Hattons stock is exhausted it might be a better idea to produce it as a set of moulded parts for body only plus some underframe details as that could well be the best way to start to get a really good running model.

or simply having a new rtr chassis that has  a proper worm and gearwheel arrangement and not the silly DJM gear drive. Who actually owns the tooling?

[The Stationmaster]

or simply having a new rtr chassis that has  a proper worm and gearwheel arrangement and not the silly DJM gear drive. Who actually owns the tooling?

 

I don't know to what extent the factory would be prepared, or able, to redesign the chassis having presumably designed it their way to suit their production methods in the first place.  As far as tooling ownership is concerned I don't know the answer. 

[NHY 581]

or simply having a new rtr chassis that has  a proper worm and gearwheel arrangement and not the silly DJM gear drive. Who actually owns the tooling?

I cannot see any of the involved parties accepting responsibility for producing/signing off a duff chassis. Despite conversations I have had with Hattons, at no time has any staff member commented on the number of returns of these. I even posed the question to be met with a comment that they were unaware of any issues with this model........This ( amongst other comments made)caused not to want to have anything further to do with Hattons.

 

I would still like one of these, despite having three duff ones. Body wise they are spot on and are unlikely to be bettered but the chassis is a lottery. Even those that work have an element of doubt surrounding them as to how long they will actually work for. The chassis has to work. As has been commented on earlier, between Hattons and Dave Jones they appear to have produced the world's first disposable ready to run loco..and that is simply not acceptable in this day and age. I certainly cannot pay out for a RTR loco that requires the customer to add in the cost of a potential new chassis.

 

Given the fact that their limited editions are now appearing in other shops, how many of these shops are now stocking what's left of the remaining stock of these locos?

 

 

Rob.

[johnarcher]

Talking recently to Captain Kernow about his major surgery on one of these I expressed the view that once/if  Hattons stock is exhausted it might be a better idea to produce it as a set of moulded parts for body only plus some underframe details as that could well be the best way to start to get a really good running model.

The body is, I think, moulded in several parts so would it take much re-organising to produce some as a sort of basic body-only kit?

Some at least would presumably sell, to those who (like me probably) would be interested in putting the excellent body on an etched chassis, maybe some people might even replace the body of old Airfix/Hornby models?

Not likely to happen, but it does seem a shame that such good body mouldings are discontinued because of the chassis problems.

[Covkid]

I would still like one of these, despite having three duff ones. 

 

Rob.

 

Might I ask a very simple question ?  As you already have three "duff" ones, might it not be better to invest the money you would spend on a fourth, repairing at least one of the three ? Unless of course you keep them in a display case maybe. 

[kandc_au]

I cannot see any of the involved parties accepting responsibility for producing/signing off a duff chassis. Despite conversations I have had with Hattons, at no time has any staff member commented on the number of returns of these. I even posed the question to be met with a comment that they were unaware of any issues with this model........This ( amongst other comments made)caused not to want to have anything further to do with Hattons.

 

I would still like one of these, despite having three duff ones. Body wise they are spot on and are unlikely to be bettered but the chassis is a lottery. Even those that work have an element of doubt surrounding them as to how long they will actually work for. The chassis has to work. As has been commented on earlier, between Hattons and Dave Jones they appear to have produced the world's first disposable ready to run loco..and that is simply not acceptable in this day and age. I certainly cannot pay out for a RTR loco that requires the customer to add in the cost of a potential new chassis.

 

Given the fact that their limited editions are now appearing in other shops, how many of these shops are now stocking what's left of the remaining stock of these locos?

 

 

Rob.

Rob,

In fairness, do you really expect Hattons to bag their own product.

No other company would, even if the world knew it was , so why should Hattons?

From all reports they haven't said no to anyone returning their loco.

 

Khris

[boxbrownie]

Has anyone got a picture (or diagram) of this drivetrain/motor arrangement?

 

I am curious as to what’s so different and the issue as mine runs beautifully and would like to see why it might be so troublesome for so many buyers.

[NHY 581]

Might I ask a very simple question ? As you already have three "duff" ones, might it not be better to invest the money you would spend on a fourth, repairing at least one of the three ? Unless of course you keep them in a display case maybe.

 

They were all returned. None of my models are displayed in a case. I use them and that's maybe where I went wrong. I wanted to use them on an exhibition layout and if they were not good enough for me, they were not good enough for the paying public.

 

 

Rob.

Edited December 26, 2018 by NHY 581

[Captain Kernow]

Has anyone got a picture (or diagram) of this drivetrain/motor arrangement?

 

I am curious as to what’s so different and the issue as mine runs beautifully and would like to see why it might be so troublesome for so many buyers.

When you take the body off the chassis on a typical model loco, you might reasonably expect to see a chassis, together with a motor and some sort of gearbox or drivetrain.

 

With this one, you first have to unsolder the two leads from the chassis to the motor and you are then left with a chassis with no motor apparent and the actual motor 'marooned' inside a plastic cradle, firmly attached to the body.

 

If you then wish to remove the motor, you first have to get at the plastic cradle, which itself is more or less surrounded (on three sides) by a large-ish block of mazak.

 

To remove the mazak, you have to remove the smokebox/boiler/firebox moulding and the side tanks/cab/bunker moulding from the footplate moulding, partially dismantling some very delicate (and delightfully produced) wire conduits in the process.

 

It's not really designed for the faint-hearted to take apart.

[NHY 581]

Rob,

In fairness, do you really expect Hattons to bag their own product.

No other company would, even if the world knew it was ######, so why should Hattons?

From all reports they haven't said no to anyone returning their loco.

 

Khris

Not in your words, no. However an acceptance of an issue might had gone some way towards it. Heljan did so with their 17 and to a certain extent their L&B stock. Hornby made noises regarding their mazak wormed class 31.

 

The blame cannot rest solely with Hattons but no comment has come from DJM either.........He must be aware of the issues given the fact he was apparently flogging returns at Warley.

 

 

I would have one of these if I could be sure it would work as I and others, expect. It looks lovely and is everything I wanted from the model but my three example didn't work. I think I gave them a chance.

 

 

Rob.

[PMP]

Has anyone got a picture (or diagram) of this drivetrain/motor arrangement?

I am curious as to what’s so different and the issue as mine runs beautifully and would like to see why it might be so troublesome for so many buyers.

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/hattons-djm-14xx-review-h1410/

More detail on the chassis issues here

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2017/03/20/14xx-frustration/

 

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2018/11/17/hattons-14xx-finale/

I hope that Hattons do revisit the chassis at some time in the future. With the P, and Barclay as examples of how good their in house steam models can run, a new chass shouldn’t be a technical challenge for them, and they could address the slightly oversize drivers too. I doubt currently the financial return is there, but perhaps a few years down the road there will be. I’m also doubting the market size for a body only release. The number of people these days prepared to dismantle and cut into new releases is small, those with the skills to build replacement chassis’ smaller still. To go that route the easiest option would be to contact DJM who had returned locos for sale at Warley.

[PMP]

edit duplicate post

Edited December 27, 2018 by PMP

[johnarcher]

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2017/03/01/hattons-djm-14xx-review-h1410/

More detail on the chassis issues here

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2017/03/20/14xx-frustration/

 

https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2018/11/17/hattons-14xx-finale/

I hope that Hattons do revisit the chassis at some time in the future. With the P, and Barclay as examples of how good their in house steam models can run, a new chass shouldn’t be a technical challenge for them, and they could address the slightly oversize drivers too. I doubt currently the financial return is there, but perhaps a few years down the road there will be. I’m also doubting the market size for a body only release. The number of people these days prepared to dismantle and cut into new releases is small, those with the skills to build replacement chassis’ smaller still. To go that route the easiest option would be to contact DJM who had returned locos for sale at Warley.

You could well be right about the market size. It just seems to me that it would be better for a body-only in kit form rather than complete returns, considering the obstacles in dismantling the complete model that Captain Kernow has chronicled.

[PMP]

That makes no economic sense. If you’re expecting Hattons to supply body only, they’ve got to produce a batch of each detail variation, package and sell them. If you want Hattons or DJM to dismantle returns to supply body only, you have to pay someone to do it. If the requirement for body only is because it’s a bit awkward for someone to get apart, then that individual probably hasn’t got the skill set to build and adapt the body or replacement chassis to fit anyway. The easiest route and almost certainly cheapest is to buy a complete model and discard the components that aren’t required.