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Rapido/Locomotion Models GNR Stirling Single


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Here is an update on my experience with the haulage capabilities of my new GNR Stirling single received today
 

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I ran in the loco for an hour on DC then fitted a DCC Decoder  As I have a couple of ramps on my layout  I was concerned with the locos abilitity to climb the grades. I had been disappointed with my Hornby SECR H that struggled in lifting my 3 coach SECR birdcage stock on the ramp. With the Stirling single I need not have worried as it took a load of four LNER suburban teak coaches without any hesitation or slippage up the ramp.

Check the video 





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I noticed a speaker seems to have been fitted in the tender  I think I may fit a sound chip.  Any idea who supplies the Stirling single DCC sound chips in the UK?.  
 

Ian

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Mine has just arrived and is a gorgeous model

 

Although two minor issues, both the chains came off in transit, but have found all parts within the box though, although more concerning is some detail/ comestic damage on the Right hand check iron (Will email Locomotion about though)

 

Runs perfectly as well.

 

Video as well :D

 

Chris

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Edited by Chris89
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Mine has just arrived and is a gorgeous model

 

Although two minor issues, both the chains came off in transit, but have found all parts within the box though, although more concerning is some detail/ comestic damage on the Right hand check iron (Will email Locomotion about though)

 

Chris

 

You should receive replacement chains in the post as it was a known problem. Some of us got them this morning.

 

 

 

Jason

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Mine has just arrived and is a gorgeous model

 

Although two minor issues, both the chains came off in transit, but have found all parts within the box though, although more concerning is some detail/ comestic damage on the Right hand check iron (Will email Locomotion about though)

 

Runs perfectly as well.

 

Video as well :D

 

Chris

How beautiful ...........wish I could have afforded one

 

Mike

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You should receive replacement chains in the post as it was a known problem. Some of us got them this morning.

 

 

 

Jason

 

Thanks, Good to hear about that for the Chains, just the other bit got to hear back about.

 

Chris

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Thanks, Good to hear about that for the Chains, just the other bit got to hear back about.

 

Chris

Hi Chris,

 

With my official Rapido repair hat on, yes those are my details in the back of the manuel for the U.K.

 

Please send an email to the email address listed there and when I’m back next to the spares in a couple of days time I will sort out a replacement for you.

 

Please put your contact details in the email so I can process it ASAP for you.

 

Hope that’s ok.

 

Cheers

Simon

Rapido Repairs UK

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I need to stop viewing this thread. The great photos of what looks a stunning model just makes it all the more frustrating and annoying that I have no idea when I'll be getting mine.

 

Locomotion need to be emailing customers and not rely on RMWeb.

 

Enjoy your models guys.

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I need to stop viewing this thread. The great photos of what looks a stunning model just makes it all the more frustrating and annoying that I have no idea when I'll be getting mine.

 

Locomotion need to be emailing customers and not rely on RMWeb.

 

Enjoy your models guys.

As Stuart said in a post further up he is on DAY OFF today and will, I’m sure be working hard to solve the problems tomorrow when he’s back in to his office.

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Locomotion need to be emailing customers and not rely on RMWeb.

 

 

They will be in touch with individual customers, where necessary, if they have an issue to resolve in their personal case. The information they have provided me with is in a general context to try and stop *some* self-combusting. It's fair to say that you have added to that fire with premature negativity so that I, and Locomotion, have had to spend time (which they're a bit short of today whilst sorting it out) discussing the issue so some information could be given.

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I need to stop viewing this thread. The great photos of what looks a stunning model just makes it all the more frustrating and annoying that I have no idea when I'll be getting mine.

 

Locomotion need to be emailing customers and not rely on RMWeb.

 

Enjoy your models guys.

 

But if you weren't on RMweb then you wouldn't (yet) know there was a problem.  Thus information posted here is the quickest way to communicate with those who are aware of the problem.

 

In the meantime as we know Locomotion is looking into the problem, which will take some time given it will involve communicating with the 3rd party who will need to do an investigation which will also take time.

 

At which point, when all of that is done and they have an answer/explanation then Locomotion can make a decision on how best to proceed.

 

The worst thing Locomotion or any company in this situation can do is make a fast response that provides incorrect information.

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Locomotion need to be emailing customers and not rely on RMWeb.

 

 

I'm not sure what they could tell you in an email that hasn't been said here. Andy Y has been in touch and got answers from the source; that's precisely the sort of role that the media (of which RMweb is a part) is best suited to play in these situations. We're fortunate that we are in a position to benefit from being kept up to date by someone who does have a senior inside contact.

 

Something clearly has gone wrong with the distribution, but all the frothing here isn't going to fix it or get anyone their model any quicker. On the contrary, channelling information via the media (and, where appropriate, social media) by a single, authoritative source is far more effective than spending time responding to a hundred individual emails from disgruntled customers. 

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Well, my delivery came at the expected time, though the wait between drop 41 and drop 42 (me) seemed forever - I think he stopped at the local transport cafe! No worries, it is here, The separate letter/invoice/spare chains also came via the post this morning.

Beautiful model, and for once I read the instructions first. I then gave it a run on the layout - which is 18-20' of Peco 75 in the terminus station area through complex pointwork and nowhere else to go. Apart from a hiccup with my controller (the pot in the handset needs replacement, a known issue to me), running was superb. I kept to a prototypical train length though (nothing behind the tender as the preserved loco has not pulled anything in its present condition !). I did suffer a number of derailments on my not quite perfect track though. A loosening of the front bogie pivot by quite a bit soon solved the problem and it now holds the track perfectly, others please note

Now, what on earth do I do with it ???

 

Stewart 

 

Edit to add: I originally ordered the other tender version, but was contacted by Locomotion (Sandra?) some time ago, and confirmed that I would take the other one. So no confusion there.

Edited by stewartingram
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I'm not sure what they could tell you in an email that hasn't been said here. Andy Y has been in touch and got answers from the source; that's precisely the sort of role that the media (of which RMweb is a part) is best suited to play in these situations. We're fortunate that we are in a position to benefit from being kept up to date by someone who does have a senior inside contact.

 

Something clearly has gone wrong with the distribution, but all the frothing here isn't going to fix it or get anyone their model any quicker. On the contrary, channelling information via the media (and, where appropriate, social media) by a single, authoritative source is far more effective than spending time responding to a hundred individual emails from disgruntled customers. 

Patience works far better. Give Stuart a chance to get back in the office on Tuesday.

 

Stewart

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Thanks again Andy . It is a shame that due to no fault of locomotion that APC have created this issue but really glad it now seems the situation is under control . 

 

Loving all the pictures of the Singles but now starting to get very jealous! 

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I wish Locomotion, and all their customers, well with sorting out the distribution, though it does sound as though nothing more than a slight delay in the receipt of some models is all that is likely to result.  I hope we can stay calm about that.

 

It's certainly a model to get excited about - in a good way!

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The toy train manufacturers are doing what they do best and I think the cork is out of the bottle now and that we can expect further delights for 'hornbyfans' and collectors rather than "modellers" locos. News that there could be news about GNR coaches also fits into this market. What price a GNoSR D40, LNWR Hardwick, NER D20 4-4-0, GWR Armstrong 4-4-0 etc etc. I shouldn't be surprised if Hornby and Bachmann are busy revising their futures in the light of this Stirling Single.

Edited by coachmann
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My 2 arrived when I was out, luckily Lady Bacon was on hand and the 2 extras were returned to the courier (one unknown name, the other 'Moody') so they're heading back to Locomotion pronto.

 

Packaging was excellent and only having time for a quick glance and check it is the appropriate version confirms it to be an excellent model!

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How about this one... I mentioned earlier about three being delivered but the driver only taking one back because the other two had our surname on them... I've just had a phone call from my elderly mum who was very flustered because the APC driver has just been back and told her his office told him that he HAD to go back and deliver it because it was the right address! So she ended up signing for it! So much for being told to refuse to accept the extra ones when APC are telling drivers they must deliver them!

 

I feel sorry for Stuart at Locomotion coming back into all this tomorrow

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If there ever are any good RTR GNR coaches of the Stirling / Howlden era, will any modellers on ordinary incomes with a responsible attitude to money actually be able to afford many / any of them? Would many people dare to weather them and instantly lose the MIB value?

 

Will they be another annoying example of "must order before you know what you are getting" and "only ever available once" products? In other words, not really for modellers but for compulsive collectors of allegedly valuable shiny things?

 

There's a thought - they may even have lining where they are supposed to have lining.....

Edited by gr.king
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If there ever are any good RTR GNR coaches of the Stirling / Howlden era, will any modellers on ordinary incomes with a responsible attitude to money actually be able to afford many / any of them? Would many people dare to weather them and instantly lose the MIB value?...

People on ordinary incomes blue it on all sorts of 'stuff' with no residual value like pushing up the value of brewery shares, watching the overpaid kick a ball around, and travel to locations with a mite more sunshine than the UK receives. If we get RTR GNR six wheelers and I have the available cash after all necessities and contingencies ar taken care of I will purchase: and forget weathering, I'll be painting some black as engineer stock... (Unless the economy has gone TU and I need whatever cash is available for baked beans in order to remain alive.)

 

...Will they be another annoying example of "must order before you know what you are getting" and "only ever available once" products? In other words, not really for modellers but for compulsive collectors of allegedly valuable shiny things.

 But this isn't annoying. Such folks are on a trembling razor's edge of FOMO on whatever the latest and greatest product may be. And then they sell what they bought yesterday in a paroxysm of excitement, in order to make space for the even latester and greatester. Sometimes to me, at a nice low price...

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Seems like APC have seriously messed up. Locomotion not to blame, other than placing trust in this contractor. Given it is school holidays, what is wrong with hiring temporary staff and dispatching via Royal Mail next day out of Locomotion itself?

 

I'm minded that Model Rail (I might be wrong) abandoned a contract fulfilment agent that it tired for delivering some of its limited editions. It then entered into a partnership with KMRC over the ModelRailOffers set up, i.e. a specialist industry company dealing with packing and dispatch of its models. Maybe Locomotion should be going down a similar path? Rails of Sheffield might be an obvious choice given their corporate sponsorship of the NRM and cooperation on some models...

 

In the meantime, it was noted above that there might be some mix up in the dispatch of DCC fitted/unfitted models. Sounds like someone at the fulfilment centre opening a bulk box and packing them without checking the precise product code, and possibly untraceable! I will be checking mine carefully. But I guess there might be a risk, certainly from collectors who won't run their models, that this mix up will go unnoticed, and Locomotion may be short of some versions. I don't mean to fan the flames. Obviously APC are responsible here and, depending on contract, will have to rectify the issue.

 

An unfortunate final hurdle for what appears to have been an excellent project and end product.

Edited by G-BOAF
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Seems like APC have seriously messed up. Locomotion not to blame, other than placing trust in this contractor. Given it is school holidays, what is wrong with hiring temporary staff and dispatching via Royal Mail next day out of Locomotion itself?

 

I'm minded that Model Rail (I might be wrong) abandoned a contract fulfilment agent that it tired for delivering some of its limited editions. It then entered into a partnership with KMRC over the ModelRailOffers set up, i.e. a specialist industry company dealing with packing and dispatch of its models. Maybe Locomotion should be going down a similar path? Rails of Sheffield might be an obvious choice given their corporate sponsorship of the NRM and cooperation on some models...

 

In the meantime, it was noted above that there might be some mix up in the dispatch of DCC fitted/unfitted models. Sounds like someone at the fulfilment centre opening a bulk box and packing them without checking the precise product code, and possibly untraceable! I will be checking mine carefully. But I guess there might be a risk, certainly from collectors who won't run their models, that this mix up will go unnoticed, and Locomotion may be short of some versions. I don't mean to fan the flames. Obviously APC are responsible here and, depending on contract, will have to rectify the issue.

 

An unfortunate final hurdle for what appears to have been an excellent project and end product.

Did APC address the boxes then?

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