Hornby O1 B1 Smokebox Dart Handles Broken. Missing.

[robmcg]

Although this has been covered in various threads, I would be pleased to vent once again , since I have bought via the web yet another Hornby engine in factory packaging, carefully handled, undamaged,  except the dart handles on the smokebox were sheared off .

 

Again. This is my 4th Hornby engine this year with this or similar problems from a dozen or more purchases, this one is current model B1 61032. 

 

It appears to me that the soft pads abutting the smokebox front are too close together, and that careless packing at the factory  and possible transit vibration or damage might account for the damage. I know it is common on O1s and B1s but thought Hornby might have cottoned on and widened the setting of the pads.

 

I found the broken handle part in the hinge for the plastic shroud, sheared off the squared hole flush and so tiny they stick to your fingers with surface tension. Will need new parts and drilling to fix, beyond me, again.

 

I will photograph the packaging today if possible, in the meantime here is the lovely new model.

 

hrruummpphh!

 

 

I have asked for a replacement from the supplier but couriers are very inconsistent .

 

Otherwise what a fine model!   Talk about 'but for a pennyworth of tar'!

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2020 by robmcg
typos

[GWR-fan]

Rob,

          I feel your pain,  have been there a few times,  however, in my case the darts have never usually still been in the box.  Sometimes sheared off like yours or simply missing leaving just a hole.  On one loco the part was so cleanly sheared off it was hard to tell if a part should have actually fitted there (the sheared off dart was in the packaging).   Fortunately,  I was able to cobble together something to represent the part in each case as the cost of a replacement brass or white metal part was not worth the trouble.  I recently returned a failed loco (first time ever in all my years) and return postage to the UK cost me almost $30.00 (not refunded).  It was a small saddle tank.  If a larger express loco then the cost would have been over $50.00 and the store (one of the big ones) does not refund return postage on international sales.

[robmcg]

32 minutes ago, GWR-fan said:

Rob,

          I feel your pain,  have been there a few times,  however, in my case the darts have never usually still been in the box.  Sometimes sheared off like yours or simply missing leaving just a hole.  On one loco the part was so cleanly sheared off it was hard to tell if a part should have actually fitted there (the sheared off dart was in the packaging).   Fortunately,  I was able to cobble together something to represent the part in each case as the cost of a replacement brass or white metal part was not worth the trouble.  I recently returned a failed loco (first time ever in all my years) and return postage to the UK cost me almost $30.00 (not refunded).  It was a small saddle tank.  If a larger express loco then the cost would have been over $50.00 and the store (one of the big ones) does not refund return postage on international sales.

 

Thank you GWR-fan, I feel better already having unloaded my annoyance on here at RMweb.

 

Moving on, I have taken more photos, one of the shroud showing the actual handles sello-taped to the accessory pack, and the actual front locating prongs in the shroud, further apart than I first imagined..   thus hard to work out how the handles were sheared-off, certainly not by me,

and secondly a portrait of the engine.

 

I wonder if anyone can suggest a sequence of methods to get those handles re-attached to the hub in the centre of the smokebox, perhaps with slow-setting epoxy and deft adjustments with a screwdriver tip, with the engine tipped face up in a vice?

 

Anyway here are the two photos.

 

 

 

I think this is too good an engine to waste by being returned and then quite possibly dumped.

 

[MG 7305]

Try Markits, from their online 2013 catalogue:

 

[landscapes]

9 hours ago, robmcg said:

Although this has been covered in various threads, I would be pleased to vent once again , since I have bought via the web yet another Hornby engine in factory packaging, carefully handled, undamaged,  except the dart handles on the smokebox were sheared off .

 

Again. This is my 4th Hornby engine this year with this or similar problems from a dozen or more purchases, this one is current model B1 61032. 

 

It appears to me that the soft pads abutting the smokebox front are too close together, and that careless packing at the factory  and possible transit vibration or damage might account for the damage. I know it is common on O1s and B1s but thought Hornby might have cottoned on and widened the setting of the pads.

 

I found the broken handle part in the hinge for the plastic shroud, sheared off the squared hole flush and so tiny they stick to your fingers with surface tension. Will need new parts and drilling to fix, beyond me, again.

 

I will photograph the packaging today if possible, in the meantime here is the lovely new model.

 

hrruummpphh!

 

 

I have asked for a replacement from the supplier but couriers are very inconsistent .

 

Otherwise what a fine model!   Talk about 'but for a pennyworth of tar'!

 

 

 

Hi

 

I had exactly the same Problem with the very same Hornby B1 myself.
 

I ordered and fitted a brass one which was a big improvement

 

Regards

 

David