Sonic Models OO Gauge Robinson A5

[Helmdon]

11 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Hmm…. Personally I’d asap replace it with a Gaugemaster Combi. 

 

 

 

the only functional controller I've got at the moment is a Hornby HM2000 - is that going to fry an A5? My Precedent doesn't much like it (which is why I'm not using it)? I always get confused between feedback/non-feedback and coreless motors. My Duettes have also died. 

[KVT]

49 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Hmm…. Personally I’d asap replace it with a Gaugemaster Combi. No it’s I think not feedback but really you’ll do yourself a favour to change it in the long term.The controller might just be the source of the problem .However if you’re not happy,ask for a replacement. The noise might go away if the gears eventually bed in…if that’s in fact what the problem is. But if you are close to a Gaugemaster stockist or can quickly get one you will at least have a new controller even if it doesn’t eradicate the problem.Or…say you not happy & want a replacement 

 

 

 

Thank you I went ahead earlier and ordered the combi as it was a good price I believe the sound is just the gears as the performance is fine but I will do a loaded test later with the new controller once it arrives. I appreciate all the help a lot.

 

 

[thetalkinlens]

46 minutes ago, KVT said:

Thank you I went ahead earlier and ordered the combi as it was a good price I believe the sound is just the gears as the performance is fine but I will do a loaded test later with the new controller once it arrives. I appreciate all the help a lot.

 

 

 

I have two of the new Bachmann J72's. One was silent from new, the other was noisy going backwards. It took roughly 10 hours of use for the noise to drop and it now emits the same silent running qualities of the other one.

[Edge]

My number 6 arrived today - have not run it yet, but it looks good

[drt7uk]

Mine isn't quite straight and does go about 1mm up towards tie rear, beyond the cab...seems like most people's do? 

 

It's so fractional I'm probably going to let it go, what do others think? Cc @PaulRhB...

[Helmdon]

3 minutes ago, drt7uk said:

Mine isn't quite straight and does go about 1mm up towards tie rear, beyond the cab...seems like most people's do? 

 

It's so fractional I'm probably going to let it go, what do others think? Cc @PaulRhB...

All depends if you could have done it better yourself - scratchbuilt or from a kit? That’s always my own yardstick. Especially, as in this case, where it’s a sensible price.

[adb968008]

7 minutes ago, drt7uk said:

Mine isn't quite straight and does go about 1mm up towards tie rear, beyond the cab...seems like most people's do? 
 

just hope it doesn't keep bending further ?

 

 

Edited February 17, 2023 by adb968008

[31A]

51 minutes ago, drt7uk said:

Mine isn't quite straight and does go about 1mm up towards tie rear, beyond the cab...seems like most people's do?

Sorry to hear that, as it looks like a lovely model apart from that.  Mine hasn't arrived yet so maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit, but is it perhaps something that could be rectified, e.g. is the body not fitted quite right to the chassis, or maybe distorted by being fixed too tightly to the chassis?

 

[PaulRhB]

2 hours ago, drt7uk said:

Mine isn't quite straight and does go about 1mm up towards tie rear, beyond the cab...seems like most people's do? 

 

It's so fractional I'm probably going to let it go, what do others think? Cc @PaulRhB...

That is up to you, your cab looks square so not as obvious as mine. 

 

1 hour ago, 31A said:

but is it perhaps something that could be rectified, e.g. is the body not fitted quite right to the chassis, or maybe distorted by being fixed too tightly to the chassis?

no it’s the chassis that is bent and look what that does to the cab 😉

Three lining panels at different angles is fairly distracting to my eye. 

 

Rails responded fast and the return label is printed and on the box ready to return it tomorrow. They noted the faults and agreed although they did say the thin edge isn’t smooth as it’s a limitation of the casting but agreed the paint shouldn’t be chipped anyway. I said I can live with some roughness as long as I don’t have multiple chips and the one big chunk missing that looks like it’s been bashed as it’s bare metal. 

 

An odd chip on black, the boiler top divet and some roughness I’d have accepted one of them but the other two, bent rear frame / cab and wheel are major enough to justify replacement on their own. 
 

Rails have lived up to what I expect on getting a return sorted so I’ll happily wait while they sort it out. Just a bit of a Sod’s Law feel following on from the two 009 Hunslets before Xmas that also had to go back. Still they are sorted so as long as it’s done with grace I’m patient. 

[PeterH]

I took 373 to a friends to run, a little noisy to start with but it settled down.

 

 

And No.6 in L&NER guise also arrived.

 

 

 

[RichardT]

Really really tempted to get one of these just to encourage Sonic to keep on with the LNER route. But it would just sit on display unused.   What I want is the A5 in N gauge as it couldn’t be better for anyone modelling the ex-NER area* and one of the huge gaps in rtr N is for a large LNER  tank loco. Come on Sonic - apply the shrink ray!!

 

RichardT
 

*Yes, aware that I technically need one of the Hawthorn Leslie variants for this, but if they shrunk the side window/LNER boiler fittings version to N I’d overlook the other differences!

[Edge]

Okay, so I’ve had the chance to run mine now and I have a few observations 

 

PRO

 

- Extremely handsome model, captures the look of the prototype nicely

- great separately fitted detail - no glue marks etc.

- smooth runner 

 

CON

- slight ‘banana-ing’ of the body on my model has led to a minor mis-alignment the cab. Not a dealbreaker for me personally as it’s only really visible when it’s looked for, but it’s there

- don’t like the pony truck/bogie design. Rear pony truck is very prone to detailing on anything less than perfect track and the front bogie seems very stiff 

-rather bent coal railings

- both the pony and the bogie wheels are not square on the axles, so there is pretty significant wheel wobble on my example

 

not terribly impressed for £150 to be honest. The equivalent-priced Hornby/Bachmann models tend not to banana and for all of their other faults, have straight wheels 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Edge

[Ian Hargrave]

32 minutes ago, Edge said:

Okay, so I’ve had the chance to run mine now and I have a few observations 

 

PRO

 

- Extremely handsome model, captures the look of the prototype nicely

- great separately fitted detail - no glue marks etc.

- smooth runner 

 

CON

- slight ‘banana-ing’ of the body on my model has led to a minor mis-alignment the cab. Not a dealbreaker for me personally as it’s only really visible when it’s looked for, but it’s there

- don’t like the pony truck/bogie design. Rear pony truck is very prone to detailing on anything less than perfect track and the front bogie seems very stiff 

-rather bent coal railings

- both the pony and the bogie wheels are not square on the axles, so there is pretty significant wheel wobble on my example

 

not terribly impressed for £150 to be honest. The equivalent-priced Hornby/Bachmann models tend not to banana and for all of their other faults, have straight wheels 

Re : front pony track. Check the spring is correctly in place.This is easy ( even for a ham fisted arthritic geriatric like me ) It cured initial front axle derailment . Sorry but your comparison with Hornbach is unsustainable.Neither has a newly released comparable model either recently or planned at anywhere near £150 .I’ll stand by what I posted two days ago..IMHO this is an excellent model at that or any price.I have an LNER original example and a l/c BR version.Both perform well and…apart from what I’ve posted above…neither of them present any visible defect.

 

[Edge]

11 minutes ago, Ian Hargrave said:

Re : front pony track. Check the spring is correctly in place.This is easy ( even for a ham fisted arthritic geriatric like me ) It cured initial front axle derailment . Sorry but your comparison with Hornbach is unsustainable.Neither has a newly released comparable model either recently or planned at anywhere near £150 .I’ll stand by what I posted two days ago..IMHO this is an excellent model at that or any price.I have an LNER original example and a l/c BR version.Both perform well and…apart from what I’ve posted above…neither of them present any visible defect.

 

I’m glad your models are fine. Mine , regrettably, are not. 
 

I think the comparison is both valid and sustainable. I have numerous locos from both manufacturers which were picked up for £150 or less, and all of the wheels went round without wobbling.

 

I wish that this were not the case, I’d rather have a model that I didn’t have to umm and aaaah over about whether to keep it, but there you go

[PaulRhB]

18 minutes ago, Edge said:

I’m glad your models are fine. Mine , regrettably, are not. 
 

I think the comparison is both valid and sustainable. I have numerous locos from both manufacturers which were picked up for £150 or less, and all of the wheels went round without wobbling.

 

I wish that this were not the case, I’d rather have a model that I didn’t have to umm and aaaah over about whether to keep it, but there you go

Ping Rails an email explaining the faults and they will help and send you a return post label. I’ve just dropped mine off at the post office, I supplied photos and had the return label back a couple of hours later to print off. 

[James Harrison]

I thought I had an issue with the springing of the bogie on mine, as it seemed very stiff and when placed on a level surface the bogie seemed to be trying to do an SMS Derfflinger impression  (I'm exagerrating slightly but it was definitely trying to capsize).  Turned out the lead wheelset wasn't fully inserted into the bogie and was skewiff and wedged between the bogie frames.  I was able to rectify this by delicately but firmly pushing it home until it clicked, and that solved the problem. 

 

 

[RJL]

Picked up my BR version from Rails this afternoon, on inspection the model was well worth the wait will look great on my LDECR based layout😀

[drt7uk]

4 hours ago, Edge said:

Okay, so I’ve had the chance to run mine now and I have a few observations 

 

PRO

 

- Extremely handsome model, captures the look of the prototype nicely

- great separately fitted detail - no glue marks etc.

- smooth runner 

 

CON

- slight ‘banana-ing’ of the body on my model has led to a minor mis-alignment the cab. Not a dealbreaker for me personally as it’s only really visible when it’s looked for, but it’s there

- don’t like the pony truck/bogie design. Rear pony truck is very prone to detailing on anything less than perfect track and the front bogie seems very stiff 

-rather bent coal railings

- both the pony and the bogie wheels are not square on the axles, so there is pretty significant wheel wobble on my example

 

not terribly impressed for £150 to be honest. The equivalent-priced Hornby/Bachmann models tend not to banana and for all of their other faults, have straight wheels 

 

Would you mind posting a picture of your slightly bent chassis? Just want to compare it with my own... 

[Garethp8873]

My LNER example arrived today. Really impressed with the model. However @Oliver Rails, why are the headlamps on the LNER and BR examples unable to be removed yet on the other examples no headlamps are fixed on?

 

Edited February 18, 2023 by Garethp8873

[Edge]

4 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

Ping Rails an email explaining the faults and they will help and send you a return post label. I’ve just dropped mine off at the post office, I supplied photos and had the return label back a couple of hours later to print off. 

This is what I’ve done. It being late on a Saturday, I’m not expecting to hear anything back until Monday now. 
 

it’s a gorgeous looking model, so it’s a shame, but I suppose that that is how it is sometimes 

[drt7uk]

For anyone having issues with the rear pony truck (sorry if that's wrong name for it)...mine was derailing at certain points on my layout (all new track, R3 curves) and I put it down to the axle box within the pony track going too far from side to side, which was sometimes causing the wheel to be / on the rails (i.e. angled) instead of | (at 90°) if that makes sense.

 

I added a tiny, tiny bit of black tack to the axle box in the pony truck, which seems to have calmed it down. Of course, you need to ensure that the axle itself is still free wheeling. Anyway, hope that helps.

 

Great model, perfectly applied and gorgeous livery. Shame about the slightly bent chassis and the very poorly designed rear wheels...

Edited February 18, 2023 by drt7uk

[Woodcock29]

My 5024 is now on the way to Oz. The livery generally looks to be well applied on all the different versions.

 

Looking at the good photo of 5024 above I can now see why I thought the buffer shanks looked odd. To stop the oval buffers rotating they apear to be square in section inside the shanks. Because they're incorrectly painted red this gave them a strange look. In LNER days the shanks were black not red.

 

I'm still far from convinced the wheels should be lined out in red. As far as I can tell this was only applied to a few J72s. It'll be a shame to paint them black but that's what I'll be doing.

 

Also my earlier reservations about the chimney remain - it has too much of  taper in it towards the top. It should curve out more towards the rim. It appears also that all models have the same chimney whereas the later period models should have a slightly shorter chimney as these were later LNER replacements for the original Robinson design that was prone to cracking (ignoring the period with short flower pot chimneys in late 20s-early 30s).

 

Still its nice to have another RTR GC loco. It'll be nice to compare it to my 35+ year old Craftsman kit built example.

 

Andrew

 

 

[micklner]

9 hours ago, drt7uk said:

For anyone having issues with the rear pony truck (sorry if that's wrong name for it)...mine was derailing at certain points on my layout (all new track, R3 curves) and I put it down to the axle box within the pony track going too far from side to side, which was sometimes causing the wheel to be / on the rails (i.e. angled) instead of | (at 90°) if that makes sense.

 

I added a tiny, tiny bit of black tack to the axle box in the pony truck, which seems to have calmed it down. Of course, you need to ensure that the axle itself is still free wheeling. Anyway, hope that helps.

 

Great model, perfectly applied and gorgeous livery. Shame about the slightly bent chassis and the very poorly designed rear wheels...

Looking at the Vacumn Pipe which is broken/bent, the coupling is hitting it on curves.

[drt7uk]

44 minutes ago, micklner said:

Looking at the Vacumn Pipe which is broken/bent, the coupling is hitting it on curves.

Thanks, I took that out previously as it's a removable accessory but it isn't the cause of the issue

[Ian Hargrave]

4 minutes ago, drt7uk said:

Thanks, I took that out previously as it's a removable accessory but it isn't the cause of the issue

That’s a nuisance. Just looked at my two,neither of which exhibit thus issue.The rear coupling moves independently within its mounting.The trailing pony track seems to “float” within the box and is sprung. I did have a problem with the front pony track spring which was cured by resetting…a relatively simple task as there’s a tiny screw to access it.I think you might be having this problem on the rear box.There doesn’t appear to be any easy way in though. I notice it’s been liberally lubricated at the factory.