Sonic Models OO Gauge Robinson A5

[Ian Hargrave]

2 hours ago, Ian Hargrave said:

And a variety of livery too.  This is surely one that would sell 

 

 

 

Though an NER design,it didn’t really see much service in their colours before grouping it has to be said.An iconic loco which often wandered south as has been posted here. They could be seen on the Burton-York beer train which followed a somewhat circuitous route via  Etwall,Derby Friargate  & thence to the GCR mainline. 

[Jenny Emily]

Just finished filming both of mine today - they arrived over a week ago, but I’ve been laid low with flu. 
 

they look and feel a quality model. Robust and heavy, there was only very minor bowing of the running plates when compared to a steel ruler; not enough to want to send them back. 
 

my only issue is that both are stuttering performers on DCC. I’ve adjusted the wiper pickups, but it made no difference. Has anyone else experienced stuttering? It has afflicted my GCR green and BR early black ones. Looking at the underside, they only pickup off the six driving wheels which is quite a short wheelbase. 
 

 

[teaky]

3 hours ago, Jenny Emily said:

... they arrived over a week ago ...

That's it.  Rub it in, why don't you!  😉

 

Still waiting for mine.  ☹️

 

P.S. Hope you're over the worst of the flu.

[Ian Hargrave]

On 23/02/2023 at 16:12, Jenny Emily said:

Just finished filming both of mine today - they arrived over a week ago, but I’ve been laid low with flu. 
 

they look and feel a quality model. Robust and heavy, there was only very minor bowing of the running plates when compared to a steel ruler; not enough to want to send them back. 
 

my only issue is that both are stuttering performers on DCC. I’ve adjusted the wiper pickups, but it made no difference. Has anyone else experienced stuttering? It has afflicted my GCR green and BR early black ones. Looking at the underside, they only pickup off the six driving wheels which is quite a short wheelbase. 
 

 

I also have two of these,though mine are a green LNER and a late crest. My only problems with both were a wayward front pony truck which literally floated off leaving the rest of the model on track.I cured this by reseating the springs and to date I have had no problems with running. ATM 5167 has an unprototypical 8 Hornby corridors in tow ( deputising for a failed Director at Aylesbury)  and is unfazed by my two sets of point work at low control speed .I have dc only and am using a new Gaugemaster Combi on new code 100 track on my tabletop min 2nd radius.

I have just watched and enjoyed your excellent YouTube review and am in tune with what I see. However,your point about the stuttering is well made . I just wonder whether the performance of both your n9 might be tested chip free on dc analogue on your layout ? Just a thought. Regards,Ian.

[Mark Dickerson]

On 27/02/2023 at 19:00, Ian Hargrave said:

I have just watched and enjoyed your excellent YouTube review and am in tune with what I see. However,your point about the stuttering is well made . I just wonder whether the performance of both your n9 might be tested chip free on dc analogue on your layout ? Just a thought. Regards,Ian.

I'm still running mine in - slow speed yet to be examined in detail but a little stuttering over pointwork on DC and it didn't like some of my temporary track - horrors such as a random Lima curve and Fleischmann extendable track section. It's improving and very smooth generally (and a little tweaking of the bogie may help I suspect), but I must say I'm surprised that the pickups are so limited. If you're going to supply an installed speaker surely you'd want to maximize electrical contacts?

[peteskitchen]

On 23/02/2023 at 10:21, Helmdon said:

I think we've been over this - and I can't remember if this is an occasion where Yeadons made an oversight, or if it was so 'unofficial' that it wouldn't/didn't count but... Gorton did double white on an A5 just because it could - it's basically a GC livery - as a bit of a, er, 'do one' to the LNER.

 

It's a paint shop peculiarity, basically, but it is right (as in it happened, rather than that it was necessarily authorised...). From memory, the last time I dug right down into it it really was a two fingered salute as by the time they did it they'd painted a lot of other locomotives properly.... so they don't have the excuse of 'using up paint' or 'misreading the instructions' that they might have had right on the dot of the grouping.

 Thank you for that, an interesting insight.

[Johan DC]

WIth (professional) weathering they look even better! Congrats to Steve from 'Neville Grove'. 

(still waiting for 5045, and since that's a black one, I'll try to weather it myself.) 

[Chamby]

Has anyone received a sound fitted Version from Rails yet?  

 

I pre-ordered two on the day the A5 was announced, later converted the orders to sound fitted, but have heard nothing as yet other than being advised earlier that they’re in the system! 

[No Decorum]

5 minutes ago, Chamby said:

Has anyone received a sound fitted Version from Rails yet?  

 

I pre-ordered two on the day the A5 was announced, later converted the orders to sound fitted, but have heard nothing as yet other than being advised earlier that they’re in the system! 

I ordered rather later and also added the sound package. In an e-mail announcing the arrival of the models on 14th. February, Rails said the sound packages are due “within the next few weeks” and will then have to be fitted. I dare say we’ll be told nothing until they arrive. Take comfort from the thought that you will probably get yours among the first as you ordered early. At a guess, I’d say that “a few weeks” will be longer than “a couple of weeks”, which is what it is now.

[David Bigcheeseplant]

I have just noticed that all versions have 5 coal rails each side of the bunker although by the BR period these were reduced to 3 each side.

David

Edited March 1, 2023 by David Bigcheeseplant

[David Bigcheeseplant]

Here is 69804 with the 3 rail coal rails.

[TheEngineShed]

11 hours ago, David Bigcheeseplant said:

I have just noticed that all versions have 5 coal rails each side of the bunker although by the BR period these were reduced to 3 each side.

David

 

Good catch, that will be easily sorted.

[31A]

Not sure whether the top rail counts as one of the three, but mine definitely has fewer coal rails than 5167 in the picture above!

 

[cowanh00]

Reviews are looking positive.... Looking forward to receiving mine :-)

 

 

 

[MonsalDale]

I haven't yet run mine but had a look at it last night.  I compared the GCR liveried version with my Bachmann 11F.

 

The livery application is very good and the shade of green is indistinguishable from the green of the Bachmann model.  I haven't compared this with the green in my Robinson loco liveries book but I haven't seen people pick up on this as an issue so I presume this is accurate.  The lining is marginally thicker but still very thin.

 

The buffer beam is higher than that of the Bachmann model but not by much.  Not sure if other people have noticed this?  I haven't compared the model with a scale drawing so I am not sure if this was the same on the prototype.

 

There doesn't appear to be a bow on the footplate of mine.

 

Overall, very pleased so far!

[Downer]

Very impressed with the look of my BRITISH RAILWAYS version.  One minor caveat - as with many of the models pictured in this thread, the loco number on one side is slightly skewed. 

[Charlie]

2 hours ago, MonsalDale said:

I haven't yet run mine but had a look at it last night.  I compared the GCR liveried version with my Bachmann 11F.

 

The livery application is very good and the shade of green is indistinguishable from the green of the Bachmann model.  I haven't compared this with the green in my Robinson loco liveries book but I haven't seen people pick up on this as an issue so I presume this is accurate.  The lining is marginally thicker but still very thin.

 

The buffer beam is higher than that of the Bachmann model but not by much.  Not sure if other people have noticed this?  I haven't compared the model with a scale drawing so I am not sure if this was the same on the prototype.

 

There doesn't appear to be a bow on the footplate of mine.

 

Overall, very pleased so far!

Is it both buffer beams or just one? If it’s the front it could be the front bogie spring pushing it up as several have suggested it could be a little too strong.

 

Mine’s currently running around our track, only derailed once due to uneven track, now sorted! But there also seems to be a squealing sound around one corner. Bizarre thing is that all corners are the same radius so no idea why it’s just this one that sets it off 🤔

 

Also, has anyone looked at their coupling rods and thought they looked a little wonky? Can’t see if anyone else picked it up on theirs.

[Synch]

I'm still puzzled by the LNER Apple Green livery, they got this right on their handpainted sample from the original announcement but seem to have bodged it for the main release; the frames, valances and steps should be lined black, not claret with white lining, unless they've gone for another oddity instead of the general class?  I know some photos have the lining in these areas show up quite well so it could very well be an accurate variation but I'd like to hear Sonic's reasoning for the decision.

I've yet to hear anyone comment about an error with the BR versions, as I believe there should be red lining on the valances but there's only the white?

[Nile]

But they haven't done one in Apple green, have they?

[Willie Whizz]

On 01/03/2023 at 08:24, Johan DC said:

WIth (professional) weathering they look even better! Congrats to Steve from 'Neville Grove'. 

(still waiting for 5045, and since that's a black one, I'll try to weather it myself.) 

Lovely - timescale anomalies apart, that would not look out of place on Buckingham. 

[Ian Hargrave]

Be careful of the front springs.On both of mine they needed reseating to stop them leaving the track. Take the reviews as being useful but no more than that.Jenny Kirk’s sample was stuttering in performance after fitting a decoder.Both mine ( dc analogue) do not and are perfectly smooth with a prototypical load such as 5/6 Hornby suburban Gresley or Thompson. Sam drew the conclusion that his was underpowered and that the motor was too small. I decline politely to “score” either of mine.Sam goes his own way and I grit my teeth. I respect Jenny but I do wish she too hadn’t gone that way too.

 

 

[MonsalDale]

17 hours ago, Charlie said:

Is it both buffer beams or just one? If it’s the front it could be the front bogie spring pushing it up as several have suggested it could be a little too strong.

 

Mine’s currently running around our track, only derailed once due to uneven track, now sorted! But there also seems to be a squealing sound around one corner. Bizarre thing is that all corners are the same radius so no idea why it’s just this one that sets it off 🤔

 

Also, has anyone looked at their coupling rods and thought they looked a little wonky? Can’t see if anyone else picked it up on theirs.

Does appear to be just the front buffer beam.  Rear appears more in line.  Is there a fix for this?

 

Coupling rods appear fine on mine.

[Charlie]

6 hours ago, MonsalDale said:

Does appear to be just the front buffer beam.  Rear appears more in line.  Is there a fix for this?

 

Coupling rods appear fine on mine.

My spring appeared to have started to push its way around the retaining screw so I’ve just removed it. Not sure it’s needed so maybe take it off and see if that helps reduce the wheelies?

[jaym481]

Royal Mail is causing me a little heartburn. My A5 is on the way (along with some other items from Rails), and tracking is spotty. Sometimes I just get the "we're waiting for it" message that was scanned on the 20th, and sometimes I get the added "it's at Northampton peak Parcel Depot" which was scanned on the 23rd. However, the tracking sometimes shows up only as "waiting for it" even after the Northampton scan has been seen. I've cleared my history for the tracking sit to see if that's part of the issue. In any case, this is in contrast to a parcel from another retailer that was ordered a couple of days after the Rails order. The second parcel enetred the international tracking system and is now showing on the Canada Post tracking as having cleared customs and will be delivered next week.

 

Rails, of course, can't do anything about RM's handling, but the confusion of the recent hack seems to have been cleared some time ago. I would just hate to see the package go adrift - an extremely rare occurrence in my experience.

[Ian Hargrave]

1 hour ago, Charlie said:

My spring appeared to have started to push its way around the retaining screw so I’ve just removed it. Not sure it’s needed so maybe take it off and see if that helps reduce the wheelies?

Try putting it back.It is there for a reason ?   As I have posted..at least 3 times…resetting the spring in the pony truck cured it leaving the track.