New Hornby N15 Peter Waterman Model

[Peter Bedding]

Again, many thanks for the logistic information. I fear I shall need it!

 

To show where I like to go. (Please do not look for snifting valves).

 

[nnich]

Am I right in thinking you'll have to swap the loco chassis' as well? From memory, 30453 has the older style drawbar arrangement.

 

My "Sir Meliagrance" has not made it over the atlantic yet for a close inspection but I'm hoping the fitting of body to chassis will remain the same

so a simple body swap will attain the desired result. We'll see - but yes it appears the chassis's themselves will be somewhat different in drawbar

arrangement

 

Norm

[Fireline]

My "Sir Meliagrance" has not made it over the atlantic yet for a close inspection but I'm hoping the fitting of body to chassis will remain the same

so a simple body swap will attain the desired result. We'll see - but yes it appears the chassis's themselves will be somewhat different in drawbar

arrangement

 

Norm

 

As I uderstand it (now), Sir Meliagrance has the new Hornby 4 pin plug cable arrangement between the loco and tender. So yes, you will only have to swap the body if you use all the Sir M running gear. The one loco will not run with the other one's tender.

[dibber25]

The watercart fitted to the 'Arthur' appears to be an all-new tender. I can't recall checking the chassis specifically against the T9 tender and I don't have the models here tonight, but the tender body is very different from that of the T9 and I suspect that the chassis may be different, too. The steps and the front area around the 'doors' is all different. Simon gave us a '28xx' for review yesterday so its going to be a busy month....!

CHRIS LEIGH

[coachmann]

The watercart fitted to the 'Arthur' appears to be an all-new tender. I can't recall checking the chassis specifically against the T9 tender and I don't have the models here tonight, but the tender body is very different from that of the T9 and I suspect that the chassis may be different, too. The steps and the front area around the 'doors' is all different. Simon gave us a '28xx' for review yesterday so its going to be a busy month....!

I for one look forward to further reading on the matter of 'Arthur' Watercart tenders. Aye, and the 28XX too...

[toboldlygo]

I too use Fox plates, plus those from 247 Developments. For renumberings I now only use the HMRS transfer sheets - no carrier film problems. Those locos previously renumbered using Fox and Modelmaster numbers are being progressively redone with HMRS. HTH

 

Bit of track I know but which type meth-fix or press-fix?

[toboldlygo]

Mine arrived this morning and yes the tender is completely different from the T9's.

 

Here's a couple of quick snaps, taken on my workbench (with a Schools class lurking behind)

 

 

[2ManySpams]

Bit of track I know but which type meth-fix or press-fix?

 

press-fix works best for me.

[2ManySpams]

Mine arrived this morning and yes the tender is completely different from the T9's.

 

Here's a couple of quick snaps, taken on my workbench (with a Schools class lurking behind)

 

 

 

quick question - is the tender chassis in any way articulated or do the centre wheels have any vertical play in them? I ask because most of the T9 watercarts i've seen running seldom have all the wheels going round at once. Four fixed axles isn't good unless trackwork is perfectly flat and no changes in gradient. I ended up modifying one of the Treneglos fleet by introducing some vertical play in the middle two and applying a bit of heath-robinson springing. All wheels now go round all the time. (something for Dibber25 to check in his review)

[toboldlygo]

quick question - is the tender chassis in any way articulated or do the centre wheels have any vertical play in them? I ask because most of the T9 watercarts i've seen running seldom have all the wheels going round at once. Four fixed axles isn't good unless trackwork is perfectly flat and no changes in gradient. I ended up modifying one of the Treneglos fleet by introducing some vertical play in the middle two and applying a bit of heath-robinson springing. All wheels now go round all the time. (something for Dibber25 to check in his review)

 

I know exactly what you mean with T9's, had to modify mine to give them more play, along with the other mods There seems to be more vertical play on the center sets of wheels. I'll know more when I give a nice run in on the BBL.

 

press-fix works best for me.

 

That's what I suspected, but my experience with them hasn't been the best!!

[robmcg]

quick question - is the tender chassis in any way articulated or do the centre wheels have any vertical play in them? I ask because most of the T9 watercarts i've seen running seldom have all the wheels going round at once. Four fixed axles isn't good unless trackwork is perfectly flat and no changes in gradient. I ended up modifying one of the Treneglos fleet by introducing some vertical play in the middle two and applying a bit of heath-robinson springing. All wheels now go round all the time. (something for Dibber25 to check in his review)

 

 

I haven't had any problems with T9 watercart tender wheels, on medium density fibreboard - mounted Peco code 100 track and med or wide points, and type 2-3 curves, but as mentioned it might be gradient changes and such which causes issues.

 

Here is a link to a retailer's (no connection to me) site showing the N15 watercart tender version

 

http://railsofsheffield.com/br-green-sir-meliagrance-class-n15-4-6-0-locomotive-pete-waterman-collection-r2905-JJJA15135.aspx

 

Hopefully my model, from another major retailer, will arrive here in ChCh NZ as quickly as some other airmail packages from same this week... in spite of the big 7.1 earthquake (aftershocks continue, many damaged buildings, infrastructure mostly going OK now except some rural parts) ... and I can see how the watercart rides in genuine 4.8 Richter shocks.. <g>

 

Rob

[toboldlygo]

First impressions of running Sir Meligrance are very good indeed, the watercart tender is performing perfectly with all wheels going round and the loco is by far the smoothest running King Arthur in my fleet (13 last count). B)

[robmcg]

First impressions of running Sir Meligrance are very good indeed, the watercart tender is performing perfectly with all wheels going round and the loco is by far the smoothest running King Arthur in my fleet (13 last count). B)

 

I received my 'Sir Meligrance' today and am deeply disappointed; the four wire plug had one wire adrift, broken from the plug and too short anyway, the tender lamp bracket missing, the paper surrounds looked as if they had been roughly packed, and of course it won't run at all and will have to be returned to Hattons. Nice looking but not easily repairable, not saleable, a poor reflection on Hornby, the third faulty ex-factory four-pin plug received by me, from about 15, which does not reflect well on the design or the manufacture. There was no packing or transit damage at all.

 

And no, I do not handle these things roughly. The other two faulty connections had wires long enough to insert, this one, not.

 

Postage and delays etc.... very disappointed. I photographed it but of course it cannot run at all, so will airmail back around the world.

 

 

 

Rob

[toboldlygo]

I received my 'Sir Meligrance' today and am deeply disappointed; the four wire plug had one wire adrift, broken from the plug and too short anyway, the tender lamp bracket missing, the paper surrounds looked as if they had been roughly packed, and of course it won't run at all and will have to be returned to Hattons. Nice looking but not easily repairable, not saleable, a poor reflection on Hornby, the third faulty ex-factory four-pin plug received by me, from about 15, which does not reflect well on the design or the manufacture. There was no packing or transit damage at all.

 

And no, I do not handle these things roughly. The other two faulty connections had wires long enough to insert, this one, not.

 

Postage and delays etc.... very disappointed. I photographed it but of course it cannot run at all, so will airmail back around the world.

 

 

 

Rob

 

That's really bad luck Did yours have the transit brackets in place?

[robmcg]

That's really bad luck Did yours have the transit brackets in place?

 

No, the vertically split box foam insert had no brackets, the screws on the engine underside looked long enough to accept them, but there were no brackets... one screw was a bit proud.

 

The tender was not a good fit in the foam, either, and the rear top lamp bracket was missing, there was a mark from glue there. The four axles did not 'locate' well on the central spine in the insert. For what it's worth the tender was not a free runner either.

 

Hattons will probably replace or repair the loco, but if I want it done in less than 3 months I'll probably have to pay the extra for airmail.

 

Rob (NZ)

[toboldlygo]

No, the vertically split box foam insert had no brackets, the screws on the engine underside looked long enough to accept them, but there were no brackets... one screw was a bit proud.

 

The tender was not a good fit in the foam, either, and the rear top lamp bracket was missing, there was a mark from glue there. The four axles did not 'locate' well on the central spine in the insert. For what it's worth the tender was not a free runner either.

 

Hattons will probably replace or repair the loco, but if I want it done in less than 3 months I'll probably have to pay the extra for airmail.

 

Rob (NZ)

 

That's been out the box, prior to them sending it to you, as those transit brackets should be there - if it was new in box. Send them an email explaining your not a happy bunny and they sent you a duff one, also attach the photo's showing the damage.

[robmcg]

That's been out the box, prior to them sending it to you, as those transit brackets should be there - if it was new in box. Send them an email explaining your not a happy bunny and they sent you a duff one, also attach the photo's showing the damage.

 

Rather disappointing, and I have already repacked it for their returns department and sent an email with photos, they have already replied politely.

 

It's not the first time I have bought 'new' locos which are not quite new, and I wouldn't mind if it was undamaged and actuallly ran, but this is not like Hattons. I have already expressed displeasure.

 

To be honest I don't recall slots in the foam insert for engine transit brackets, so it might not be Hattons' fault... maybe some early production mess up?

 

Whatever, it is unuseable and unsaleable and disappointing.

 

Rob

[Fireline]

What worries me, and I doubt I am alone in this, is when something goes wrong with an item supplied by one of the box shifters. The correct thing for them to do is to take it back, exchange it, and send the damaged one to the manufacturers for repair or credit. What seems to be happening is that some of them try to get the customer to send the item to the manufacturer directly, for the item to be repaired. Be aware of this if it is tried with you. Your contract is with the shop, NOT the manufacturer. Hornby, for example, don't usually raise the issue. But the shops themselves should stand up and be counted.

[coachmann]

Advert on ITV, WELCOME TO YORKSHIRE showing images of the county plus .......................a Southern King Arthur. Well, now we know.

[robmcg]

What worries me, and I doubt I am alone in this, is when something goes wrong with an item supplied by one of the box shifters. The correct thing for them to do is to take it back, exchange it, and send the damaged one to the manufacturers for repair or credit. What seems to be happening is that some of them try to get the customer to send the item to the manufacturer directly, for the item to be repaired. Be aware of this if it is tried with you. Your contract is with the shop, NOT the manufacturer. Hornby, for example, don't usually raise the issue. But the shops themselves should stand up and be counted.

 

All the Hornby stockists I've dealt with have repaired or replaced the few faulty models I've had, my local NZ Hornby dealer fixed one themselves (jerky running unrebuilt west Country) using a contracted repairer, but generally it seems replacement is more likely if they have several in stock. My local dealer had four Std Class 4MT 4-6-0s and I think only one of them was a good runner. The 3 faulty ones probably went to back to Hornby which bore the cost, while the retailer bore the cost of wasted time and effort and poor reputation?

 

With modern RTR 00 models being so fragile and faults being "almost" normal, the retailer has to bear a lot of cost, and having bought maybe 100 RTR 00 locos in five years maybe 10 were 'unfit for purpose' ... five I repaired myself if I could, and five were replaced or repaired without any problems beyond inconvenience. Many of the remaining 90 had faults, many valve gear issues (usually fixable) and some Bachmann sanding-pipe track fouling (easily fixable), and both Hornby and Bachmann have poorly fitted windows and small parts, and/or slightly noisy or jerky running which sometimes improves with use, sometimes not. Only about half could be described as substantialy without fault.

 

In general I wouldn't trust an unknown shop assistant to unpack, test run and re-pack a loco without damage, for a customer ... possibly some of my purchases have been rejects from other sales.. to be kind I will say accidentally? re-offered...... I wouldn't want to buy a loco which had already been opened, either, if I could avoid it. In the end the factory and the agent and the retailer have to use a lot of judgement and sometimes good will, and it amazes me that RTR 00 models are still so cheap.

 

These days I only use two retailers, one UK and one NZ... and they trust me not to mess them around. In return, I do not waste their time with frivolous returns.

 

Rob