Kernow GWR steam rail motor

[JSpencer]

2 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Return label doesn't seem to work for overseas orders, but I have no doubt it will be sorted via e-mail. Import fees due again though.

 

 

Yep, e-mail them first. 

As for import fees, the parcel should clearly marked return/repair and replacement respectively so that these do not trigger.

 

If they do, get the full postal receipt so Kernow can reclaim them.

 

[Mikkel]

Thanks both, I will give it a go. I have previously had success getting the VAT/duty waived with replacements, but not the £20 import handling fee as they claim it still has to be handled again.

[Methuselah]

4 hours ago, Mikkel said:

Lovely runner, until this happened:

 

 

 

Looks like a direct break, nothing untoward prior to this happening, the otherwise lovely model just running in quietly at half speed. Happened after about 25 minutes running.

 

Return label doesn't seem to work for overseas orders, but I have no doubt it will be sorted via e-mail. Import fees due again though.

 

...eeeeeeck...! What a bummer Mikkel....! Mine is due this afternoon - hope this isn't going to be a general problem with them, as they look exquisite.....🫣

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, Mikkel said:

Thanks both, I will give it a go. I have previously had success getting the VAT/duty waived with replacements, but not the £20 import handling fee as they claim it still has to be handled again.

 

I've never managed to avoid duty when something being repaired is returned to me in Spain. The Spanish customs depot don't understand it at all.

[57xx]

2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 

I've never managed to avoid duty when something being repaired is returned to me in Spain. The Spanish customs depot don't understand it at all.

 

That's convenient for them, gives them an illegal little side earner.

[Neal Ball]

26 minutes ago, 57xx said:

 

That's convenient for them, gives them an illegal little side earner.

 

Which is why a lot of UK companies don't like shipping to Spain at the moment.

[No Decorum]

On 05/02/2024 at 16:19, JSpencer said:

 

Me too, not long now.

The three of you are in for a treat. It’s a lovely model. I have to remind myself that, if the lamps are to be lit, then, being oil, they have to be lit before the driver gets on board, not after as with diesels. 🤣 Something I don’t often see mentioned in relation to MUs is that they can be run without unsightly couplers. There is no front coupler on these but the NEM pocket on the rear is rather obtrusive, even with no coupler fitted. That can’t be helped because the buffers are rather long. Nevertheless, I’ve removed the NEM socket on mine and I think it improves the appearance. Putting it back would be even trickier than removing it, so not something to do if you intend to haul a trailer.

[Michael Hodgson]

4 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 

I've never managed to avoid duty when something being repaired is returned to me in Spain. The Spanish customs depot don't understand it at all.

That sounds to me like old Spanish customs.

[Eddie the dog]

Shall I be the first to say “nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition “!

[sjrixon]

1 hour ago, No Decorum said:

The three of you are in for a treat. It’s a lovely model. I have to remind myself that, if the lamps are to be lit, then, being oil, they have to be lit before the driver gets on board, not after as with diesels. 🤣 Something I don’t often see mentioned in relation to MUs is that they can be run without unsightly couplers. There is no front coupler on these but the NEM pocket on the rear is rather obtrusive, even with no coupler fitted. That can’t be helped because the buffers are rather long. Nevertheless, I’ve removed the NEM socket on mine and I think it improves the appearance. Putting it back would be even trickier than removing it, so not something to do if you intend to haul a trailer.

I always like a little tail traffic, makes the layout more interesting. An odd brown van or milk. 

 

But yes, that's the downside with the design of the railmotor, it's pushed the buffers out. 

 

Maybe I'll also know for real this month 😀

Edited February 6 by sjrixon

[Coppercap]

Today I received a replacement Railmotor for the one I sent back last week (the LED at one end had completely failed). Straight out of the box, this one is a slightly smoother runner than the first one, with no hesitancy at all, and after half an hour or so running-in in each direction, it's even better - it will crawl slower than would be normal operation, but I'm especially pleased I can make this one start a tad more realistically... and the LEDs are still working!

I do like the low-glow interior lighting -  they slowly dim after stopping rather than go straight out (DC), and much more realistic than those searchlights in the Hattons Genesis coaches (I'll have to try and tone those down a bit).

[Methuselah]

Mine arrived today. I checked and tested it, then packed it away for now, but I meant to check to see if the non-powered bogie has pick-ups but forgot. Has anyone checked....?

[Harlequin]

9 minutes ago, Methuselah said:

Mine arrived today. I checked and tested it, then packed it away for now, but I meant to check to see if the non-powered bogie has pick-ups but forgot. Has anyone checked....?

Yes, pickups in the bearings and wires up to the main PCB.

 

[Coppercap]

1 hour ago, Methuselah said:

Mine arrived today. I checked and tested it, then packed it away for now, but I meant to check to see if the non-powered bogie has pick-ups but forgot. Has anyone checked....?

Of course it has, we've moved on a bit since Tri-ang Hornby! 😉

[Methuselah]

5 hours ago, Coppercap said:

Of course it has, we've moved on a bit since Tri-ang Hornby! 😉

You'd like to think so - but it was losing connection if it started to slip - hence me asking about the non-powered bogie. It's light on the power bogie too - but since it's not likely to be asked to pull much, that probably doesn't matter - unless one has inclines - like me.

 

[Miss Prism]

Although they were never originally intended to haul significant tail loads, the lack of tractive effort and the consequent lack of flexibility was one of the factors behind the demise of the prototype SRMs.

 

[Harlequin]

1 hour ago, Miss Prism said:

Although they were never originally intended to haul significant tail loads, the lack of tractive effort and the consequent lack of flexibility was one of the factors behind the demise of the prototype SRMs.

 

I read that the vertical boilers were a problem to operate too:

 

When you opened the firebox door all the hot air that had built up in the firebox disappeared up the chimney to be replaced by colder air and so the ability to generate steam was reduced for a few minutes until the system warmed up again. Firemen learned to build up the fire at scheduled stops and hope that they wouldn't need to fire again during the journey to the next scheduled stop...

 

Edited February 9 by Harlequin

[Miss Prism]

Ash buildup on the tubeplate was a problem (it couldn't fall like on a conventional horizontal smokebox), and so tubes got blocked quite quickly.

 

Many SRMs were shedded and serviced admidst other locos, so got grimy and smoke-infested - not popular with passengers!

 

They also spent far too much time in the works - boiler replacement was a flaff, and it meant that the passenger part of the unit wasn't earning revenue. The SRMs turned out to be a false economy - a small tank and an autotrailer, although a bit more expensive, was always a more flexible approach.

 

[Chuffer Davies]

8 hours ago, Methuselah said:

You'd like to think so - but it was losing connection if it started to slip - hence me asking about the non-powered bogie. It's light on the power bogie too - but since it's not likely to be asked to pull much, that probably doesn't matter - unless one has inclines - like me.

 

Hi,

mine is awaiting conversion to EM but your comment prompted me to at least spin the wheels on its back to check it was a runner. In doing so I’ve discovered that the pickups on the nearside of the power bogie aren’t conducting current so if your model has a similar issue it might explain what you have reported.

I’ll sort the pickups out when I do the gauge conversion, which won’t be for a while yet.

Frank

[mikesndbs]

Those that have returned defective models, can I just ask what the turn round was for you?  Just trying to get an idea of how long mine will take.

 

Cheers

[Harlequin]

9 minutes ago, mikesndbs said:

Those that have returned defective models, can I just ask what the turn round was for you?  Just trying to get an idea of how long mine will take.

 

Cheers

Sent mine back last Thursday. They probably received it on Monday. No news yet.

 

Edited February 9 by Harlequin

[Coppercap]

4 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Sent mine back last Thursday. They probably received it on Monday. No news yet.

 

Took mine to the PO last Thursday afternoon, got the replacement yesterday lunchtime.

[Rail-Online]

I am really dissapointed with this model.  We sent ours back as it was not considered to be good enough.

 

Just as Miss Prism pointed out years ago the sides have been distorted in shape with windows too small, paneling too big and erroneous extra 'fill in' plastic above the top windows.

 

This completly spoils the look of the model when compared with drawings and photos of the real thing - just compare it to the side on view in the Wild Swan book.  It is dreadfully inaccurate.

 

My mate took a long time looking at his and also sent it back.

 

What a real shame.

 

Tony

[Siberian Snooper]

2 hours ago, Chuffer Davies said:

Hi,

mine is awaiting conversion to EM but your comment prompted me to at least spin the wheels on its back to check it was a runner. In doing so I’ve discovered that the pickups on the nearside of the power bogie aren’t conducting current so if your model has a similar issue it might explain what you have reported.

I’ll sort the pickups out when I do the gauge conversion, which won’t be for a while yet.

Frank

 

I would be interested in your approach to regarding. If there is still available when you have found the pitfalls, I will invest in one.

 

 

[Chuffer Davies]

2 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said:

 

I would be interested in your approach to regarding. If there is still available when you have found the pitfalls, I will invest in one.

 

 

I’ve had an initial look at the model to get a feel for what will be needed for the conversion.  There isn’t enough clearance to just pull the driving wheels out on their axles and do I’ll be ordering replacement wheels from Ultrascale or Gibson.  The Kernow wheels are a fairly typical thickness for RTR at 2.5mm but Gibson wheels are more like 2mm which will gain 1mm of the 2mm required for the extra back to back of EM.  Using Ultrascales type C crankpin nuts should gain me enough to get the crankpins in without hitting the backs of the crossheads.  It looks like the model has 2mm axles which might mean I need to bush out the replacement wheels if I can’t get them with 2mm axle holes.

That’s as far as I’ve taken it so far.

Frank