The Engine Shed

[Free At Last]

What makes these new models 'main range' as opposed to the 'railroad' model.

 

 

 

Edited June 24, 2017 by Free At Last

[Hilux5972]

That's the issue Free At Last. They are not the models originally advertised.

I have just been chatting with someone at Hattons. They have sent an email to their buyer to find out what had happened with this particular set. Obviously there has been a major stuff up somewhere along the line but it will be Monday before anything further gets done.

[John M Upton]

The Railroad version is the old early 1980's tooling with the dreadful swiveling axles designed to negotiate first radius train set curves.

 

The main range one is the much newer tooling introduced late 1990's or early 2000's. However a review I read when these first came out highlighted so many dimensional inaccuracies that about the only part that was right was the wheels...

[Porcy Mane]

 However a review I read when these first came out highlighted so many dimensional inaccuracies that about the only part that was right was the wheels...

 

   I didn't realise Hornby fit wheels to S4 dimensions as standard to any of their releases.

 

P

(With apologies. I must be in one of my cantankerous moods.)

[scottrains29]

This makes you think twice about pre ordering models in the future. Though, saying that, I did pre order 12 x R6066 railroad mgr HAA sets from Hattons for £100 (working out at £2.78 a wagon!).

R6828 appears to be the exact same tooling, but now incorrectly livered as an HFA (hooded wagon) without it actually being hooded.

Hornby are going to have to substantially slash the prices of these if they want to sell any.

[Hilux5972]

This makes you think twice about pre ordering models in the future. Though, saying that, I did pre order 12 x R6066 railroad mgr HAA sets from Hattons for £100 (working out at £2.78 a wagon!).

R6828 appears to be the exact same tooling, but now incorrectly livered as an HFA (hooded wagon) without it actually being hooded.

Hornby are going to have to substantially slash the prices of these if they want to sell any.

As I said, Hattons have their buyers investigating on Monday so let's see what the result of that is. Could well be that Hornbys factories have put the wrong code on the box. Edited June 25, 2017 by Hilux5972

[John M Upton]

...or put the wrong moulds in the machine.  Chinese manufacturing has gone from exact precision to bodge it on an 'it's close enough, that'll do' basis in recent years.

[Ian Hargrave]

This makes you think twice about pre ordering models in the future. Though, saying that, I did pre order 12 x R6066 railroad mgr HAA sets from Hattons for £100 (working out at £2.78 a wagon!).

R6828 appears to be the exact same tooling, but now incorrectly livered as an HFA (hooded wagon) without it actually being hooded.

Hornby are going to have to substantially slash the prices of these if they want to sell any.

I think this " phenomenon " has echoes of the recent release of the LNER "scumbled" or faux teak effect suburban coaches.It would appear that here's another that's slipped through the net of quality control.I suppose that given the nature of distance trading ..For such it is...this is inevitable from time to time.Put brutally..sh** happens I'm afraid.

[Vistisen]

...or put the wrong moulds in the machine. Chinese manufacturing has gone from exact precision to bodge it on an 'it's close enough, that'll do' basis in recent years.

What good old fashioned British Leyland style?

If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer!

Edited June 25, 2017 by Vistiaen

[Hilux5972]

This the response I just received re R6828 hoppers. Pretty poor on Hornbys part. False advertising in my eyes:

 

Good Afternoon,

 

I am writing in regards to our earlier Live Chat conversation.

 

We have now received a response from Hornby who have confirmed that the model R6828 has been produced with the railroad tooling. This is the version supplied to all retailers and unfortunately super detail models of these wagons are not currently available. We are however being sent stock of 'hoods' to affix to the top of the wagons and these can be sent on request to any customers who have already purchased this product. We are also able to accept a return for a full refund if required. If you wish to either return the product or to receive the additional 'hood' it would be appreciated if you could get in contact with us and we will be able to confirm the procedure.

 

I hope this clarifies matters for you but if you have any further questions then please feel free to contact us.

 

Kind Regards

 

Judith Allsop

Help Desk Assistant

Hatton's Model Railways

[Ian Hargrave]

This the response I just received re R6828 hoppers. Pretty poor on Hornbys part. False advertising in my eyes:

Good Afternoon,

I am writing in regards to our earlier Live Chat conversation.

We have now received a response from Hornby who have confirmed that the model R6828 has been produced with the railroad tooling. This is the version supplied to all retailers and unfortunately super detail models of these wagons are not currently available. We are however being sent stock of 'hoods' to affix to the top of the wagons and these can be sent on request to any customers who have already purchased this product. We are also able to accept a return for a full refund if required. If you wish to either return the product or to receive the additional 'hood' it would be appreciated if you could get in contact with us and we will be able to confirm the procedure.

I hope this clarifies matters for you but if you have any further questions then please feel free to contact us.

Kind Regards

Judith Allsop

Help Desk Assistant

Hatton's Model Railways

To call it "false advertising" is way over the top. A breakdown in communication and quality control is more than likely to be the reason for what is likely to be a genuine error.Not the first ....or the last to occur.

[gwrrob]

I think this " phenomenon " has echoes of the recent release of the LNER "scumbled" or faux teak effect suburban coaches.It would appear that here's another that's slipped through the net of quality control.I suppose that given the nature of distance trading ..For such it is...this is inevitable from time to time.Put brutally..sh** happens I'm afraid.

 

It's usually a GWR product Ian.  

[Ian Hargrave]

It's usually a GWR product Ian.

 

Of course,Robin....remember the " B-set Blues " ?

[Vistisen]

Of course,Robin....remember the " B-set Blues " ?

 

I thought it was the greens that were the problem with GWR fra Redbox

[Ian Hargrave]

I thought it was the greens that were the problem with GWR fra Redbox

Ah but green is the new blue......or is it the other way round ?

[darren01]

This the response I just received re R6828 hoppers. Pretty poor on Hornbys part. False advertising in my eyes:

 

Good Afternoon,

 

I am writing in regards to our earlier Live Chat conversation.

 

We have now received a response from Hornby who have confirmed that the model R6828 has been produced with the railroad tooling. This is the version supplied to all retailers and unfortunately super detail models of these wagons are not currently available. We are however being sent stock of 'hoods' to affix to the top of the wagons and these can be sent on request to any customers who have already purchased this product. We are also able to accept a return for a full refund if required. If you wish to either return the product or to receive the additional 'hood' it would be appreciated if you could get in contact with us and we will be able to confirm the procedure.

 

I hope this clarifies matters for you but if you have any further questions then please feel free to contact us.

 

Kind Regards

 

Judith Allsop

Help Desk Assistant

Hatton's Model Railways

So this model is of the old Railroad tooling, so popping a hood on makes it a brand new tooling?.

Or is it an old tooling with a new tooled hood, still lost here.

[Ozexpatriate]

Latest issue up now

 

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/class-800-test-train-livery/

Did anyone get this page to display correctly?

 

I get the animated images, but lots of images don't resolve, like so:

 

Links to five images appear to be broken.

Edited June 30, 2017 by Ozexpatriate

[Ozexpatriate]

I think this " phenomenon " has echoes of the recent release of the LNER "scumbled" or faux teak effect suburban coaches.It would appear that here's another that's slipped through the net of quality control.I suppose that given the nature of distance trading ..For such it is...this is inevitable from time to time.Put brutally..sh** happens I'm afraid.

It's usually a GWR product Ian.

Of course,Robin....remember the " B-set Blues " ?

I thought it was the greens that were the problem with GWR fra Redbox

Lest we not forget the twelve spoked pilot wheels on the Star. Or the ski-jump fall plates at 45° to the horizontal on many GWR 4-6-0s, and that's notwithstanding the 'design clever' "features".

 

Sadly, this continues to be a company in trouble. They are capable of really outstanding work, but cannot afford to remedy anything that gets messed up - they simply don't have the cash to fix mistakes once tools are 'finished' or plastic is moulded.

[Hilux5972]

Did anyone get this page to display correctly?

 

I get the animated images, but lots of images don't resolve, like so:

jnk.jpg

 

Links to five images appear to be broken.

Something has happened to it. Was fine when I first posted it.

[bigherb]

Did anyone get this page to display correctly?

 

I get the animated images, but lots of images don't resolve, like so:

jnk.jpg

 

Links to five images appear to be broken.

Working alright for me.

[The Stationmaster]

Lest we not forget the twelve spoked pilot wheels on the Star. Or the ski-jump fall plates at 45° to the horizontal on many GWR 4-6-0s, and that's notwithstanding the 'design clever' "features".

 

Sadly, this continues to be a company in trouble. They are capable of really outstanding work, but cannot afford to remedy anything that gets messed up - they simply don't have the cash to fix mistakes once tools are 'finished' or plastic is moulded.

 

I'm not so sure its the 'can't afford to remedy it' rather than the 'faliure to get it right first time'.  Unfortunately Hornby are not alone in this respect and i think just about factory (except that of a certain gentleman from Canada) has managed to produce errors, various, at sometime or another in recent years.  These don't always get to the retailers' shelves, and thence us, because some concerns but particularly some of the commissioners get the errors corrected before the main production run gets underway.  

 

So perhaps the faults and errors are being picked up by those who more carefully check and approve final production samples or who actually have final production samples to check before authorising the production run?  Maybe some 'manufacturers' have neither the staff, not the expertise, nor the time to apply such checks at the right, final, stage?

[Hilux5972]

New one up today

 

https://www.Hornby.com/uk-en/news/the-engine-shed/sunshine-steam-trains-and-a-decoration-h-class/

[Nimbus]

So perhaps the faults and errors are being picked up by those who more carefully check and approve final production samples or who actually have final production samples to check before authorising the production run?  Maybe some 'manufacturers' have neither the staff, not the expertise, nor the time to apply such checks at the right, final, stage?

This is probably one of the downsides of outsourcing warehousing and distribution; no longer is anyone involved in the specification of the model 'just upstairs' when consignments arrive from Thamesport.

 

The Nim.

[Ian Hargrave]

I think we all overlook one simple but significant factor.Hornby produces many times more merchandise than any of its competitors.Thus propotionally it is also more susceptible to errors in production and quality control.Then you need to factor in a diverse number of manufacturing sources in China,an outsourced warehousing an distribution centre here in the UK and you have a fragile cocktail of possible pitfalls.Maybe it is over fragmented .Then maybe we should perhaps recognise that the kind of mishaps we get so indignant about are a natural consequence of a tenuous system and we will have to live with it.But remember it is still a system that works for us and will continue to do so.The proviso being that we give it our support now when it is needed and tolerate the odd gremlin in the works.In the final analysis their products...past,present and future are second to none...and speak for themselves.

[Andy Hayter]

It may be like that Nimbus, but there is no reason why it must be like that.  

I worked with external distribution systems and we had systems that ensured quality - and some of those external systems were a lot further than the short road journey from Sandwich to the warehouse.