MikeParkin65

I have had nothing but good service from HMC and if they say they tested it I'm sure they have. In my experience a loco with a pick up issue can run well on straight and level track but will show its true colours (ie poor performance) more readily on a rolling road. I think your experience here mirrors that of others on this thread plus the crew at Barwell - the problem isn't obvious until it occurs. I wouldn't doubt HMC's honesty. I speak purely as a satisfied customer. d

Not entirely true. My 10000 was initially a fine runner but developed the same traits (failure to pass points, flickering lights followed by failure to respond to the DCC controller ) after about an hour and a half. It's currently sat on a siding 'on shed' whilst I work out what to do. 10001 which I bought later is currently ok but hasn't had as long to run. The symptoms are ostensively the same as now being shown by the class 40

Surprising what a difference those 10 spoke wheels make - looking good.

Not convinced about this - but if they are unpainted its a remarkable job!

Back in its box whilst I consider its fate! Most disappointing (and expensive) purchase of the year.

Must be getting closer as Model Rail have just said on Facebook that it is reviewed in the next issue on sale Dec 28th. Also the J11 and the Dukedog.

The tender coupling is a slider with adjustment from virtually touching the loco to a scale 2ft or more. The pickups don't interfere with the coupling though I had to carefully tuck the wires away from the first tender axle as they were dragging it. The tender can be uncoupled by unplugging the pick up wires from their tender sockets though it is a fiddle..

Can I ask how much noise people are getting from the mechanism? Mine makes a lot of 'whirring' and whining from I guess the drive train. It has been back to DCC supplies once already (because of very pronounced wobbling) and it is better but not perfect since its return. I'm wondering if noise is characteristic of the model or whether mine really is 'Western Rogue'.

Unfortunately yes. My maroon SYP has already been back to DCC supplies because of a pronounced wobble but now derails on the same axle at the frog on various straight leg routes from PECO Code 75 live points. To be fair it was doing this before it went back to DCC Supplies the first time although because of the wobble I hadn't tested it over the entire layout at that time - I rather hoped re wheeling would cure it but obviously not. I have a fleet of 40+ steam and diesel and this is the only loco so affected so I'm confident its not my track at fault. Will be going back to DCC Supplies in the near future. Overall I am loosing a little faith in this model - its neither the quietest nor smoothest and because of its ongoing problems is currently being substituted by Bachmann 47's which cost less than half of what the Western did but run beautifully.

Seems strange if there is limited production capacity to release the FYF in maroon pristine finish when it seems there is much more demand for maroon SYF and blue. SYF maroon is always going to be the big seller I would think.

My experience is that Hornby factory fitted chips provide very smooth running but are prone to sudden failure. Most of my loco's have Lenz chips - as soon will my Hornby Dcc fitted Rebuilt Patriot that went 'pop' tonight!

Try some of the smaller outlets - I know the Severn Valley Railway shop at Bridgnorth had 2 on the shelf a couple of weeks ago for example.

At least one on Monk Bar Model Shop (York) on Monday. They do mail order as well.

From Bachmanns statement I think it is pretty clear unfortunately that all they intend to do is work out a way of fitting the tunnel on the left hand side. It does t give the impression that they recognise or intend to correct the other identified deficiencies.

New version reviewed on todays MREmag

I've got everything crossed that the maroon will be a better shade than the Warley samples. Of course, if it is I won't be able to get one because I haven't pre ordered! That being the case green will do me fine - it looks fantastic

Dave, Should be easy to acquire a Heljan example - very many available for sale on ebay, no idea why!! Heljan rendition of maroon much closer to prototype in my humble opinion.

I still think the shade is 'wrong'. Best full size current example of the colour I think you need is that currently carried by streamlined 6229 Duchess of Hamilton. This has the richness, depth and blood redness which I think the Western needs. 6229 was painted at Tyseley using a paint matched to the original formula as I recall - Anthony Coullis of the NRM is a regular contributor to the National Preservation forum and I'm sure would be able to help with the specification. And if David Jenkinson was right about there being only one shade of maroon used since Midland days then it is a modern incarnation of the actual shade. I fully appreciate how frustrating this must be for you and I'm sure we all on this forum are grateful for the lengths you are going to to get this model right!

After allowing for all of the variables of light, camera's and resolution I think that both the green and the blue are spot on. The maroon for me still needs to be slightly deeper and to move one shade nearer red (and therefore away from pink). I'm not saying that it is pink but it is slightly pale. I take the point about the effect the full yellow panel has as opposed to a small yellow panel and of course by the time that variant appeared in traffic the maroon would be well worn. Regarding the difference in shades of early and later class members, in 'Diesels In Depth - Westerns' (Clarke & Jennison, 2007) it states that the first Swindon locos were coach maroon whilst the Crewe locos were LMR Stanier Pacific maroon but the difference in hue was insignificant and not noticeable in service (page 36). The picture on the same page of 1039 coupled to a maroon Mk1 clearly shows that the difference between coach and loco maroon however. . I'm still definitely on for a green one, remain to be convinced on the maroon.

No offence taken - I was a little worried myself that I had offended you by failing to find a better description than 'too pink'! I take your point about the lighting at Warley although the both the blue and the green versions in the same display looked exactly right so I do think there is an issue with the maroon, Allowing for all of the limitations of digital photography and variations in machine settings is there any chance you could post some images on here of all 3 (blue, green and maroon) so that we can view them comparatively?

Afternoon Dave, It was I that described the maroon as 'too pink' on the other thread under news. Maroon does seem to be a hard colour to replicate (look how many shades Hornby has used on its LMS Pacifics) and The Stationmaster above is closer in saying that the rendition on the Western samples at Warley looks 'pale' or 'weathered'. Very hard to describe colour without matching to a (real) sample but I would say it should be a deeper and more vibrant colour than the samples. Bachmann BR coach maroon is close but a little flat. Heljans maroon Western (sorry!) which in all other respects yours knocks the socks off of! is better again. Best maroon I saw at Warley was the live steam OO Duchess - did you get chance to see it? I'd buy a maroon one if I thought the shade was right but will be perfectly happy with a green one - not that any Western really fits in with my collection but its such a good model it has become a 'must have'!

Both my original DCC fitted Alberta and recently purchased Drake were poor runners with the Bachmann Chip despite adjusting the CV's. Run much better with the capacitors and resistors (?) removed - the latter will need wiring around if you are retaining the 8 pin plug. Have now fitted a Lenz Gold to both - a vast improvement on the Bachmann chip which is better suited to heavier diesels.

It is disappointing that these don't seem to be selling. Other traders have also been selling Baroda at similar prices in recent months. Slow sales of the retooled Jubilee were cited as a reason by Bachmann not to retool the bodies of the locos that are recieving new chassis (the V2 for example). Can't really understand why the Jubilee is a slow seller as its a superb model and essential for LMR layouts.

From the summer 2012 collectors club mag 'In addition to the new chassis the Modified Hall is receiving retooling to the locomotive body. The tender tooling will remain unchanged'

There was a photo with the RAILS email this afternoon