jay*bobble

Looks like gaugemaster will not be selling replacement gears for o gauge .expensive door stops

Carnt wait to see what the a4 will be like from the other major player. Not that common news but it is out there.thay promise to be the ultimate a4 fingers crossed

You only have to look at it I screams Heljan and to be fair its so much like what Bachmann wos to produce. Makes one wonder if the cad and drawings where both the same. The problem wos expected thats way Bachmann did the bogies the way thay did.says it all realy you gota run before you walk .and if a jobs worth doing do it right .and if you wonder way Heljan made it for Hattons just look at it great looks poor everything else .I only came across my friends locos and totally. Shocked not one of them run as good as even the Hornby job.look forward to the Dapol 1 in my scale

Shame when you buy a loco that you got a wait for the next batch to arrive before you get the detail pack .yet again poor poor qc wonder if next batch will have hand rails.sadly I think not.shame when this could have been the best rtr a4 .in any scale let yourself down Hattons. Horny magazine never even noticed the hand rail missing. And the lining on the front what happened there.

All so worthy of note it's strange how the Hattons 66 seems close to how Bachmann wos going to do its 66 .wonder way thay opted for a better and reliable mechanisam .not alot cosmetically between the to i personaly would buy a loco that can run well with no real problems .the 1s I've seen are extramly bad runners .you would expect better i wonder if thay where made by Heljan

Looked at several 66s that a friend got from Hattons. Not my scale nice looking model but where is any quality control. Total night mare wooby don't sit flat even on a work bench .and on track.even worse .save your cash folks and buy a loco that's tryed and tested.

Hachette a4 hand rail knobs will do the job on Hattons a4 just nicely .do sum already and mach closely.if this helps any one.

Dos any one know if Hattons put a pack of spare hand rails in the box for you to fit as the cab ones still absent

Remove 2 coils off the springs that helps stop derailing.

Hi Richard cut down the spring on the rear poney.the cheque the wheel back to back as it's not standard .I have done 7 a3s and all run fine over points.i have yet to find 1 that has not got this problem .easy fix.

It made a change from people showing me ones that have problems.

I've seen a br f Scotsman with no seem and perfect in every way the first lve seen in person. All should have been this way.gos to show that Heljan can do it if thay try.

Hi hattons dave the tooling its self I exellent rivet perfect it just is the seem on top of boiler and sum running issues.valve gear failing.and sum of the locos being cruced. Mainly on the buffer beams and above cylinders. Fully aware that is nothing to do with hattons .and is down to Heljan and there QC process.and I think it's fair to say that's the same with the a4 hand rail issue.

My friend ordered one from hattons. I presume dave that these will have been chequed by hattons staff .and that thay wont have the same issues.these a3 really are a credit to your team.its just sum issues that have let sum of them down.

Hope fully the new batch wont have the horrid seem .and wont be so badly put to gather. A friend of mine just ordered one but wont be hear till new year carnt wait to see how it faires up. If any of you has a replacement from this new batch please post a few pick please.happy newyear to to all

Has any one received any of the new batch of replacement f scotsman yet eager to see how there compared to the first wave

Interestingly brm dos state Hattons exclusives.

So now it's a debate about Heljan gears no longer the a3s.

That was meant to read wheels falling off. And stripping then down and refitting parts so thay fit properly.

Well to date I have repaired 7 a3s in total .ranging from wheels feeling off to motors not engaging with gears.right down to bits falling off and I don't charge a penny .I do it just to help .and it faster than waiting for a replacement.

Just of note ill be buying as many broken a3s as i can.the amount ive repaired already. And i dont know if hattons will be doing spares .or howes so makes sence to me .

Have any of you seen an a3 that has a wheel that's feel off .fixed one four a friend today easey fix but strange how it fits .lucky the valve gear wos not damaged .

Sum of us now seem to have details from the subject in hand .Heljan locos are to heavey for nylon gears there is the problem.at least the a3s have brass ones .and thay are the there'd loco made by Heljan good body's poor mechanism. Poor qc the next batch of a3s will b spot on I bet.hattons will put them right .

For those of you have asked to see my cosmetic upgrade of my FS . I have to get the rain strip painted and then I'll post photos.i have made front steps from plasticard. And picked out window frames ect.air brake pipes fitted using Heljan parts .looking good .

Dear hattons Dave if you read this please .can you supply matching hand rails for the a4s. And let every one know if we fitted them would it affect the warante. I do believe that it only covers for mechanical problems.not cosmetic damage done by customers . Thank you.