zoomer1979

Biff sells the Wheeltappers project, I'm usually a Biff customer by default! Neil.

Got my D600 in good time and it's all set for my Dad. I'm guessing he would eventually get a sound chip for it. Who do we reckon has the best guess of the sounds? Wheeltappers? Roads And Rails? Olivia's Trains? Digitrains? The Soundguy? Anyone else have a suggestion? Neil.

Hi Colin, I too am frustrated with the pickup situation. Can I as what Thompson bogies you got for the pickups that were a good size match? Thanks in advance. Neil.

In my video above you will see it's displaying a single white top centre light, (stopping passenger) and there are two red tail lights. If F0 is selected and put off and on within a short while, it will switch all front white lights on. In an ideal world you would want individual controls for each light. Not sure if any of the round plastic pieces in the accessories pack are maint to be discs for on the lamp irons, who knows? Neil.

You just have to look at their instructions to realise how well they proof read things. Neil.

Took the factory fitted speaker out and replaced it with 2 4ohm speakers, one in each nose area. It has made it a much more convincing sound model. I also took away the visible red fan from both nose ends as you wouldn't of seen them behind the radiator. More progress towards accuracy! Neil.

I got mine off fairly easily with a crank pin spanner. The head size is a wee bit awkward because of the paint, so a touch up will be required once they are back in position. Neil.

Just read the latest news letter and realised that a D600 would make a great present for my Dad, with the reasonable assumption like most North British locos, it was tested on Scottish metals before heading South. So I selected D600 itself in original condition as I'm sure it was tested on the Dumfries line. All three versions that are available just now showed a stock level of 10. Looking forward to it. Neil.

Excellent tear down, balanced and informative. I found that it was quite easy for the wheels and therefore the fly cranks to move on the axles, meaning quartering and synchronization was easily lost. Something that could also cause bending of the delicate rods, which could definitely do with being stronger. Neil.

A reply from Keith after I explained what happened to my model. "I know it's probably not much consolation for your model. But with all the models that we have delivered, we have only had back less than 2% of the batch. Bigger companies than us expect to get back between 5-10%. I know a guy who worked for Blackberry back in the day, and he said that if they only got 15% of any batch of models back it was a success. So we're not doing too bad. The Fell was a very complex model which has taken some criticism some of which was why it's not prototypical. It changed so much during its short life. Little subtle changes that last only a few weeks. It was a learning curve for them.". So why not just two versions like they are doing for the Big Bertha? And early 4-8-4, then a later 4-4-4-4 and have two liveries for the later one. Oh well, I'm done now until the correcting parts become available. Neil.

Well I wasn't sure I was even going to get a model I paid for. As for loyalty, this company is a complete joke. There were problems with the GT3 too, which were supposed to get fixed, (the buffer beam was miss drilled and squint and the front bogie frame was the wrong way round) and what got supplied was a new bogie frame in a bag that said "boofer beam" and we were told to drill holes ourselves to fix the buffer beam! Plus the pickups in the tender were awful. As for the Fell, I'm going to write a very frank and honest letter to KR and detail all that is wrong with it and how much time it has taken me to get a model that runs, never mind one that is accurate! My Dad is returning his for a refund. Will never recommend a KR Models product to anyone. Neil.

Well it is running day today. I started at 1245 and have been working on the Fell to get it running correctly since. After being told by Keith than it ran well and sounded great, I put it on my programming track to try it and change address. Straight away it would barely run without cutting out. On to the rolling road and it was obvious that one pair of axles were badly aligned and causing the cranks to partially lock each revolution. So off it came for adjustment. Whilst doing this I noticed I'm missing one of the lower axle box pieces, which is a separate detail that clips on to the cast chassis. Luckily it is cosmetic. Next I noticed that one of the axles I could see the splines, a check of the back to backs showed that one at 14.83mm, next two 14.34 and the other outer 14.54. This was corrected. I then removed the cranks from the bad pair and re-aligned and re-quartered the fly cranks. The connecting rod on this side was also bent like a banana so was straightened back. Running is now okay only I now noticed one of the bogie axles was wobbly, this was not clicked onto its axle. So now I'm going to size up a pair of speakers as quite frankly the supplied speaker is amateur hour compared with what should be done, (no enclosure whatsoever). Onwards and upwards. Neil.

Hi folks, my Fell arrived today from Canada. The tracking was saying 17th November so I wasn't expecting it. I had a quick look at it to check its condition. Everything seems to be there and straight. I have noticed the connecting rods are quite loose and more alarmingly the counterweights are quite free to lose sync with each other. Maybe needing secured on the axles a bit better. I will be running it this weekend so any issues I will detail on here. I want to upgrade to two speakers, so that it is a more even sound across the whole loco. I also hope to correct the body details using the parts produced by the members here. Neil.

I have had an email from Keith, apologising again for the delay and he has tested a model and dispatched it to me by Canada Mail. Estimated delivery is 16th November. Let's see what happens next. Neil.

That is pathetic. I'm inclined to tell them where to go too, but I want to get the model and improve it (with fellow members help) to show what should of been done. Neil.

Thanks for the support, I hope I'll get one from this batch and not have to wait for the second run. I had picked the DCC Sound Fitted in late green, (so no middle cranks, correct!). I used the spread out payment option which ticked along nicely and concluded about a year ago, probably the original estimate pre COVID. I can't help but feel that my response to them stating that I still want the model and the fact their, "sold out" means that for no reason other than their incompetence, I'll probably not see mine fora year or so. I'm very unsatisfied with this. I should see if I could buy one for myself at a vastly inflated price and just send them the bill! Neil.

Well friends, despite ordering in good faith in February 2020 and filling in the form as presented and selecting the later version (different to my Dad's), I was told today that due to the selection not being picked up, my order was not processed. After Keith gave me a tracking number that was my Dad's model, he confirmed there are no models left and I was offered a refund or to wait for the next batch. I do want the model still, but who knows when it will come. Neil.

Still waiting, emailed using the website and Keith answered giving me a tracking number that doesn't work. He claims it was delivered on 10th Oct at 1020 and there was nothing through the door. Nothing at sorting office either.🤔

Indeed. The sound of 4 V12 Paxmans, plus 2 AECs, must have been quite a cacophony. I think the sound file in the model has under sold the racket of the real thing for the sake of everyone's ears!

https://youtu.be/swJFXI5AqbE For those who have sound fitted models, a reference video from the time it was on test. Neil.

Well, just to add to the list of problems, my Dad's "early" version has an issue with one of the axles, as seen in the attached video. Neil.

Well I finally got my IC Swallow version of the MK4 DVT last week. Yet again Hornby have delivered a Railroad model for a Premium price. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw less detail on the new one than the 1980s original. What sort of mugs are we being played for! Once again it will have to be worked on to get it to somewhere near the standards expected of the sale price. The old one even weighs more than the new one. And don't get me started on the fact it barely runs the length of itself due to the huge drag of the pickups and details. It's supposed to be ROLLING stock! Plus there's the odd thing going on under the windscreens? To sum up, you would be better and cheaper buying an after market lighting kit and decoder socket. You can have it back Hornby. Neil.

The shape of the front of the DVT looks much better than the original in my opinion. Hopefully my pre order from Collett Models comes through and he hasn't been "Hornbied".

I had a bit of a strange experience last week. Was holidaying in the area and thought to visit the shop on the Monday morning about 11am. Got there and parked next to a car already there. Nobody at the counter, so I walked round to the other entrance and went through the whole shop unchallenged and not attended to. Even said hello to a guy in the workshop area. No help and no inspiration at all I was away after 5 minutes. Neil.

Hi Gary, Interested to know what is non compliant about the MS450. I have found Zimo drive control to be superior right out the box, whereas the ESU needs quite a bit of tweaking to get it silky smooth. Neil.