ExPatBrit

OK, I wasn't aware of that, but I have seen the problem on more than one sample of what was obviously a powered model.

Yep, I think I fairly clearly explained that.

I thought it was just me, I also think there's something wrong with the quartering, it shows in at least three of those pics, even with the loco inverted the rods look wrong. If the motor drives the idler gear and the two drivers are geared to that, it's almost like one driver is one tooth out on the motor gear, which can't be because then something would bind, or the motor gear and driver gears aren't in proper mesh, so something is wrong imo and has been right back to engineering samples, even Kernow's website shows some samples are squiffy.And I'm in agreement re the cab door. Both reasons have put me off buying what is an outstanding model otherwise, it just looks wrong to my eyes.

Just had an email from Hornby letting me know the SR S15's have arrived at Margate. About a week early by my reckoning.

In my experience of sub-contracting in China, it's very possible it might be exactly the same as the OEM item. Chinese manufacturers are firm believers in the one for the customer, one for me principle. That's why I'm wary of some the Hornby product being sold out of the far east on ebay, it could be the real article which escaped the "official" parts count, because it was out the backdoor. No need to counterfeit what you're already making.

Will the Z21 allow a Digitrax booster to be plugged into it's Loconet socket, observing insulation between sections naturally?

I'm looking for a new system, currently I run a Digitrax Empire Builder, but I think the European systems offer more functionality than the current US systems, so that's where I'm looking, despite the paucity of support fot these systems Stateside. Anyway, I think the Z21 software shows a lot of promise, even though I'm not 100% convinced that tablet or phone are great for cab control, which I already do with my Digitrax system. However, I would really like to be able to run shuttle trains and as far as I'm aware Z21 can only do that with the help of specific decoders, something which I have no interest in. My question then is, does Z21 support shuttle running, if not, are there plans for it and what would the timetable be? If not it's Intellibox and I'll use the Digitrax as a booster on the loconet.

Fantastic service from Hornby and DHL, my Southern E695 arrived today, so two days from arriving in Margate to me in Magnolia, Delaware. That's on a par with the speed of Apple shipping iPads from China. Great service and a pretty model....

Just recieved an email from Hornby saying my order for the Southern version is in and ready for dispatch to me. Now the 10 day wait while it crosses the pond.....

My Hornby pre-order is showing July. Close up pics show an insert witness line on the smokebox, either side of the chimney, so I'm assuming the Southern version will have the snifting valves and the delay until July is due to the extra time needed for the change insert.

That's incorrect, a diecasting die can, within reason, be as complicated as an injection mould, it's entirely dependant on how much the budget for the die is, or how much you're willing to spend. Obviously, the steels for the diecasting die and the injection mould will be different and its entirely possible the injection mould could be built out of something other than steel. I've made moulds from 7075 aluminium which have made over 1 million parts. When I was dealing with China, on injection moulds, they tended to make them from soft steel or non ferrous alloy and would employ a toolmaker who's job it was to fettle each mould on an as needed basis while it was in the machine running. The average western factory couldn't ever afford to employ toolmakers operating like that. The molten metal starts to cure or solidify the second its removed from the source of heat which maintains it in the molten condition. Plastics are similar, but as they have higher specific heats than metals, there's more leniency in processing. The cooling time is dependant on the amount of strength to resist the ejection forces at the de-molding temperature. The major influences on this are part wall thickness, part configuration, mould/die configuration, how well the die or mould is finished, allowable draft angles, & etc. and this is true in both injection moulding and diecasting. As a final aside and as response to another post, the ability to flex or "bump" undercuts in plastics is mainly dependant on the plastic material being moulded. For the styrenic based materials, which are the main family used in model railway bodies, I would never attempt to "bump" handrail holes out, by definition pins on either side of the boiler are fighting one another on the way out of the mould. This would result in at best, distorted holes, with a burr on the edge and at worst broken mould pins, these broken, hardened pins floating around in a mould could/would be a disaster, sods law says nobody would notice until it's too late, (ask me how I know).

The War-World address works for me but not the wwscenics.co.uk address. I get server not found. iPad mini user, U.S. based.

In light of your apology, please ignore my comments in my last post, you've restored some faith that you know which way is up when push comes to shove. But please adjust that hair trigger, you may inadvertantly shoot someone by mistake and the judge won't be laughing when he dons the black cap.

Come on, people comment on reviews all the time, I've never seen a requirement to actually own the model before commenting and nor have you, yes I was expressing an opinion on the review, in light of the overly defensive attitude displayed by some. But none of that addresses the serious assembly defect found by the reviewer, which, in my opinion was being glossed over in the haste to discredit the review/reviewer. The size of the manufacturer is irrelevant in the context of defective product being shipped. It's possible another reviewer may have been a hell of a lot more disparaging than this individual, other reviewers have to other manufacturers for less reason. My constructive criticism is, make sure it's assembled properly, particularly if you're going to do 100% inspection and don't rubbish your clientele even if you disagree. And for the record, I own a Kernow's Well Tank, so not twice removed and no bandwagon. I'm a fully paid up member of the right to comment crew, even by your overarching, non terms of service yardstick.

So now we have to satisfy the self appointed posting police by actually owning the model and reviewing it before we can comment on a review by a third party? Last I looked this was a forum which didn't require such a high bar to comment, and certainly didn't need your permission before doing so. Can you point me to the terms of service where that's a requirement. No? Didn't think so.......

But the alternative is not under discussion, so who cares?I think the reviewer in question did a good job, his comments were overwhelmingly on the positive side. I don't give a rats whether he knows the difference between the Victorian, Edwardian or Georgian ages, how does that invalidate the review? If anything, the reviewer was being too kind in my opinion, to the poorly assembled axle/bearing on a driver. Other manufacturers have been hung, drawn and quartered for less and I'd suggest the final inspector needs an optician if he didn't see how cockeyed the model sat. It's a worry that's being glossed over, imo and if it was say, Hornby that shipped a model in that condition, posters would be on about it for weeks. Good honest review from a junior modeller, kudos to him, perhaps his next review will be tougher where it needs to be.

Excellent and ingenious, kudos for the great job.

OK, got it, it was the modified Hall issue and withdrawal I was missing, I knew about the Collett Hall, thanks for that.

I've got to admit, I'm confused, I thought the recall was for the Collett Hall not the Modified Hall. The Collett was missing the fire iron tunnel and had the wrong outside steam pipes, hence the recall. This modified Hall is a new or modified body on the Collett Hall chassis, to replace the original split frame chassis. Am I wrong?

And I forgot a Jidenco LBSCR H2 Atlantic. Cheers, Roland

Hi Dave, sorry, no Adams 0395, but a pretty loco anyway. I have the following Jidenco/Falcon kits: Falcon Brass Wainwright H class- this has a Mike Sharman wheel/axle set and an Anchoridge D11 5 pole motor and motor mount. Jidenco kits for Adams 0415 Radial tank and Adams T1 tank, Maunsell modified Paddlebox, Maunsell U1, W and Z. 2 x N15, one as a Urie N15 with Urie and/or watercart tender, the other Maunsell with Maunsell tender, Drummond T9, M7, (short frame I think) and D15. I also have a Nu-Cast white metal kit for an N15x Rememberance class which I'd forgotten about. I can provide pics if there's any interest and hope this helps. Cheers, Roland.

Hi Dave, I've just joined this site after working through this thread and wanted to say what awesome levels of craftsmanship you've demonstrated. Not being skilled enough to emulate you and not being a rivet counter, I'm happy to watch my r-t-r models circulate. Being an ex pat Brit living in the US and modeling the Southern, however poorly, life can be difficult, the only other British outline modeler, living in the US died last week and left me nothing in his will! Anyway, my main point is, having followed the recent posts, is that before I left Blighty, I purchased boxes of Jidenco, (later Falcon Brass) etched brass loco kits of Southern prototypes. One happens to be a Maunsell modified Paddlebox kit, so if you or any of your co-modelers are interested, I'm sure something could be worked out. I could provide pics and a list of what I have, I know I also have an H2 Atlantic, a Wainwright H, an Adams radial, a couple of N15's, a U class and many others. I must have been delusional thinking that I could ever do these kits justice and it seems a waste to leave them in my basement, I will never ever do anything with them now. Cheers Roland.