I spend a silly amount each year on my hobby, but that's my choice, lol. I have bought from most of the larger retailers from Hatton's to Rails to Lord and so on, more than once, and have always received excellent service and very good communications.
Recently i decided that i wanted a Garatt and so looked around and up came Olivia's Trains, whom i have heard of, seen adverts, and so assumed were a valid and reputable retailer. I selected a loco, added sound, firebox flicker, and crew then paid £397.00 and waited. Not too long later a package arrived and when opened there was my Garatt looking resplendent. Onto the programming track first, and my ECoS unit registered it, and then onto the main track. It travelled about twelve feet and the front wheel set locked up with the rear set trying to push it forwards and so i stopped it. When i checked it the front axle had lost both wheels and of course things had gone out of scew and locked up. It is not easy to pry both front wheels off the axle and so my feeling is they were not properly on in the first place.
I immediately called Olivia's and explained that i had had the unit less than 30 minutes and what had occured and the gentleman said to call Neil the owner who would know what to do, so i did. Neil immediately implied that the damage was down to me, as they test all of their loco's before they leave. He then said what did i expect from a second hand unit and i said the web site did not say second hand and he said yes it was a little confusing then proceeded to confuse himself trying to say which were new and which were second hand? He asked me to return the unit so that they could check it out and to just send it second class as they would cover it? I sent it special delivery as it covered up to £500.00 if lost and i had a feeling Olivia's were going to say it never arrived!
I included a letter detailing everything and saying that i was not very happy about the situation and would appreciate a refund as i did not purchase a broken locomotive nor did i wish to receive a repaired one and repeated this in a text to Neil asking where my refund was. His reply was that it was having new valve gear fitted and would be posted back this week!
I have been in touch with the card issuer i used who have said that with the photographs i have and the fact i received something i did not order, a full refund would probably be issued by them, but to give the retailer one last chance to refund me themselves.
I have given Neil till Wednesday to refund me and have told him that if they post out the unit i will refuse it, so not to bother, but i've had no response.
I've never read blogs before and at someones suggestion started looking; and if i had before ordering, i would quite probably have never placed my order, as there are just so many warnings to stay clear. I have always felt that a well known retailer would be proud of a good reputation and reflect that in the service they provide, Olivia's Trains seems to be the exact opposite and it is a little saddening.
