Sir TophamHatt

Realism? You could apply that to any feature. What's the point in lights? What value to they add to the model? Extra tooling and assembly costs, passed on to the consumer, for no added value. What's the point in spring loaded buffers? What value to they add to the model? Extra tooling and assembly costs, passed on to the consumer, for no added value. What's the point in etched nameplates? What value to they add to the model? Extra tooling and assembly costs, passed on to the consumer, for no added value.

Morning all! £70 spent on a loco today. A good deal, £20 less than the going rate. Consodering I'm not supposed to be spending any money at the moment! Good deal though...

I know this is going to sound low tech but does anyone think Hornby will produce any other colours apart from the green and blue (yes, I know there's that strange yellowy colour). Can't decide if I should wait or get one from the available pool of locos. Way out of my era so it's not about a particular livery. Just that most of my steam locos are green so want to get away from that.

Today is a sad day. They've blocked the forum on the work computer At least I only have two weeks left.

FYI: Hattons have replied with a good and suitable outcome. I really want to support them, hence trying to work through and find a solution. But can't help but be disappointed when it seems I'm just met with a brick wall, as many would. I completely understand locos are pot luck. I got an awesome Class 14xx. Others did not. Just like others got an awesome Class 66. I did not. But it's the response when things aren't right that's important. However, whatever anyone says, I truly take my hat off to them. I feel really bad for them as this should be their current crown jewl but it's turned out to be a mess. Launching a product in the midst of the corona virus was always going to be risky. But good on them for taking a risk - I bet when this is over, it will have been worth it. ... coming full circle to me wanting them to succeed and support them.

I just want the product as advertised. Any business should want to supply that. Hattons may not NEED to do anything else but I suspect they'd want to (to a limit). I find it interesting that you think what I asked for is unreasonable. If Hattons want to send me a loco, for it to sit in the corner of the room and then get returned to them later in the year, risking damage, that's fine. But I see it as a waste of time and big risk for no gain. Turns out, Hattons have untangled some mis-communication and they can keep the loco at their premises until someone is able to look at it. A logical outcome. Their emails made out I could get a partial refund and non-dcc model, then I'd be charged more than the original £265 to have sound fitted to it a later date. I don't think that's reasonable. You do. That's fine. Happy to continue this via messaging if you wanted.

Can anyone recommend any fabric for the CMX track cleaners? A video online recommended some herringbone type fabric but the tweed sort I've found... well I'm a bit worried about it leaving strands around the layout. I'm sure I've read of others using cord type material. Any recommendations warmly welcomed.

Well, my tale has not reached a good end. While I thank @Hattons Dave for his work in moving this along, I'm still more than saddened about this. In the essence of transparency, here's my timeline of events: 26/03: Received loco in the post. 27/03: Detailed wobbling issues in my post. 28/03: Contacted Hatton's online chat for support on wobbling. Suggested running in more. 30/03: Loco had been ran in for nearly 2 hours each way (an hour each way) by this time. 14/04: Loco sent back. 20/04: Telephone call (note: quite quick after sending loco back) to say they can offer one of two other locos as a replacement. 20/04: Replied asking if the chip and speaker could be put in a non-DCC sound model. 20/04: Hatton's says no as the service department is closed. 20/04: Replied saying I'm happy for them to keep it there (for months) until the service department is open. Gave a list of three other locos I'd be happy to accept if my original one isn't in stock. 25/04: Chase email sent. 28/04: Hatton's Dave asks me to email in. Email duly sent. 29/04: Email from Hatton's apologising that the service department still isn't open. My email would go back to the returns team. 29/04: Replied saying thanks, re-iterating I am happy to leave it with them until the department is open. 01/05: Hatton's reply saying it's not possible for them to keep it any more. "As an alternative, you may wish to have this replaced with with a standard model and then once our fitting service resumes, you could then send this model into us to be DCC sound fitted at a later date?" 01/05: I reply double checking this will be free of charge for me (IE: Hatton's posting it out, me returning it for fitting, then they send it back to me). 05/04: Reply from Hatton's stating "In regards to purchasing a standard DC model, it would be required that you would need to arrange for the model to be sent back to us and we would then fit the loco and charge you for the decoder and service, in addition the return postage." 05/04: Replied to clarify whether I'd have to pay more or not, or what? So it seems the options are: 1) Have my original loco back, which I will break trying to fix it myself. 2) It seems, pay extra for them adding sound at a later date + postage both ways. 3) Don't have this loco. I don't think me asking them to put it somewhere with a standard DC one and a note for them to service later on is unreasonable. Nor have they suggested sending the original loco back, then I send it back to them when the service desk is properly open either (which seems like just a waste of postage on their part anyway). Is that unreasonable? *sigh* - I think it's got to the point where I don't even want it any more. I will only update at the conclusion of this saga.

Morning all. A steadily getting better week with a mixed bag at work. In today, off tomorrow, meeting on Wednesday morning, in Thursday and Friday, "working from home" on Saturday - what a mess! Still, new coaches arriving today from our favourite A-Z retailer. They'll be added to the pile of others I have to add lights and passengers to!

BBC News - Weymouth woman 'threw unexploded WW2 bomb across garden' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-52521650 Perhaps shouldn't have laughed but I flippin' well did!

Morning all. So had a dream where I was in control of a bus. It decided to drive off by itself and while I was looking for it, I passed the depot, an impossibly small hairdressers, a nice bakery that had fake bread and cakes in the window and a model railway shop! Clearly I went in. The entrance had a few glass cabinets like you get at jewellers. The first room had a basic layout on the left with magazines and books underneath. A glass cabinet on the wall on the right. Not many models at all. The second room was even more sparse. Someone was buying some of the models when the shop owner told an assistant to see if I needed help. I said I was interested in a Class 58. When stepping outside to the windows in the entrance, half the models were gone. The assistant told me the other customer in the shop had bought "a few" of the 58s. As we were walking back in, I said they were in high demand. Back in the first room, the other customer was on their way out but made an effort to brush past me, even holding their hand out to make sure maximum contact was made. I said "thanks for the social distancing you fat old ". Then I woke up. I don't even want a 58!

I'm a bit of a stalwart when it comes to preserving stock in the way I bought it. For example, I always save the old coupling or blanking plug, even though I have no intention to ever put them back on the model. I keep all boxes and spare parts. I'm about to add passengers to my coaches and have been thinking about ways to do it. Do I use blutac (or white or black), as it means I can remove them if I decide to sell the stock on (which is so unlikely anyway)? Or should I use PVA, Superglue, glue gun? More permanent but means I can never easily return the stock to... well, stock. What's the level of customisation vs preservation you approach stock with? Or do you customise away and not think about preserving in "as new" condition?

I wonder if at some point in the (relative near) future, the MK3 will be re-done with on-board lighting, doors that can open with a function button and maybe even speakers that would give that wailing upon entering / exiting a station. Clearly costing £150 each...

What a lovely day so far. While I'd like this sunshine to last, I guess it won't. The good lady needs to get out of the house today so we may go for a walk whatever happens! Get to work from home for two days next week. Not sure how I'm going to be able to sell train tickets from home, but hey - I'm not complaining! Perfect time to fit out a bunch of coaches with lights, although my layout can only have three in an HST rake. I have space to store two more coaches in the same box so maybe I'll fit them all and run a longer train - a treat!

Yes, bumping this from over 10 years ago as I'd like some help with Midland Mainline sets. Coach A is a TGS, so I assume this would be at the rear of the train (if it was heading towards London)? On the other half of the restaurant coach, it's First. I guess then you'd have the First Class coaches after this until the power car? And all Standards on the other side? Cheers!

Someone needs to do a video of that speaker...

A promising start to the day with sun shine all over the place. Alas, it is not to last according to the local weather lady. Disappointing that if I amend my Asda order, it'll take off 4 things I've added. Don't amend, I miss out on the extra items I could do with. However, discovering My Family again from the Beeb. On Series 3 now. Didn't realise there was a whopping 11!

So it's pretty well known that track rubbers are the most unfavourable option for cleaning track. I use isopropyl alcohol in a CMX track cleaner, which seems to be fine for me. However the latest rumblings is graphite blocks. I've purchased a set for £5 from Amazon to try. This video on YouTube suggests a different cleaning fluid: I appreciate everyone has a different view and the subject gets done to death every so often but perhaps thoughts of whether graphite is better or not? My layout is also built for reliability. Nearly every piece of track is connected to power, my insulfrog points have six (in total) connections so all but the blades are connected to power. Track cleaning is low on my list of things to do as I rarely get stuttering.

I thought Simon was quoted as saying as the current MK3 model sold okay, they wouldn't bother doing anything to it? Will be interesting to see what the INTERCITY coaches are like when they arrive later this year. Original spec (with NEM pockets) or semi-new tooling. Question then is whether they'll release other liveries. I just wish it would be "done" and then I can buy. For example the Class 68 - I don't think it'll ever be improved upon so I'm happy to buy. The new tooling HST - pretty good, can't see them re-doing it again in my lifetime - happy to buy.

Morning! Hold on to your hats, the wife suggested we do some more to the model railway this week! Other than playing the "make best offer" game (I make offer, they make counter offer, I make offer in the middle, they make the same offer as before, I make original offer, they make the same offer they've made throughout) on ebay, nothing much of note today. No comments added like "this is the best I'll come down to" so seemed a little strange. Not desperate for the item so happy to wait - not wasting my time over £2.

Here: I was wrong, the Kadee IS attached to the bogie but it means if I need to do so properly, I'll only have the very edge to glue, which I'm not sure will hold that well.

Sure. Don't worry too much about my post though. Getting grouchy because: 1) Back at work today after a week off. 2) Raining. 3) New diet started today. If any of us step out of line, shout us back. I'd rather be told off and you still be here than me shouting my mouth off and you going away! Cheers

HALLLOOOOO! I'm glad of the rain but sad it won't be sunny like the other year. I'm sure we had rain for a day, then blazing sun, then rain, then sun - the garden went bananas! However, secretly excited - it's the final countdown for old job - 26 out of 30 days to go. New job = more monies = more models. Until I found out that child care could be as much as £500 a month. New job = more monies = less models

In other news, Hattons haven't got back to me whether they'd be willing to swap the speaker / decoder to a different model. Emails exchanged on the 20th of April but no response since then. Follow up email sent on the 25th of April but still no response. Perhaps a refund really is in order

You've quite mis-read what I wrote. What I said is nothing to do with the name or sentiment behind it - I'm very much in favour of that! It's the whole "I know what it will be named, but can't say" aspect of what the OP said. I thought "I know something you don't know" was left to the playground of another certain railway forum. To be fair on you, my elocution isn't great but thought it would come across that was what bothered me, rather than supporting the NHS. Read my post again with this in mind and it'll make much more sense. Will welcome PMs on this if anyone wants to discuss further.