Sjcm

well........that tender connection. he got it working with contact spray but you have to wonder how long that is going to last. I suppose the crank pin falling out is about par for the course😂

just seen it. Same problems and its fallen apart 😂

But you are not the norm. Plenty of people willing and capable to service and repair a rtr model. A complete rebuild with new pickups? less likely.

Yeah, it was more an observation on how everyone seems reluctant to delve deeper with the problems and why? I don't subscribe to Sam's trains or watch a lot of his stuff, but I do know he's not adverse to taking apart new models for major surgery like many youtubers. Yet this time he's not touched it, even to look at the mechanism. Like wise the other guy posted on here who again has tried to fix new models before. As someone who would return a new faulty loco out of principle, I wonder if the people who would usually have a dabble, have gone "nope, not touching a 230 pound loco under warranty"

So far I've seen 3 you tubers with the tender problem and 2 people in the comments that had to return their models. Even the favourable class47peters' video posted on here mentions it didn't work out the box until he pushed the tender in properly - is that just a one-off or the sign of a weakness that will only get worse? Trouble is there is a culture in our hobby of fixing stuff that you don't get elsewhere with new products for whatever the reason (don't want the hassle of returning/like the challenge/worried they won't get a replacement quickly?). Be interesting if someone posts a "how I fixed my black5" video on YouTube because given the price and complexity, Hornby may have reached the tipping point where people are prepared to start dismantling a new model rather than just sending it back.

He doesn't help himself with some of his fixations and his carpet layout, but some of his gripes about no proper bearings, flimsy parts, design faults, wheels out of scale, and glue all over the place in 200+ pound models seems perfectly realistic to me. End of the day no-one forced Hornby to go up-market and start charging 100+ pounds above inflation compared to the 2000's equivalent models. You can make an argument that the better detailing and mechanism is worth that price increase, but as fair as the quality and general robustness goes Hornby (and others) just don't get it. If I buy a premium product whether that's a top of the range phone or a tv, I expect it to work, be in mint condition when it arrives and the quality of it ensuring it has a long life. If I buy a cheapo smartphone I'll probably overlook the general cheapness and a scratch on the screen

While I understand the lamp argument on both sides, I would say on the realistic/prototypical stakes, a loco that doesn't move is much more of a bar to realism than the lamps. There obviously seems to be a problem with some of the release batch with the tender connection.How big that is is hard to tell, but seeing there is a fair number of YouTubers with this problem and those that have bought it and reviewed are not exactly everywhere, you have to wonder how widespread the problem is, and whether it's something that will increase with wear and tear in 3/6/12 months time. Suffice to say, it's the usual story with Hornby - Rolls Royce price, Lada quality control.

I have 3 of those duettes, one I use every day for testing. Hasn't blown up yet, touch wood, but I wouldn't pay 100 quid for one, or sell one. One of my favorite YouTube channels is a guy who gets working pre-70s televisions and radios.. When I say gets working, he doesn't repair or restore them because they are too far gone, but finds them dumped by the side of the road or down mines and does just enough to get them working so no replacement of leaky capacitors etc.. He's basically fearless of high voltage from being an ex repairman so half the fun is watching what will catch fire when he turns on a tv he's just jetwashed to get the mud out of 😲. He's actually very safety orientated and these are 1+ hour long serious tutorials,but every now and then he has a bit of fun - wired this microwave into one of those retro 2000's Crossley record player stereos and the resulting smoke and fire had the neighbours phoning him up thinking his house was on fire. "No, I'm having a barbecue"😂

Another YouTuber with the same problem as Sam's trains

yep. With.the added bonus that your hacksaw and glue job will probably last longer and be more robust than the 200 pound super detailed model - if its not already broken when you get it.

yeah, it's hard to see if the body has been "got at" to fit the chassis which may reduce the selling price

Obviously a lot of work put into it. You're left wondering why though... Still at a tenner you can't go wrong really.

If you look on completed listings he was selling them separately originally. Obviously can't be bothered anymore.

As President of The Enemies of Thomas, I've authorised a 20 pounds bid on the condition the seller destroys it with a hammer/sends it via yodel to get it out of circulation.

yes, but did he actually pay 2-5 pounds for a wagon individually or is that what he valued it them as part of say a big 300 pounds joblot? he may have even paid less per wagon but needs a "bottom line" figure to work out where to set his profit. He's sold those 3 unboxed Hornby wagons for 12 pounds each and claims they cost 10 pounds total so that's 26 pounds profit, but then he gave the buyer free postage so that's 21/22 profit. then you have his ebay fee's and business overheads. At 12 pounds a wagon they were unlikely to have flown out the door so could have been up for weeks. Worth the effort? perhaps, but a lot of work if you add in his time.