GrumpyPenguin

9 hours ago, cctransuk said:

It's 'take it or leave it', whether we like it or not.

That's just it - you don't have to take it or leave it.

If every defective model went back to Hornby they would very soon up their build/quality control.

A long time ago I bought 2 DCCConcepts Cobalts which both failed after little use. They were replaced by Lemarco which are still operating (albeit a tad noisey) after 1,000's operations.

Currently, my "go-to" is the MTB MP5 - there is also a DCC version available now ;

https://www.dcctrainautomation.co.uk/mtb-dp4-digital-point-motor.html

Motors from the MTB range are considerably smaller than Cobalts or Tortoise, also, they stay in position during power on/off/on.

Admittedly the Cobalts were early ones & I understand that they have gone through a number of versions, but that alone woulfd put me off trying them again.

1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

It has happened many, many times!

I thing you need to get your head round your own statement !

Why oh why do you put up with it ?

It's probably the main thing that prevents me returning to UK modelling.

On 29/05/2024 at 15:58, Phil Parker said:

 

Certainly. All we need is for all those using it to pay something towards the running costs. RMweb Gold is waiting for you...

Your comment made me think about subscribing but I simply cannoit find how/where ?

7 hours ago, MikeParkin65 said:

I But equally whats wrong with people getting one with a fault and choosing to fix it themselves? 

Quite simply they should not leave the factory faulty in the first place.

Now, if faulty models were a tiny, tiny minority (& we will never know the actual figures, but there have been quite a number reported on here & elsewhere) it would just possibly be borderline acceptable.

Carry on fixing issue yourselves (where you are capoable/skilled enoiugh to do so) & the situation will not improve and you are not helping those who do not have the ability to sort out issues themselves. I just can't get my head round the fact that people are prepared to accept faulty goods.

37 minutes ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Agree. People on forums telling other people about whom they have no idea of their circumstances, skills or motivations what they should do about a faulty product is lazy and unfair. 

What exactly is your objection to expecting a £200+ model to be 100% out of the box ?

As I said, maybe, that's one of the reasons European Models cost more - better quality control.

40 minutes ago, Wheatley said:

No, but then I don't buy a washing machine to strip it down, customise it, repaint it, change the decals, weather it and change bits of it to look like a real washing machine. I take your point, but RTR models are probably unique in serving a split market, part of which buys them with the sole intention of fiddling with them so snipping off a few extraneous wires and lamps or upgrading a draw bar isn't a problem.   

I used household appliances as an example - FWIW I expect that there are people who customise their houshol;d goods, but they do expect them to work properly in the first place.

If people want to customise/update/alter their models that's fine & of course they accept that the warranty is out of the window. But the model should still be 100% out of the box - after all, the manufacturer does not know if the model will be used "as is" or customised.

24 minutes ago, ColinB said:

I know we like to fix our own models, I am guilty of it, but on a £200 plus model just send it back. 

Could not agree more - if every faulty model was sent back to Hornby they would soon up their quality game.

Still, all the time the end users are happy to fix the issues it wont change. Maybe, that's one of the reasons European Models cost more ?

Would those who are happy to repair their models fix a new household appliance they had just bought ?

16 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

 

Must be the only thing that they make as everything else they sell is rebadged from someone else 😉

Very true, but they are not really very different from many other suppliers (especially decoders).

On 28/05/2024 at 02:18, Stefan88 said:

Hornby aren't particularly healthy at present, plus I doubt the latter would be interested anyway - the ex-Lima trams are basically just a novelty stocking-filler for them.

They don't seem to have done much with the Lima Group range so the only reason to buy another "European" range would be to shut the door on another manufacturer.

13 hours ago, sulzer27jd said:

Why would they have to? They could just put the appropriate BS shade in a tin and sell you that. 
 

Some commercial paint suppliers mixing systems are set up for RAL colours that's why.

2 hours ago, stovepipe said:

Disagree - it does take time to sort out the trash, and to work out even what is trash, especially when there is a lot of it. All I'm asking for is the option to determine the frequency. The relentless pushing of the same offer (however repackaged) is not good business sense to me, and makes it more likely I will miss something I am interested in - especially if i have unsubscribed.

Over enthusistic &/or pushy marketing has a adverse effect on me - it comes over as a business desperate to make a few extra sales.

2 hours ago, Tom Burnham said:

As someone who lives 20 minutes from Ashford "International" by train I'd really like that too, but with the recent requirements for fingerprinting etc at check-in, I think the chances have dropped from negligible to infinitesimal, sadly.

A great shame - I live around that distance from Ashford Int' by car or train.

It seems mad to catch a train & go from Ashford to St P & then backtrack for something like 60miles & then do it all again in reverse on the way back.

Children please !

FWIW I thoiught that adb had a point worth at least thinking about, especially when we consider that some industries are very set in their ways & don't tend to welcome new ideas with open arms.

Sometimes, it takes someone who may know jack extrement about an industry to propose new ideas.

2 hours ago, spamcan61 said:

If you're using a multimeter then you need to have a 'reasonable' load resistance in parallel with it (5W bulb or something like that) or you'll not be able to locate high resistance joints.

 

Incidentally has the layout always had this problem or is it new?

Good advice.

If you find specifice "problem joints" you could link the rails with soldered "jumpers" - 20amp fuse wire is idea for this as a band-aid to get you running again pending some reiring with a bus.

Also, I would invest in a decent controller, something from the Gaugemaster range maybe.

Use what Faller recommend - the only place Electrolube should be is in the bin.

If you run it for long without any lubricant the plastic surfaces will start to bind.

Almost all "European" motors for such things as roundabouts are 16v A/C.

On 27/05/2024 at 09:40, sulzer27jd said:

BR paints have a BS Number. RAL is the German paint standard equivalent. 

Any decent paint supplier will be able to convert BS numbers to RAL.

1 hour ago, WIMorrison said:

Or perhaps insufficient were ordered by the retailer to reduce the outlay as a gauge for the future demand.

From what I understand supplies are limited from the factory itself.

5 hours ago, PeterStiles said:

I'm sorry but joint responsibility is a recipe for disaster, it gives two parties who can blame the other party for any issues resolving your problem... 

By editing my comment you have effectively mis-quoted me - the important bit (that you left out) was that the end user would have the choice of which route to take. Maybe, i should have suggested alternative responsibility.

Manufactures must quietly laugh at the people are are happy to rectify defects themselves so that they (the manufactures) can save money on production/QC control.

2 hours ago, daltonparva said:

 Hornby Customer Care did originally say I could return it to the dealer, but he had sold out his allocation and I don't think he should be responsible for what I originally thought would be a minor problem.

It's here that I personally think consumer law needs to change - the manufacturer/importer should be jointly liable with the seller - however, the end user should be able to choose which route he/she prefers to use.

2 hours ago, faulcon1 said:

. Can you imagine one of those gurgling round London?

 

 

The ironic thing is that it's probably ULEZ Compliant !

Track cleaning/mainting always opens a can of worms.

I rarely clean my track & use Track Magic sparingly, in the odd place when dirt does build up I gently use a Gaugemaster Track Rubber.

I also use a tiny, tiny amount of Track Magic on pickup wipers.

My (probably flawed) logic would suggest that you turn ONE of the point motors through 180deg.

I've used the LED strips & power packs from Layouts for You, combined with the spring pickups from Concepts they are reliable & very effective.

They are of course on all the time with DCC but there is plenty of power available on my layout.

I would avoid the cheap LED strips from eBay - the ones I have bought in the past tend to fail over time.

If you have NEM pockets on your coaches Roco & Viessmann make conductive couplings (there are others too, up to, IIRC 8-pole).

1 hour ago, monkeysarefun said:

For the  slightly older generation there was also a tidy RS2000 and a couple of Mk3 Cortinas amongst the Harleys and Australian locals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

4 - door RS2000 ? - was that an Australian varient ?