DevilsAdvocate

Hi BMS Thanks for that. You have easily managed to blind me with technological science with that. Ha ha However, there are no signs of anything untoward until power is applied, then enter a smoking decoder and another 30 odd quid down the pipe ! I assume you’re talking Hornby You have to laugh really It’s the only loco I’ve known them put a 21 pin socket in, when they don’t manufacture one, so you’ve no option but to put someone else’s in, and then they turn round and state they’re not interested in any DCC faults as you’re not using one of their decoders ! I paid £600 for this loco and the people that manufactured it just aren’t interested Cheers once again

Hope not dp I don’t want to involve Hornby for a repair. They are arrogant and patronising, and I asked for their opinion and they wouldn’t budge from blaming the decoders They stated that as the loco works perfectly in analogue, it wouldn’t be a fault with the loco

Hi Redgate Yes, programming the loco on the programming track was fine, however when the loco is placed on the layout and power is applied, the decoder starts to burn out Cheers

Cheers again Iain Your comment makes sense i have never had to do this in 40 years of modelling, so I wouldn’t, and didn’t think any different I hear what your saying, I’m wary of splashing out on yet another decoder until I’ve got to the bottom of this, although as I said above, your point makes perfect sense is there anyone out there who’s got one of these loco’s and if so which decoder did you use for it ? Thanks again

Hi Iain All were Bachmann 36-557’s. Ones I’ve always used as they have suited my needs and never let me down previously As for the current rating, I can’t say I’m sure. This side of the hobby isn’t my strongest point unfortunately Cheers

Hi folks, I recently had a mad moment and purchased one of Hornby’s R30231 HM Queen’s platinum Jubilee West Country locomotives which cost more than I’ve ever paid for a loco in my life, however that serves me right for not pre ordering one and getting one when they were released, however, I have an issue with this loco It runs perfectly in analogue, however, when I add a DCC decoder an put an address to it, it burns out the chip in the first instance, I put it down to a faulty chip, however, this has now happened 3 times, and I’m not willing to keep burning out decoders, the price they are Clearly, there’s something very wrong here i have contacted Hornby, who quite frankly don’t give a toss, stating they have nothing to do with decoders unless it’s one of their own For those who aren’t aware, the loco is a 21 pin decoder Hornby don’t manufacture 21 pin decoders, therefore you have no option but to use one from elsewhere. For this reason, they aren’t interested I have never known this happen before. What can be causing this. Can anyone assist please ? Cheers

Hi Chris / All Since my last post, I’ve returned the loco to the retailer. It’s a shame because the loco is a nice peice and it runs superbly, but I can’t hack the colour difference, it’s a ridiculous cock up. I also looked at the Minmodel set also this morning but obviously being the same manufacturer, they’re wrong. I’ve been in the hobby 40 yrs and never seen the like before Heljan, get to grips lads please, this is a ridiculous error !! Any other opinions would be interesting to read Cheers John

No, I’m not considering the Minimodal ones, thanks for the heads up Saying that, they look great ( apart from the colour ) The models are obviously popular despite this discrepancy, I do like the loco, it’s the first Class 33 I’ve owned, the beauty of modelling DRS allows you to have several different classes of loco if your modelling the early 2000’s The loco itself is fabulous with its detailing, and it runs beautifully, but I can’t get my head round this monumental cock up from Heljan. it’s like Bachmann painting their DRS Class 37’s in rail blue ! I’m not a rivet counter by any means, but as stated previously, this is a major cock up Trouble is I ordered it on line without seeing it first. I haven’t seen the Minimodal ones either but but no doubt they’ll be wrong also ? Cheers John

This is amazing to me How has a major manufacturer in the model railway business managed to keep getting this wrong ? It isn’t even a close match, it’s miles out Whats more I can’t believe I’ve bought one ! I have already enquired to Rainbow Railways and Fox transfers with regards to replacement decals for it There’s no way I’m keeping the loco in this livery. It looks ridiculous along side the other 12 DRS loco’s I have on my layout i shall respray the blue into its correct shade. Come on Heljan, get you’re act together !

Thanks Dave for your reply How and why have Heljan managed to paint a batch of loco's the wrong colour, it looks ridiculous when surrounded by other DRS examples I like the loco, the detail and running is superb, but i'm going to have to repaint the blue on it, it looks daft. I was considering the two Intermodel examples, but i'm not now. No doubt they're incorrect also. Cheers John

Hi Guys i have just purchased the above loco, and where as I think it’s a great model and am very pleased with it, it is a much paler shade of DRS blue than it’s sister locomotives from Bachmann Could it be possible, that Heljan have got this colour wrong ? All pictures / photo’s I have come across, show this loco in the normal darker DRS blue coating. I can only think that the manufacturer surely couldn’t have made this error, and the loco actually carried this lighter livery at some point of it’s short career with DRS Any opinions / thoughts or even photos would be most welcome. Regards John

Hi folks, Just an update, I have been assured I am eligible for a full refund on this loco, and I have managed to source one at last from another model shop for just another £9 extra. I’m happy with that, these two DRS examples are very difficult to source even just a few weeks after release All’s well that ends well Thanks to all who offered their advice in trying to rectify this issue, & happy modelling ! John

Hi again folks Yes Nige, the blanking plug was fitted for the DC trial Thanks Steve for the info. I've just been in contact with Rails where i purchased it from They've been very helpful and sympathetic regarding the issue, but they, like everyone else have sold out. I did suggest if they had any Harry Needle examples if they could swap the chassis onto the DRS example and then reject the HN one. Unfortunately the chassis is different The only alternative i've got apart from reclaiming a refund on it and buying one off the sharks on E Bay, which i won't do and i hope they never sell theirs either at such ridiculous asking prices, is to return the loco back to the shop for Bachmann to repair.. As a matter of interest they did say that Bachmann have now discontinued the Class 20/3 so it's possible no more will be produced Not sure about that one myself. Its sold out almost immediately and so surely another run would be beneficial So it looks like a return to Bachmann for repair Turn around time is approx' a month i'm being told John

Just to add,I’ve tried the loco on DC and it still judders, I hoped it hadn’t as then it would have been the decoder obviously Never mind, it’s as you were John

Although this is a defeatist attitude, i always find reading instructions given for anything, usually makes you more confused than before you read them. Camera's are a prime example. If you can't understand it's workings before you open the instructions, you sure as hell won't after ! I always try You Tube if i have issues, and you can see people actually setting things up etc so you can usually follow. In this case though as in many, there may not be anything similar on there The other danger, is that you have to be very careful when doing jobs of this sort on new loco's for fear of losing the manufacturers warranty as you've '' played around '' with it etc. Its important i think to know you're limitations, and in my case i just bite the bullet and let someone who knows what they are doing do it for me Loco's are very expensive items nowadays and i for one wouldn't forgive myself if i were to unintentionally damage or break something due to lack of knowledge I have a Class 20 DRS 312 at the moment that judders I daren't tackle the issue myself for fear of making it worse I have gone down the route of trying to return it to the shop where purchased, but there are none left as they have sold out. I usually also get the shop owners to put it on their test track before purchase, which they all will do willingly, however due to lockdown, this has been impossible. We live in a couldn't care less society nowadays i'm afraid

Cheers Nige, I am a little bit scuppered here with this loco I, like a lot of fellow modellers have waited an eternity for Bachmann to release these loco’s. In hindsight, I should have returned the loco to Rails immediately, however I gave it the benefit of the doubt, and gave it a chance to bed in now, it’s too,late, they’re sold everywhere, except for the sharks on E Bay charging an arm and a leg Rails charged £140 for this loco, the cheapest I have seen it, and they have been very helpful today to their credit they can’t replace it, because they like everyone else has sold out. I appreciate your suggestions regarding grease, pick ups, gears etc, and I will look at these, thanks for the advice, however, I don’t want to give Bachmann any reason to tell me it’s been tampered with, invalidating the warranty, and they will Any dealings I’ve had with them in the past have been unsavoury. The next option is to take it to someone who’ll mend it, but then there’s a costing In the first instance, I was going to plump for the sound fitted ones, but not at £279 each. That’s ridiculous money Anyway, I’m moaning now, Ha Ha ! I’m pretty sure this is an easy fix for someone in the know, I’m hoping Rails will look at it first before sending back to Bachmann, I’ve got no choices really being as they are sold out John

Cheers Andy for that. Running a loco on DC for a period of time isn’t an option for me as I’m all DCC, and I’m sure the decoder is ok, as it works perfectly on its sister loco 20306 These are brand new Plux 22 decoders from Bachmann, a decoder that by all accounts is to replace the 21 pin 557 decoder, but I will run the loco on my programming track to see if it’s still the same john

Hi Wacol Sorry, yes I should have stated that in the original thread, I changed them over and it’s definitely the loco im a bit disappointed there, as I hoped it would be the decoder, however as stated it’s the loco. john

I have in fact been in contact this morning to Rails of Sheffield where i got it from and they have been very good about it, stating they will exchange it for another............Except they haven't got any ! Which is what i thought they would say. They have stated they will put me down for a new one once the next batch arrives, but i don't think that will be any time soon, or give me a refund or credit note, which again doesn't really help as i cant get another one for the same price anywhere else. I wonder if sending it back to Bachmann would be the answer, let them repair / replace ? John

Hi folks, This is my 1st post on the site for a long while, so apologies if this has been covered previously. I have recently purchased the two Bachmann DRS Class 20's, together with 2 x Bachmann 36-570 Plux 22 decoders. The loco's are superb, and have been well worth the wait ( and some wait it's been as well ! ) However, one of them ( 20312 ) judders at slow / medium speed. I have run this loco for about 10 days now, thinking it may need some running in, however it's quite evident the problem isn't going to go away. I suppose the easy option is to give it back to the supplier for repair / exchange, but i'm hoping this is an easy fix without having to do that I believe this 1st batch of these loco's has sold out, so getting a replacement may not be an option I'm not great with changing CV's and stuff like that, and i'm only just getting used to a new controller i've purchased ( NCE Powercab ), so i'm a bit wary of this As a matter of interest, i intend when funds allow, to put sound into these. If this issue is Plux 22 related, the problem should go away i assume ? Either way, is this issue likely to be a loco related problem, or a Plux 22 issue do you think ? Any ideas / resolutions would be most welcome. Cheers John