petee19

Re your last paragraph,all the fitting that require removing to fit the coupling can be pulled out with a pair of tweezers,and do not need to be cut off.I only mention this as I read on a previous post that someone had cut theirs off. Pete.

Reluctantly,but now somewhat pleased I cancelled my order for the VEP after reading reviews in various magazines,my decision was made purley on the front/rear end look,and the solid wall to the first class compartments, at that point I had not read,or heard of any of the running problems. If I had not cancelled my order I think I would have been so dissapointed with the model that I would have returned it to the dealer and requested a refund,so the question I ask,is,why don't all those who have bought the VEP and are dissapointed with it simply return them for a refund,surely if everyone did that then maybe Hornby may start to take notice of the problems that everyone are talking about. I think that if any members of this site were the owners of a manufacturing business and you were suddenly bomb barded with a load of complaints, and returns you would soon start asking what was wrong with the product. So my final plea, RETURN YOUR MODEL,that way hopefully somethig may just be done to rectify the problems. Pete.

Great photograph,and I would say far from being off topic!

I have recently bought two of the maroon ones and last week accuired one of the old Lima ones from a well known online auction site. Whilst the Hornby model is streets ahead of the Lima one I think the slightly open window to the grooms compartment on the Lima model is a nice little feature that maybe Hornby should have used.

Having read the various reviews in the model press, and post's on this site I cancelled my order with Hattons for the VEP last week,my only hope now is that the Brighton Belle is a better produced model.

An update on my above post. Model was changed at Howes in Oxford today for a new one which I can report runs like a dream even at a crawl,my faith in Heljan has been restored! Pete.

Collected mine today and have run it for well over an hour in both directions and have to say how disappointed I am with it.Everything was fine to start with but gradually it became sluggish, and jerky, there is also quite a high pitched squeak when running long nose first,neither will it run at very slow speed as the Clayton and Heljans latest 33 do. All these symptons are similar to those of the first Clayton so its back to the supplier next week. Pete.

Thanks for this ,job completed.If only Heljan made it a little clearer in their instructions,at first glance I did not see the small gap between the lighting bars. Pete.

Could someone please tell me how to fit the headcode numbers,I've removed the body as per the instructions,but the cab moulding appears to be well and truly fixed,I have also tried to prize the glazing out from the front with the end of a modelling knife. Thanks, Pete.

Well I think it would be a good PR execise if Heljan made a body available,after all it would bring them money in that may at least go towards compensating them for what they have lost in having to replace the chassis. I can alway hope! Pete.

Having replaced the chassis on the Clayton I have stripped the motor etc out of the faulty one and am now left with a free running chassis without a body. What a kind gesture it would be if Heljan made a replacement body available so that it would be possible to have a double header,what does anyone else think about this idea? Pete.