New Hornby first time out of box , Elders Fyfes Dublo loco and plastic along driving wheels Broken!

[Dublo collector]

I have asked Hornby to replace the plastic rods (not shore there actual name) as when i took loco out of packaging for first time noticed the actual packaging where the front driving wheels sit was pushing on the plastic frame and had broken it in two places! and this is on a loco that was new , i also have the "General Steam Navigation" hornby loco and i checked this very carefully and one of the middle plastic rails had also come away!! , Hornby might have a Metal body loco however the plastic parts around the driving wheels ruin this also as they age the will all become brittle, I have asked Hornby to help me with this problem as i love these locos. I have also noticed the new Flying Scotsman that is due out in the Summer has these also maybe they should be made f metal or be left off all together a shame for locos that are not cheap and also in the Dublo packaging Please help Hornby Thank you Chris Philpot.

[RDS]

@christopher for the 3rd time of asking, please pick a nickname for your user id.

[Dublo collector]

DS How do i pick and add a nickname to my user id Chris.

[ntpntpntp]

Looks like the brake rigging that's broken. Maybe simple to fix but you shouldn't have to as it's brand new, report it to where you bought it from and get it replaced.

[96RAF]

I am surprised that they are pre-fitted. All mine came as user fit accessories.

[P-Henny]

DS How do I pick and add a nickname to my user ID. Chris.

 

 

In DS' absence. Following copied from DS' proforma text.

"select ‘My Account’ towards the top right hand corner of your screen, then 'Community' and choose create a nickname in the ‘My Profile' tab."

You 'of course' have to be logged in first to access your account.

DS' proforma text is written for a PC. If you are using a mobile/tablet device then the navigation route is slightly different. On my Android tablet I click the 3 line hamburger menu icon in the top right, then select (click) the line with a black background where my name is displayed, then on the next page that opens select the 'Community' menu option then finally on the next page that opens click the 'My Profile' tab that is displayed horizontally across the page.

 

 

[RDS]

@christopher, In my absence for the past few hours, P-Henny has answered your question above.

@P-Henny, thank you

[Bulleidboy]

Brake rodding on the new original bodied Merchant Navy loco's comes attached, whereas the older Hornby rebuilt loco's the rodding comes in a bag and you have to attach it. Not sure why the new arrangement is better, maybe easier in production?

It's probably a very simple fix, using a pin as applicator, super glue and a pair of tweezers to hold the brake rodding while applying the glue. I agree it should not have arrived like this, but might be easier to do it yourself.

[ColinB]

This model was released last year so did you buy it second hand or have you only just got round to opening the box?

[Going Spare]

@ColinB

The post title gives clues.

[ColinB]

I am pretty sure I have had mine for over a year. I haven't run it yet on DCC, but I definitely checked on DC as soon as it arrived. I haven't run it on DCC as I thought it deserved a decent sound decoder and I haven't quite got round to it. After all this time I doubt Hornby will be interested.

[Going Spare]

The problem with the brake rods being factory-fitted is that they do not get included in the Accessory Pack (assuming H-D variants have the 'standard' chassis as there is not yet a Service Sheet for H-D M/Navies) even though there are still a variety of add-on plastic parts bagged for fitting by the customer.

However, as Bulleidboy says, the rebuilt locos still have their brake rodding supplied separately and pack X4130 is a stock item so provided the rod mouldings are exactly the same, I would be disappointed if Hornby CC did not supply replacements in these circumstances.

[Bulleidboy]

I do have a a few of the new M/N Class (Spamcans) - but they have never been out of their boxes (Christophers not the only one!), I will check, but I am not sure whether the brake rodding, is a fitment or a moulding - perhaps fitted to the brake shoes during manufacture.

I'll report back.

I have now unpacked both M/N Class Channel Packet and General Steam Navigation. Remembering the Ops. loco was a Hornby Dublo model, I checked carefully on GSN - with a magnifying glass, there is a trace of glue where the brake rods are attached to the brake shoes. So I would say that although they are fitted from manufacture, they are an individual attachment. The problem will be that the holes normally used to attach the rodding will need drilling out before new rodding could be fitted. Looks as though the superglue is needed?

I hope this is of some assistance?

The Op. also mentioned that on his GSN the roding had "come away" rather than broken. If this is the case there should be a very small hole on the brake shoe, into which a small "peg" on the brake rodding is pushed. I usually apply a minute amount of superglue with a pin to the hole and then push the peg into the hole. Usually best to do a dry fit first before applying glue.

[atom3624]

I always find these look great when fitted, but are very fiddly - and much cause for frustration if you forget and 'hold them like a normal locomotive' - which can inadvertently cause the rodding to separate - as described by BB!!

Al.

[ColinB]

Well after all my good words about Hornby, my Duchess of Lichfield arrived today. As I was testing it on DC I thought there is something wrong with the right hand side valve gear. Anyway it appeared that the cylinder rod was not fitted into the cross slide (I assume they are the right bits), so I carefully clicked it in and slightly oiled the cross slide. It ran a bit then the link to the middle wheel dropped off. Fortunately I was only testing it on DC on a metre length of track so no other damage. Oh and the cab wasn't glued properly to the boiler. Needless to say it is going back for repair by Hornby.

[Dublo collector]

I do not really think you should have to superglue these straight out of the Box! What are we accepting here poor manufacture from Hornby China . I have locos from the 1970s with METAL chassis it really is not good enough!. Also Hornby have not helped me yet so i think i will be cancelling my future orders i really spend a lot of money , However if there is no help i will sell these locos and only buy original HORNBY DUBLO, please do not get me wrong i think these are nice models with metal bodies however the plastic lets them down.

[Bulleidboy]

You should not have to do repairs straight out of the box, but unfortunately it is one of the problems with having "fine detail". For many years railway modellers have asked for better detail, and this has now been achieved, however these fine detail parts are very easily broken off, not when the customer handles them (that does happen), but when the loco's are packaged for the first time. I am very careful when unpacking a loco for the first time, but I have had a number of small pieces become detached due to the tight fit in the packaging. Original Hornby Dublo models are very solidly built, but compared with a modern loco, they really are archaic, but the decision is yours.

[atom3624]

Not quite to the extent of BB, but I have perhaps 6 or 7 MN, WC and BoB Pacifics.

The only way this rodding stays in place is to superglue it, else it will however inadvertently or not 'pop off'.

They're an absolute pain to get into place as well - as described as well, I always bore out slightly their location holes just to ensure they will pop into place - 100% agreed there.

I've never found a situation where they get in the way so they could be moulded as a one-piece, or at least alternatively in a more-robust way from the start.

Al.

[ColinB]

When I was phoning up the Retailer about my broken City of Lichfield they said normally they would test the loco before they sent it out. In this case because it is a collector's item they don't test them, I assume to avoid marking the wheels. I suddenly thought, I wonder how many broken ones there are out there that have never been run. It probably also applies to all those Elizabeth II locos, I doubt many have been run.

I run DCC so the first action on any loco is to find the DCC socket, which normally means bits fall off (the ladder in this case).

[Dublo collector]

Thank you Henry, Chris

[Dublo collector]

HI Colin , I see what you are saying however a new loco should still be under warranty from Hornby.

[Dublo collector]

Atom 3624, I think you are right , choose these "brake rods" as they are so small and so fragile also the waight of the metal body works against them in the packaging, Chris.

[ColinB]

Yes Dublo collector my loco is under warranty, which is why mine is going back, I just feel sorry for the retailer that has to deal with Hornby's issues. I am not so sure in your case as I am sure my one of these arrived over a year ago. Having said that I didn't check my one thoroughly, I checked it ran on DC ready for when I get round to putting a decent sound decoder in it. I would have thought that these range of locos are Hornby's flagship they would take a bit more care producing and packing them.

[DarkRedCape]

I remember reading somewhere, may have been on here, that the Chinese factories that produce Hornby products have a 10% dud rate. Considering how small Hornby production batches are, that’s way too high.

I only have about 15 locos and so far I’ve only had one dud, and one that was just not put together well at all.

Maybe to the companies in China who make these trains, one is very much like another, and Dublo or not, some duds slip through the system.

[Dublo collector]

Hornby Have come to the party on this one they are sending out replacement part from there warehouse so all good Hornbysmilethumbsup.