Tri-ang Remembered Train Sets

[Ken-362318]

I now have an extensive collection of Tri-ang and Tri-ang/Hornby models and so, on impulse, I decided to buy a new Tri-ang Remembered RS48 “The Victorian Train Set” as an upgrade to my 1960’s era version.

The set arrived promptly and was beautifully boxed.

The painting and lettering of the models was superb (as one would expect these days) and the locomotive ran very, very smoothly. I was impressed and that is not easy to achieve.

Surprisingly, the tender still had 1950’s era sleeved plastic wheels on metal axles. I had expected and hoped for modern metal wheels.

The only defect was that the tender was missing a buffer and after carefully checking to ensure it had not fallen out into the box in transit, I contacted the retailer.

The retailer arranged for the local Hornby distributor to promptly send me two replacement buffers (I only needed one) but, unfortunately, they were the wrong size, shape and configuration and could not possibly ever fit. I had supplied detailed photographs when initially raising the problem with the retailer so that mistake surprised me.

Over the next two months I followed-up the retailer periodically (I always had to contact them, they never contacted me) and I was assured they were looking into it.  I never dealt with the same person twice because of staff turnover … a red flag? I was eventually told that the Hornby distributor was having difficulty sourcing the part. In frustration, I searched ebay and found the correct part in about two minutes. It is a simple, turned brass buffer on a shaft identical to those used on many Tri-ang and Tri-ang/Hornby bogie wagons from (at least) the 1960’s and 1970’s. I have about sixty wagons with exactly those buffers but obviously did not want to cannibalize them. So, I bought one on ebay and had it in about a week.

I was never offered an exchange, refund, discount or any compensation. The missing buffer was obviously not the fault of the retailer, but the lousy after sales service was, especially given that l had spent over $2,000 buying PECO points, track and and point motors from that retailer. I mistake I won’t repeat when buying more parts to complete my new layout.

Being a glutton for punishment, I decided to buy, but from a different retailer, a new Tri-ang Remembered RS30 “Crash Train Set”, also as an upgrade to my 1960’s era version.

Again, the set arrived promptly and was beautifully boxed.

Again, the painting and lettering of the models was superb.

Unfortunately, the two halves of the crane body had parted in transit and the workings had fallen out. The crane also still had plastic sleeved wheels on a metal axle and, again, I had hoped for and expected modern metal wheels. 

The locomotive is really quite beautiful and the level of detail and finish was superb. In all respects a better looking model than the 1960's version.

But …. two small, very fragile details (wheel guards moulded to the underframe) had broken off either during packing or in transit and were lying on the piece of wrapping plastic under the locomotive.

As always, I lubricated the locomotive in accordance with the instructions, placed the locomotive on the track, applied power …….. and watched it die in front of my eyes.

The locomotive lurched forward, stopped and acrid smoke billowed from the underframe.

I removed the body and noticed that the TV interference suppressor, which is normally a coffee colour was half black.

I placed the locomotive on my rolling road and applied a little power. The motor stuttered and then stalled and smoked started billowing from the TV interference suppressor again, which turned completely black in front of my eyes.

Fortunately, I carry a range of spare parts (in this case X8236) and the problem was quickly and easily solved (and I didn’t want to go through the hassle of going back to the retailer given what happened the last time) ….. but for a brand new locomotive straight out of the box, that is not really the point is it?

I have just under one hundred Tri-ang and Tri-ang/Hornby locomotives. All of them either ran beautifully as received or did so after a clean and service and, in a couple of cases, the fitting of new motor brushes or the fixing of old, broken solder joints on electrical pickups or motor connections. But they are all old, some dating back to 1958, and so some maintenance is expected.

The disappointment of encountering the poor quality control I encountered with these new Hornby models will long outlast the pleasure of improved painting, lettering and additional detailing that is barely noticeable from a distance anyway.

So, given that two out of two brand new, and expensive, Hornby Train sets I have bought have quality control issues I have to wonder if I am game to ever buy another Hornby product?  

[Yelrow]

Ken, hi, what a tale of woe. Hornby dont read/monitor this forum, and i think you should drop them a line. I feel sure they would appreciate the feedback. From my experience they are always happy to replace/ reimburse, where they are at fault. It certainly will allow them to look at quality control.

[bill7437]

This is what happens when product these days is made in low cost countries - quality control does not exist. They just turn out the item as cheaply as possible and hope that nothing untoward will happen to it in the hands of the customer. Bring back production to the UK but at twice the price ???

Food for thought!!!!

[RB51]

Hi Ken, I agree with Yelrow, if they can Hornby will always assist where possible.

I have removed the extra punctuation you used in your title, as it can interfere with the search function. R-

[Yelrow]

Bill 7437, hi, if this was actually the case, this forum, would be full of complaints of damaged/ missing items. Totally agree that things slip through the quality control net, but, its not at epidemic level. As for moving production, many of us cannot afford the existing new prices now. Cant remember when i last bought anything new in 00. Hobby is fast moving towards a luxury one. Its a good job, i like running older models.

[bill7437]

I certainly agree with you Yelrow, I too have bought little in the last few years as you say the hobby is becoming a luxury which frankly might destroy

it. I could not afford to have a third of my collection at todays prices.

It is great to see the vast amount of detail these days, improved mechanisms and digital control but only the rich can afford them. I too like running

older models, I still think that quality control in low cost areas of manufacture leaves a lot to be desired.!!!!!.

[threelink]

A bit off topic but I agree wholeheartedly with comments about the cost of this hobby. It is unsustainable for the likes of people like me on a fixed income, in the absence of realistically priced items. Except for the Hornby Railroad range the choice is between all-singing all-dancing super detailed hugely expensive (and fragile) stuff, or nothing. Museum quality products have their appeal but I do believe that there is a market for more basic and therefor cheaper and more affordable products. Mercifully I have the ability and wherewithal to buy rubbish from train fairs and refurbish it at minimal expense. If I did not, I would have been forced out of this hobby years ago.

[atom3624]

If you think the latest Hornby, Bachmann and certain others' recent additions are expensive, to which I agree, take a look at the new Trix HO 'Flying Scotsman' - admittedly there are quite a few bells and whistles!!

Al.

[threelink]

@atom. Oh my goodness. I see what you mean. Bells and whistles or no it's a ludicrous price. I never pay more than £12.00 for a loco.

[Ken-362318]

Thank you Yelrow, I have dropped Hornby a line as you kindly suggested.

[Rallymatt]

The Trix Scotsman price does include the massive wheel flanges, remove those, melt them down and sell the scrap you could recover some of the cost?

[Ken-362318]

As a footnote to my initial post and the email I sent to Hornby at Yelrow's suggestion, Hornby came back to me promptly to say that there is nothing in their statistics of returns to stock sold to indicate that they have any specific issue with either of the RS30 or RS48 sets, so I must have been very unlucky.

Although I told Hornby I had already bought a replacement buffer on ebay, they kindly offered to send me one anyway (I can use it for a R.751 B.R. Co-Co diesel I have just acquired on ebay that, as it happens, is also missing a buffer of the identical type .... as well as having the fairly common motor bearing and melted top-hat issues with that power bogie) and a replacement TV interference suppressor to replenish my stock of spare parts.

So, thank you Hornby! Great service!

[Yelrow]

QED.

[Ken-362318]

Further to my post of 16 November, I forgot until now to mention that I received the replacement parts from Hornby just after Christmas.

Hornby were as good as their word so, again, thank you Hornby (and no thanks at all to the retailer from whom I bought the set whose service was virtually non-existent and dithered around for months without really doing anything to resolve the problem).

On the subject of parts, I have bought a lot of old-new spare parts from Melbourne Model Raceway ("MMR") who, at some stage, acquired the remaining spare parts inventory when the Australian Tri-ang factory (Moldex Plastics Ltd) closed.  As I had bought so many parts and the owner of MMR wanted to liquidate his stock, he offered me his whole Tri-ang new parts inventory, which is large but not exhaustive.  I was very tempted but, sadly, we could not agree on a price and I had to let the offer lapse.