New to hobby and baffled by problems with Hornby Flying Scotsman 1255M

[fordt]

I'm very new to the hobby.  I have a Lionel O Gauge Polar Express that I roll out every Christmas, but just weeks ago I started buying some old and inexpensive HO track and trains.  I've been enjoying servicing the old trains and am particularly proud of restoring service to a 50 year old Tyco Chattanooga Choo Choo.

While poking around online looking for more trains, I found the Hornby OO Flying Scotsman and fell in love.  I  pulled the trigger and bought the 1255M set from Amazon.  Unfortunately, I've now bought it three times, and each time the engine seemed to be lacking hardware for the front bogie.  Specifically, this diagram (which I think is for my model of the train) indicates the attachment hardware includes a bolt, spring, washer, and nut.  Three times now, the set I got from Amazon lacked the washer and the spring.  Upon opening the package, the bogie was detached and fell on the floor, and using just the bolt and nut, I could not conceive of a way to make the attachment.  I returned the first two and am now on my third.

Am I wrong in thinking I should have the spring and washer?  If so, can somebody please tell me how the bogie attaches and works without them?  And if I'm not wrong, can somebody help me understand how it's possible I got three trains all with missing hardware?  To have the same issue three times with the same product from a well regarded vendor seems nearly impossible, leaving me wondering if I'm being dense somehow and not understanding I have everything I'm supposed to have.

Thanks

[LTSR_NSE]

Are Amazon listing the sets you are ordering as ‘new’? or as ‘like new’ / ‘refurbished’ / ‘returned’?

If brand new - then to receive 3 sets with the same part unattached, yes you have been extremely unlucky & possibly even Amazon have been supplied a faulty batch.

However if they are being sold as anything other than brand new and/or discounted, then that could explain why they are less than perfect.

[fordt]

Appreciate the reply.

I bought the first as Used -- Like New from Amazon Warehouse and decided I'd learned a lesson when I had a problem.  It was indeed Like New outside of the missing hardware.  The second two, however, were brand new.  And, having had the problem with those two, I concluded the first train might have gone to someone who bought it new, had the issue with missing hardware, and returned it.

Before I give up and return this set, too -- I am right in thinking the spring and washer are essential here, right?  It looks to me like the washer is essentially what holds the bogie on (the nut is just small enough to slide through the opening in what I think I've seen referred to as the T bar) while the spring is essential to proper performance.  I feel stupid asking the question, but I'm still struggling with the idea of multiple sets missing the same hardware pieces.  Maybe I've got the wrong diagram?  Maybe I have all the hardware and I'm just failing to see how to use it?  The other trains I have are much more simple, so I can't look at them to infer how this Hornby should work.

[ColinB]

I hear so many stories of this happening with Amazon on other things.

This is what you have I suspect, its part number is X6873. It doesn't have a spring and a washer it is just a stepped bolt screwing into a nut loosely retained in the bogie. You can see it in the photo. If you have the bolt (the difficult bit to source) you may have lost the nut as it falls out the bogie if the the stepped bolt isn't screwed in. The nut is M2 type and I think it is what is called a reduced head, meaning its hex shape is smaller than it should be. The special detailed A1 bogie has what you are talking about but the bolt head is in the bogie and the nut and washer are above the slot in the bogie bracket. Effectively the bolt is upside down in relation to your one. If you want to add a spring and washer I would look for suitable ones on EBay. That is what I do.

[fordt]

Colin B,

If it wasn't for the fact that he's a teenager now and changing his name seems cruel, I would name my first born son after you.  You are correct -- X6873 is exactly what I have.  And, after looking at the picture, I can see I am an idiot and it's obvious how this should work.

I do still wonder if these units are shipped with the front bogie intentionally de-coupled.  I don't understand why you'd want to do that, as (a) there's no parts diagram included, nor was it easy to find one online that was a match and (b) having it just fall on the floor might lead an idiot to conclude that it's broken, particularly if they lose that tiny nut.

Thank you again very much!

[ColinB]

I must admit I am at a loss why they would Ship them like that but perhaps they just fall off in transit. As to the diagram if you go to the New Modellers Site they list all the Service Sheets in a more logical order than on the Hornby site. If you can't find one for the Railroad A1/A3, try the Tornado which is similar, although there are differences with the chassis and valve gear cylinders.