Negativity in the hobby

[ntpntpntp]

1 hour ago, Stephen-1260829 said:

[quality control] The thing that I try to keep in mind is the newness of the scale and the manufacturing set up. 

There's really nothing new in TT:120 design and build that hasn't been in place for decades in other scales, things like cardan shaft arrangements etc. are commonplace.  I'm sure the factory Hornby are using will be familiar with other producing model railway equipment, this particular issue with the shafts dropping out is most likely going to be an assembly tolerance error (how far to press the shaft pocket onto the motor or bogie tower shaft).  A simple adjustment if you know what you're doing (I've had to do it on N gauge models over the years). Granted modellers shouldn't have to do this with a new model and  Hornby do need to be made aware through return of faulty models. 

[Stephen-1260829]

1 minute ago, ntpntpntp said:

There's really nothing new in TT:120 design and build that hasn't been in place for decades in other scales, things like cardan shaft arrangements etc. are commonplace.  I'm sure the factory Hornby are using will be familiar with other producing model railway equipment, this particular issue with the shafts dropping out is most likely going to be an assembly tolerance error (how far to press the shaft pocket onto the motor or bogie tower shaft).  A simple adjustment if you know what you're doing (I've had to do it on N gauge models over the years). Granted modellers shouldn't have to do this with a new model and  Hornby do need to be made aware through return of faulty models. 

My fettling skills are very low/poor.  I am more likely to break something else, rather than fix the issue 🙂 .  When i do repair/service things, I generally end up with loose bits that I know should be back in the build.

[Tim Allen]

11 minutes ago, Stephen-1260829 said:

My fettling skills are very low/poor.  I am more likely to break something else, rather than fix the issue 🙂 .  When i do repair/service things, I generally end up with loose bits that I know should be back in the build.

Same. As I put in another thread they need to sort it sooner rather than later. Once a product or company takes a bad reputation hit it’s very hard to recover. 

[Stephen-1260829]

Fitting the decoder and speaker to William Whitelaw myself was a small victory!! 🙂 🙂 

[ntpntpntp]

I do feel that gaining a little knowledge and skill in servicing and fixing is a worthwhile part of the hobby in itself if you can (yes I acknowledge it's not for everyone).   I only have to think of the number of bargain "non-runner" locos I've restored to health over the years through simple cleaning out and re-soldering a wire here-and-there, and the older models in my collection which I've kept going for decades and which still play their part at exhibitions 🙂 For me that's just as pleasurable and rewarding as buying a brand new model 🙂 

[What About The Bee]

How did I get good at anything?  By making all the mistakes possible beforehand.  

No one is born being a top end steam fitter.  No one has an innate sense of carpentry.  You do not enter kindergarten with 3 dimensional calculus in your arsenal of knowledge.

Yes, you will occasionally make a total bodge of it.  My most recent bodge was not getting the seating unit properly toleranced in my design.  It simply would not fit.  Endless hours of fettling later, not only does it fit, but I now know the Hornby dimension.  Lesson learned!

You can't solder?  Buy a roll of wire and solder 100 pieces to a piece of scrap copper pipe.  See what works.  

I am with @ntpntpntpon this.  Develop the skill.  Learn how. 

You Can Do It!

Bee

[Stephen-1260829]

I have been working on an oil terminal.

My wife was not impressed that I bought an expensive tin of peanuts.  I saw the tin as a candidate for a large oil silo.  TTA wagon and landrover (TT120) to give an idea of size.

[Stephen-1260829]

32 minutes ago, What About The Bee said:

How did I get good at anything?  By making all the mistakes possible beforehand.  

No one is born being a top end steam fitter.  No one has an innate sense of carpentry.  You do not enter kindergarten with 3 dimensional calculus in your arsenal of knowledge.

Yes, you will occasionally make a total bodge of it.  My most recent bodge was not getting the seating unit properly toleranced in my design.  It simply would not fit.  Endless hours of fettling later, not only does it fit, but I now know the Hornby dimension.  Lesson learned!

You can't solder?  Buy a roll of wire and solder 100 pieces to a piece of scrap copper pipe.  See what works.  

I am with @ntpntpntpon this.  Develop the skill.  Learn how. 

You Can Do It!

Bee

I need to be more positive about doing things with locomotives.  Starting in TT120 has seen me solding, laying Peco flex track , etc all things I never did before and I am enjoying it.

[Stephen-1260829]

1 hour ago, ntpntpntp said:

I do feel that gaining a little knowledge and skill in servicing and fixing is a worthwhile part of the hobby in itself if you can (yes I acknowledge it's not for everyone).   I only have to think of the number of bargain "non-runner" locos I've restored to health over the years through simple cleaning out and re-soldering a wire here-and-there, and the older models in my collection which I've kept going for decades and which still play their part at exhibitions 🙂 For me that's just as pleasurable and rewarding as buying a brand new model 🙂 

Brillaint idea!!  I have been given a couple of old Hornby OO scale locos that seem not to work.  I could use these as a start.

Edited June 4 by Stephen-1260829
added the word not (to make it clear the locos are not working)

[Generic Hornby Username]

This video is an interesting piece of history. It was released on February 24th 2024. 

 

 

So, what's happened since February 24th 2024? Well, let's go through it...

Hornby has released the following:

1) 5x Class 43 Variants (across 3x liveries)

2) 23x Mk 3 Variants (across 3x liveries and multiple coach subclasses)

3) 4x Class 50 Variants (across 2x liveries)

4) 6x Mk 2f Variants (across 2x liveries and multiple coach subclasses)

5) 1x Princess Coronation Class 

6) 13x LMS Coach Variants (across 3x liveries and multiple coach subclasses)

7) 1x 21 Ton Mineral Wagon

So, since Sam made this video, Hornby has released 53x pieces of rolling stock. These were all new tooling projects. Including the TTAs released earlier in the year, we have 56x new pieces of rolling stock for calendar year 2024. We have an additional 5x locomotives and 5x coaches coming very soon (the remaining LMS locomotives and coaches). So, we'll be at 66x total new vehicles at halfway through 2024. 

But what about the future? The MGRs are due really soon. We have 3x locomotives in tooling that we know of right now (J50, Class 66, and Class 37), 1x coach tooling project we know of (Mk 2e), and one freight wagon (KFA) we know of. But the MGR tooling project was not just the HAAs. We have three other wagon variants ready to go whenever Hornby decides to release them. The CDAs, MHAs, and HFAs are all designed. The MHAs would be a solid addition to the 2025 range, as they would compliment the Class 66s. 

This scale is coming along nicely!

 

 

 

[Generic Hornby Username]

34 minutes ago, Stephen-1260829 said:

I have been working on an oil terminal.

My wife was not impressed that I bought an expensive tin of peanuts.  I saw the tin as a candidate for a large oil silo.  TTA wagon and landrover (TT120) to give an idea of size.

I love it! That was great repurposing! 

[Stephen-1260829]

7 minutes ago, Generic Hornby Username said:

I love it! That was great repurposing! 

thanks.  I ave just found an old wire coat hanger that i am going to use as pipework from the top of the tank to the ground.

[Stephen-1260829]

12 minutes ago, Generic Hornby Username said:

This video is an interesting piece of history. It was released on February 24th 2024. 

 

 

So, what's happened since February 24th 2024? Well, let's go through it...

Hornby has released the following:

1) 5x Class 43 Variants (across 3x liveries)

2) 23x Mk 3 Variants (across 3x liveries and multiple coach subclasses)

3) 4x Class 50 Variants (across 2x liveries)

4) 6x Mk 2f Variants (across 2x liveries and multiple coach subclasses)

5) 1x Princess Coronation Class 

6) 13x LMS Coach Variants (across 3x liveries and multiple coach subclasses)

7) 1x 21 Ton Mineral Wagon

So, since Sam made this video, Hornby has released 53x pieces of rolling stock. These were all new tooling projects. Including the TTAs released earlier in the year, we have 56x new pieces of rolling stock for calendar year 2024. We have an additional 5x locomotives and 5x coaches coming very soon (the remaining LMS locomotives and coaches). So, we'll be at 66x total new vehicles at halfway through 2024. 

But what about the future? The MGRs are due really soon. We have 3x locomotives in tooling that we know of right now (J50, Class 66, and Class 37), 1x coach tooling project we know of (Mk 2e), and one freight wagon (KFA) we know of. But the MGR tooling project was not just the HAAs. We have three other wagon variants ready to go whenever Hornby decides to release them. The CDAs, MHAs, and HFAs are all designed. The MHAs would be a solid addition to the 2025 range, as they would compliment the Class 66s. 

This scale is coming along nicely!

 

 

 

Very well put GHU!!

[Rallymatt]

Like Nick @ntpntpntp I would encourage people to have a go at some simple projects to develop skills, as @What About The Bee says, none of us can do it until we learn from others and experience. On a brand new loco that might be too far, and it is good for a manufacturer to realise there is an issue. One great side effect of experience is you can see right through a lot of the negativity too. 😁

Edited June 4 by Rallymatt

[Stephen-1260829]

1 hour ago, Rallymatt said:

Like Nick @ntpntpntp I would encourage people to have a go at some simple projects to develop skills, as @What About The Bee says, none of us can do it until we learn from others and experience. On a brand new loco that might be too far, and it is good for a manufacturer to realise there is an issue. One great side effect of experience is you can see right through a lot of the negativity too. 😁

Wise words

[Postman On The Rails]

1 hour ago, Rallymatt said:

Like Nick @ntpntpntp I would encourage people to have a go at some simple projects to develop skills, as @What About The Bee says, none of us can do it until we learn from others and experience. On a brand new loco that might be too far, and it is good for a manufacturer to realise there is an issue. One great side effect of experience is you can see right through a lot of the negativity too. 😁

You are correct I am gaining new skills as I go along, learning from mistakes and constantly improving and enjoying every minute

[Rallymatt]

Whatever mistakes anyone makes, someone made them before you 😁 

[Trevor-1284476]

On 04/06/2024 at 07:01, DuTTchy said:

I also never understood why some people have to complain about things that other people like.

Yes, the new Hornby TT range is perhaps a bit overpriced and there are some quality issues but i love the scale and i'm very happy with my trains so far.

Fingers crossed that new British TT models keeps on coming in the future. 

And then you have the people who are complaining about how 'limited' the current range is. It is almost like these people expected TT:120 to launch with the same range that OO has (both Hornby and 3rd party manufacturers) and were irrationally angry when Hornby did not magically spend all the money in the universe to develop.

Then you have those who see themselves as important 'influencers' on the internet who predicted doom and gloom for TT:120 before it had launched and are keeping the negativity going to try and make themselves seem 'correct' to their followers.

And while people are saying that the range is perhaps overpriced I find that TT:120 models are a lot cheaper than their OO counterparts here in Australia. Yesterday I picked up the DCC 'The Eastener' from one of Australia's leading model railway retailers and honestly the set is only slightly more expensive than a new DC OO scale Flying Scotsman set.

My only real complaint is how some things seem to be almost constantly out of stock. 2nd Radius curves seem in persistently short supply here in Australia, as are the Track Extension packs although that is not a problem with the scale, it is a problem with global logistics that seems to be everyone's issue at the moment

[Fishmanoz]

Interesting Easterner comparison Trevor. From Hobbyco in Sydney, it will cost you $525 whereas from Rails of Sheffield it is only $350 with postage around $40.  Why would anyone buy it in Australia?

As for items out of stock, not surprising given, as far as I can tell, there has only ever been one delivery in Australia to SMS from Hornby and that was over 12 months ago (haven’t done a search beyond Hobbyco lately so it may be better at other retailers?).

And I am generally very positive about and satisfied with my TT:120 experience, except supply in Australia is dire.  

Edited June 14 by Fishmanoz

[Trevor-1284476]

4 hours ago, Fishmanoz said:

Interesting Easterner comparison Trevor. From Hobbyco in Sydney, it will cost you $525 whereas from Rails of Sheffield it is only $350 with postage around $40.  Why would anyone buy it in Australia?

As for items out of stock, not surprising given, as far as I can tell, there has only ever been one delivery in Australia to SMS from Hornby and that was over 12 months ago (haven’t done a search beyond Hobbyco lately so it may be better at other retailers?).

And I am generally very positive about and satisfied with my TT:120 experience, except supply in Australia is dire.  

Some of us do prefer to look at items in person if we are going to spend large amounts of money on them I guess.

[Grenkin]

12 hours ago, Fishmanoz said:

Interesting Easterner comparison Trevor. From Hobbyco in Sydney, it will cost you $525 whereas from Rails of Sheffield it is only $350 with postage around $40.  Why would anyone buy it in Australia?

There are no import taxes? Or anything like this?

I've bought some from Rails of Sheffield from Spain, and I've paid a lot extra for the import 

[Fishmanoz]

Nothing added on import to Aust, and forgot to say VAT comes off the Rails price at about the same cost as the postage added.

[Fishmanoz]

Trevor, if you want to see before you buy in Aust, I suspect it might be some years maybe never before you get many models, certainly nothing released in the last 12 + months.

So far, I’ve accumulated 2 sets, an 08 and an HST plus various additional carriages and wagons and a lot of track, not one item of which have I seen before I bought (including limited items from Hobbyco).  All that and delighted with everything received to date.

[Trevor-1284476]

14 hours ago, Fishmanoz said:

Trevor, if you want to see before you buy in Aust, I suspect it might be some years maybe never before you get many models, certainly nothing released in the last 12 + months.

So far, I’ve accumulated 2 sets, an 08 and an HST plus various additional carriages and wagons and a lot of track, not one item of which have I seen before I bought (including limited items from Hobbyco).  All that and delighted with everything received to date.

Now that i have a set and have seen what it is like I am happy to buy online. It was just the initial purchase for a significant amount of money (for someone on the disability pension anyway) that had me hesitant to buy without seeing first.

[Fishmanoz]

For further purchases then it’s worth checking UK retailers v Aust prices.  They aren’t too different except the sets which are way over in Aust.  The main problem remains the very limited availability in Aust.

Edited June 16 by Fishmanoz