MikesMovies

The instructions with the Hornby 2BIL and 2HAL show removal of the bottom plate of the motor bogie, however it's clipped in place in 6 places and the four side clips are inaccessible. Is there a tool for this job?

That's very helpful thanks

Hello. I hope someone from Hornby technical can answer this. Having acquired a DJ Models class 71 from the original crowd funded run I have always been interested to see how the Hornby model compares. So one arrived with me yesterday and has just finished its running in period and is now on light test trains. Overall I am pleased, it seems to run very well albeit with an odd scraping sound. I run DC only. I have questions specifically about the lighting. The headcode box lights seem really dim while weirdly the marker lights are like searchlights. Is it possible that they have been miss wired and I could simply swap the feeds over? If not, has anyone studied the PCB to see which resistors are in circuit for the lights? Another slightly weird issues seems to be that the wheels pick up dirt at an alarming rate, even starting with clean track, is this a known? Many thanks.

Hi Hornby, thanks at least for the reply which is helpful. I certinly don't expect you to be giving away trade secrets. You will note below your kind reply that someone has found you have 50 motor types in use! This seems to be a huge number. You say you'd like to hold stocks of spares but you have not stocked a very basic motor for 12 months now that folk need to replace the ones that have failed in thier recent models, such as the Flying Scotsman and Tornado. Persoannly I have had a brand new S15 motor fail on me which your very excellent service department fixed and hearbreaking issues with the beautiuful little H class. Then there was the P2, big 2-8-2 with such a bad motor fitted I had to repace using an alernative. My point is, as there seem to be so many motor issues, seemilgly proven by your lack of basic stock surely you owe your custmers a duty of care to sort this out and at least restock with spares? I'll say it again, I have been a supporter of Hornby since the 70s and I'll remin so but just now due to all these concerns I have avoided buying a number of your very wonderful models simply because I can't trust that quality control has been done properly. Thanks for passing the comments back, I really hope there are better times ahead. Regards Mike

Interesting, but comes up page not found? Ah, you need to copy and paste the link to get it

Thanks guys, I really want to see Hornby reply to this. It is madness that they are using so many different motors, I don't buy it that there is any need to do this and as for the cost of some spares this is simply down to lack of provision by Hornby, thus profiteers are cashing in. These motors we see in our models can only cost a few £ in production and must be made in thier 1000s so spares should be avilable. The idea that every model that comes out has a differnt motor is madness and bad business. I want to see Hornby carrying on thier good name and producing the amazing models they do, but in retunr for my on going support they need to address this madness of countless motor types and some that are just bad quality as well! Your customers want you to succeed Hornby and will support you but you need to take notice of the issues we are raising.

Hi I have some good friends who need new motors for thier flying scotsman locos. The motor part is X6331 but they have been unable to buy one anywhere. Given the cheapness and common use of this motor type I'd like to ask Hornby why they are not supplying them, after all these are recent models and spares should be expected to be avilable. And, thinking about motors more generally, what is Hornby's policy on motors, we now seem to have doezens of different types across the range, surely this is not economic from a buisiness point of view, it would be far better to standardise on three or four? Cheers Mike