Search Results

We have had several people respond to this years Christmas card Stephen Wight - Hi Chris. I’m not so clever to have an electronic Christmas card! But Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! And thank you for maintaining Mallard for me! Stephen Nick Brotherton - Thanks Chris. To you all too George Whitchurch - Thank you very much Chris, Dave Horsman. - Thanks Chris, Great job! All the best for Christmas and the New Year. So far it has been opened by 456 members

Adrian, You know that I think you are at your best on the front of the layout showing everyone how to drive these locos. However when you come to the issue of the handbook, you make quite a thing of it, you maybe right that it was, but today it is irrelevant other than if you are about to buy one of these locos or have just purchased one. We therefore should not make it an issue, it seems to be currently part of the script. When you look at locos I have sold, currently 46, not one has gone to a previous unsatisfied original owner. Sets have gone to people new to live steam, individual locos to existing owners increasing their collection. As far as getting them back into production, I think that’s wishful thinking. We should focus on what we have and to quote you, get the existing locos into “Joyful use” Let’s continue the conversation this weekend. Maurice

I absolutely disagree that we should avoid drawing attention to the errors in the handbook. Correct operating instructions is central to a new owner enjoying their purchase. It is central to our presentation at the Roadshow too and rather than hide it under the carpet we should reinforce it with an openly available printed errata sheet and draw website visitors' attention to it strongly on our web home page. If we enthuse someone into buying a second hand set by demonstrating it but leave them to the mercies of the handbook when they eventually get one they will likely "use it once" like the original owner and give up. We can do all this, positively praising Hornby for developing the brand, the product they produced, the fantastic launch and their technical support even up to the present day. It is a pity that the product wasn't developed (we ourselves have produced an easy, cheap and dramatic improvement in Livedrive) but understandable in the circumstances. My contention and only criticism beyond the instruction book errors is that they did not notice and identify the reason(s) why most purchasers did not enjoy their purchase. Frank Martin acknowledges the fall in sales but the debatable point is what caused this? How much was due to misleading instructions leading to owner dissatisfaction (and reputaion that followed) and how much to other market reasons. I accept completely that resumed production was impossible due to higher cost but the reasons for the falling sales are important to any possible new entrant into the OOLS market. The subject of another debate.

Maybe cover some trouble shooting about the various reasons why a loco runs badly or not at all. But maybe that's the next step with more technical detail.

I too have some concerns that this article will not help our cause with Hornby. For quite a while, on and off I have been talking to Simon about publishing the original manuals along with Adrian's addendum (correcting the errors) in the Getting Started section of the site and he seemed to be reasonably amenable to the idea but I don't believe constantly reminding Hornby, especially in print, will serve any purpose in furthering our chances of co-operation with them. I don't think any of us disagree the the handbook had errors in it and back in the day it may have put off some people. However, there are many who have successfully succeeded in running locos without ever reading the handbooks and in this day and age there is plenty of how to do it information readily available from other sources.

I have it Maurice. Want it posting back?

Funnily enough, I haven’t visited any other trade stand at any model rail show and heard them making negative and disparaging remarks about any company who are behind the reason they are there. If they have any negative feelings they keep this to themselves because it’s the courteous and decent thing to do! They certainly don’t want to bite the hand that feeds! Oh well.....keep banging heads lads!

I agree entirely. Keep the manual in the relevant box and only mention its ambiguity when absolutely needed.

Hi Maurice, I agree with you.

Very nice to see the Southern region represented. A steam train ride to the southern shores must have been fantastic back in the day!

Didn’t see a post actually

I don't recall ever speaking to anyone who mentioned that they read the instruction book and couldn't get their loco to work. It was only ever Adrian who brought up the subject and it seems the damage is already done, judging by the the BRM article. It is more than likely that Hornby have heard his negative criticisms too, and perhaps the reason why we struggle to have any meaningful communication with them. Too late maybe but yes! let's forgo the use of the instruction book and teach people how to drive these engines the way we know how.