I feel another thread is now required. Is the world flat?

In an ideal World the amount of failures straight out of the box would be very minimal. To achieve this then I can see no way other than to check all of them out (QC) before they leave the factory. So many household appliances /electrical goods have an oval sticker on them with the word Passed, indicating they have been tested.
Given the number of duds then this does not happen with our locos. Therefore I can see little problem with returned goods being replaced or a refund given. Of course if people take it on their head to dismantle a model in an attempt to establish the fault, then they may run the risk of the manufacturer taking issue with this.

Perhaps I have been fortunate/lucky that I have not had a dud loco from new. Dapol growlers yes, and some very slight "waggle dance" from Dapol and Farish.

I wonder if a retailer/s started testing all locos before despatch to customers this could become an accepted standard?  It could earn them some Brownie points/new customers. Just a thought.

Quote from: austinbob on May 03, 2016, 01:29:46 PM
I feel another thread is now required. Is the world flat?

As long as your beer isn't flat that's the main thing 

I was wondering; some people say the earth is round, if this were true, then shouldn't any direction we choose to travel in be down hill, so to speak? 
I've done extensive tests using a ball-bearing and a small figure, and find time after time that this is indeed the case!

Quote from: GaryAlan on May 03, 2016, 01:52:16 PM
I was wondering; some people say the earth is round, if this were true, then shouldn't any direction we choose to travel in be down hill, so to speak? 

So if a train is going from Inverness to London it should be able
to freewheel all the way.

Quote from: Agrippa on May 03, 2016, 02:16:03 PM

Quote from: GaryAlan on May 03, 2016, 01:52:16 PM
I was wondering; some people say the earth is round, if this were true, then shouldn't any direction we choose to travel in be down hill, so to speak? 

So if a train is going from Inverness to London it should be able
to freewheel all the way.

So according to GaryAlan the train will also frewheel all the way from London to Inverness. I thi k he may have discovered perpetual motion.

I'll have a word with my old mate Bertie Einstein.

Quote from: austinbob on May 03, 2016, 01:29:46 PM
I feel another thread is now required. Is the world flat?

Of course it is, Bob. And the moon is made of cream cheese. Everyone knows that..........................don't they?

now wouldn't it be nice to get back to the topic that is price rises

Quote from: Ditape on May 03, 2016, 03:16:27 PM
now wouldn't it be nice to get back to the topic that is price rises

Oh drat!! someones noticed we've drifted slightly off topic!

I'd say the topic has run its course, all the discussions about Chinese labour costs,
packaging, percentage of locos being returned is really irrelevant, if you want
a particular expensive new model you'll have to cough up end of story.

It has always been an expensive hobby. And highly detailed ready to run models have always been more expensive than the more toy-like offerings of the past, such as hornby and triang in OO.

I firmly believe that the current output of N gauge r-t-r stock from Dapol and Farish is on a par, in terms of detail and running quality, with what I remember as 'super detail' hornby models from around 15/20 years ago in OO. Ergo, they will cost a lot - in fact I'm surprised they don't cost more, such is the quality. Anyway, a top-end hornby locomotive (say an A3) will now cost somewhere around the £150 mark, I'm sure. Basically we are now able to buy r-t-r stock in N gauge of a standard that would previously only have been possible with kit or scratch-building.

As for myself, as a relative youngster, I am satisfied with making use of (much?) older Poole stuff, so long as I stick to diesels at any rate, as it's well detailed enough for me, although I will concede that it can be hard to get your hands on these second hand items. But if you want the best, you must pay. Now paying £300 for a CJM locomotive... that's what I call expensive. But worth it I'm sure!

[smg id=39078 type=preview align=center caption="7406435"]

The mail from hattons popped my eyes a bit,  farish asking £144.46 for 2 car dmu which is just a repaint is it not?
https://railsofsheffield.com/n-scale-class-101-2-car-dmu-br-network-southeast-free-uk-post-371-505-graham-farish-JJJA26724.aspx

 Are you sure it was hat tons ?