Hi All

My first J50 arrived dead so set it back and got a replacement, the 2nd one wobbled violently on my rolling road (i don't have any track down right now).

I have sent it back but am being told this is normal etc etc

Could fellow J50 owner give me their experiences of the loco please ?

I have posted videos on the main J50 thread.

J50 thread link HERE

Any input welcome please as i have been told they are either sending it back or valuing it as a second-hand loco to purchase from me !

Thanks

Craig

I had to return the first one I received ,(LNER no. 601 version). It was like yours and nosed widely from side to side running chimney first to the extent it would have been unable to fulfil its purpose of shunting with Dapol easi-shunt couplings because they wouldn't line up. It also derailed on right hand curves at a couple of places where I know the track isn't perfect but everything else runs ok. Oddly  it wasn't nearly as bad running bunker first. The replacement loco is much better but can still derail in the same places on occasion. I think it is caused by the quartering on the front axle being out by a tiny amount causing the left wheel to lift slightly.

Thanks, i will tell them i would like a different model, it's just not right although they said

"Thank you for your reply.


I have included some videos of the locomotive running on both a rolling road and on our test track.


As you can see the degree of the wobble is very drastic, and not as pronounced on the track as it is on the rolling road. On a rolling road, we would expect the locomotive to move to an extent.


However, upon testing and comparing against other locos on our stock, we are satisfied that the locomotive is running as it should.


As there is no fault with the model, we can either return the locomotive to you, or we can have the model valued for second buy-in.


Please let me know your thoughts. "

The much wider spacing of the centre and rear axle, does tend to exaggerate any movement of the rear end because the middle axle is the effective pivot point.
However, that certainly doesn't look satisfactory - all of ours have slight side-to-side sway, but nowhere near that example... The additional up-and-down movement points to either a wheel out of quarter or a bent connection rod.
I would be asking for replacement or refund.

My weathered one on my Kato test oval.........

Sonic weathered J50 on test oval by Mick Hollyoake, on Flickr

Well after many emails back and forwards i now have a resolution. They wouldn't accept it was faulty because the rest ot he them that they tested did it to some degree, that's ok then   

Wouldn't refund me but i did get a credit that i have used against an existing pre-order, i am now seriously considering giving this particular retailer a miss in future when i possibly can. It's all about the customer service isn't it.

Thanks for everyone that offered advice etc, much appreciated

Craig

When did you buy it? You have rights under the distant trading legislation ( may have a different title now) . You have a specified time (I don't know what this is)  to return it for a full refund.

I know lots of traders that will put up a fuss when it comes to distance trading rules, as they don't want to have to take something back. I found Peter's Spares were very difficult to deal with, requiring a written explanation as to why I wanted to return something that I'd bought that I decided I couldn't actually use (because it was the wrong version of the model in question whose spares I'd bought). Distance selling regs worked in the end, but I think it is difficult buying spares in particular, given the many versions of models now out there.

In the case of the Rapido Class 28, I sent one back direct to Rapido as I knew Rails would only swap if they had one or refund, and teh problem might not ever have been sorted. They don't try to fix. Rapido actually fixed the problem. With Sonic you are obviously stuck with the one supplier, so even more reliance on the Distance Selling Regs. 

Bob

PS my J50 is as sweet as a nut, so there are some gooduns out there

If it was bought online/mail order then you've every right to return it for a full refund (although there is a time limit). You don't have to even give a reason.

If you've bought it on a credit card and it's over £100 then you can get a refund via that route too.

If the shop's not doing what they should then it might be worth a chat with their local trading standards (after you've spent your credit note!).


SB