Popular Post Andy Y Posted March 6, 2012 Popular Post Share Posted March 6, 2012 Dapol working signals review Dapol will shortly be releasing the first 2mm and 4mm versions of their signal range with GWR Home and Distants and LMS Home and Distants. 2mm GWR Home Signal The signal post, base and arm are in a painted finish plastic with a pleasing matt finish. The ladder is a black painted etch. The signal arm has translucent spectacle plates which as the arm moves allows the LED to shine through the appropriate spectacle. Although fine in appearance the signals are quite durable as the following video will show. Fitting of the signals is very easy, drill a 14mm hole for the threaded base to pass through and secure with the nut. The footprint of the signal base as supplied is 30mm x 20mm so some thought needs to be given to position, the modeller may choose to reduce and disguise the size of the base. The height of the signal post from base to finial tip is 54mm, the depth of the threaded base and motor housing is 52mm from the top of the baseboard top surface so provision needs to be made for this. The red and black wires must be taken to a 16v AC supply (not DC!!) and the two yellow wires to a push-to-make or spring-loaded toggle switch (not supplied). Each wire is about 12" long so it should be easy to route to a convenient point for extending the wiring as necessary. The instructions are clear and concise and it really is a plug and play product. The motor is sealed within the threaded base and is connected to a capacitor to store charge for operation. The circuitry includes an auto-reverser so each press of the switch will move the signal in opposite directions. The activation rod comes through the base to the rear of the post and up to the arm mechanism. The signal is a respectable representation of a square posted GWR signal, the modeller could go further and add the handrail and support at the top of the lamp platform and add counterbalance weights at the base of the signal. Possibly a finer finial would set it off nicely too. The LED may be too bright for some tastes particularly when viewed from the side but this could be dimmed with a touch of translucent paint. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WJVKbrapz4&hd=1 Overall this is an impressive and innovative development, particularly in the 2mm arena, and sets a new standard for widely available RTP signalling. The signals are packaged in blister packaging which should fit on retail hangers, the RRP is £24.95 for both 2mm and 4mm versions. The 2mm version will be shipped to retailers who have ordered them in around two weeks with the 4mm version to follow shortly after. It is hoped some stock will be available at Alexandra Palace. 22 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Indge Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Hi Andy, certainly if the 00 gauge versions are like this then I will be ordering some. Just one point, they look quite resilient when prodded but are they 'cat-proof'? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 We do not have a cat to bench test I'm afraid Brian, I may go and prod one of the neighbours cats with it and let you know if it (the signal) survives. 8 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brossard Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 This is great! It's about time we got some decent RTP signals. Kudos to Dapol for this. John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevelewis Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I predict a "WINNER" here for Dapol, I live reasonable close to their premises so next time I am in the area I will take a look! I bet that the initial stocks will sell out pretty quickly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Very nice, I assume that the operating noise is somewhat more muffled when actually attached to a baseboard. Just wondering how many modellers have 14mm drill bits to make the hole though? My electric drill will only go up to a 10mm bit. Still, if the logical follow-through of this development follows Dapol's foray into 7mm then I can see me buying a couple for that project too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold John B Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2012 Impressed. I'm certainly going to check out the LMS 4mm version when it appears. Thanks for the review, Andy - and thanks to Dapol for having the initiative to fill a much needed gap. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 6, 2012 Very nice, I assume that the operating noise is somewhat more muffled when actually attached to a baseboard. Just wondering how many modellers have 14mm drill bits to make the hole though? My electric drill will only go up to a 10mm bit. Still, if the logical follow-through of this development follows Dapol's foray into 7mm then I can see me buying a couple for that project too. Try a spade bit. They fit in a normal chuck and go beyond 25mm. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
leachsprite4 Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 All looks good for me. I was thinking of getting a new engine but will now get three home signals to finish part of my lay out at which stage I may even take some pictures and share them. other drill bits are available to this one but I'll be using one of these to create the required hole. 14mm drill bit Graham Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Just wondering how many modellers have 14mm drill bits to make the hole though? My electric drill will only go up to a 10mm bit. Drill a pilot hole and then use a spade bit. Sometimes it is a good idea to drill a small countersink hole with the spade bit from both sides before drilling right through. Saves the surface splintering which happens a lot on ply and MDF. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I hadn't come across the name 'spade bit' but now you mention it I know exactly what you mean. Thanks for the tip. Now, about those signals, how about some nice Southern region ones for us west country modellers? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2012 Now, about those signals, how about some nice Southern region ones for us west country modellers? I'm sure I've seen the odd GWR one in the West Country. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TomE Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2012 I may have to pick up one of these to see how easy it would be to use the mechanism in conjunction with some MSE bits, namely lattice posts & etched arms! If I may ask Andy, is there any detail on compatability with DCC systems? Thanks, Tom. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 I'm sure I've seen the odd GWR one in the West Country. There's more to the west country than GWR... some of us model the Southern you know. 9 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andy Y Posted March 6, 2012 Author Share Posted March 6, 2012 If I may ask Andy, is there any detail on compatability with DCC systems? Not specifically Tom but they should be a doddle; the power for the motor and LED could run from the track bus and then have an accessory decoder for the signal operation. I use Lenz LS150s and I know those can be programmed for the duration of the burst. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold TomE Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2012 (edited) Not specifically Tom but they should be a doddle; the power for the motor and LED could run from the track bus and then have an accessory decoder for the signal operation. I use Lenz LS150s and I know those can be programmed for the duration of the burst. Ok, many thanks Andy! Alexandra Palace could be more expensive than first thought! Tom. Edited March 6, 2012 by TomE Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 If I may ask Andy, is there any detail on compatability with DCC systems? With a voltage rating of 16 V ac but momentary push button operation, the best bet would be a relay. Don't make the mistake i made and use the relay on slo mo continuous as it burns out the decoder. Don't try to put 16 Vac straight through the accessory decoder either, on the basis that it says in the instructions that 'what you put in is what you get out of our decoder' Yeah right. Nice signals though but I wonder how that motor or more importantly, motors will work on a signal gantry or even a single post with two signals. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2012 7mm please Dave ...... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Kris Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 6, 2012 Looks like a great product. The slight stutter on the downward pull is a little irritating but I'm sure that you would soon get used to this assuming it is present on each model and that this is not a one off issue. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
buffalo Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 Shouldn't the back blinder reveal the light when the signal is at danger? From the video, it appears to mask the light whether on or off. Or is it that the light on the model does not show to the back at all? Nick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mike Bellamy Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 6, 2012 7mm please Dave ...... Be careful what you wish for - Dapol Catalogue topic post #439 31 Jan - also see several other posts later the same day Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Fitness Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 7mm please Dave ...... Jeez... if they do I might as well chuck me tools away...... JF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2012 I'd be interested in photos of the upper quadrant ones when some are available please. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted March 6, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 6, 2012 (edited) Very interesting and a brave venture which I hope will pay off for Dapol (and yet more 2012 Westernry - shades of Andy's thread from last year methinks, but then we have been asking for all these these things so we have no one to 'blame' but ourselves ). Any chance of the mechanism being available separately? Addenda - re Buffalo's comment in respect of the back blinder, Nick is correct - the bback blinder should only obscure the back light when the signal is 'off' (and not all signals had back blinders although better with than none at all. My only, fairly minor, criticism is that the width of the white band (and the black chevron) doesn't look right and appears to be too narrow but that is something readily corrected. Edited March 6, 2012 by The Stationmaster 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black Sheep Posted March 6, 2012 Share Posted March 6, 2012 so very tempted but cost and size of base are putting me off. Does the signal revert to danger as soon as you release the switch? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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