Well another entry!
 

Recently TMC had the EFE Rail Class 143 in BR Provincial Blue on offer. Been a sort of local unit (admitted Heaton depot based, but they did work the Middlesborough - Whitby), I took advantage and purchased one. 
 

However upon testing it this morning it’s running qualities where shall we say very on a par with Hornby Class 142 (early twin motor R867). So not impressed. Upon putting this on workbench (dinning room table at the moment), and powering it up, I found one wheel set and motor spinning fairly freely and the inner motor and wheelset struggling to turn until maybe 50% power. Hence the poor running quality. 
 

I’ve uploaded this video to YouTube to demonstrate the poor running. 
 

EFE Rail E83022 Class 143 001 Inner Wheelset Poor Running Part 1

As you can see from the wear pattern on the wheel face the outer has a fairly consistent pattern:

However the inner doesn’t and quite clear flat spots where it’s been pushed / pulled by the outer wheelset which is trying to move the unit and over come the friction of a none rotating wheelset. 
 

So the question is why?

Could it be lack of lubrication so running tight? So out with a dab of oil. The outer wheelset run much better. Inner wheelset no difference.
 

Could it be mismatched motors? - Possibly, I guess out of the larges batches of motors bought some will be duff and probably a reasonable manufacturing tolerance on performance. 

Another thought is the gauging of the inner wheelset is wrong? Upon checking no

Outer wheelset 14.35mm

Inner wheelset 14.40mm

But the inner wheelset has no lateral play. Whereas the outer wheelset does. Hmmm.

So out with the inner wheelset. Look what we find…

The moulding pip hasn’t been removed. Hence when the wheels and bushes are fitted, it causes friction and to be slightly (0.05mm) out of gauge. 
 

So using the knife, carefully removed this
 

As you can see this doesn’t help matters. But now we have a wheelset with lateral play. 
 

Upon fitting the wheelset back in place, and testing this inner motor now runs more freely than the outer! 
 

So I investigated the outer wheel set and moved a thin “shim” of the plastic to increase the free play

This video I’ve uploaded post this investigation, shows the marked improvement and the rotation of the wheelsets, inner and outer is almost synchronised:

EFE Rail E83022 Class 143 001 Inner Wheelset Performance post poor running investigation Part 2

So another problem solved 👍
 

My EFE Rail E83031 Class 144 in WYPTE Metro train livery has run well out of the box. But I think it needs checking to confirm there isn’t any similar issues. 
 

Now, if anyone has a EFE Rail E83033 Class 144 in Regional Railways livery that doesn’t run well. Or a E83025 Tyne & Wear PTE Class 143, or E83031 Class 144 WYPTE Metro Train, I’ll happily take them off your hands…😉