Dapol's new Class 68 locomotives

[TomScrut]

I agree, it does look like you can make out the smaller LEDs in a ring for the halos on the 88.

 

I think as a starter for 10 the swapping of halos and headlights will at least give me a good start. Otherwise it's probably a case of putting the halos on their own functions which whilst I will have Lokpilot V5s in them long term I'd need to think about how best to do it. Probably a case of taking the wiring from the cab top and soldering to the pads on the decoder. Unfortunately Dapol didn't account for 10 function decoders! Although I can't be too critical, it is way better than most other locos lighting wise. But cabs and halos on functions would be great.

[Steadfast]

Trains with a triangle of lights will always show three on the front when lit up, whether on markers or with a main light lit. So it seems Dapol's 'markers only' setting with the halos is indeed incorrect. 

One loco this doesn't apply to is the class 92, as when built the standard didn't include a triangle of lights (look at contemporary units for example) and the top light is actually for Channel Tunnel running. However, I believe GBRF have modified some to be usable on ex BR track. The top light on the 92s is way brighter than the markers on other stock

 

Jo

[TomScrut]

31 minutes ago, Steadfast said:

Trains with a triangle of lights will always show three on the front when lit up, whether on markers or with a main light lit. So it seems Dapol's 'markers only' setting with the halos is indeed incorrect. 

One loco this doesn't apply to is the class 92, as when built the standard didn't include a triangle of lights (look at contemporary units for example) and the top light is actually for Channel Tunnel running. However, I believe GBRF have modified some to be usable on ex BR track. The top light on the 92s is way brighter than the markers on other stock

 

Jo

 

Yes, although one thing that is worth pointing out is the 68 and 88 are unique in the UK (loco wise) AFAIK in that they don't have the day and night lights on one side, but that they have two headlights which shine at different intensity for day and night.

 

I am (at some point) going to experiment and try and swap main beam and halos as I think this will be closer to real life and as good as it will get without putting the high levels on their own functions which I doubt will be possible with the CB.

[Steadfast]

Some units and revised lighting being fitted to DB and Freightliner 66s are the same, but I believe that you're right in that the 68s were the first

 

Jo

[classy52]

Saw the weirdest thing on eBay today, someone selling a Network Rail liveried Class 68 68901...looks a pretty decent job as well 

[atom3624]

Paint looks far too 'dull' - should be a sheen.

 

Application and details look 'bob on' 'though, I'll give you that.

 

Agreed, interesting indeed.

 

Al.

[TomScrut]

23 minutes ago, classy52 said:

Saw the weirdest thing on eBay today, someone selling a Network Rail liveried Class 68 68901...looks a pretty decent job as well 

 

It's been offered a few times on the Facebook groups too. I think there was a Caledonian Sleeper one done by the same person too.

 

I like it although I feel I shouldn't!

[newbryford]

44 minutes ago, classy52 said:

Saw the weirdest thing on eBay today, someone selling a Network Rail liveried Class 68 68901...looks a pretty decent job as well 

 

This one?

 

[TomScrut]

4 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

This one?

 

 

His are the ones I have seen. Thanks for sharing the thread, following that now. Some good looking stuff on there!

[classy52]

54 minutes ago, newbryford said:

 

This one?

 

 

Going by the username of the seller yes it probably is and it sold already this afternoon.

[TomScrut]

The interesting thing about potential 68 resprays is that the old dodgy shells were (maybe are still) available for £10 from DCC supplies. Can't be the case here as it's a complete loco but would make for a quite cool thing where you could swap over as long as you have a Vossloh loco (as the old shells with the livery error were all for Vossloh locos I think and the logo is on the ends), as the manufacturer is printed on the loco chassis.

 

But it's a lot smaller outlay for what could be described as a bit of a gimmick livery because you wouldn't need a donor loco. I'd be far more likely to buy a shell to drop onto one of mine I think than buy a complete loco.

Edited April 21, 2020 by TomScrut

[cambo74]

5 hours ago, newbryford said:

 

This one?

 

 

Hi guys - yes it was indeed me that did the 68s ........ had a couple of spare locos around and thought why not ... have also done a Railfreight Red Stripe and a Large Logo one .... sometimes they work, sometimes they dont - think the 68 suits most liveries tho ..... have got a few spare body shells which m thinking of doing in Railfreight Sector Liveries ........

 

Thanks for the kind words about the level of resprays tho and please feel free to follow my workbench thread on here .....

 

Ben 

[daz9284]

13 hours ago, cambo74 said:

 

Hi guys - yes it was indeed me that did the 68s ........ had a couple of spare locos around and thought why not ... have also done a Railfreight Red Stripe and a Large Logo one .... sometimes they work, sometimes they dont - think the 68 suits most liveries tho ..... have got a few spare body shells which m thinking of doing in Railfreight Sector Liveries ........

 

Thanks for the kind words about the level of resprays tho and please feel free to follow my workbench thread on here .....

 

Ben 

Intercity Swallow and loadhaul :-D

[adb968008]

13 hours ago, daz9284 said:

Intercity Swallow and loadhaul :-D

 

On 21/04/2020 at 21:19, cambo74 said:

 

Hi guys - yes it was indeed me that did the 68s ........ had a couple of spare locos around and thought why not ... have also done a Railfreight Red Stripe and a Large Logo one .... sometimes they work, sometimes they dont - think the 68 suits most liveries tho ..... have got a few spare body shells which m thinking of doing in Railfreight Sector Liveries ........

 

Thanks for the kind words about the level of resprays tho and please feel free to follow my workbench thread on here .....

 

Ben 

1980’s Scotrail or Regional Railways i’d have though more relevant.

[TomScrut]

On 13/04/2020 at 22:57, TomScrut said:

I agree, it does look like you can make out the smaller LEDs in a ring for the halos on the 88.

 

I think as a starter for 10 the swapping of halos and headlights will at least give me a good start. Otherwise it's probably a case of putting the halos on their own functions which whilst I will have Lokpilot V5s in them long term I'd need to think about how best to do it. Probably a case of taking the wiring from the cab top and soldering to the pads on the decoder. Unfortunately Dapol didn't account for 10 function decoders! Although I can't be too critical, it is way better than most other locos lighting wise. But cabs and halos on functions would be great.

 

Further to this, I have done my wiring modification. Test dummy was "Daring", I thought that was quite appropriate! 1 down, 2 to go (and another 2 TPE when they come)

 

For everybody's reference, the wires (as far as I can tell) do the following:

Red/White - Main feeds I think, not sure if these are always connected to each other or what. As I worked out the other wires I didn't bother too much with these.

Black - Halo

Blue - Headlight

Yellow - Tail

 

So I have swapped the blue and black wires at each end and have ended up with the following. The pads I have changed are circled in the pics, these are POST modification.

 

I have not set up the headlights yet to have two modes, I will have to look at this another time. I think the can of worms there is that I think the decoder only has 2 modes for outputs 1-4 so I may have to swap yellow and blue next to get the headlights onto what was the tail light. I may run into bother here with resistor values but I dunno.

 

 

Edited April 23, 2020 by TomScrut

[G-BOAF]

Not having great luck with locos atm.

Just unboxed a brand new DRS Class 68. Really fantastic model.

But it leans, about 0.5mm one side higher than other

One of the bogies has some lateral movement in it (the loco can rock side to side when on that bogie alone), the other does (the loco is held steady), and possibly inducing the lean. Is this normal?

Its a heavy lump and I'm reluctant to post it back, and Dapol offices are closed...

 

Any advice

Edited April 27, 2020 by G-BOAF

[TomScrut]

All three of my 68s have play between bogie and chassis. i.e. if sat on the track I can wobble the body without the wheels trying to leave the track (not in a bad way though, they don't wobble when moving).

 

When you say "lateral movement" do you mean a lateral displacement (move from side to side) or a rotation about a longitudinal axis? Mine rotate, don't move laterally in terms of side to side which is how it sounds one of your bogies is.

 

It might be worth lifting the top off and see if the screw holding the bogie without movement in place is over tight (if it is a screw, cant remember).

[G-BOAF]

1 hour ago, TomScrut said:

All three of my 68s have play between bogie and chassis. i.e. if sat on the track I can wobble the body without the wheels trying to leave the track (not in a bad way though, they don't wobble when moving).

 

When you say "lateral movement" do you mean a lateral displacement (move from side to side) or a rotation about a longitudinal axis? Mine rotate, don't move laterally in terms of side to side which is how it sounds one of your bogies is.

 

It might be worth lifting the top off and see if the screw holding the bogie without movement in place is over tight (if it is a screw, cant remember).

So yes I mean wobble the loco - I can only wobble it at one end and not the other.

You are suggesting there should be equal play on both bogies?

[TomScrut]

2 hours ago, G-BOAF said:

So yes I mean wobble the loco - I can only wobble it at one end and not the other.

You are suggesting there should be equal play on both bogies?

 

I think so, all 3 of mine wobble on the bogies, and sit level. I think one end has been overtightened/not fitted properly.

[G-BOAF]

7 minutes ago, TomScrut said:

 

I think so, all 3 of mine wobble on the bogies, and sit level. I think one end has been overtightened/not fitted properly.

OK, thanks

Looks like she is going back for exchange then...

[TomScrut]

5 minutes ago, G-BOAF said:

OK, thanks

Looks like she is going back for exchange then...

 

Which one is it? 034?

[G-BOAF]

4 minutes ago, TomScrut said:

 

Which one is it? 034?

008

[adb968008]

I had a class 68 that leaned to one side, easy fix... 

the bogie tower had a small (really tiny) piece of plastic wedged under it where the tower joins to the chassis body.

 

blew it out, all was ok... a left over of its previous owner in my case. Ive had a Bachmann 66 withthe same symptons, in that case an-errant body screw had wedged itself between the Bogie tower and the chassis mount.

 

so i’d suggest taking a look around the towers mounting points to the chassis and making sure it moves freely.

Edited April 27, 2020 by adb968008

[Jack374]

My 68 leaned slightly too. As @G-BOAF points out, at one end the chassis has  two lugs which rest on the bogie whilst at the other it simply relies on the single bogie pivot at the centre IIRC. I had to file a small amount off one chassis lug (made of cast metal so files nicely) to get mine to sit well. The bogie moulding may be warped slightly or the chassis mis-moulded or any number of other factors to produce a small lean. As @adb968008 said, check the chassis lugs do rest on just the bogie at one end, and if so then you can either rework or return.

 

HTH,

Jack.

[TomScrut]

1 hour ago, G-BOAF said:

008

 

I have just got one of those too