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Dapol's new Class 68 locomotives


Nobby (John)
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1 hour ago, Jack374 said:

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.

Ah interesting, so one bogie should be more supported than the other? A smart way of helping the loco negotiate uneven track.

 

Either way, that is too much faffing around for a brand new model, plus there are some small issues with the body shell (some misprinting and a silver smudge near the nameplate), and the buffer beams have a slight lean (the other way to the body), and there is some flash under one of the light lenses. A bit of a friday job!

I normally have a 'three issues and return' rule for 'minor' faults, and exceeds that.

 

Hopefully my retailer will have another in stock...

 

 

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On 16/04/2020 at 10:01, TomScrut said:

 

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.

 

Not unique, they are following the latest Railway Group Standard set by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) and based on European wide Locomotives and Passenger Rolling Stock Technical Specification for Interoperability. Since Dec 2015, day has been 'full beam' and night 'dimmed'. This arrangement, along with a stronger marker light has allowed yellow ends to be removed (eg FTPE 68). The class 68 was the first to be delivered to these new standards, you'll note stock like the class 800/801/802 has the same arrangement. The Standard also allows for existing rolling stock to have their lamps modified to the latest standard. Certainly the class 66s are receiving during exams where the lamps are life expired and I have noted the class 165/166 receiving these, and a single 150/2 on GWR. 

 

https://catalogues.rssb.co.uk/rgs/standards/GMRT2131 Iss 1.pdf

Every thing on our railways, conforms to standards set by the RSSB, utter fascinating stuff, google them!

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  • 3 weeks later...

 

Just wondering if anyone knows where we can purchase a replacement shell for DRS 68 026 (the simplified and revised DRS compass logo) as I have accidently broken my shell although the loco is absolutely fine. I have tried Dapol and they cant supply one.

Greatly appreciate if there is any help you can give us.

Many thanks, stay safe all the best,

Best,
Chris

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50 minutes ago, Chrisjh said:

 

Just wondering if anyone knows where we can purchase a replacement shell for DRS 68 026 (the simplified and revised DRS compass logo) as I have accidently broken my shell although the loco is absolutely fine. I have tried Dapol and they cant supply one.

Greatly appreciate if there is any help you can give us.

Many thanks, stay safe all the best,

Best,
Chris

 

Try DCC Supplies - they are the Dapol service/spares agents.

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53 minutes ago, Chrisjh said:

 

Just wondering if anyone knows where we can purchase a replacement shell for DRS 68 026 (the simplified and revised DRS compass logo) as I have accidently broken my shell although the loco is absolutely fine. I have tried Dapol and they cant supply one.

Greatly appreciate if there is any help you can give us.

Many thanks, stay safe all the best,

Best,
Chris

https://www.dccsupplies.com/item-p-114703/class-68-oo-gauge-drs-blue-68026-body-shell.htm
 

£40 - 5 in stock.

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  • 4 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

I killed Brutus!!

 

OK, not exactly.  Unsupervised, Brutus headed a 13-TEA-tanker train on a 4th radius circle - test track at perhaps 50% HM2000 power - running well, smoothly and quiet ... I returned to see the nose buried into the back tanker - one NEM coupling (Hunts) had pulled out of the pocket.

 

Power still on, but no movement, or lights ... and locomotive despite the heavy surrounding chassis noticeably warm. ...

 

Surprising out easy it is to work on these locomotives, so well designed.

Body (undamaged 100%) removed in seconds, PCB, speaker mount and (deformed - lightly melted) motor shim / brace removed, I de-soldered the motor and removed it.

 

On testing, it works, but is still hot and smells, erm, not good!

Having removed the motor, I turn to the PCB / lights, in case something's blown there ... directional lights (DC operation) perfect - phew!

 

Having proved the motor is operational, I re-solder and mount - locomotive is running, motor kicks in smoothly from normal low power, but hasn't got 'the top end' - obviously some damage.

 

Unfortunate, and new motor & shim / brace ordered - not cheap but my fault for not checking the couplings properly - some of the Hunts don't 'clip in' that well and are a little loose I find.

 

Items were in stock, so should receive within a few days' time, and it'll be up and running again.

 

Al.

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9 hours ago, atom3624 said:

... but my fault for not checking the couplings properly - some of the Hunts don't 'clip in' that well and are a little loose I find.

 

Quality seems to be a little hit and miss.

Half of mine were nice and sturdy, the other half may have been made from cooked spaghetti.

30 mins in the sun (not just in open air but direct warm sunlight) seemed to help a bit.

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I noticed the over-flexibility of some, and had also seen some a little thicker than others 

- thanks for the sunlight tip ...

Now that the lockdown has eased, the sun's done a runner ... strange coincidence!

 

Al.

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Update on the Hunts couplings.

Never anticipate changing the TEA tankers - he says!! - so to avoid the issue ever happening again, the couplings are now rather permanently attached.

 

Class 68 motor and shim brace received today - reasonably fast service from DCC - thank you.

Big motor and seems decent quality. A little lube added, then a quick bench test shows it's 'very healthy' confirming the old motor has some issues ... pity.

 

Word of warning, unlike Bachmann and Hornby motors for similar applications, this motor did not come with the drive yokes, for the driveshafts - I had to remove mine from the old motor and insert - else yet another £4.20!!

 

It came as the dual drive motor with balance weights - to clarify.

Motor on DCC's site doesn't indicate this - cannot see the ends of the balance weights.

 

Al.

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  • 1 month later...

I have one of Dapol 4D-022-003 Class 68 68010 in Chiltern Railways livery Purchased from Hatton's 30/10/18 (so I'm guessing its out of Warranty) which hasn't really seen much use but Judder when Running in either direction. Running in seemed to have smoothed it out somewhat, but has now got worse. The Juddering causes whatever rolling stock behind it to bounce back and forth.

Loco is DCC Ready as I don't do DCC. Cant see anything obvious so was wondering, is it possible the Blanking plate might be causing the issue? It looks to be fully fitted in but don't want to mess around with it too much.  

 

I am intending on contacting Dapol for Advice but but thought I would check here with people first to see. 

 

Has anybody else out there had this issue?

 

Regards Trailrage

 

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On 03/07/2020 at 19:38, Sir TophamHatt said:

 

Quality seems to be a little hit and miss.

Half of mine were nice and sturdy, the other half may have been made from cooked spaghetti.

30 mins in the sun (not just in open air but direct warm sunlight) seemed to help a bit.

Becareful, sunlight can cause plastic to banana and warp, quite severely and in just a few seconds of the right exposure.

Not to mention fading paint.

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7 minutes ago, TRAILRAGE said:

I have one of Dapol 4D-022-003 Class 68 68010 in Chiltern Railways livery Purchased from Hatton's 30/10/18 (so I'm guessing its out of Warranty) which hasn't really seen much use but Judder when Running in either direction. Running in seemed to have smoothed it out somewhat, but has now got worse. The Juddering causes whatever rolling stock behind it to bounce back and forth.

Loco is DCC Ready as I don't do DCC. Cant see anything obvious so was wondering, is it possible the Blanking plate might be causing the issue? It looks to be fully fitted in but don't want to mess around with it too much.  

 

I am intending on contacting Dapol for Advice but but thought I would check here with people first to see. 

 

Has anybody else out there had this issue?

 

Regards Trailrage

 

 

I have several of the Dapol 68s in OO and I haven't experienced this issue, but what I would say is to do some more running in with the loco light engine without any stock attached. I remember from the first batch where I bought six out of the seven models available that they needed a while to be run in, to ensure the smoothest running possible. Couple this with the fact that your 68 was produced a few years ago now and if it hasn't been run until now it may require a longer running in period to also allow for the time it's been stored without use. You could put it on an oval loop or circuit of track either on your layout or set up a new circuit and just leave it running for a few hours and then go back to it, stop it and set it off running again but in the other direction. Then see what it's like. 

 

Hope this helps. 

 

Kind Regards, 

 

Danny. 

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Thank you for the Replies. I will try further running in. ALthough it has had at least 2 hrs I will give it a try WEds if not I will give DCC Supplies a call.

 

Muchos Gracias. 

 

Trailrage

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well no luck with this. Ranit in for a further 3 hrs and seemed to get worse. DCC Supplies said they haven't seen this before but offered to repair if I chose for a service charge off £24 plus parts. Ho hum . Maybe Ill strip down the drivetrain and see If I can figure  it out hopefully not breaking it in the process.

 

Wish me Luck!  LOL

 

Cheers Trailrage    

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1 hour ago, TRAILRAGE said:

Well no luck with this. Ranit in for a further 3 hrs and seemed to get worse. DCC Supplies said they haven't seen this before but offered to repair if I chose for a service charge off £24 plus parts. Ho hum . Maybe Ill strip down the drivetrain and see If I can figure  it out hopefully not breaking it in the process.

 

Wish me Luck!  LOL

 

Cheers Trailrage    

 

Sorry that you haven't had much success. 

 

Unfortunately I haven't ever taken a 68 apart, so I can't offer any advice on that one, but as has been mentioned above have you tried cleaning some or all of the wheels? It's just worth a mention before you start taking the loco apart. 

 

Kind Regards, 

 

Danny. 

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It's the easiest, most logically assembled 'modern' locomotive I've yet encountered.

 

I had a major issue which required my replacing the motor - not encountered another locomotive which is easier to work on, with such a well-laid-out chassis.

 

Al.

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15 minutes ago, TRAILRAGE said:

Thanks for the tips all. As I said nothing appears out of the ordinary but I will try and get round to it to see if I can see an issue or not hopefully.

 

Cheers Trailrage    

 

Hope you can identify the issue and can get it sorted. 

 

Let us know how you get on. 

 

Kind Regards, 

 

Danny. 

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One thing I noticed is that the plastic yoke or drive cup pushes firmly into the brass flywheels - one each side.

 

Is it possible the drive cups are loose?

(Not really concentrated on what your problem is.)

 

I replaced the motor, which came with flywheels, but without the drive cups / yokes, so had to remove from the old.

I superglued into position to ensure they don't work loose again.  Perhaps it's suppose to be a 'safety feature' to limit possibilities of overloading the motor - didn't work!

 

Al.

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