Motorising the Dapol railbus

[Joseph_Pestell]

I like the idea of these axle-hung motors. But for the railbus, I think a Branchlines-type solution is better as it also allows for compensation of the second axle which will improve electrical pick-up.

[Finsbury]

Crikey, it's been a while!

 

Not a huge amount of progress I'll admit, but hey ho.

First off, I shall note JP's concern re compensation; I will be trying out (1) a central springy beam on the un-motored axle, (2) coiled PB pick-ups on the same. I have looked at sprung hornblocks, but space (and my eyes) may be an issue.

 

Anyway.

A problem I did find with the Dapol wheels is that they were a bit pissed. They went round and round all right. But only if you want the effect of a clown's car. Boingy boingy boingy etc. Not good. Having purchased a set of 12mm 3 hole wagon wheels, this has improved things no end. The little metal passengers will no doubt be pleased.

I took the chance to buy the same wheelset in EM as I will go down this road/track at some point. The fit for P4/S4/EM/00 finescale is evidently plausible. Metal tyred and insulated. All from Wizards, no connection, happy punter, etc..

 

I didn't use the original weight after all as it only came in at 25.16g. Here we have 2x 10g steel car wheel balancing weights, I like to think some metal passengers will help with fine tuning weight distribution. A 5g weight fits lovely where the decoder sits if you are strictly analogue.

That's all for now, apart from nausing up the Branchlines interior kit. Another one to be ordered, it is good.

 

Take care everyone,

Bernie

[Finsbury]

Info addendum, the axle on the motor came out at 1.97mm and proved to be a sloppy fit with anything like remotely round wheels. The brass cog is easily knocked off however, and with a bit (a lot, getting cherry red) of heat, can be be tapped on to the Wizard axle. Hindsight being 20/20 I would have used a P4 axle, so as to make a universal gauge possibility thingy doobery. Or something.

[Finsbury]

Well, this has turned into a special variety of cobbers. Having spent over £50 on finding a way to stick this thing together, decent glue remains elusive. PPP Superweld came close, though.

Why do Dapol persist with this xxxx plastic? Does it cost another £ to make real plastic that sticks?

Anyway, after two coats of failure

 

A little filling and smoothing eh? Oh no.

And the glass is laughable!

 

 

Sorry for ranting, modern glue is crap, along with my eyes.

Simon from the Ickenham and District club has a beautiful version with a gearbox, really neat.

Oh well, plod on.

 

All the best!

Bernie

[Finsbury]

Oh, And Humbrol #85 can go and do one, as well. The gloopy, sticky, non drying crap.

[hayfield]

Well, this has turned into a special variety of cobbers. Having spent over £50 on finding a way to stick this thing together, decent glue remains elusive. PPP Superweld came close, though.

Why do Dapol persist with this xxxx plastic? Does it cost another £ to make real plastic that sticks?

Anyway, after two coats of failure

 

IMG_0552.JPG

A little filling and smoothing eh? Oh no.

And the glass is laughable!

 

 

Sorry for ranting, modern glue is crap, along with my eyes.

Simon from the Ickenham and District club has a beautiful version with a gearbox, really neat.

Oh well, plod on.

 

All the best!

Bernie

 

Bernie

 

Is this a new problem? mine has been stuck together since the late 70's (good old Humbrol out of a tube). Have another done in the 80's with MEK

 

One idea is to contact Dapol and ask their advice

[Finsbury]

Well. I have been recommended to use Revel contacta professional and it seems to do the trick. Promptly dropped it and broke the other side off... A pox on my house for buying all amounts of 'super' glues, as I had the Revel stuff tucked away in a Tamiya box from 25 odd years ago. I have to engender a bit more serenity in my work, methinks.

Apologies to the Dapol gang.

 

Another bonus is that after three days of shouting at it, the paint has finally gone off, so apologies to Mr Humbrol, too.

 

Time to fiddle with the decoder, no doubt this will also continue at a glacial rate.

[chris p bacon]

I'm really interested in where the motor/drive came from, been looking but can't find anything similar.

 

Edit to add I would try Butanone on the plastic, sticks plastics as well as ABS (?)

Edited January 26, 2018 by chris p bacon

[MarkC]

Well. I have been recommended to use Revel contacta professional and it seems to do the trick. Promptly dropped it and broke the other side off... A pox on my house for buying all amounts of 'super' glues, as I had the Revel stuff tucked away in a Tamiya box from 25 odd years ago. I have to engender a bit more serenity in my work, methinks.

Apologies to the Dapol gang.

 

Another bonus is that after three days of shouting at it, the paint has finally gone off, so apologies to Mr Humbrol, too.

 

Time to fiddle with the decoder, no doubt this will also continue at a glacial rate.

 

Nah - shouting is still good; no apology should be made, IMHO. 3 days? Good grief...

 

[DCB]

I use Evostick Pipe weld with good results on Dapol Plastic, use it sparingly! apply with a matchstick.

  I motorised a Dapol railbus a proper cast white metal chassis and X04 motor which was hopeless, far too much power but just slipped as the weight was over the un powered axle and the pickups dragged.   I sold the chassis on Ebay and tried again with a Hornby 142 power unit but making the non powered axle pickup and not drag was difficult. Needs a split axle set up which is not easy!

[Finsbury]

I'm really interested in where the motor/drive came from, been looking but can't find anything similar.

 

Edit to add I would try Butanone on the plastic, sticks plastics as well as ABS (?)

 

Crispy Dave, You have pm.

 

KR, Bernie

[Finsbury]

Dave said "I'm really interested in where the motor/drive came from, been looking but can't find anything similar."

 

Cloggydog mentioned them on the thread 'axle hung motors' in the motors and drive section. re; http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10260566

No connection, yada yada, etc.

 

Sorry my quote function (brain) doesn't work.

 

Bern

[gobbler]

I've got one of these in the stash to build

 

I would prefer a W&M as Essex is my area of interest

 

Ive seen the kit motorised several different ways, just wondered which was the best and most cost effective.

 

How's progress Bernie?

 

 

 

Scott

[Finsbury]

Hallo Scott, progress has stalled - I was playing 12" to the foot railway today. I reckon a Hornby pacer motor is the cost effective option. The Branchlines option is tried and tested, probably the easiest. This motor is simple enough after a but of butchery. The downside is sourcing it without customs and excise stinging you for 20 odd quid. What it has going for it is size - or lack of it, and it can take a 2mm axle and wheels of your choice. It is virtually invisible within the chassis. An Ickenham and District club member has done a really nice one with a slightly larger motor driving a (Bill Bedford?) gearbox. Slightly more visible, but it really appealed to me. Superb engineering in miniature.

 

Regards,

Bernie

[gobbler]

Slightly off topic, but only by a smidge

 

A W&M would be a nice addition but a wee bit too late, however the ACV was run in 1950's along the Southminster branch.

 

Would look interesting in the two tone grey with red waist stripe.

 

P.S. Bernie, I take it you have electrical pickups on the secondary axle.

 

Scott

Edited January 27, 2018 by gobbler

[Finsbury]

P.S. Bernie, I take it you have electrical pickups on the secondary axle.

Scott

4 Wheel pick-up with rudimentary springing on one axle. None of which has got further than the 'wouldn't it be great...?' stage.

[Finsbury]

Playing with a bit of wire today.

What fun a simpleton like me can have with a bit of wire. We couldn't afford toys, a twig from the park and a dead fly from the condensation drenched windowsill amounted to hours of joy.

Anyway, I was a photographic technician in a previous life, zero evidence provided, m'lud.

One half mocked up, thus;

 

Some kind of suspension needs to be devised on the 'loose' axle and proved. I consider today's effort to be seismic in comparison to earlier works.

 

ATB, Bernie

[Finsbury]

woooo! Recaro and 5 point harness, "Wind it up to Warp speed!"

 

 

KR, Bernie

edited and good to go. Yeah, baby!

Edited February 13, 2018 by Finsbury

[Finsbury]

Had a crack at lining this afternoon, I really should try and practice first! Ruling pens are addictive. Mine is only a cheapie, Joker, or something or other. Good fun!

[Finsbury]

Well here we are.

 

Again.

 

@DavidCBroad may be on to a winner regarding the glue as it it all fell apart.

Again. Well, half of it.

Paint is now shocking, I thought it would be a super idea to re-line. It would have been a super idea if I had pulled the pin on a Mills' mkII and waited a few seconds.

The bloke that discovered microwaves via a bit of chocolate in his top pocket... if only he had this kit in there instead. Insta-melty-togetherness.

 

Harrumph, I do believe, is a technical term.

Had a crack at the suspension thing, it probably won't work, either!

 

Regards to you all,

Bernie

 

edit just to complicate things, you may just make out the slot cut in the roof for destination boards.

Edited February 12, 2018 by Finsbury

[Finsbury]

Which leads me on to... Is there a chap herewith that can do a neg/copyneg/contact (clear lettering on black) of destination boards at 5 point (transport, caps), on the cheap? I could have done it eyes closed, but that was a quarter of a century ago. Blimming digital!

 

ATB, Bernie

[vitalspark]

Motorising an Airfix/Dapol railbus..I've been there and tried the lot and can tell you without hesitation don't waste your time and effort on the Branchlines chassis...there's a much better option more of which in a minute.

 

It might look fine and it goes together easily with a nice can motor and a compensated rear axle but that's where the positives stop.

 

Try to get the thing to pickup reliably from all four wheels which is a must for decent running and you will either stop the compensated wheel set because of resistance or have to weight the thing so much it will literally bang and crash over every track imperfection.

 

I tried plungers and the suggested wire pick up but none were reliable enough for exhibition running...in fact they were useless full stop.

 

Also a tip is to build the thing on a brass floor pan to give the body some rigidity otherwise it will end up taking on the familiar Airfix railbus banana shape when sighted down the sides. 

 

Before the Heljan model layouts with motorised Park Royal railbuses tended to have them sitting in the yard or if they did move it was about two feet then on to the fiddle. 

 

Then..I came across 'Hollywood Foundry' who offer a chassis for this kit comprising an exquisite motor and flywheel and driving via a belt and cardan shafts to both axles with 4 wheel pickup.

 

Its silent never falters runs all day at exhibitions and is quite simply the only answer if you are set on motorising the Dapol.

 

You will still need the Branchlines interior which is excellent and as said build the thing on a flat heavy brass floor with a slot cut to accommodate the small motor.

 

Don't be put off with the fact its mail order from Oz as mine arrived in days and after sales is excellent too.

 

I requested a spare drive belt and it arrived by return of post and no charge.

 

The guy that runs the business is incredibly helpful and will answer any emails promptly.

 

He is also occasionally on this forum under the name 'Hollywood Foundry'.

 

I still have a Branchlines fully built chassis lying in a drawer but it certainly won't run again. 

 

If anyone wants it come to the Glasgow show and make me an offer.

 

The Dapol/Hollywood Foundry bus as described above is pictured below and although running just as sweetly as the Heljan its not as well detailed and has been replaced by the latter so unlikely to see an exhibition again although it did serve

 

Alloa well for a few years.

 

Dave.

 

 

[AndyID]

Sadly, Hollywood Foundry is temporarily closed.

[gobbler]

Wow Bernie that flies.

 

What's it like at slower speeds and across point work??

 

P.s. Like your crash mat at the end of your test best.

 

Scott

[Finsbury]

Cheers Scott. I've absolutely no idea about slow speed running as My dc control consists of a 9v battery! When the dcc chip is in, I'll have a better idea.

 

Dave ( Vitalspark) Thanks for the info, but I'll plod on with the axle hung motor, it at least gets me back into the modelling thing. Way too many years playing with motorbikes has left my hand/eye co-ordination more suited to 12"/ft.

 

Thinking about P4'ing it before it gets nailed down finally, or em, who knows. Need passengers and lighting sorted, and as Dave mentions, un-banana-ing it!

 

Great fun, anyway!

 

See you all at Biggleswade on Saturday, if anyone is going.

 

Bernie