OO gauge GWR Mogul and Prairie

[Harlequin]

16 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

I think you'll find Dapol Dave might have moved on!

 

 

8 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

And the other two are bogus accounts set up by an anti-Dapol troll. 

 

I did wonder... The "Ben" account seemed to be recent so I thought I'd venture the question. Someone from Dapol must monitor this forum, surely?

 

They seem to have made Dapol Digest read-only so I couldn't ask the question there.

 

Any suggestions of where I should ask to get a public response? Or if they don't want to talk to the general public could you ask them for an official response, @AY Mod?

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by Harlequin

[Hal Nail]

1 minute ago, Harlequin said:

 

 

I did wonder... The "Ben" account seemed to be recent so I thought I'd venture the question. Someone from Dapol must monitor this forum, surely?

 

They seem to have made Dapol Digest read-only so I couldn't ask the question there.

 

Any suggestions of where I should ask to get a public response? Or if they don't want to talk to the general public could you ask them for an official response, @AY Mod?

 

 

Spares take a while to filter through, i'm sure DCC will get them. Similar parts I've bought before have been a pound or two so its a very easy fix.

 

 

[boxbrownie]

46 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

I think you'll find Dapol Dave might have moved on!

 

Most likely never far enough though 

 

[Harlequin]

26 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

 

Spares take a while to filter through, i'm sure DCC will get them. Similar parts I've bought before have been a pound or two so its a very easy fix.

 

 

Unfortunately steam pipes aren't listed amongst the spare parts in the manual so if we simply wait we're likely to be disappointed.

 

Since the pre-publicity shots showed 6385 with external steam pipes and since we know that that loco had them before it received the roundel livery, why are they not on the production model?

 

I think both questions deserve some official response.

 

[AY Mod]

11 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

I think both questions deserve some official response

 

Can I suggest you email neil@dapol.co.uk to seek a direct response please?

[Harlequin]

14 hours ago, AY Mod said:

 

Can I suggest you email neil@Dapol.co.uk to seek a direct response please?

Will do. Thanks.

 

Edit: Done.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Harlequin

[Neal Ball]

Morning all.

Ive looked back over the last few pages and can’t see this mentioned recently.

 

The locos that kept seizing, has anyone identified what the issue is?

 

Yesterday it stopped 3 times in the first 5 minutes, then ran fine for 10 mins before stopping again. It only happens when going forward.

 

Living in Spain, if there is an easy solution before sending it back, would be preferable. 
Thanks.

[petrox]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

Morning all.

Ive looked back over the last few pages and can’t see this mentioned recently.

 

The locos that kept seizing, has anyone identified what the issue is?

 

Yesterday it stopped 3 times in the first 5 minutes, then ran fine for 10 mins before stopping again. It only happens when going forward.

 

Living in Spain, if there is an easy solution before sending it back, would be preferable. 
Thanks.

My model initially had a similar problem (forwards & backwards) - I found that near side motion bracket was not quite located properly, and some gentle pressure cured the problem  - clearances are quit tight anyway.

Hope this helps.

 

Pete

[Neal Ball]

13 minutes ago, petrox said:

My model initially had a similar problem (forwards & backwards) - I found that near side motion bracket was not quite located properly, and some gentle pressure cured the problem  - clearances are quit tight anyway.

Hope this helps.

 

Pete

 

Thanks Pete,

 

Initially I found the motion bracket on one side was not located properly. But both are in the correct fittings now and I still have an issue!

 

Thanks anyway.

[Cofga]

22 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Unfortunately steam pipes aren't listed amongst the spare parts in the manual so if we simply wait we're likely to be disappointed.

 

Since the pre-publicity shots showed 6385 with external steam pipes and since we know that that loco had them before it received the roundel livery, why are they not on the production model?

 

I think both questions deserve some official response.

 

I fear it will be easier to simply renumber the loco to match the configuration than trying to get Dapol to provide the steam pipes. All you need is a couple etched number plates and the decals for the rear buffer beam. For example 6386 didn’t get steam pipes until 1952. I would imagine that installing the steam pipes might require drilling a mounting hole or two and even taking the model apart. I’ll take the easier path.

Edited December 5, 2020 by Cofga

[Steamport Southport]

10 minutes ago, Cofga said:

I fear it will be easier to simply renumber the loco to match the configuration than trying to get Dapol to provide the steam pipes. All you need is a couple etched number plates and the decals for the rear buffer beam. For example 6386 didn’t get steam pipes until 1952. I would imagine that installing the steam pipes might require drilling a mounting hole or two and even taking the model apart. I’ll take the easier path.

 

Or getting after market versions. I think these are the right ones.

 

SP2 STEAM PIPE MEDIUM O/S (2)  £1.50

 

http://www.247developments.co.uk/loco_detailing.html

 

 

 

Jason

[Chuffer Davies]

I was watching the Hornby Magazine’s online video today and their Dapol Mogul had outside steam pipes (Early black BR livery) so they (Dapol) must already have the ability to produce them.  If your existing model needs deconstructing to aid the drilling of holes in the footplate to fit outside steam pipes then this is very simple to do, you just need a small Philips screwdriver to undo 4 screws and it’ll come apart with ease.  
 

Frank

[57xx]

10 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Thanks Pete,

 

Initially I found the motion bracket on one side was not located properly. But both are in the correct fittings now and I still have an issue!

 

Thanks anyway.

 

Mine arrived today, knowing people had issues with the motion brackets I checked mine. Both were located ok, but I noticed the slide bars were pointing upwards at the open end. Yet to try running it.

[BRIAN T]

Hi all,just fitted sound to my mogul 7310, oh I wish all of 00 gauge steam were this easy to install and with the larger speaker too.

it is also the best running out of box steam loco I have ever bought and I have quite a lot .

The youchoos sound chip is superb , the whistle has lovely authentic echo as well.

Just felt I had to contribute.

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by BRIAN T

[checkrail]

A couple of weeks ago I waxed lyrical on here about the running qualities of my new Dapol mogul.  But on closer acquaintance, in the course of weathering and detailing,  I've encountered many of the issues already reported on this thread, and others.  Some are just quality control issues but others seem to me to be design faults.

 

They obviously don't want you to separate loco body and chassis.  Hence the insistence that it doesn't need further lubrication, the decoder/smokebox door arrangement, and the lack of any instructions - not even an exploded diagram - as to how to remove the body.

 

I found out why when I did remove the body for weathering purposes.  One of the screws which hold body and chassis together also holds the cylinder block in place.  When I unscrewed it the whole thing, including crossheads and motion brackets, fell to bits.  Putting it all back together took a bit of time and patience.

 

When I put it back on the track I couldn't get a peep out of it until I'd re-programmed the decoder address.  Then it started, but immediately began seizing up intermittently as others have reported.  Of course, it was those pesky motion brackets, and after a lot of twiddling and tweaking I got it to work again (so far).  It's as if they couldn't decide whether the motion bracket was part of the chassis or part of the superstructure.  Over the years Hornby and Bachmann have produced numerous GWR locos with the same type of cylinders and motion without any problems of this kind.

 

In the course of fettling this loco I had disconnected and reconnected loco from tender on perhaps half a dozen occasions, and on the last one or two times it had started to feel a bit slack.  You can guess the next bit - I started experiencing intermittent spontaneous uncoupling, with the loco running happily ahead leaving tender and train behind. It kept doing it all day Saturday, but seemed ok on Sunday.  Fingers crossed!

 

The quality control issues were:

• The (plastic) reversing rod was horribly distorted.  I dug out a surplus Hornby 28xx one, a decent metal stamping, and painted it but I just couldn't get the Dapol one off.  In the end I just straightened it as best I could and held its wavy end down with superglue.
• It's supposed to have a 'firebox glow' feature.  I tried running it round in the dark but there wasn't a flicker or even a glimmer of light.  Ah well, not a feature I particularly wanted anyway.
• When I came to place a lamp to denote a local passenger service I discovered that there was no lamp bracket on top of the smokebox, just a little hole.  Perhaps it wasn't glued in properly and fell out when I turned the loco over, though I can't find it in my Peco foam loco cradle.  But not a big job to make another one.

Anyway, that's my two pennyworth on the mogul.  I still like it very much, though I have a slight anxiety that it might seize up or decouple again.  Time will tell.  But my message to Dapol would be, 'Must try harder'.

 

Here's a pic of 6305 (as she now is).  There are plenty more of her in action on my layout thread.

John C.

 

[Chuffer Davies]

47 minutes ago, checkrail said:

A couple of weeks ago I waxed lyrical on here about the running qualities of my new Dapol mogul.  But on closer acquaintance, in the course of weathering and detailing,  I've encountered many of the issues already reported on this thread, and others.  Some are just quality control issues but others seem to me to be design faults.

 

They obviously don't want you to separate loco body and chassis.  Hence the insistence that it doesn't need further lubrication, the decoder/smokebox door arrangement, and the lack of any instructions - not even an exploded diagram - as to how to remove the body.

 

I found out why when I did remove the body for weathering purposes.  One of the screws which hold body and chassis together also holds the cylinder block in place.  When I unscrewed it the whole thing, including crossheads and motion brackets, fell to bits.  Putting it all back together took a bit of time and patience.

 

When I put it back on the track I couldn't get a peep out of it until I'd re-programmed the decoder address.  Then it started, but immediately began seizing up intermittently as others have reported.  Of course, it was those pesky motion brackets, and after a lot of twiddling and tweaking I got it to work again (so far).  It's as if they couldn't decide whether the motion bracket was part of the chassis or part of the superstructure.  Over the years Hornby and Bachmann have produced numerous GWR locos with the same type of cylinders and motion without any problems of this kind.

 

In the course of fettling this loco I had disconnected and reconnected loco from tender on perhaps half a dozen occasions, and on the last one or two times it had started to feel a bit slack.  You can guess the next bit - I started experiencing intermittent spontaneous uncoupling, with the loco running happily ahead leaving tender and train behind. It kept doing it all day Saturday, but seemed ok on Sunday.  Fingers crossed!

 

The quality control issues were:

• The (plastic) reversing rod was horribly distorted.  I dug out a surplus Hornby 28xx one, a decent metal stamping, and painted it but I just couldn't get the Dapol one off.  In the end I just straightened it as best I could and held its wavy end down with superglue.
• It's supposed to have a 'firebox glow' feature.  I tried running it round in the dark but there wasn't a flicker or even a glimmer of light.  Ah well, not a feature I particularly wanted anyway.
• When I came to place a lamp to denote a local passenger service I discovered that there was no lamp bracket on top of the smokebox, just a little hole.  Perhaps it wasn't glued in properly and fell out when I turned the loco over, though I can't find it in my Peco foam loco cradle.  But not a big job to make another one.

Anyway, that's my two pennyworth on the mogul.  I still like it very much, though I have a slight anxiety that it might seize up or decouple again.  Time will tell.  But my message to Dapol would be, 'Must try harder'.

 

Here's a pic of 6305 (as she now is).  There are plenty more of her in action on my layout thread.

John C.

 

But it does look pretty spectacular now that you've weathered it none the less!

 

Most encouraging...

 

Frank  

 

[Neal Ball]

1 hour ago, checkrail said:

A couple of weeks ago I waxed lyrical on here about the running qualities of my new Dapol mogul.  But on closer acquaintance, in the course of weathering and detailing,  I've encountered many of the issues already reported on this thread, and others.  Some are just quality control issues but others seem to me to be design faults.

 

They obviously don't want you to separate loco body and chassis.  Hence the insistence that it doesn't need further lubrication, the decoder/smokebox door arrangement, and the lack of any instructions - not even an exploded diagram - as to how to remove the body.

 

I found out why when I did remove the body for weathering purposes.  One of the screws which hold body and chassis together also holds the cylinder block in place.  When I unscrewed it the whole thing, including crossheads and motion brackets, fell to bits.  Putting it all back together took a bit of time and patience.

 

When I put it back on the track I couldn't get a peep out of it until I'd re-programmed the decoder address.  Then it started, but immediately began seizing up intermittently as others have reported.  Of course, it was those pesky motion brackets, and after a lot of twiddling and tweaking I got it to work again (so far).  It's as if they couldn't decide whether the motion bracket was part of the chassis or part of the superstructure.  Over the years Hornby and Bachmann have produced numerous GWR locos with the same type of cylinders and motion without any problems of this kind.

 

In the course of fettling this loco I had disconnected and reconnected loco from tender on perhaps half a dozen occasions, and on the last one or two times it had started to feel a bit slack.  You can guess the next bit - I started experiencing intermittent spontaneous uncoupling, with the loco running happily ahead leaving tender and train behind. It kept doing it all day Saturday, but seemed ok on Sunday.  Fingers crossed!

 

The quality control issues were:

• The (plastic) reversing rod was horribly distorted.  I dug out a surplus Hornby 28xx one, a decent metal stamping, and painted it but I just couldn't get the Dapol one off.  In the end I just straightened it as best I could and held its wavy end down with superglue.
• It's supposed to have a 'firebox glow' feature.  I tried running it round in the dark but there wasn't a flicker or even a glimmer of light.  Ah well, not a feature I particularly wanted anyway.
• When I came to place a lamp to denote a local passenger service I discovered that there was no lamp bracket on top of the smokebox, just a little hole.  Perhaps it wasn't glued in properly and fell out when I turned the loco over, though I can't find it in my Peco foam loco cradle.  But not a big job to make another one.

Anyway, that's my two pennyworth on the mogul.  I still like it very much, though I have a slight anxiety that it might seize up or decouple again.  Time will tell.  But my message to Dapol would be, 'Must try harder'.

 

Here's a pic of 6305 (as she now is).  There are plenty more of her in action on my layout thread.

John C.

 

Thanks for this John.

I sent a lengthy email to DCC supplies who are working on Dapol sErvicing, including my photos.

They replied this morning saying they had not heard about the seizing issue..... and suggested I either return it to them, or to Hattons. Adding that I could try further running in..... which of course I have extensively already done.

I also think the loco to tender connection might in time become too loose to hold together. It’s getting that way already.....

 

Good luck with your loco, hope it works out ok. 
 

PS. The weathering you have done is excellent.

[melmerby]

2 hours ago, checkrail said:

 

It's supposed to have a 'firebox glow' feature.  I tried running it round in the dark but there wasn't a

flicker or even a glimmer of light.  Ah well, not a feature I particularly wanted anyway.

 

John C.

 

 

 

When you reset the decoder, did you by chance turn off the function that controls the glow?

[checkrail]

44 minutes ago, melmerby said:

When you reset the decoder, did you by chance turn off the function that controls the glow?

Thanks for the thought, but no.  It didn't light when I first tested it straight out of the box before I'd meddled with anything.

[checkrail]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

They replied this morning saying they had not heard about the seizing issue..... and suggested I either return it to them, or to Hattons. Adding that I could try further running in.....

Not heard about the seizing issue?  Well they've obviously not been following the feedback on this forum!

 

And "further running in"?  Is that the running in they said wasn't necessary?

 

Good luck with yours Neal.  I'm sure it'll all get sorted eventually and we'll see it running on Henley.

 

Cheers,

John.

[Regularity]

1 hour ago, checkrail said:

And "further running in"?  Is that the running in they said wasn't necessary?

A retired designer of medical instruments and noted modeller, whose locos run extremely well, once commented to me that any model railway loco which requires running in has either a design fault or quality of manufacturing issues. I don’t recall ever having a problem with old X04 motors, most of which ran like a Swiss watch straight from the box. 

[tomparryharry]

I think there is a touch of confusion over at Dapol. 

 

The little booklet says the model should be OK, straight out of the box. But! Later on in the booklet, it recommends a touch of oil after 100 hours work, and again at a further 100 hours. I would assume that the model (being in store, etc ) hasn't had, or exceeded the 100 hours recommendation. As such, the model is running 'dry'.  A very slight touch of the recommended oil might prove highly beneficial in this situation. 

 

I know that when my model finally sees the light of day, it will most likely have a slight touch of lubricant.  At least, that's a pragmatic  view. 

[St Enodoc]

7 hours ago, checkrail said:

They obviously don't want you to separate loco body and chassis. 

Mental note to self!

[57xx]

I know the blue dot on the cab side is for the route restriction, what does the black dot on the tender signify...?

 

 

 

Close-up of the up-hill slidebars.

 

Other than that it appears to be a very nice model. Hoping to dig out the test rollers or track later in the week to give it a run.

[TheSignalEngineer]

On 05/12/2020 at 06:24, Neal Ball said:

The locos that kept seizing, has anyone identified what the issue is?

 

Yesterday it stopped 3 times in the first 5 minutes, then ran fine for 10 mins before stopping again. It only happens when going forward.

Mine had a tell-tale clunk as it went round one particular curve in the fiddle yard. There is too much side play in the front drivers, you could probably get it round Gotham Curve let alone second radius.

This and the coupling rod pins on the front drivers being over-long means the pin can catch on the crosshead. A slight adjustment of the slide bars fixed it. I intend to try a couple of shims fixed on the axle to reduce the play as well.