Jump to content
 

Dapol Black Label A4 smoke unit spares


Recommended Posts

Looking for help sourcing a  pair of heating elements for the above locomotive.

Any ideas?

PLEASE?

A complete unit could be acceptable.

 

I know, l know, hen's teeth are more common,  but................

 

Any advice gratefully received.

 

Dapol's service agent unlikely to help after their attitude to enquiries re: spares at the N.E.C.

 

This is not the model that l bought, it is an exchange one from them after mine went in for repair.  Loco has only been used for less than 5 minutes since, and has a burnt out smoke unit when investigated as to why no smoke.

 

Thanks in advance

Pete

Link to post
Share on other sites

There was very little posted here about this release in owner's hands, so the number of posters with knowledge of this item are thin to non-existent I would suggest.

 

It's Dapol you have to go to for resolution of this. I'd return for refund in your shoes: they did not effect a repair, and an immediately faulty replacement says 'lemon' loud and clear to me...

Link to post
Share on other sites

Many thanks for the above advice.

There are issues as to why I cannot get my old unit back, including the length of time since the repair was effected 12months+ ago.

The exchange unit was placed into storage until last week. When tested before storage, its smoke output was noted to be poor, and thought to be a blocked passage, or insufficient time to heat up. My mistake, l trusted the service engineers. The fault was found when the loco was dis-assembled to effect a repair.

Yesterday,I spoke initially to Dapol's service agents who told me outright lies that l knew to be incorrect.

I then telephoned Dapol for their view on what had been said, and this confirmed the lies.

 

So, in the short term, l have no working smoke unit and need the loco for a demonstration in the New Year, which has been built around its full functions being in working order. This means a diy repair, which is within my capabilities if only the parts source can be found.

500482234_A4heater1.jpg.5bdd73e411551c8165239e864a487b49.jpg

Any help with parts will be gratefully received.

 

In the long term, having spent 50 years involved in warranty matters, both physically inspecting parts, procedures and operations on various items from heavy earthmovers to models and also various manufacturing processes I intend in seeing this through for the benefit of all of us. The service agent is known to us all, and locally, few modellers cite satisfactory service from them.

I do not hold Dapol responsible for their service agent's actions.

 

The original fault?

2 of 9 broken wires between the loco and tender. In my view, a fault that does not warrant an exchange of units.

At the time, l did not have a wiring diagramme, since acquired. If this had been readily supplied, then l would still have my original unit.

 

Merry Christmas, one and all.

 

Pete

Edited by Sun Street
incorrect syntax
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

I'd write a letter direct to Dapol HQ - maybe they can help?  At the very least they should be interested to learn what their service agent is up to.  I'd be disappointed if Dapol can't supply such a spare on their recent "flagship" project, which didn't come cheap...

Failing all else, can you use a complete (or parts of, such as the element?) Seuthe smoke unit?

Link to post
Share on other sites

polybear,

Many thanks for your input.

I am now in conversation with Dapol at their request regarding the service levels given.

Anyone else's experiences wll help us get better service.

 

With regard to using Seuthe spares, it's a possibility, but the unit is bespoke, with 2 fans, 2 smoke chambers, one being for the cylinder exhaust, the other for the whistle. a system that is very effective when working.

 

As you say, it did not come cheap and l do indeed expect better product support.

 

It does not matter a  product's price, a decent evel of support is to be expected.

Would you buy a car with no spares back-up?

 

The Japanese in the 70s had cars designated as ''showroom queens'', which were robbed of spares as a source to give fast service to the customer, the spares being air-freighted out, generally within 72 hours and refitted to the dealer's car.

 

A pity that no Black Labels were treated thus..................................

The smoke unit was made somewhere, with components made elsewhere, that source would be so helpful, and it may be that this will be divulged.

Sadly Christmas has intervened.

Have a good one, one and all.

Pete

aka Mister Rusty

Edited by Sun Street
  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

One thought I have is that this smoke mechanism probably traces its origins to American HO product, I very much doubt it is proprietary to Dapol. So there may be some know how and parts ' out there' across the pond; but I don't know which brands and products to start looking at.

 

The person I would try to speak to at Dapol is Richard Webster, he's in at the heart of their product development.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
8 hours ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

The person I would try to speak to at Dapol is Richard Webster, he's in at the heart of their product development.

 

...and assuming you are fortunate enough to get a replacement, then try and buy several as a spares backup for the future....

Link to post
Share on other sites

A big pile of Black Label A4's caught my eye at Warley this year, all discounted due to faults...

 

As I perused, checking the listed faults label, the stall owner snapped at me, 'They all have the same fault, no need to check all the labels....'

 

Faulty smoke unit was one of the faults listed, and no, I didn't buy....

  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
  • 2 months later...
  • 3 weeks later...

Slightly off-topic, I know, but this seems to be the only active thread?

I've got a secondhand Black Label A4, but it doesn't have any instructions. I contacted Dapol for a spare, or even just a PDF and they responded: "Sorry but there were only 1 booklet per model produced and, as we are now out of the Black Label Models we do not have any

Booklets left, sorry."

Does anyone have an instruction book, if so, would they be prepared to scan/photograph it for me please? My model doesn't have smoke (it's been binned by the previous owner). And no, the seller didn't have the instructions either...! 

Edited by Mel_H
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
1 minute ago, Mel_H said:

To clarify, it's just the instructions I'm after, rather than a copy of the actual booklet

 

In much the same boat. Have a refurb one from DCC supplies which has no smoke or documentation.

Link to post
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, Mel_H said:

..."Sorry but there were only 1 booklet per model produced and, as we are now out of the Black Label Models we do not have any Booklets left, sorry."... 

Mmmm. Never thought to run one through a scanner and keep it on file for future customer enquiries?

 

My sole Dapol loco is the very neat altogether and most satisfactory NBL DH type 2 (TOPS 21): no documentation supplied at all. Enquiries at time of release indicated that this was 'correct'; no documentation available.

 

Something of a pattern there. I like this product, but no documentation of assembly and parts, not even a download?

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, 34theletterbetweenB&D said:

Mmmm. Never thought to run one through a scanner and keep it on file for future customer enquiries?

 

My sole Dapol loco is the very neat altogether and most satisfactory NBL DH type 2 (TOPS 21): no documentation supplied at all. Enquiries at time of release indicated that this was 'correct'; no documentation available.

 

Something of a pattern there. I like this product, but no documentation of assembly and parts, not even a download?

Yes, bit of a shame as Dapol's 'Technical' part of its website is silent on almost all instructions. I suspect it would save them a lot of time answering enquiries if they popped PDFs up (how hard can that be?). Mr Red box does that, which probably reduces calls allowing them to get on with something else....

 

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...

The booklets issue is typical of the Black Label product support.

I have the distinct impression that Dapol want Black Label to bury itself.

I must have had one of the last booklets, as a kind office lady found one in the back of a cupboard  and posted it to me, having first said that there were none left.

The water tower farrago and signals again typify their approach of insufficient product research and development. Pity.

 

I am planning to fit a modern decoder into my loco, getting rid of a lot of junk within the unit, a Hornby would do it, with relays to protect function circuits from the smoke units' current draw. I would do the same to other premium decoders, as a precaution.

Or, can someone think of a better way? Please?

Still stuck for heater elements as the model has been on the back burner [no pun intended] :rolleyes: for a while.

 

TTFN

Pete

Edited by Sun Street
errata within
  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Sun Street said:

The booklets issue is typical of the Black Label product support.

I have the distinct impression that Dapol want Black Label to bury itself.

I must have had one of the last booklets, as a kind office lady found one in the back of a cupboard  and posted it to me, having first said that there were none left.

The water tower farrago and signals again typify their approach of insufficient product research and development. Pity.

 

I am planning to fit a modern decoder into my loco, getting rid of a lot of junk within the unit, a Hornby would do it, with relays to protect function circuits from the smoke units' current draw. I would do the same to other premium decoders, as a precaution.

Or, can someone think of a better way? Please?

Still stuck for heater elements as the model has been on the back burner [no pun intended] :rolleyes: for a while.

 

TTFN

Pete


Yes, I agree, product support is ‘disappointing’. It’s a shame as there always seems to be lots of opportunities with Dapol, yet it doesn’t quite deliver on some things and falls short. 

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...