New OO gauge Class 73

[YesTor]

I returned my Rail Blue example to the retailer for a refund; second Rail Blue example pre-order cancelled and so too the Dutch liveried pre-order. 

I now have a GBRf liveried 73205 from Olivia's.  This appears to be good livery-wise and probably the best of the bunch I would guess.  That said, the yellow is still the incorrect lemon shade as used on other versions, but is perhaps more easily overlooked on what is generally quite a vibrant-looking livery anyway.

Edited December 17, 2015 by darkjunglemung

[Andy Y]

Of course they do need to shift this first batch to recoup money but-  what should this loco be reduced to considering a professional respray is about £50?

I think the price should go down to £60 right now. They clear the faulty stock, us buyers wait several weeks for them to be resprayed and renumbered, by then we have fallen in love with the model all over again and have the option of the new batch with additional numbers. In the meantime everyone gets cash flow and shelf space.

Vote here and I will pass it on to Dapol!

 

 

Sigh.

 

Most purchases will be from a retailer who has the reasonable expectation of making a margin out of a new product. So are you asking the retailers to sell it to the market below cost so you can get it resprayed?

 

If sales are slow, market forces and price adjustment will naturally follow either from retailers or from Dapol to retailers.

 

Therefore nothing will happen right now no matter what frenzy you try and whip people up into.

 

Think twice, post once.

[Gwiwer]

E6007 has disclosed a few more irrits.

 

The couplers had the bar fitted upside down. In other words when plugged in with the bar in its normal position the loop unit was inverted.  It was no surprise then that coupling to a train proved near-impossible and that the bars both dropped out within moments of first use.  Irritating and another quality control issue which should have been spotted but the "fix" is merely to replace with two more couplers from stock.

 

One of the lamp irons also fell out and in the course of being refitted (with Australian sticky glue which is seemingly more effective than some of the Chinese stuff) a chip of yellow paint removed itself.  I've left the for now but I reckon I can fix it the next time I have a "yellow" job to do.  It's a tiny spot so not worth getting the enamels out just for that.

 

In evening light I got to see for myself the effect of both cab lights being on whilst the loco is in motion, along with an over-bright headcode panel.  Some work needed to the inside electrickery there.  

 

It's a shame Dapol seem to have skimped on the quality control as the loco itself runs well and looks like a 73.  Even if it's arguably not the right shade of "Electric Blue".

 

Light weathering now applied including Carrs dark sand powder wiped over the yellow panel which has taken the edge off the lemon and brought it slightly closer to custard.

 

 

And a click-to-play clip of the loco in action doing what they often did - hauling a van train.  The contrast between Dapol "electric blue" and Bachmann / Lima "rail blue" can be clearly seen.

 

https://gwiwer.smugmug.com/photos/i-qdsQ6vq/0/1280/i-qdsQ6vq-1280.mp4

[lyneux]

I received a straightforward reply from Dapol as to what went wrong, as well as what needs correcting. Full credit to product development for being quick off the mark and forthright about it in response to an email request through their website. I would like to have seen this on this forum, if like me the major part of your hobby is this forum, as you have little time to play with your models.

 

So what did they actually say in their email to you?

[sanspareil]

I notice that the GM website has now been altered to suggested that the Pullman 73's are now due 'Jan 2016' - as each month passes they just seem to add a month, but the they must be close now!

I assume last weeks comment from GM that they are due this week is now void!

 

Here's hoping this 73 is ok etc livery wise, from what I saw under the poor lights of Warley it didn't seem so bad.

 

What is clear on this model is Dapol seem to have almost produced a pretty good model but really have let themselves down at the last hurdle on dotting the i's and crossing the t's (ie quality control/managing suppliers). If the comments on this forum are anything to go by basic improvements to quality control will increase sales to a good degree and avoid the number of returns people are undertaking. I don't honestly expected every rivet modelled perfection but for a £130 loco I and others don't expect basic glaring errors either.

Edited December 18, 2015 by sanspareil

[Francis deWeck]

A Conclusion:

 

My E6003 has now had a Zimo MX634D fitted. Yes it is upside down, but changing the CV's 33 to 2, 34 to 1, rectified the problem. The Route Indicator now lights up in the direction it travels, not withstanding the discussion as to which is front and rear of the loco.

 

This has come about from a conversation I had with Jeremy of Digitrains, who was very helpful. The Zimo is easier to program than the ESU Lokpilot, although it is a matter of personal choice. The loco performs very well now. Incidentally, the MX634D has been introduced to many of the locos that I have bought recently, so this wasn't a new purchase for me and I did not need persuading.

 

Thanks to Digitrains, a very helpful company, quite prepared to assist in a problem which had nothing to do with them.

[rob D2]

If anything, they'll offer replacement bodies in time if there are enough. Livery faults - like Heljan and Hornby have done in the past.

[Ted421]

Received my Gatwick Express one from Olivias this week. They modified the chip so lights operate correctly and cab lights can be turned on and off. Seems a very good model with one exception. The blinds at each end are double REDS. So, when the directional lights are on, you are leading with the high intensity headlight and the red blinds, which is just wrong. Is anyone else's fitted as such? I'm not been able to test on DCC yet, only DC, as my controller has decided to pack up! Don't know if it will operate differently on DCC, but I can't see how it would. 

 

 

[BR(S)]

Received my Gatwick Express one from Olivias this week. They modified the chip so lights operate correctly and cab lights can be turned on and off. Seems a very good model with one exception. The blinds at each end are double REDS. So, when the directional lights are on, you are leading with the high intensity headlight and the red blinds, which is just wrong. Is anyone else's fitted as such? I'm not been able to test on DCC yet, only DC, as my controller has decided to pack up! Don't know if it will operate differently on DCC, but I can't see how it would.

 

20151219_134936.jpg

 

20151219_134948.jpg

 

There are no tail lights on this model, just headlights, so it's the blinds that will need changing.  An odd choice to have used by Dapol/Olivia's.  I'm not sure how easy they are to change.

Edited December 19, 2015 by BR(S)

[steve1023]

Am I seeing it correctly - they've done the upper bodysides in black on this one too or is it me.......

[YesTor]

Am I seeing it correctly - they've done the upper bodysides in black on this one too or is it me.......

 

This livery fiasco is shifting beyond ridiculous.

 

Words fail.

[SRman]

There are no tail lights on this model, just headlights, so it's the blinds that will need changing.  An odd choice to have used by Dapol/Olivia's.  I'm not sure how easy they are to change.

 

There are instructions in the box on how to change the  headcodes. They even provide extra clear "glass" for the purpose in the add-on parts bag.

[griffgriff]

There are no tail lights on this model, just headlights, so it's the blinds that will need changing.  An odd choice to have used by Dapol/Olivia's.  I'm not sure how easy they are to change.

Not really. They are clearly expecting purchasers to swap the body with a Limby one and sit the Dapol body (with the double reds) in a dark corner of their layout somewhere lol

[47606odin]

E6007 has disclosed a few more irrits.

 

The couplers had the bar fitted upside down. In other words when plugged in with the bar in its normal position the loop unit was inverted.  It was no surprise then that coupling to a train proved near-impossible and that the bars both dropped out within moments of first use.  Irritating and another quality control issue which should have been spotted but the "fix" is merely to replace with two more couplers from stock.

 

One of the lamp irons also fell out and in the course of being refitted (with Australian sticky glue which is seemingly more effective than some of the Chinese stuff) a chip of yellow paint removed itself.  I've left the for now but I reckon I can fix it the next time I have a "yellow" job to do.  It's a tiny spot so not worth getting the enamels out just for that.

 

In evening light I got to see for myself the effect of both cab lights being on whilst the loco is in motion, along with an over-bright headcode panel.  Some work needed to the inside electrickery there.  

 

It's a shame Dapol seem to have skimped on the quality control as the loco itself runs well and looks like a 73.  Even if it's arguably not the right shade of "Electric Blue".

 

Light weathering now applied including Carrs dark sand powder wiped over the yellow panel which has taken the edge off the lemon and brought it slightly closer to custard.

 

 

And a click-to-play clip of the loco in action doing what they often did - hauling a van train.  The contrast between Dapol "electric blue" and Bachmann / Lima "rail blue" can be clearly seen.

 

https://gwiwer.smugmug.com/photos/i-qdsQ6vq/0/1280/i-qdsQ6vq-1280.mp4

my couplers were upside down too, i didn't notice, but the hooks fell off when i fitted them and when i went to refit the hooks, i thought, something was odd. then i realised. i then thought i was an idiot putting them in upside down, so it wasn't me. i thought i had lost the plot

[Rich Papper]

Well after two returns, waiting an extra fortnight and having to pay twice for the same loco mine has finally arrived. Livery issues are well covered above, I will repaint at some point but with a small baby it won't be today.

 

A couple of concerning points to share though. My various conversations with Hattons are well detailed here already, but the last two phone calls both gave cause for concern. Short version of story: ordered dcc fitted 73102, first one that arrived was green, second was right loco but broken buffers, third time lucky. When I phoned to arrange the return of the second loco, the person I spoke to said (and I quote) "the issue with the buffers being badly fitted is a known fault with this first batch". Naturally I asked what was being done to correct or discuss with Dapol, the answer was "we're not, but it Dapol are aware".

 

I asked them to send out another when the second arrived back with them, but they refunded me causing me to have to phone again. This time I asked the person I spoke to (very apologetic concerning whole saga), if they could at least check the buffers before DCC fitting since there were obviously some good ones out there like the one on the MR facebook page. He rang off as he wasn't aware of stock levels and phoned me back about an hour later. Again I quote, "got one, we had to go through about 40 though, luckily we still have 79 in stock".

 

Now I am very grateful for the effort, but seriously MORE THAN HALF of Hattons stock have buffers that are pointing towards each other, skywards, any which way but forwards - and they see no reason to take this up with Dapol? I agree with those above who have suggested that eventually they will end up heavily discounted - who in their right mind would keep a broken one for £140!! The other sad thing - Hattons can probably afford to send the likes of me broken ones and see if I'm dopey enough to keep one, but what of the smaller retailers? They will end up making a loss on this of they discount them far enough to shift them.

 

It is a lovely model, looks every inch a 73 to me*, but the quality control just hasn't happened.

 

Rich

 

(* or it will when I've painted it!)

[SRman]

A further note on my E6007 model. Harvey from The Hobby Shop, Faversham got in touch with me again, and said that as the brake gear is not listed as a separate part, they are organising to send me a replacement bogie frame as a complete assembly, through the Dapol agents, DCC Supplies. This is excellent follow-up service from The Hobby Shop and I would like to note that I have also had excellent service on several previous occasions from DCC Supplies.

When I swapped the brush wire feeds, I also used Decoder Pro to program the light brightness (using a Lenz decoder, as mentioned previously). The initial (default) setting was 240, so I lowered the setting for forward and reverse to 120. This improved things a bit, but I still considered the lights to be a bit bright, so tonight I have further reduced it to a value of 50 ... this is proving to be much more convincing.

As a temporary measure, I also decided to blank off the cab light contacts, so these are now inoperative. I have not had any response to my email to Dapol themselves, but I would still expect them to do something to rectify the faulty PCB circuits. If they don't do something in a timely fashion, I may do the modifications to the cab light circuits posted previously in this topic. It's something I am quite capable of doing, but would still rather not have to.

[Ted421]

Thank you for your replies RE the headcodes. Now sorted, luckily had some spare headcodes from a Heljan 33. Baffles me to why it came with reds at both ends and no spares to change them with (ie make them yourself) as it cannot be run in it's provided form without looking completely wrong. Even whites at either end would be better as at least the leading end would be correct and the trailing end hidden by rolling stock. As for the livery, think the dark grey is correct but the yellow is very different to my Lima example. Photos below

 

 

[Guest]

Having decided to hold off on the Dapol 73 and maybe butcher a Lima body on a Hornby chassis, I've noticed that ebay prices for the latter seem to have spiked a little. I would find it incredibly ironic if "first batch" Dapol 73s came down to around £70 and Limbys rose above that.

[Hue Jarse]

For what it's worth I thought I'd add my 73  story.

 

When I first took mine out of the box a couple of bits had fallen off of the fuel tanks and a window wiper was missing off of one end. The loose parts were easily glued back on once I'd worked out where they came from, and Hattons kindly sent me a wiper which saved me having to return the model.

 

Like others on here I was disappointed with the cab lights being permanently lit on DCC. I have now modified my BR blue large logo example in order to to make the cab lights work individually from the aux1 and aux2 outputs from the decoder. I did this in a similar way to MC in post 877 except that I moved a couple of resitors instead of cutting the tracks.

 

I also crossed over the motor wires to overcome the directional lighting problem. Dapol's solution of changing CV29 didn't work for me as on the decoders I have it not only changes the direction of the loco, it also changes the direction of the lighting, so overall - nothing gained. I could have changed other CVs to achieve the desired result but to me changing the wires over seemed the best overall solution.

 

In tracing out the circuit in order to modify it I couldn't help wondering why Dapol let the blunder with the directional lighting through in the first place. It seems to me that they must have known the main pcb was wrong as if you plug in say a Bachmann dc header the lights work wrongly on dc in the same way as they do on dcc. This suggests Dapol made their header "wrongly" in order to make the lights work correctly on dc, on a sort of 'two wrongs make a right' basis. Whichever way you correct the main board, either by crossing over the motor wires or crossing over the lighting connections, (depending on which end of the loco you want to call the front), it will now be wrong if you ever want to remove the decoder and plug the header back in and use it on dc, (unless you use another companies header). So to correct the problem properly Dapol will need to modify both the main pcb and the header plug.

 

Anyway apart from having to muck about with it like this (which to be honest I actually quite enjoy) I am otherwise quite pleased with the model. The only thing I would say is that to me the yellow ends look a bit too 'primrose' coloured in some lighting conditions but then, as I remember, the real thing could look various faded shades of yellow over time so I'm not too bothered about that, although if I'd had the Inter-City liveried one I don't think I would have been so happy!

[roundhouse]

I have been working on my green 73 today.

 

The first task was to remove the bow on the sides.

 

I have glued a lengyh of microstrip either side as per the photo so when the body is put back on the chassis, these strips push the body away from the chassis casting.

 

I also noticed that one cab bowed out a little due ot the cab interior not being clipped in properly. As I wanted to remove the cab to fit a driver this wasnt an issue.

 

One end the buffers bowed in so the buffer beam was carefully prized off the chassis,  The buffer beam and chassis were filed a little then the buffer beam glued back in place.

 

Loco now ready for renumbering and weathering

[NSE DAZ]

Thank you for your replies RE the headcodes. Now sorted, luckily had some spare headcodes from a Heljan 33. Baffles me to why it came with reds at both ends and no spares to change them with (ie make them yourself) as it cannot be run in it's provided form without looking completely wrong. Even whites at either end would be better as at least the leading end would be correct and the trailing end hidden by rolling stock. As for the livery, think the dark grey is correct but the yellow is very different to my Lima example. Photos below

 

20151220_161713.jpg

 

20151220_161742.jpg 20151220_161809.jpg

 

 

To be fair that Lima version of the 73 still looks amazing for it's age. Thanks for sharing the pictures Ted421

 

Darren NSE DAZ

[PrestburyJack]

There's lots of comments here about the BR Blue and Executive liveries, but not the BR Green - is that livery generally considered to be correct? I note the connector boxes on the ends are yellow, some pictures I have seen show them as red?

[roundhouse]

There's lots of comments here about the BR Blue and Executive liveries, but not the BR Green - is that livery generally considered to be correct? I note the connector boxes on the ends are yellow, some pictures I have seen show them as red?

The few colour photos that I have seen would appear that the green model is about rights. I do have a good colour photo of one at Feltham in a book whihc shows the connector boxes to be orange rather than the yellow on the model so I have repainted mine to orange.

 

The yellow looked too lemony aswell.

[Tony M]

Dapol made my decision easier. I wasn’t going to repaint the loco but when it arrived (with all its buffers intact) the colours were soooo far off I had to… There is still a bit of work to be done but nearly there. Anyone know where I can get the correct numbers for 73123??

Edited December 21, 2015 by Tony M

[Gwiwer]

Meanwhile in Australia more tiny parts continue to fall off E6007.  

 

Would someone mind telling Dapol, or more specifically their Chinese factory, that "assembly" usually requires glue as well as placing the parts in very close proximity to each other with fingers crossed?