New OO gauge Class 73

[dibber25]

As I mentioned somewhat earlier I discovered my couplers had been wrongly assembled.  They plug in just fine and stay in when hauling a train but the arms dropped off because the loop unit was upside down!  A QC / assembly issue also reported by others.

 

I didn't faff about refitting the arms; I removed Dapol's couplers and fitted a pair of spare Hornby ones from stock.  They work.  They are assembled correctly.  And they sit about 1mm higher than the supplied ones therefore don't need the vertical part of the arm trimmed with Xuron cutters when it's found to foul cross-rails and other objects in the four-foot.  That latter problem afflicts other Dapol items as well notably the "silver bullet" wagons all of which required the coupler bar clipped by the tiniest possible amount to avoid fouling due to hanging low.

 

With the tension-locks fitted the pipework and dummy coupler cannot be used.  The coupler fouls everything.  I managed to fit the outer half of the low-level MU control jumpers and prove they were clear of coupler swing only for them to clip something else at some point and be torn out.  Without damage, it must be said, but frustrating all the same.

 

I have had no problems with swing, buffer locking or drag-offs but have not attempted a closer coupling method.

Thanks for that. I had the same experience with two locos. Going to be a challenge writing this review - three in three months where I've had to don the tin hat and flak jacket! (CJL)

[ChrisB]

You can only write as you find. I suppose you could neglect to mention certain things  but that would be, at the very least, a disservice to your readers. If you were to do that, it devalues not only that review, but any others you write in the future and you would be better off not writing anything.

 

As I said before, it will be interesting to see the language used in any reviews.

 

Good luck!

Edited January 4, 2016 by ChrisB

[Derekstuart]

On can disagree with you, Mr Leigh, and still have a respect for what you write nonetheless.
 

I think your years of expertise entitle you to that at the very least.

 

Thanks for that. I had the same experience with two locos. Going to be a challenge writing this review - three in three months where I've had to don the tin hat and flak jacket! (CJL)

[tetsudofan]

Just got e:mail from Gaugemaster with an invoice relating to my order for the Brighton Argus Cl.73 so presume the model will be arriving here later this week. Fingers crossed that the model will arrive in one piece.

 

Keith

[Nobby (John)]

Yep, same here.

I have already got the GBRF model and a cracker it is, it is complete with all parts attached.

[Matt]

Thanks for that. I had the same experience with two locos. Going to be a challenge writing this review - three in three months where I've had to don the tin hat and flak jacket! (CJL)

Chris I wouldn't like to be in any reviewers shoes. If it helps then for years I have always found your / MRs reviews to be the ones I trust most. I've always felt that you tread the right line between being hyper-critical and ignoring some fundamental issues.

M

[Shedmaster]

Hi All,

 

I've just been advised that my 73101 is now en-route from Gaugemaster's Works to Stewarts Lane T&RSMD, eta tomorrow.

 

Lets hope I'm shouting about it for all the right reasons when it gets here eh ?

 

Kindest Regards,

 

Shed.

[James90012]

If you do I'll be ordering one too!

[steve shorrock]

Hi, Just been on the phone to DCC supplies and the fix for the lights is to read CV33 Should read 1 Change (write) to 2  ,then CV34 Should read 2 Change to 1 and this should fix, (unless you are using TCS decoders? ) I have just done a Bachmann and a Hattons chip successfully.

Happy New Year To all,

Steve

[Guest]

Have Dapol become what Hornby was about 3 years ago?
 

Very little communication with the customer base.

Quality Control Issues.

 

Regards,
Matt

[BR(S)]

Looks like images of the production models of the Pullman liveried ones are on the Gaugemaster site (I'm basing this on the white roofs that were grey on the pre-production ones):

 

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=DAGM101&style=main&strType=&Mcode=Dapol+DAGM101

 

http://www.gaugemaster.com/item_details.asp?code=DAGM100&style=main&strType=&Mcode=Dapol+DAGM100

[159220]

I have also experienced this when asking a few questions about the Class 68s which are due for release soon. I sent an email and had no reply whatsoever.

 

This tells me that it's not just Dapol's practice in the factory and the manufacturing process that needs to be improved but also the customer service towards there customers.

 

Just a comparison when you email Bachmann you receive a reply back within one to two working days which answers all of your questions asked and everyone is more than helpful.

 

Odd as I find the team at Dapol nothing but true Gentleman, always taking the time to communicate via email. The odd part is that when I have emailed Bachmann in the past I get a 'on the fence' reply usually weeks later which says utterly nothing to address my question and well, Hornby, sometimes they answer within a month, other times not. I then begin to think, how many emails I receive and how some, to no fault of my own, escape me.

[Francis deWeck]

Hi, Just been on the phone to DCC supplies and the fix for the lights is to read CV33 Should read 1 Change (write) to 2  ,then CV34 Should read 2 Change to 1 and this should fix, (unless you are using TCS decoders? ) I have just done a Bachmann and a Hattons chip successfully.

Happy New Year To all,

Steve

As posted in #970/241215, cv changes were supplied by Digitrains. I don't understand the reference to TCS decoders, which have always been pdg in my experience. I pointed out the discrepencies with regards to the pcb/decoder interface to dcc supplies when I raised an issue with a new release Class 22. Dapol have acknowledged this fault to me in private correspondence.

[John M Upton]

If anyone is after the Brighton Evening Argus Pullman 73101 Gaugemaster Ltd Edition then I have just taken delivery of one that I had completely forgotten I preordered!!!

 

Willing to let it go for cost price (£130) including UK P&P if anyone is interested.

Edited January 5, 2016 by John M Upton

[LaGrange]

If anyone is after the Brighton Evening Argus Pullman 73101 Gaugemaster Ltd Edition then I have just taken delivery of one that I had completely forgotten I preordered!!!

 

Willing to let it go for cost price (£130) including UK P&P if anyone is interested.

Any chance you can post a photo of it please? Alas not got the dough atm but curious to see if Dapol have the colours on this one right...............

[John M Upton]

Any chance you can post a photo of it please? Alas not got the dough atm but curious to see if Dapol have the colours on this one right...............

 

Looks pretty spot on to me:

I pre-ordered this one many years ago but long since then I have gone down to N gauge and a completely different era so it no longer fits.  Pity really as it is a stonkingly good looking model.

[47606odin]

personally, that is a poor rendition of the nameplate and the U in Pullman should straddle the gutter drain, so something is amiss

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/18398574924/

 

Looks pretty spot on to me:

20160105_104845.jpg

20160105_104850.jpg

20160105_104857.jpg

20160105_104906.jpg

20160105_104911.jpg

I pre-ordered this one many years ago but long since then I have gone down to N gauge and a completely different era so it no longer fits.  Pity really as it is a stonkingly good looking model.

[47606odin]

and the more i look, the plate under the 2nd mans window should not be central

personally, that is a poor rendition of the nameplate and the U in Pullman should straddle the gutter drain, so something is amiss

 

https://www.flickr.com/photos/36034969@N08/18398574924/

[47606odin]

the top brown line should be lower than the side windows and the light pin striping is too close to the bottom of the body

and the more i look, the plate under the 2nd mans window should not be central

[John M Upton]

A set of etched nameplates is included all be it with a black background when they should be brown!

 

As 73101 received Pullman livery twice and there were minor differences between the two, I wonder if the application here is of the later version but with the initial version Brighton Evening Argus names applied which only appeared on the first version and then quite briefly.

 

It would explain some discrepancies...

Edited January 5, 2016 by John M Upton

[47606odin]

and the stripe on the cab doors is too high

the top brown line should be lower than the side windows and the light pin striping is too close to the bottom of the body

[47606odin]

and the yellow warning panel is a bit too low 

and the stripe on the cab doors is too high

[47606odin]

and the warning flashes on the front are too low

 

and the yellow warning panel is a bit too low 

other than that, it is excellent 

[DRS Crewe On A Mission]

I cannot comment on Hornby as I have never emailed them. On the other hand I only have one Hornby loco as the majority of mine are either Bachmann or ViTrains.

 

For me the no reply suggests a basic lack of customer service and respect for customers who are going to be paying hundreds upon hundreds of pounds for there models. I am planning on buying both DRS and both ScotRail liveried models in 00 Gauge, so that's four in total so far. I might even buy the Chiltern pair but it depends upon if there are any other models which I would rather have at the time. If I do buy them two too that will be all six of the first batch. In that case that will be over £700 on six models. I mean if I'm not worth a quick reply to one email when I'm going to be spending at least £500, then it does make you wonder.

 

Just my opinion but Dapol need to understand that if you can't reply to basic emails when customers are asking a few questions, then customers aren't going to be happy or satisfied. This is basic customer service, communicating with customers who are buying there models, ensuring that all of there questions and queries are answered.

 

I also feel sorry for the people who haven't received replies about there broken, faulty or damaged Class 73s. Its atrocious considering these models are £100+ each. Considering these models already have faulty PCB/electronics, the lighting doesn't work correctly and the colours on the liveries are incorrect. That's not to mention parts falling off. That's four faults and counting. Considering the price no one should have to do there own repairs to the electronics, repaint the loco/s or attach and glue parts back on themselves.

 

It might sound harsh but it does appear that there has been a severe lack of quality control with these models and the faults with the PCB, lighting and parts falling off are very basic and those faults simply should not have happened especially considering the time length customers have been waiting for these models.

 

On a positive note from the photos of the models on here they look very smart albeit the liveries and shades of colours are inaccurate in some cases.

 

The fact that Dapol have also made no announcement or replied to customers emails regarding these faults is appalling. Just in my opinion with four faults and counting that's the least they could do.  

[Downendian]

I think a bit of perspective is needed here, and the thread is now becoming circular.

 

The problems of the first batch are now well documented and thanks to all who have posted, and made my decision to delay purchasing until either the price comes down a bit or the errors are corrected on any subsequent batches an easy one. I'm convinced that Dapol will be looking at this, and they have a very good piece of tooling to rectify the electronics/livery/bits dropping off issues.

 

As a WR diesel era modeller Electro diesels are not a central requirement, but I can see the aggrievement though from a SR modellers viewpoint. Reiterating the same problems repeatedly isn't going to change the problems with the first batch in my opinion - it's not as though this hasn't happened before. Perhaps Dapol will do a recall, but then again many have bought the models warts and all.

 

Neil