Dapol Class 121 and 122 in OO gauge

[Coppercap]

So far, so good. Excellent response from RAILS!!! They have asked me to send it back for replacement and sent me a pre-paid postage label. Great customer service!!!

TBH, as you bought it via mail order, that's the least I'd expect them to do. Hopefully they'll test the replacement for more than yours ran, before sending that one to you!

They do look nice though - I'm thinking of getting one, but can't decide on whiskers or SYP...

[owentherail]

My headcodes for DMU came in post today, cheers Dapol

[Bailey Gate]

Headcodes received in the post today, good service from Dapol. 

[ruggedpeak]

For info marker and High Intensity headlights are different colours as per prototype

 

Edited December 15, 2017 by ruggedpeak

[Andy1963]

Just had notification from Rails that my DCC fitted green whiskers cl121 has been dispatched. Early Christmas present to self. 2018 new years resolution, must build layout.

[adb968008]

Mine runs fine around my curves, varying from 2nd radius to 4th, and over points, but I find even on full power they run approx half speed of most of my other stock, I have two.. Blue/Grey and the GW150 and both pretty much run equal speed... but both are comparatively very slow to almost all my other stock.

I find the same is true with my Dapol class 73's, is this a known/accepted issue ? (i'm on DC using a Gaugemaster Handheld).

Edited December 18, 2017 by adb968008

[Ian Hargrave]

Mine runs fine around my curves, varying from 2nd radius to 4th, and over points, but I find even on full power they run approx half speed of most of my other stock, I have two.. Blue/Grey and the GW150 and both pretty much run equal speed... but both are comparatively very slow to almost all my other stock.

I find the same is true with my Dapol class 73's, is this a known/accepted issue ? (i'm on DC using a Gaugemaster Handheld).

 

My bubble car was chronically stiff and slow out of the box,so much so that I almost returned it.I too have a Gaugemaster...a D twin track.Happily after much perseverance it now runs well with excellent slow speed control and acceptable top speed.

[TheSignalEngineer]

My 121 was also sluggish from the box, particularly in one direction. I also use a Gaugemaster D. After about 30 minutes in each direction on the rollers it got much better. 

[Red Fox]

I echo the comments about running in the 121, I have a some of the Hattons Limited Editions and after about 30mins of running in at half power they achieved a much more reasonable speed. I've had no problems with the steps catching on my 3rd Radius test loop though one unit is noisier in one direction than another but that sounds like something internal.

 

It appears the DCC Supplies Limited Edition Chiltern Green 121 is now in stock, had a request for payment last week. Hopefully mine will arrive before Christmas.

[davy crockett]

The cause of the noise in one direction is the motor moving in its mounting, a piece of thick double sided tape stuck to the motor or housing will cure the noise.

[dibber25]

I echo the comments about running in the 121, I have a some of the Hattons Limited Editions and after about 30mins of running in at half power they achieved a much more reasonable speed. I've had no problems with the steps catching on my 3rd Radius test loop though one unit is noisier in one direction than another but that sounds like something internal.

 

It appears the DCC Supplies Limited Edition Chiltern Green 121 is now in stock, had a request for payment last week. Hopefully mine will arrive before Christmas.

 

My review of 121034 is in the February Model Rail. I think you'll like your model. (CJL)

[Guest chris.trebble]

Couldn't resist Rails Advent Calendar offer (W55000). Too late to add to Christmas list, so had to raid my own bank account! Lovely model, runs beautifully straight from the box but, unfortunately, only have a short length of test track at the moment. Such a shame that Dapol's GWR streamlined railcar doesn't come up to the same standards as this model.

Edited December 20, 2017 by chris.trebble

[dibber25]

Couldn't resist Rails Advent Calendar offer (W55000). Too late to add to Christmas list, so had to raid my own bank account! Lovely model, runs beautifully straight from the box but, unfortunately, only have a short length of test track at the moment. Such a shame that Dapol's GWR streamlined railcar doesn't come up to the same standards as this model.

 

The streamliner is still a nice model, though. I'm going to spend today tweaking mine! (CJL)

[alexross42]

I received my Blue/Grey 121 last week, it's a great model but stutters a lot and seems to be suffering power drops, which seems a bit more extreme than just running in issues. Twice yesterday it stopped at spots on the layout that other models have no issue with, then I just put my finger on the roof of the model (didn't move it back or forth) and it started running again   - I'll do some more running in and track cleaning to see if this improves things, will take a look at the wheels too in case they need cleaning up.

[Westernway]

I have the122 and the121. Both of these models hardly moved when I first started to run them. Although the instruction sheet says you do not need to run these engines in, you most certainly do!

After a few minutes running both started to speed up and quieten down. They run beautifully now however, if they have been stood for a couple of days, I give them a quick spin around my running in track, other wise they are sluggish and noisy.

 

John.

[ruggedpeak]

I have the122 and the121. Both of these models hardly moved when I first started to run them. Although the instruction sheet says you do not need to run these engines in, you most certainly do!

After a few minutes running both started to speed up and quieten down. They run beautifully now however, if they have been stood for a couple of days, I give them a quick spin around my running in track, other wise they are sluggish and noisy.

 

John.

Why would not running them for a few days make them seize up if you'd run them in?

[Westernway]

Why would not running them for a few days make them seize up if you'd run them in?

 

I honestly do not know why they are sluggish (not seized up). If I did I would try and sort it. Could be the same reason that they were both very sluggish from new maybe???

 

John.

[Roy Langridge]

Why would not running them for a few days make them seize up if you'd run them in?

I think the grease used gets thick over time. In time I will clean the gear-train of mine up and relubricate them.

 

Roy

[Westernway]

I think the grease used gets thick over time. In time I will clean the gear-train of mine up and relubricate them.

 

Roy

 

Thank you Roy. I am very new to the hobby and have lots to learn.

 

ATB John

[Roy Langridge]

Thank you Roy. I am very new to the hobby and have lots to learn.

 

ATB John

 

Just for reference, I use Labelle PTFE grease and find it very good.

 

Roy

[owentherail]

Hattons have sent me a set of headcodes too now, nice of them, must of looked up who had the DMUs on record.

[The Johnster]

Thank you Roy. I am very new to the hobby and have lots to learn.

 

ATB John

 

Lubricant grease left for a period can solidify and cause the very problem it is supposed to solve, but a few days shouldn't make much difference.  How long does make a difference is a variable dependent on all sort of things I don't know much about such as temperature, humidity, the price of horse biscuits in Outer Mongolia and such, but the longer you leave it the more likely it is to lose it's viscosity, and keeping the model in the box seems not to help!  A frequent inquiry on this site is where a 'brand new' model which has been stored for a few years while the layout is built will not run because it is seized solid!

 

The remedy is to clean the old grease out; I use Maplin's rattle can 'Switch Cleaner' which has so far been kind enough to my various types of plastic and is powerful enough as a spray to blast most of the old grease out of the way.  Once the model is clean, leave it overnight while the spray evaporates, and re-lubricate.  This can be done with suitable machine oil obtained from a model shop or Hobbycraft, with a hypodermic syringe to apply it; it needs to be applied in very small amounts, and the hypo helps you get into awkward spots.  Keep the hypo separate from any others in your home for obvious reasons THIS IS IMPORTANT.

 

You will have to take the body off your loco to do this.  Instructions on how to do this will be in the service sheet that came with the model; if you do not have one they are downloadable from the manufacturers' websites; they will also show you the correct points to lubricate.  PTFE grease is a superb lubricant but I would not be certain that it can be applied by hypo to some fiddly spots!

[TheSignalEngineer]

That white stuff  is a real pain, but can have a silver lining. I bought a Baccy 08, struggling to turn a wheel, for a knock-down price. I suspected that a bit of 'adjustment' would do the trick as when it was persuaded to move it did so quite smoothly. 

 

Sure enough when I got it apart the white stuff was solid in the gears. I dismantled it and cleaned all of the crud out, then lubricated it with a black graphited grease. It's now been running for about 7 years with no further attention.

[Red Fox]

My review of 121034 is in the February Model Rail. I think you'll like your model. (CJL)

 

It is very nice. I'm pleased DCC Supplies and Dapol went the extra mile on this to provide the door locking plates.

[The Johnster]

That white stuff  is a real pain, but can have a silver lining. I bought a Baccy 08, struggling to turn a wheel, for a knock-down price. I suspected that a bit of 'adjustment' would do the trick as when it was persuaded to move it did so quite smoothly. 

 

Sure enough when I got it apart the white stuff was solid in the gears. I dismantled it and cleaned all of the crud out, then lubricated it with a black graphited grease. It's now been running for about 7 years with no further attention.

 

 

I have a similar tale to tell about my Hornby 2721, although in this case it was a matter of it's previous owner's attempting to lubricate it, finding that it didn't work because he (assumption alert, and qualification, here; other genders are available) hadn't cleaned out the old stuff, and putting more on.  A strip down, proper clean out, re-lube, and careful re-assembly has provided me with a nice little runner and a useful loco for a fiver, and a bit of working up has improved the appearance quite a bit, too.  Slow running is not bad, but not on a par with my Baccy panniers, so she is rostered to the morning miner's workman's.