Oxfordrail - Adams Radial

[cromptonnut]

The R1 trackwork would be "off scene" - using proper points and code 75 for the scenic section in the plan I am working on which comes to 10ft x 3ft on its widest part.  I'm just drawing up an "in principle" design using XTrackCAD using mostly straight track whereas the actual station itself is of course built on a curve.

[Georgeconna]

Hi Folks,

 

Purchased one of these last week whilst visiting the Bournemouth Model shop. First Impressions was that it was a nice package for the price

 

I ran it in for the suggested period of time on DC. Changed to DCC and the running got progressively worse and again same under DC. Wheels, track and pick ups are spotless and the track is flat oval on ply with no undulations,

 

Whilst running at over 40% power it runs fine and struts around the track with 3 coaches no problem but any thing under 40% on the controller the loco stutters and re starts on its own.

 

I can't seem to get to grips with why this is happening and It seems to be a motor issue rather than track, pick up  issue as other locos run fine. I have Changed the BEMF on the decoder to see if any different but no.

 

Anyone have a similar problem before my patience is lost and it gets returned to the retailer.

 

cheers

 

George

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I'd suggest this is very typical of momentary interuptions of supply to decoder or motor. Most likely problem location a 'dry' soldered joint, or a connection which relies on a contact which is slack, somewhere in the wiring.

 

With no decoder in the loco, run leads from your DC  controller output directly to the motor terminals. If that runs the motor reliably, then the problem is in the wiring - somewhere - can be a complete bitch to find. If otherwise happy with the loco and convinced that the motor is good, my usual choice is to 100% renew the wiring, quicker than bothering with the tedium of tracking down the fault location.

[Georgeconna]

I'd suggest this is very typical of momentary interuptions of supply to decoder or motor. Most likely problem location a 'dry' soldered joint, or a connection which relies on a contact which is slack, somewhere in the wiring.

 

With no decoder in the loco, run leads from your DC  controller output directly to the motor terminals. If that runs the motor reliably, then the problem is in the wiring - somewhere - can be a complete bitch to find. If otherwise happy with the loco and convinced that the motor is good, my usual choice is to 100% renew the wiring, quicker than bothering with the tedium of tracking down the fault location.

 

Cheers for that, It was going to be the next step to go direct to the motor but I was too knackered to take it on last night...

[JSpencer]

Cheers for that, It was going to be the next step to go direct to the motor but I was too knackered to take it on last night...

Note that any rewiring will render the warranty invalid. Only do this if you are 100% sure to fix the problem, otherwise take it back for replacement.

 

The problem described could be whole host of things, from dry joints, wheels loosing contact with pickups, faulty etc Etc

[Georgeconna]

All sorted now, sat back and thought about it, stuck the tics dp2x-uk into a class 73 and the same jerky running so not loco. Adjusted cv 54 / 55 and the loco is pottering about nicely albeit perhaps and slight bit more tuning to the decoder.

 

Quite happy with the engine now, thanks for all the suggestions, I had not played trains for a while so completely forgot about the 54 / 55 values.

 

Thanks

 

George

 

[Peter Bedding]

Good morning all.

 

The release-to-market day for the next Oxford versions of the Adams 0415 class will soon be with us, and I hope that they are a commercial success  I bought a sample of OR's 30584, (because it was there, regardless of livery), and I was most pleased. I know I should worry about the inaccurate boiler profile, but I don't..

 

What is beginning to concern me though, is that one of the computerised images for number 3520 is of the wrong loco, and even more wrong would be the slidebars. The final 3 locos were all built by different foundries, Using Eastleigh's numbers, 125 was built by Stephenson, 488 by Neilson, and 520 by Dubs. All were built much about the same time (1885-ish)

 

125 and 520 were rebuilt by the Southern in 1930 and amongst other changes received new frames of a different front profile. Both of these locos retained the original single slide bars. So these details would be appropriate for wearing Mr Maunsell's lined olive green passenger loco livery. The computer image for OR76AR006 is, I believe, broadly appropriate, and I hope to own one soon.

 

However, the computer image generated for (3)520 - OR76AR007 is, I believe, wrong in one particular respect. It purports to show 3520 correctly in Mr Bulleid's utility livery as worn in 1946, but with the Neilson front frames unique by then to 488.

 

I realise that I am raising the fine art of rivet counting to almost unprecedented new heights, but my point is that OR acknowledged these selfsame differences with their original press release, and their tooling to date has shown that their production department can get it right. It's just the advertising that threatens to get it wrong.

 

I hope that some one can show us that all is under control.

 

PB

[olivegreen]

Interesting points by Peter Bedding. The lack of attention to detail in advance advertising (pictures, at least) has been discussed here before - for example, the picture with two types of safety valve was one point IIRC.

 

A given livery with the correct and obvious mechanical details (the slide bars that Peter mentions) is hardly descending to rivet-counting, and believe me, I'm absolutely not a rivet counter!

 

Like you, I sincerely hope that OR will have got it correct when the models quoted eventually appear. If not, stand by for pages of criticism here, chaps.

 

Mike

[adb968008]

I think I'm going to sell my T9 on, it's pretty much unusable, either the bogie wheels bounce off, or the driving wheels constantly slip off the tracks. It is a shame because I quite like the loco but what is the point in having it if I can't use it?

 

Not forgetting several are prone to Mazak rot too.

[bertiedog]

GreenGiraffe22, on 28 Jul 2016 - 17:50, said:

I think I'm going to sell my T9 on, it's pretty much unusable, either the bogie wheels bounce off, or the driving wheels constantly slip off the tracks. It is a shame because I quite like the loco but what is the point in having it if I can't use it?

 

It is the engineering design genius at Hornby that put two traction tyres on the same axle that causes issues.

 

If two wheels are gripping the track on a straight piece of track. all is well.

 

But we have corners on model railway tracks, and the inner rail is shorter than the outer on any corner, therefore the wheels that are both gripping on the straight are going to start having troubles on a curve, something has got to give, and one of the wheels is going to loose grip with the track,........it must........whilst the other grips.

 

Or both loose grip, and traction fails, or worst, as the locos rocks slightly, one wheel grips, then the other grips.

This makes the rock worst and the loco can come of the track, especially on points on a curve.

 

Hornby's designer has obviously little grasp of this problem, solved by other makers by putting just one side traction tyres.

 

Stephen

[bertiedog]

By the way the same problem applies to real locos, but they are on such long radius curves, play and track stretch masks the problem. But it does come up on tight radius track, and the squeal you hear on trams and industrial locos is not wheel flange noise, it is the wheels forcing one side to slip whilst the other grips. The tyre is skating along on one side making quite a racket in doing so.

 

Stephen

[Robin Brasher]

Adams Radial 3520 is due between July and September. This is OR76AR006 3520 in Southern livery.

 

The olive green livery in the computer generated pictures in the Oxfordrail and Rails of Sheffield websites appears too light.

 

The picture in the Hattons website shows the model in what I think is the correct shade of Maunsell sage green and this should match Hornby's locomotives.

[Robin Brasher]

I continued the Radial trials on the Purbeck Model Railway Group's layout at the Stables, Godlingston Manor, Swanage this morning. The Oxfordrail was a little noisy and struggled with a 13 wagon train. I rostered these in alphabetical order with the Alum Bay sand wagon in front.

[Tim Hall]

I continued the Radial trials on the Purbeck Model Railway Group's layout at the Stables, Godlingston Manor, Swanage this morning. The Oxfordrail was a little noisy and struggled with a 13 wagon train. I rostered these in alphabetical order with the Alum Bay sand wagon in front.

Oh, it's Alum Bay sand. I thought it was a wobbly piece of Battenburg.......

[Mr chapman]

Was it this month the southern version's out?

[JSpencer]

Was it this month the southern version's out?

 

Oxford tend to advise these things about 1 to 2 weeks before they actually appear. Sign up for there news letter on the class.

 

It should be noted that future batches have DCC sound option which doubtless is needing a little rethink and retooling of the chassis to fit it.

 

Be nice to have the EKR one before a show I intend to do in October for my shunting plank Horrid Hill (a Kentish layout), however I will not complain if it is not there.

[DAVE1562]

Anyone noticed wheel slip problems?...under dc power when running in all seemed to be well even with 2 non corridor 3rds..since i hardwired a zen DCD-Z8 and stay alive in the tender position you can see it struggle on the curves (i have min 2nd radius +).....wondering weather its down to power curve adjustments on the decoder?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Traction is down to mechanical grip, less the drag of any carrying wheels, and essentially unaffected by decoders. Now, if in fitting the decoder weight was removed or the centre of balance was altered, or action/springing/travel of carrying wheelsets changed, or a carrying wheel is now draggier, then you may well see a change in tractive performance.

 

First suggestion, remove carrying wheels: is traction then adequate, and does the loco balance pretty much in the middle of the coupled wheelbase?

 

If the answers to both those are 'yes', then it is only the carrying wheelsets to sort out.

[Mr chapman]

Come on Oxford! Where's my olive green radial!

[barrymx5]

Well I have gone the whole hog and converted my SR olive green preorder to one with sound. Perhaps I will regret it!

[JSpencer]

Well I have gone the whole hog and converted my SR olive green preorder to one with sound. Perhaps I will regret it!

I did the same with my EKR one having found the DCC ready versions from both makes were not very easy for sound conversion.

 

The EKR one fits in with my SECR stock (and just about with KESR).

Edited October 5, 2016 by JSpencer

[tractionman]

Come on Oxford! Where's my olive green radial!

According to Hatton's

 

'Due into stock between October 2016 & December 2016'

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

[Mr chapman]

Well I have gone the whole hog and converted my SR olive green preorder to one with sound. Perhaps I will regret it!

If its no good just turn it off

[BG John]

A search of this topic didn't find anything, so has anyone converted it to EM or P4? Or does anyone who hasn't, but knows their way round the chassis, have an opinion on it?

 

I've almost decided to buy one, to eventually backdate to as built condition in P4, but until that happens I'd like to be able to push the wheels out on the axles to convert to EM, if that's practical.

[Adams442T]

A search of this topic didn't find anything, so has anyone converted it to EM or P4? Or does anyone who hasn't, but knows their way round the chassis, have an opinion on it?

 

I've almost decided to buy one, to eventually backdate to as built condition in P4, but until that happens I'd like to be able to push the wheels out on the axles to convert to EM, if that's practical.

 

I suspect you'd be better off converting the Hornby one.  Apart from the 'boiler issues' I think that the Hornby model may be easier to convert to EM, if not P4, with Gibson wheels and axles.  I managed to buy one for only £10 more than an Oxford, well worth it IMHO for the daylight under the boiler, and the subsequent difficulties in converting it!