Dapol 08

[3 link]

I have now re-quartered the wheels and with the balance weights roughly where they should of been in the first place, added a speedo drive which turned out to be a right pain but got there in the end. The wheel rims have been blackened to get rid of that shiney un prototypical look and it has just received its first coat of weathering.

 

I was a bit concerned that I might not get the quartering exact, which you need for smooth slow running. But there was and is quite a bit of play in the drivetrain which helps, so she can still crawl along like she was supposed to.

 

Next it's on to the body, I will probably alter the cab door handles first as they are in the wrong position and then finally decide her number as I brought one of the un- numbered ones. Then it's on to weathering the body followed by installing a Zimo chip and speaker.

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Martyn.

 

PS, after all that I cannot get the video clip to play ! Sorry..... Ha! Got there in the end.....

 

Edited March 7, 2017 by 3 link

[raymw]

plays ok here, in something named like twinui, I think, also in firefox, but not windows movie maker

[3 link]

plays ok here, in something named like twinui, I think, also in firefox, but not windows movie maker

Hi,

 

Thanks for the heads up, I have now uploaded the clip to YouTube but now I'm having trouble sharing it back to you guys.

 

Cheers,

 

Martyn.

[Wigan Wallgate OO Gauge]

So what liveries could they be resprayed into with no alteration to the mouldings?

[9430]

I made an enquiry with Railtec for transfers for my 08 on 30th December and have heard nothing. I know that they have alot on but does anyone know if this is par for the course?

Edited March 30, 2017 by 9430

[Luke Piewalker]

Hmmm.... I bought mine on the 30th of December, got an email the same day asking what number and shed codes I wanted, and they were sent out in the 4th of Jan.

Maybe your email got lost in a spam filter or something?

[Giles]

Just for general info -

 

I fitted a Digitrains/Chetter sound decoder to my 08, which is absolutely lovely - but I have been completely unable to change its address from 03. I haven't worried about it, because I've had more pressing concerns. However, earlier this week, I had the layout powered up, with the 08 running, and after half an hour, with the sing sat stationary, with the sound and cab light on it suddenly completely died, as if a switch had been turned off.

 

Everything else still operated fine - just the 08. Dead.

 

Blown chip, I thought. I'll have a look in the morning.

 

Next day, I took the lid off, removed the chip and tested it on DC, and the loco worked fine. Put the decoder back in, and it all works fine - but not only that, I was able to re-address it with no problem!

 

Haven't a clue about the whys and wherefores, but that's what happened.... just in case it might be useful to anyone....

[brossard]

Giles when I first installed the speaker in mine, I managed to short the wires under the board.  In the course of troubleshooting I found that the wiring to the board is quite fragile (after breaking a couple of connections) and rewired mine.  Perhaps you have an intermittent break?

 

It's all good now.

 

John

Edited April 14, 2017 by brossard

[3 link]

Hi Giles,

 

Thanks for the heads up, but a bit worrying to someone like me who does not even know how to re-address it in the first place. Still Touch wood she has been fine so far, this is my first DCC loco with sound and I am very impressed by it all.

 

Regards,

 

Martyn.

[Giles]

Thinking about it, I can only assume that the functions were 'overloaded' - or at least the thing perceived they were, and the automatic protection shut it all down. I'll turn the volume down, which is a bit high anyway.....

 

But the reset certainly unblocked the programming for me!

[CME and Bottlewasher]

.....Perhaps its like the oft heard phrase/advice from the TV series, 'The IT Crowd', with all computer related (chip/decoder) problems...'have you tried turning it off and then on again?!'

 

I didnt know until recently that when certain NiCad power packs go awry they need to be 'shorted' so as to 're-set' them....seemed to work for our strimmer's battery! Not sure how or if this relates to issues such as NiCad 'memory' or if its just due to dirty contacts but it seems to reboot the battery...but I digress.

 

ATVB

 

CME

Edited April 15, 2017 by CME and Bottlewasher

[Giles]

Disaster - 1.1m fall off the end of the layout. The loco genuinely wasn't programmed to move - and indeed after its fall, when I checked the controller, it was still reading '0' so I don't know...

 

It rather spoilt the afternoon...... I suppose though, looking on the bright side, the amount of damage is minimal considering the crash with which it hit the floor. One buffer sheered off completely - just leaving the remainder of the shank in situ, and a rail gone missing in action. The radiator casting has also suffered some very minor damage, but nothing I can't sort. Amazingly, the ladders are intact!

 

I will now have to see if I can manufacture a duplicate buffer - which is extremely boring. I very much doubt Dapol would have the whole assembly as a spare, given quite how firmly its fixed. It's sheered the brass tube cleanly in half, rather than pulling it out, as one might expect.

 

[steve fay]

I've added some nice builders plates to D3032

These are from Severn Mill.

I seen a Dapol 08 take 50 plus wagons around Pete Waterman's Leamington Spa last weekend!!!

Edited April 15, 2017 by steve fay

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Disaster - 1.1m fall off the end of the layout. The loco genuinely wasn't programmed to move - and indeed after its fall, when I checked the controller, it was still reading '0' so I don't know...

 

It rather spoilt the afternoon...... I suppose though, looking on the bright side, the amount of damage is minimal considering the crash with which it hit the floor. One buffer sheered off completely - just leaving the remainder of the shank in situ, and a rail gone missing in action. The radiator casting has also suffered some very minor damage, but nothing I can't sort. Amazingly, the ladders are intact!

 

I will now have to see if I can manufacture a duplicate buffer - which is extremely boring. I very much doubt Dapol would have the whole assembly as a spare, given quite how firmly its fixed. It's sheered the brass tube cleanly in half, rather than pulling it out, as one might expect.

 

Im sorry to hear that Giles, I had a similar mishap whereby 3-4 wagons lept out of a display diorama and fell on top of two more (why is it ones favourite models get clobbered?!) all in all about a 6' drop. 'Oh bother!' said I. All repaired now and then I went and caught my jumper sleeve on one of my dogfish....3' drop to the floor, ends up in bits=more work. IIRC Darren Sherwood-Jones had similar with a brass 7mm class 25. Sickening feeling in pit of stomach as it seems to happen in slomo but one is never quick enough to do owt about it! But worse happens at sea....so onwards and upwards.

 

Can you contact DCC supplies or even Dapol HQ at Chirk?? You never know they might have some extraordinary spares in stock.

 

Hope that you get it sorted.

 

ATVB

 

CME

[Giles]

Thank you CME!

 

I'll have a bash at making one this afternoon, but otherwise try and contact Dapol sometime next week.

 

I suppose it acts as a reminder that they're only models, at the end on the day, and one shouldn't get too fond of them.

 

Very sorry to hear about your stock though- a bad day...!

[Giles]

Well, new buffer made (although I need to find a spring for it)

 

Turned from brass, it is bored from each end, leaving a diaphragm somewhere in the middle, which dictates the 'out' position of the buffer

 

 

The remains of the original has been ground back with a burr. The new one will be fixed with proper 24hr araldite

 

Edited April 16, 2017 by Giles

[boxbrownie]

I seen a Dapol 08 take 50 plus wagons around Pete Waterman's Leamington Spa last weekend!!!

 

And what did the JLTRT 08 pull?  

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Well done Giles, very nice work!

 

It is gutting when stuff like this happens, yet as you say its all relative. Im restoring one of my, nigh on 40 yr old off-road RC cars....broken parts and bodies were the norm there, when its restored a quick run on grass/sand and then packed away again Ha ha!

 

On other news, I would imagine a MMP or JLTRT 08 with an ABC gearbox would be quite a performer.

 

ATVB

 

CME.

[Giles]

08 is now fully repaired and operational. But whilst I was testing a newly re-chipped 04, the 08 suddenly took off again by itself.....

 

There is obviously something going on, and I may return the decoder for replacement- as it (presumably) is unreliable. It is possible that the controller (Prodigy Advance 2) sends a random signal out - but it is to that loco address only - so the probability is the decoder by my reckoning.

Edited April 19, 2017 by Giles

[blackmoor_vale]

...But whilst I was testing a newly re-chipped 04, the 08 suddenly took off again by itself.....

 

...It is possible that the controller (Prodigy Advance 2) sends a random signal out - but it is to that loco address only - so the probability is the decoder by my reckoning.

 

 

Hello Giles, 

 

I suppose the issue is the analogue (DC enabled) control. If the decoder comes fresh from the manufacturer, the DC operation is in status „enabled“. You can control this in the CV29. 

 

Explanation about the principle of CV29 you can find in this page: http://www.2mm.org.uk/articles/cv29%20calculator.htm It is for 2mm, but DCC is always the the same, for N gauge, OO and even 7mm.

 

Most manufacturers have the CV29 on „6“ as default setting. In this case the decoder interpreted any „wrong signal“ or random, unwanted voltage as DC signal - and the loco will start in full speed. Therefore, please set the CV29 to the value of „2“.

The working principle of the CV29 is standardised, all DCC deocder, sound or non-sound, despite from ESU, Zimo, Lenz, Digitrax, Bachmann, Soundtraxx, TCS, Gaugemaster etc, all the same manner.  

 

And additional, some extra precautions. Create a mechanical stop (maybe soft rubber foam) on both ends of the programming track, similar to a buffer stop. 

Always only one loco on the track during the programming. And, if you set the loco on the track or lift off the loco, switch off the controller, no voltage and signals during handling is better.

 

97 percent of „unwanted moves“ are causing by „enabled DC operation“, two percent are both locos have the same addresses, and one percent a faulty decoder. 

 

Excuse for my crude English, but I am native german. Best greetings Torsten

Edited April 21, 2017 by blackmoor_vale

[Giles]

Thank you very much - I will give that a try...... it is jot an issue I've ever come across before, so I've never had to deal with it - but I shall certainly do this!

 

Thank you!

Edited April 21, 2017 by Giles

[Giles]

I've finally got round to fitting windscreen wipers - unpainted at present

 

 

 

 

Guard irons next - and weathering!

Edited April 21, 2017 by Giles

[3 link]

Hi Giles,

 

Any chance that you could put the " guard irons and weathering " jobs on here, I need to tone down my 08 and I have been putting it off up to now. I need to get more confident with the painting side of the hobby.

 

And after following all of your topics, any tips, advice would be most appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Martyn.

[Giles]

Certainly Martyn!

 

I've now made and fitted the guard irons. They are of 20 thou nickel Silver (for my convenience) which I profile milled with my little Proxxon pantograph, having laser cut patterns twice the size. They are epoxied on to the back face of the frames. The rear ones are very straight forward (albeit 1.5mm shorter than the front) and just require some very gentle beale to align them with the rails. The front ones however, are obstructed by a pair of misplaced air tanks, which require the guard irons to currie tightly around them, before bending back in over the rail. The deviation doesn't notice in reality - only the final location over the rail head.

 

On the whole, it is a job very well worth doing, as it fills out the underside visually.

 

The loco frames have also had their initial weathering consisting of a random mix of Matt black, gunmetal, 62 and engineering brick blue in varying mixes all over, and then covered in talc to give it texture. This I then gave a dirty black thinners wash, which got rid of the white of any remaining talc (I had brushed off all the loose talc, if course), and I have added a little Base brake dust around the brake shoes. It will get more oil, rust and brake dust.

 

 

 

 

 

The screen wipers I painted with metallic gunmetal, which improves them. I also laser cut templates to go over the windows with holes in for drilling guides for fitting them.

 

Edited April 23, 2017 by Giles

[Giles]

If anyone wants to fit guard irons, these are what I fitted....