Oxford Rail announces - OO gauge GWR Dean Goods

[Compound2632]

I don't know much about Great Western engines but isn't the tender in the photo of 2386 one of the 3,000 gal ones with 7'6" + 7'6" wheelbase (per Mainline) rather than the 2,500 gal type with 6'6" + 6'6" wheelbase (per Oxford) with which the engines were originally paired?

[melmerby]

The Dean Goods had a variety of tenders over the years.

 

Beware of possibly dodgy information such as this (on Brassmaster's webpage):

http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/images/GWR%20Finney/Dean%20Goods%20front%207mm.jpg

claims to be 1935 condition!

 

Keith

[Brassey]

The Dean Goods had a variety of tenders over the years.

 

Beware of possibly dodgy information such as this (on Brassmaster's webpage):

http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/images/GWR%20Finney/Dean%20Goods%20front%207mm.jpg

claims to be 1935 condition!

 

Keith

 

Dodgy information? The caption for his image on the Brassmasters site actually reads: "Dean Goods no. 2487 with round top boiler and coal-railed tender in post -1908 period livery." ? The 1935 refers to the prior image.

[melmerby]

Dodgy information? The caption for his image on the Brassmasters site actually reads: "Dean Goods no. 2487 with round top boiler and coal-railed tender in post -1908 period livery." ? The 1935 refers to the prior image.

Someone needs to change a web link then:

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/images/GWR%2520Finney/Dean%2520Goods%2520front%25207mm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/gwr_2301_dean_goods_0-6-0.htm&h=254&w=635&tbnid=RwA3eYlvms1i2M:&tbnh=80&tbnw=200&usg=__N2ualXC0bosne5k7wpeVWrwptO0%3D&vet=10ahUKEwjG-N2pl5LbAhWMLsAKHWa6DlIQ_B0IpQEwCg..i&docid=7DXxcc_oDW7ewM&itg=1&client=firefox-b-ab&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjG-N2pl5LbAhWMLsAKHWa6DlIQ_B0IpQEwCg

 

Keith

 

EDIT how misinformation gets around.

Edited May 19, 2018 by melmerby

[Edwardian]

I don't know much about Great Western engines but isn't the tender in the photo of 2386 one of the 3,000 gal ones with 7'6" + 7'6" wheelbase (per Mainline) rather than the 2,500 gal type with 6'6" + 6'6" wheelbase (per Oxford) with which the engines were originally paired?

 

Yes, I was wondering when someone would spot that,

 

And a Midland man to boot!

[Compound2632]

Yes, I was wondering when someone would spot that,

 

And a Midland man to boot!

 

I'm not averse to the Great Western, so long as there's some red.

[Brassey]

Someone needs to change a web link then:

https://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/images/GWR%2520Finney/Dean%2520Goods%2520front%25207mm.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.brassmasters.co.uk/gwr_2301_dean_goods_0-6-0.htm&h=254&w=635&tbnid=RwA3eYlvms1i2M:&tbnh=80&tbnw=200&usg=__N2ualXC0bosne5k7wpeVWrwptO0%3D&vet=10ahUKEwjG-N2pl5LbAhWMLsAKHWa6DlIQ_B0IpQEwCg..i&docid=7DXxcc_oDW7ewM&itg=1&client=firefox-b-ab&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjG-N2pl5LbAhWMLsAKHWa6DlIQ_B0IpQEwCg

 

Keith

 

EDIT how misinformation gets around.

 

Aah this is an automated google link that would have been created without human intervention.  It's obviously picked the wrong caption but then a google robot is highly unlikely to be able to tell the difference between the same loco in 1908 and 1935 Great Western green livery.  We're all going to have to get used to this stuff as robots take over. 

[Edwardian]

I'm not averse to the Great Western, so long as there's some red.

 

Good, because I'm far from averse to the Midland, so long as there's some green ...

[Chuffed 1]

Reading all that has gone before, it seems that Oxford have again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory

 

Keith

And not just Oxford.  Quite recently we've had the Dapol Class 73 debacle, the DJ 14xx, closely followed by the Hornby 14xx.  Even the superlative Hornby H was marred by nobody noticing that the chimney currently carried by 263 was an early pattern fitted during preservation.  It would appear that both research and quality control are being reduced to a level that permits inaccuracies and poor build quality. Bachmann, for all their sloth like production speed, at least produce stock that runs and is largely accurate.

Or is this the return of 'that'll do'...?

[BWsTrains]

Reading all that has gone before, it seems that Oxford have again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory

 

Keith

Hi Keith,

 

You've had your share of woes with this but at end of the day are you happy with what you finally ended up with once the problems were addressed?

 

I'm still torn between a keen desire to have this model and concerns over the issues reported here.

 

Colin

[melmerby]

Hi Keith,

 

You've had your share of woes with this but at end of the day are you happy with what you finally ended up with once the problems were addressed?

 

I'm still torn between a keen desire to have this model and concerns over the issues reported here.

 

Colin

My replacement loco now runs reasonably smoothly, it was just a lttle jerky to start but has improved after a few "miles" under it's belt. It is also a fairly quiet runner.

It's haulage capacity could be better but again has improved a bit after some judicious tweaking of the pickups. Still some scope for extra ballast though.

It's a pity the two flywheel mech wasn't retained but I've plenty of locos without flywheels that are perfectly smooth.

 

It does look to my eyes like a Dean Goods and has a far better mechanism than the Airfix designed loco with it's awful tender drive.

 

Cheers

 

Keith

[Garethp8873]

One refurbished GWR 2356 Dean Goods in GWR Shirtbutton livery... really looking forward to seeing this engine come back to the layout.

Edited May 28, 2018 by Garethp8873

[Silver Sidelines]

I cannot recall seeing this comparison before.

 

One at £30 off eBay and the other around £90 from the usual suspects.

 

My personal preference appearance wise is for the £30 model.  It has a smoke box number ready fitted and turned brass smoke box handles are easily added.

 

[BWsTrains]

Reading all that has gone before, it seems that Oxford have again snatched defeat from the jaws of victory

 

Keith

 

After some thought I went ahead and bought the newly released sound version of Dean Goods 2475 in the hope that Oxford might have had time to improve quality issues since the last batch and trusting in my retailer to back that up with a test I specified to be done before shipment. Well that purchase was a triumph of hope over experience if anything ever was.

 

The loco arrived yesterday, but it has both the known faults, jerky running, especially when coming to a stop, buzzing noises of varying intensities, again most pronounced on coming to a stop and then to my utter amazement, the sound doesn't work at all!!!!!

 

This is not shooting yourself in the foot, Oxford, something more appropriate would be this, as I'll never ever buy your products again

 

 

Late edit to add an amended view, see Hornby 14xx post if interested!

By comparison my little Hornby 48xx just glided around the same track with not a glitch, slip or stutter. To compare it's problems with the Oxford Dean is IMO a travesty, one cost me under 40GBP and works to my needs after minor tweaks,

 

the Oxford Dean in question at 160GBP is just a lump of very expensive metal.

 

Colin

Edited July 5, 2018 by BWsTrains

[Black Marlin]

I'm not averse to the Great Western, so long as there's some red.

 

 

Good, because I'm far from averse to the Midland, so long as there's some green ...

 

I used to be averse, but I have subsequently been extended to the full ode.

[57xx]

I've tried trawling back through the thread with no success. Do I recall people finding that the centre wheels don't actually touch the track, resulting in a long wheelbase 0-4-0? Also has anyone seen issues with the rear tender pickups not actually being bent out to touch the wheels?

[Silver Sidelines]

Good Evening Ric

 

That is an interesting observation

 

Briefly I don't know what is in the thread.  However if you enlarge the picture of the GWR version in Post 1839 above

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/107457-oxford-rail-announces-oo-gauge-gwr-dean-goods/page-74&do=findComment&comment=3179607

 

It looks very much to me that the centre wheels are 'riding high'.

 

.. Do I recall people finding that the centre wheels don't actually touch the track,.

 

Despite buying a new Mainline version I took advantage of an offer from Rails and bought the Oxford BR black.  It has rubbish haulage capacity and slips to a standstill on my 1 in 56 gradient with five trucks and a brake van.  It really is pathetic.  It would be embarrassing to say how many extra wagons the Mainline engine can haul. A better test is a comparison with a Bachmann 22xx and even that makes the Oxford Dean look stupid.  Your thought that the centre drivers are not touching the track might be relevant and when there is less to do in the garden I shall investigate further.

 

Thanks

 

Ray

 

PS I will go and do my paper test (under the centre drivers) and report back.

 

PPS I have carried out a paper test on glass - the centre drivers on my BR black version are both in contact with the glass.  All six are pretty level, maybe a question about one of the drivers under the cab.

Edited June 5, 2018 by Silver Sidelines

[57xx]

Hi Ray, thanks for checking your one. I too took advantage of the Rails offer, but am now thinking this thing will have to go back.

 

It was very obvious on this example that there was a problem. After a couple of hours of running in, the outer pair of wheels had the blackening worn off the rim. The centre drivers were untouched, no wear at all. Low speed running is still rubbish and I think the cause for this is the amount of drag on the tender wheels. You can see the loco drivers slipping as it tries to drag the tender around the test track. I've not even attempted to hook up any wagons behind it yet!

[coachmann]

Some folk appear to be having some bad luck with the Dean Goods. I have the twin-flywheel and the later single flywheel types and both are okay runners. The twin-flywheel is the better chassis on DCC and this is the one on my YouTube videos.

Edited June 7, 2018 by coachmann

[DavidR]

I gave up on mine. It went back to Oxford and was returned within 48 hours: apparently they'd decided that  the centre pair of driving wheels were out of kilter and replaced them, at the same time running it on a rolling road to test it.

Put it on the layout, cleaned the track and ran it - it was less jerky, but still not up to scratch. Tried it in reverse, a little better but not much. It sits in its box waiting the day when I can summon up the energy to dismantle it and try to get to the root of the problem.

First and last time I buy an Oxford loco.

[No Decorum]

After sorting out the well-known problem, my first Adams Radial runs beautifully. The Dean Goods is not so good – it binds. However, what horrified me was that I was following my usual procedure of holding one tender wheel still with my thumb whilst wiping the opposite wheel with a cotton bud dipped in meths. The wheel I was wiping turned in its sleeve. After the Radial, I expected something a bit better but instead Oxford has produced something a bit shabby.

[57xx]

However, what horrified me was that I was following my usual procedure of holding one tender wheel still with my thumb whilst wiping the opposite wheel with a cotton bud dipped in meths. The wheel I was wiping turned in its sleeve. 

 

I found the exact same thing when cleaning the tender wheels! This was the point I also discovered the rear pickup wipers not being bent out to touch the wheels.

[Silver Sidelines]

I have interrupted a 'North East'runing session to make a couple of videos of my Dean Goods engines (in the plural).  Reading the Posts on this thread I might be lucky and have ended up with a rather nice smooth running example.  After a little bit of use even the adhesion beween rail and wheel seems to have improved as I can get the the model to climb further up my gradient before coming to a halt.

 

https://youtu.be/_ffwkow-3V0

 

If I give the Oxford Rail model a run at the gradient it will now climb to the top - so that's an improvement. The second video is made up of views of both the Oxford Rail Model and a new unused Mainline model from 1985. I was using Gaugemaster DS controllers with the brake simulator switched on.  The Mainline model might have been happier starting and stopping with the simulator switched off.

 

https://youtu.be/KotCYIfPV8Y

[TRAILRAGE]

My father picked up one of the DCC fitted models from Rails on sale. tested on Analouge it ran fine. Fitted a Blanking plug ran even better.

Lovely little Loco and runs very smooth.

 

With all the negative comments you here .5mm out there .1 mm out here If people were to remember that 4mm will always be a compromise, you can get past it and start enjoying what you have.

 

Nice Job on this Oxford.

 

Cheers Trailrage 

[Dick Turpin]

My father picked up one of the DCC fitted models from Rails on sale. tested on Analouge it ran fine. Fitted a Blanking plug ran even better.

Lovely little Loco and runs very smooth.

 

With all the negative comments you here .5mm out there .1 mm out here If people were to remember that 4mm will always be a compromise, you can get past it and start enjoying what you have.

 

Nice Job on this Oxford.

 

Cheers Trailrage 

 

Yes, any RTR model is going to be a compromise, the idea of which might just, before release:

 

Please some of the people all of the time

All of the people some of the time

 

But after release, at least if you believe what they post on here:

 

Please none of the people none of the time! 

 

It does make you laugh, but if you have a sense of humour, as well as a sense of proportion you can just forget it all, enjoy your model, get on and enjoy your hobby.