Dapol Class 22

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Aft'noon all,

 

The third class 22 (first disc headcode version) for TG arrived today. I was again impressed by the crispness of the body moulding and detailing, representation of the all green livery and smooth running. Areas which will be rectified/improved before any of them appear on the TG roster will be: buffers (plates and shanks in the bin...housings to be checked), plastic and overthick headcode discs in the bin...to be replaced by brass etches. Headcode blinds/glazing to be modelled very finely. 

 

The 2 sets of Ultrascale tyred P4 wheelsets will be shared amongst 4 class 22s eventually, unless another high grade conversion option becomes available. The glazing and crewing will be altered (open windows etc), the cab lighting dimmed or extinguished, kick plates altered, toy couplings removed/shackle fitted and weathering applied.    

 

Dave

Edited June 1, 2013 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71

[Brian Kirby]

Hi Everyone,

    These latest disc headcode 22s were must haves for me, so i took the plunge and bought one of each of the first three versions, so far released. Here they are lined up for inspection, out of interest i've shown two versions of the pics, which show how easily digital cameras can affect and change the perceived colours. All i did was move the light slightly Guv. BTW Paul, i really like Greg's re-work of his D6327.

 

 

I tested all three, two were excellent, but D6316 was playing up. On investigation, i discovered that one wheel was loose on it's axle and going out of gauge. I removed the wheelset from the bogie ( bang goes the warranty ) and took the axle apart. The assembly consists of two stub axle wheels, two brass bearing bushes, the nylon gear/axle sleeve and two small clear nylon washers, that will be very easily overlooked or lost. I discovered a split on one side of the gear sleeve, presumably these are just a push-fit in the factory. The brass bearing bushes also required broaching to remove some rough edges. Once cleaned, my cure was a little daub of superglue inside the sleeve ends and quick reassembly, along with regauging. I found it tricky getting the axle bearings to sit correctly back in the bogie, whilst at the same time clipping the bogie frame back on, a job for three hands. There was also a faint wobble on another axle on the other bogie, that was cured by the same method. I've marked underneath the bogies, which axles are altered, so i can check progress. When i have time i will re-check the wheels on my four previous headcode box versions. All o.k. now, still otherwise delighted with the locos.

 

                                                              Cheers, Brian.

 

 

 

[robertcwp]

My foray into the latest batch of Class 22s - a green with no yellow panel (GNYP) one - got off to a bad start a week ago when my one failed after about two circuits of my layout and was sent back to Hattons, who exchanged it for another very promptly.  The replacement underwent successful acceptance trials today and has now had its detailing added.  The back-to-backs on mine seemed to be spot on.

Edited June 2, 2013 by robertcwp

[Brian Kirby]

Yes, having repaired D6316, i too have now fitted the details (except those tiny fiddly bogie hook thingies, we can put that off for awhile). Plugging the valances in is straightforward, once you've worked out where to start, although the odd one may drop out again. I found some of the discs too tight to plug in, so i eased the holes with an appropriate drill. Fitting the end pipes was fun, the multiple control cable has to double back on itself, so i found it easier to glue one end first. The loco only air pipes under the buffers were a slightly tight fit. All in all though, adding these well designed details does put the icing on the cake. Very pleased with the result.

 

Somebody queried Robert's last post, which probably points to "GNYP". That's code for Green No Yellow Panel (plain green to you and me). You will find other references to GSYP = Green Small Yellow Panel and GFYP or BFYP = Green or Blue Full Yellow Front.

 

Here's a pic of D6316 with Stopping Passenger headcode.       BK

 

Edited June 2, 2013 by Brian Kirby

[robertcwp]

 

Somebody queried Robert's last post, which probably points to "GNYP". That's code for Green No Yellow Panel (plain green to you and me). You will find other references to GSYP = Green Small Yellow Panel and GFYP or BFYP = Green or Blue Full Yellow Front.

I have spelled it out now.

 

By the way, blue with full yellow ends is BFYE and with small yellow panel BSYP.

 

I'd like to see the later end - the ones that had 4-character headcodes from the start, like this:

 

D6334_GloucesterCentral by robertcwp, on Flickr

 

 

The entire tension lock mounting simply unscrews and can be removed easily if you don't need the NEM boxes.

 

One of the valances on mine would not stay in at all so it's now held in with a piece of blu-tack.

Edited June 2, 2013 by robertcwp

[SRman]

Beaten to it!! I was going to suggest Blu-Tack or equivalents. I used a black equivalent to hold all of mine in place; it means they are less prone to getting dislodges when handling the loco.

 

I also copied what someone earlier did; that is, I scored the back of one of the panels one of the central ones in my case) and bent it outwards slightly to resemble a panel that has just got left at an outward angle a little, like those I have seen in a good many photos.

Edited June 2, 2013 by SRman

[Brian Kirby]

Yes quite right Robert, i should have written BFYE for Blue Full Yellow Front, rather than panel or front. It's purely unofficial, so variations do get spotted.

 

Just to clarify the Class 22 situation, in case anyone is baffled or confused by this complex little class. Out of 58 locos, the Dapol models (both disc and headcode box types) are centred around D6313 to D6332 of the D6306-33 production batch. Basically, D6300-5 were the pilot scheme prototypes and quite different, D6306-12 were like the Dapol disc model, but had slotted ventilators above the cab windows, as oddly did D6333 as well (possibly using up old parts). D6334 to D6357 were the later batch, that Robert alluded to, which were built with headcode boxes from new,

 

 All the Dapol headcode box models are based on rebuilds of the front ends of the earlier production locos and at a glance look the same as D6334-57, but there are detail differences of horn and light clusters, gangway doors and handrails. When they first attempted to convert from discs, they used those huge bolt-on headcode boxes which stuck out and thus fouled the original opening doors, so the doors had to be modified to a double folding pattern, as seen on the Dapol headcode version as a hangover from the previous rebuild. Eventually they got rid of all the bolt-on boxes and all received flush-fitting headcodes, but there were still curious variations on some with blanked off or re-positioned light fittings, for example D6322 and D6323 rebuilt to later batch style. Legend has it that there was also some roof variation, but i haven't got my head around that aspect yet, can anybody help? 

 

So in a nutshell, if you are going to re-number your Class 22, be very very careful which one you choose! Here's a pic to show the difference, on the left a Silver Fox/Bachmann later batch, on the right a Dapol rebuilt early batch. Yeah i know, i must straighten up my 'O's on my Paddington pilot. 

 

                                                                Cheers, Brian.

 

[valeofyork]

Which variation / livery would be appropriate for the final years of BR operation on the West Somerset branch line? My Dad, who grew up in Watchet, tells me that they appeared regularly.

[Brian Kirby]

Anything goes really on the West Somerset, some green small panels lasted to withdrawal, only two green locos received full yellow ends, but they were in the Devon area, the rest would have been in various forms of blue towards the end. I'd pick one allocated to Bristol or Laira (but not D6300-5), i'd avoid choosing one of the Old Oak Common locos, which were about a third of the class. Some of the final survivors at OOC in 1971, did get sent west again for their last few months, but only typically worked odd milk and parcels trains around Exeter. BK

[valeofyork]

Anything goes really on the West Somerset, some green small panels lasted to withdrawal, only two green locos received full yellow ends, but they were in the Devon area, the rest would have been in various forms of blue towards the end. I'd pick one allocated to Bristol or Laira (but not D6300-5), i'd avoid choosing one of the Old Oak Common locos, which were about a third of the class. Some of the final survivors at OOC in 1971, did get sent west again for their last few months, but only typically worked odd milk and parcels trains around Exeter. BK

 

Thanks. Would you be able to suggest a suitable number which Dapol have produced (ideally a blue one).

[Brian Kirby]

Bit difficult trying to find a blue one from Bristol, the late survivors there seem to be Green Small Yellow Panel, apart from D6325 which was blue with old numerals, but that went in October 1968. Far more blue ones to choose from Laira: D6318/22*/28/32 with old numerals (*avoid D6322 - odd details as mentioned above) and D6319/26 with later numerals (D6319 was withdrawn in ex-works condition and was bought for preservation, but there was a cock-up). Most of the OOC allocation were of the later production batch, which Dapol have not made, so there is plenty of choice using their models for West Country use.    HTH       BK

[robertcwp]

Now in service:

 

P1060608as by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

Edited July 7, 2017 by robertcwp

[Phil Bullock]

Anything goes really on the West Somerset, some green small panels lasted to withdrawal, only two green locos received full yellow ends, but they were in the Devon area, the rest would have been in various forms of blue towards the end. I'd pick one allocated to Bristol or Laira (but not D6300-5), i'd avoid choosing one of the Old Oak Common locos, which were about a third of the class. Some of the final survivors at OOC in 1971, did get sent west again for their last few months, but only typically worked odd milk and parcels trains around Exeter. BK

Hi Brian

 

D6331 was one of the 2 GFYE - think it spent spent more time allocated to 82A Bristol in that livery, usually working in the Gloucester area but also came up to Worcester occasionally and only ended  up in Devon for the last few months of its career in that livery. Mr TV will know the exact dates am sure.

 

Post 1285 above has our homage to her at a geographically correct location

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

Edited June 3, 2013 by Phil Bullock

[Brian Kirby]

Hi Phil,

I just scrolled back to post 1285, lovely job on D6331, nice weathering. I'm sure you've got a copy of the MLI 197 21s/22s/29s, where there's a lovely pic (page 73) of both GFYE locos D6312/D6331 together at Exeter on 3rd May 1971. The weathering on D6312 would be an even greater challenge.

Whilst talking about headcode boxes, forgot to mention the one that got away, although i'm sure someone has already covered it on this thread. Pilot Scheme D6301 must have been pretty well clapped out by the time of the last box conversions, and was stored in May 1967. However, it must have received some TLC and was back in traffic the following month, according to the MLI tables. Stored unserviceable again in November 67, it was officially withdrawn in December 67, the first one to go and retained it's original discs to the very end. The other five Pilot Scheme locos carried on until May 68. Oddly, D6347 beat them to it in March 68, perhaps it was an accident victim? Anybody know?

Cheers, Brian.

[Phil Bullock]

Hi Brian

 

Yep got that one - great shot! Was just after D6331 was transferred down west - think they must have finished with them at Bristol and therefore Gloucester in April 71. Allegedly D6331 caught fire whilst making the move west and I think was then dumped at Exeter for a while. Is there a picture of her actually working in the west in GFYE?

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

[Rugd1022]

Regarding D6347 - I think it had a nasty shunt at Old Oak, almost riping the side off one of the cabs. Driven from the wrong end no doubt, which was the cause of many a trip to Swindon for the mainline Hydraulic classes!

 

;O)

[Brian Kirby]

Thanks for that Nidge, actually in the case of poor old D6347, it was a trip down to Cashmore's Scrapyard in Newport and cut up in November 1968.

 

Phil's D6331 is a bit of a puzzle, it started life at Laira, but was a Bristol loco by 1966. It was probably in GSYP livery by then, but according to MLI was stored unserviceable in December 68. Well they must have fixed it, because there's a photo of it working a train at Gloucester on 15th July 1969, as long as the date is accurate in J.K.Lewis's "Western Hydraulics" book and it's still GSYP. Phil mentioned that the loco caught fire en route, when being transferred from Bristol to Devon, we do read reports that the class was prone to this, by leaking fuel and it coming into contact with stray exhaust sparks. It must have gained it's all-yellow front, when still based at Bristol between late 1969 and early 1971. Whilst dumped at Exeter it was withdrawn in March 1971 and perhaps robbed of parts before being towed to Swindon and scrapped in March 1972? (Source MLI)

 

One odd thing, the photo of D6331 at Gloucester does show, that when rebuilt to the final headcode box pattern, some additional alterations and plating over has taken place, at least at one end. D6320 is in the background and is another odd rebuild, with the horn and light cluster now in the later batch style, but only at one end, so could be after collision damage repair? The other end is depicted in MLI in the regular style, albeit two years earlier. Don't you just love this class? :-)

 

Cheers, Brian.

Edited June 4, 2013 by Brian Kirby

[Phil Bullock]

Thanks Brian

 

There are two other shots of D6331 in GSYP at Gloucester in Bradford Barton tomes recorded as 1969 and clearly in traffic in both.

 

Theres also an undated holy grail picture in Modeller's Guide to Modern BR Motive Power of her at Worcester in GFYE again in traffic  - and I saw her working through Abbotswood on 20th June 1970 on a south bound engineers working - D845, D1002  and D7025/46 also recorded that day amongst the sulzer hordes.

 

Rather blows the stored record out of the water!

 

AFAIK D6320 D6331 were the 85B local trip locos around this time

 

Kind regards

 

Phil

[Brian Kirby]

Thanks for the tip Phil, i've got most of the BB Hydraulic books, so i'll dig them out. There's a quoted date in MLI for when D6331 was stored unserviceable, but no date for it's return to traffic, which of course it did. BK

[Brian Kirby]

I know this is really a Dapol only thread, but as a little diversion, this is how we had to make a Class 22 in them dark old days. Here is the Silver Fox resin body mounted on a modified Class 20 chassis, with a big lump of metal chopped off the 20 nose end, old bogie sideframes cut off and resin 22 ones grafted on, with the wheels changed to Romford 14mm spoked tender type, plus a new plasticard water tank. With the bits left-over, i made a dummy Class 20 with a plasticard chassis and Southern Pride "Supa" bogies, with the 20 sideframes stuck back on.

 

 

This one is fitted with a North British type C fan, you don't get one of these with a Dapol, although fans are quite easy to make or buy etched ones.

 

 

Here's another late batch one, 6356, also a Paddington pilot loco for ECS. I'll keep these late batch versions in service until something better comes along, i might even add some pipework to bogies and underframe.

 

 

The Dapol's are certainly superior in quality and moulding, you could always convert one to the late batch in the mean time. You also get very neat working cab lighting, which i'm sure is switchable on DCC, but always stays on with ordinary 12v DC and not prototypical when moving. My simple cure was to pull the plug out when removing the body and leave unplugged, which doesn't affect the marker lights. BK

[SRman]

Yes, on DCC the cab light at one end comes on with function 1, and at the other, independently, on function 2  - except on those with sound decoders where the lights are remapped to higher function numbers (F1 is usually sound on/off and F2 is, by convention, horn sounds). On my Howes fitted 22 the cab lights are on functions 14 and 15, from memory.

It is a nice refinement when compared to Bachmann locos which have both cab lights switched on or off at the same time.

[SwissRailPassion]

Hi Everyone,

    These latest disc headcode 22s were must haves for me, so i took the plunge and bought one of each of the first three versions, so far released. Here they are lined up for inspection, out of interest i've shown two versions of the pics, which show how easily digital cameras can affect and change the perceived colours. All i did was move the light slightly Guv. BTW Paul, i really like Greg's re-work of his D6327.

 

Class 22 Models 016.jpg

Class 22 Models 017.jpg

 

I tested all three, two were excellent, but D6316 was playing up. On investigation, i discovered that one wheel was loose on it's axle and going out of gauge. I removed the wheelset from the bogie ( bang goes the warranty ) and took the axle apart. The assembly consists of two stub axle wheels, two brass bearing bushes, the nylon gear/axle sleeve and two small clear nylon washers, that will be very easily overlooked or lost. I discovered a split on one side of the gear sleeve, presumably these are just a push-fit in the factory. The brass bearing bushes also required broaching to remove some rough edges. Once cleaned, my cure was a little daub of superglue inside the sleeve ends and quick reassembly, along with regauging. I found it tricky getting the axle bearings to sit correctly back in the bogie, whilst at the same time clipping the bogie frame back on, a job for three hands. There was also a faint wobble on another axle on the other bogie, that was cured by the same method. I've marked underneath the bogies, which axles are altered, so i can check progress. When i have time i will re-check the wheels on my four previous headcode box versions. All o.k. now, still otherwise delighted with the locos.

 

                                                              Cheers, Brian.

 

Class 22 Models 041.jpg

Class 22 Models 044.jpg

Class 22 Models 050.jpg

Class 22 Models 051.jpg

 

I've had problems with my 22 which I bought from helpful Hereford model centre. The loco seemed to run okayish at first but with a slight wobble as if the wheels were eccentric. Then the running became much less smooth in one direction - as if it had pick up problems. It's been back to the shop where they thought it was the blanking chip. A new chip later and the running is still as bad so I'm going to send it back again. I've just seen your post and wonder if the axles on mine are the problem ? I tested the 22 yesterday on clean new peco track and it juddered at slow speeds. My Bachmann class 20 and 24s never have problems - even when the track is dirty. So my experience with this 22 has not been so good. Has anyone else had similar problems?

[tender]

Yes, on DCC the cab light at one end comes on with function 1, and at the other, independently, on function 2 - except on those with sound decoders where the lights are remapped to higher function numbers (F1 is usually sound on/off and F2 is, by convention, horn sounds). On my Howes fitted 22 the cab lights are on functions 14 and 15, from memory.

It is a nice refinement when compared to Bachmann locos which have both cab lights switched on or off at the same time.

My Class 22 is fitted with a Zimo sound decoder and I have remapped the cab lighting to the F1 (sound on/off) and made it directional.

It also is dimmed slightly as it was too bright and by use of the extended function mapping it switches off at any speed step over 0.

So the cab lighting follows the head lighting for direction and switches off when the loco pulls away and comes back on when stops. Neat.

Edited June 13, 2013 by tender

[Ian Hargrave]

I've had problems with my 22 which I bought from helpful Hereford model centre. The loco seemed to run okayish at first but with a slight wobble as if the wheels were eccentric. Then the running became much less smooth in one direction - as if it had pick up problems. It's been back to the shop where they thought it was the blanking chip. A new chip later and the running is still as bad so I'm going to send it back again. I've just seen your post and wonder if the axles on mine are the problem ? I tested the 22 yesterday on clean new peco track and it juddered at slow speeds. My Bachmann class 20 and 24s never have problems - even when the track is dirty. So my experience with this 22 has not been so good. Has anyone else had similar problems?

The contacts on one axle are causing an intermittent shorting. I,too,have had the problem but on DC.

[buffalo]

The contacts on one axle are causing an intermittent shorting. I,too,have had the problem but on DC.

How does that happen, Ian? There's a good 7mm gap between the contact strips and the brass bushes on each side and a fair amount of plastic in the muffs and gears to keep them apart. Unless well and truly mangled there's no chance of the contact strips touching. If you have shorting across an axle it's more likely to be a rogue wheel set causing shorting between the two stub axles. Perhaps an over-long stub axle or one that hasn't been pressed into the wheel correctly. Either that or the axles have been pressed too far into the muff, though that would show up by checking B2B and would most likely lead to a stiff axle.

 

Nick

Edited June 13, 2013 by buffalo