Dapol 121 and 122 dmus in O gauge

[two tone green]

Possibly I should have positioned the destination name slightly lower. If I ever get really really bored I may reposition them. 
 

Buffer beam detail tomorrow. 

[admiles]

On 13/02/2022 at 10:25, railtec-models said:

 

It already is. A quick search on "destination blind" on the web site reveals:

 

https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=4514

 

 

 

.....and really rather nice they are too!  Here's a set applied to my Laira based 122.

 

 

[two tone green]

Today was buffer beam detail on the 121 but not quite as simple as the instructions would have you believe. 
Air and vacuum pipes no problems but the electrical jumpers are to long so hit the rail head. 
In fact they droop below the railhead so I shortened them by cutting the cable flush at the fixed end of the cable, drilled it the diameter of the cable and having shortened it inserted it into the hole with a spot of superglue. No clash now. 

[Steve Williams]

I always thought that those cables looked too long, from the very first photos I saw. Such a ridiculous error.

[Steve Williams]

On 12/02/2022 at 08:42, norman said:

Congratulations to Dapol.  They have learnt lessons from the class 122 and applied them to the 121.  I fitted a Zimo decoder and this time there was no need to modify the wiring, all lights worked and with a bit of  function remapping I am well pleased.  Also, the slow running is certainly better no need to switch off back EMF, runs very smoothly.

 

Any details of what function re-mapping required, appreciated, thanks Norman.

[Keith J]

On 13/02/2022 at 15:18, norman said:

Well I have never noticed these additional steps. Did they fold automatically when the door was opened and closed?

Assuming it's refering to the same thing, the railcar.co.uk website mentions that these plates were a secondary door locking mechanism fitted to units that remained in passenger use in the 2000's. You can see them quite clearly on the Chiltern railways liveried unit on this Wikipedia page:-

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_121

Edited February 15, 2022 by Keith J

[70E]

On 10/02/2022 at 17:09, 70E said:

Mine has been delivered today and looking at the photo I'm wondering whether to bother even opening it or to send it straight back and exchange for a yellow panel, it looks so wrong without the whiskers meeting in the middle, as mentioned how could they get it right for the oo version and so wrong for o gauge?  

In the end I decided to keep mine, however, I did email Dapol and they replied today saying that they are aware of the of the issue with the whiskers  and that a resolution to the problem is under discussion and that they would contact me when a decision had been made.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BECMAYE]

I emailed Dapol to explain to them that the headcode and destination blind transfers were too big for the 121 model. I asked if they would be issuing revised replacements but they replied saying that this unlikely as I was the only person who had contacted them about this isuue.  Maybe if other customers contacted them about this they will reconsider?

[Ray H]

I was looking at the headcodes this afternoon. I had presumed that they would be fitted from the inside but I can't seem to find a way to extract the two cabs and the lighting bar that joins them. This isn't helped by one of the screws securing one of the cabs in place has a mangled head which I can't see a way of extricating.

 

The headcode box also seems wider than the combined width of the transfers thus requiring a means to cover the two side margins although I presume I could trim some black off one or more of the unwanted headcode digits and use that.

[norman]

The head code box outer layer of plastic glass can be removed. Just a blob of black tack and quick pull.

[37114]

11 hours ago, Ray H said:

I was looking at the headcodes this afternoon. I had presumed that they would be fitted from the inside but I can't seem to find a way to extract the two cabs and the lighting bar that joins them. This isn't helped by one of the screws securing one of the cabs in place has a mangled head which I can't see a way of extricating.

 

The headcode box also seems wider than the combined width of the transfers thus requiring a means to cover the two side margins although I presume I could trim some black off one or more of the unwanted headcode digits and use that.

I removed the cabs on mine by unscrewing the 3 screws that join the cab lighting to the roof bar Ray. You then need to undo the 2 cab screws and prise the cab unit backwards away from the bottom of the centre window. Appreciate the above is irrelevant if the cab securing screw is knackered however 

[Hal Nail]

14 hours ago, Ray H said:

The headcode box also seems wider than the combined width of the transfers thus requiring a means to cover the two sides margins

In the link I posted (bottom of page 14), you can see the real digits filled the space fairly evenly. I've not seen Dapol's yet but if they are smaller I'd replace with the likes of Fox or Railtec. Alternatively Precision Labels provide the internal frame which could be trimmed to fit Dapols box (equally you could easily make one from thin paper).

 

http://www.precisionlabels.com/l41.html

 

 

Edited February 17, 2022 by Hal Nail

[Ray H]

Many thanks for the above.

 

I have made my own reporting numbers/legends previously in Word. I use a table cell and enter whatever I need. I then set the font to white - watch your typing disappear  - and then set the cell background to black and your typing magically re-appears. I then print the result onto overhead slide transparencies. Job done

 

I'll try norman's suggestion first. I'm not too worried about the destination box at present as I need to make up some destination legends of my own.

 

I've still no idea how to get the light/assembly out given the dodgy screw head.

 

There was one knackered screw head holding one of the cabs in place internally and a missing screw holding the seat assembly in place. Other than that all seems to be in order, or should be after it's had a run round the club layout this evening.

[two tone green]

I popped out the cabs and fitted my head code and destination signs from the inside. 
 

Made my own using word and font Gill San MT but apparently BR Headcode font is in MS Train Simulator and loadable into word so must look for it and use that as it’s very close to the real thing I am told. 
 

If I find it I will reprint mine and move the destination name down on the panel and make the black background wider. 

[Ray H]

I tried my usual overhead transparency method but found the backlight too bright so I just printed the headcode on ordinary white paper.

 

I'll look for the MS Train Simulator font and try that out in due course.

[two tone green]

1 hour ago, Ray H said:

I tried my usual overhead transparency method but found the backlight too bright so I just printed the headcode on ordinary white paper.

 

I'll look for the MS Train Simulator font and try that out in due course.

I used plain white paper but found I got a better black if I picked photo paper in the drop down list of papers on my Epson printer. 
I expect it will be different for different printer makes or even papers. 

[Keith J]

On 12/02/2022 at 08:42, norman said:

Congratulations to Dapol.  They have learnt lessons from the class 122 and applied them to the 121.  I fitted a Zimo decoder and this time there was no need to modify the wiring, all lights worked and with a bit of  function remapping I am well pleased.  Also, the slow running is certainly better no need to switch off back EMF, runs very smoothly.

 

Please could someone clarify my understanding of the issue with the interior lighting of the 122 & 121.

 

As I understand it if you fit a Zimo decoder to a 122 the interior lights won't work without a wiring modification however the lights will work without any modification if you use a Loksound V5 decoder. Is this correct?

 

Looking at the info that Norman has posted it seems that with the 121 the lights will work without any modification when using a Zimo decoder. So, does this now mean a wiring modification will be necessary for a Loksound V5?

 

Thanks in advance of someone clearing this up.

[Ray H]

I have a Class 121. I followed the fitting guidance notes on the YouChoos website when fitting a Zimo decoder. I know that the interior lights work as do the head & tail lights and I know at least one of the cab lights works - I keep forgetting to check the other .

 

I did make a wiring change as recommended by YouChoos. I can't say whether this was recommended to work with their Sound file/function mapping or whether it is necessary for any Zimo decoder (or ESU decoder).

[two tone green]

I have a 121 with a V5 Loksound decoder and all the lights work without wiring changes but I did have to do some remapping of functions, aux outputs that control the lights etc. 

 

For me I wanted directional red white lights on F0 plus directional cab lights to match the direction of travel but controlled with a separate function key, I can’t remember but I thing I put them on F6 with passenger lighting on F7. 
 

Away from home so cannot check but 100% no wiring changes needed for ESU V5 Loksound. 
 

Possibly if you want separate red and white lights on separate F keys maybe you do need to rewrite it but I won’t be trying this out. Happy with directional lighting. 

 

Running wise very good with excellent low speed. 

[Ray H]

I can confirm that the cab light is directional. My understanding is that there are several 21-pin decoder formats and that the format Dapol have chosen is at variance with the one the Zimo decoders use.

 

Here's my headcode production. I have subsequently thought of trying to indicate the blind separations using a vertical white pencil line between the characters.

 

[Keith J]

Thanks Ray & Two Tone Green, that's really helpful.

 

Ray - that headcode looks fab.

[Steve Williams]

Well I have just got around to testing my 121 (on DC) and it has the grinding sound at low speed in both directions, so that will be going back. Fortunately I kept all the packaging in anticipation. That in itself is  sad reflection on quality control!

[two tone green]

5 hours ago, Steve Williams said:

Well I have just got around to testing my 121 (on DC) and it has the grinding sound at low speed in both directions, so that will be going back. Fortunately I kept all the packaging in anticipation. That in itself is  sad reflection on quality control!

Would it be worth running it in first to see if things quieten down. 
I also removed a load of grease from around the motors and axles. 

[Steve Williams]

Well the one motor seems OK, but the other one is very noisy. Well either the motor or the gearing. Certainly doesn't sound as though it's something that would disappear. Quality control seems to have become such a widespread issue, whether it's with Dapol. Heljan or Hornby to name but three. There really is no excuse.

[Hal Nail]

9 hours ago, Steve Williams said:

Quality control seems to have become such a widespread issue, whether it's with Dapol. Heljan or Hornby to name but three. There really is no excuse.

I don't profess to be an expert on their production process and wary of repeating comments on here as fact but it has been posted regularly across the forum that, with overseas batch manufacturing, there is little or no QC attempted. I think it's worth heeding the warning.

 

Instead they offer quibble free returns and therefore it's always advisible to check promptly, especially as the trend is towards 7mm selling out more quickly so you can get caught out. 

 

 

Edited February 20, 2022 by Hal Nail