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Dapol 14xx in N


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Afternoon,

 

Been looking around for some info on the Dapol N gauge 14xx and partnering autocoach. Can't find much info on it to be honest.

 

I understand the first series came with out blackened wheels but I'm interested in BR black one with blackened wheels and a crimson and cream autocoach.

 

What I have found suggests it's not a brilliant runner but I would value a more honest account from people who have them.

 

Also is it easily DCC'able?

 

In thought I could use this as a steam special on my layout based around St. Keyne Station on the Looe Valley Line. See my posting on the Liskeard to Looe Branch on the UK Prototype board re: the use of a 94xx on the branch later in the year.

 

Cheers.

 

Mark

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I have one, from a middle run of them so it has blackened wheel treads. It is possible to DCC them, and there is a useful guide on the Dapol website. Good eyesight and skill with a soldering iron is needed (mine has a permanently coupled autocoach which houses the decoder). Running wise its better than the 44xx and M7 - it has a sensible starting and top speed. Pulling power isn't great, but then what did they pull in real life? The rear wheels are sprung and have pickups, so it will run through dead frog pointwork better than other short wheelbase 0-6-0s.

 

 

George

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Mine runs okay, maybe not the most fantastic model around but very much not the worst. Haulage is limited, but that was not a problem for me. Can't say I've run it much recently but that has far more to do with modelling in 2mm rather than n. DCCing was not to much of an issue, I just followed the guide on the website.

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... Pulling power isn't great, but then what did they pull in real life?...

I believe their load could be up to four autocoaches, two either end of the loco, plus one or two vans as tail traffic.

 

Nick

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Evening,

 

Thanks for all of your replies.

 

The 14xx doesn't sound so bad afterall.

 

The decoder wiring on the Dapol website sounds simple but complex as well but within my capabilities.

 

May have to treat myself!!! wink.gif

 

Cheers.

 

Mark

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I believe their load could be up to four autocoaches, two either end of the loco, plus one or two vans as tail traffic.

 

Nick

 

If you've got a nice level layout you should get away with that. Not much more though. Mine didn't like going up some rather steep gradients with very much at all.

 

 

 

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I've got two that I've run around a simple figure of 8 test track. Both run very smoothly and haul a 'reasonable' length train (four or five Grafar suburban coaches) without any dramas up and down a 2 percent slope. Haven't tried to DCC them yet, but given my limited soldering skills I'll probably get that done by somebody else! very happy with them both.

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Evening,

 

Thanks for the replies,

 

The 14xx could be making a guest apearance on my layout after your honest reviews.

 

My layout is flat so a 14xx and an Autocoach should by the sounds of things cope admirably.

 

Cheers.

 

Mark

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I've got a 14xx too. I've converted it to DCC using a TCS Z2 DCC chip. The 14xx is my most reliable Dapol loco.

 

Markus

 

 

Evening Markus,

 

Thanks for that. Sounds promising and glad to hear she's a reliable loco as well.

 

Cheers.

 

Mark

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Hi,

 

probably a little late here but: i have 3 of these engines one purchased when they first came out aand 2 since including one black one as released a while back. All run very well, and all can manage to move my 5 coach rake of Farish MK1 suburban coaches, i very much doubt the real things ever did that much.

 

I do recall one of these engines visiting the Great Central railway back in the late 90's and managed a 6 coach rake of Mk1 coaches no problem, only issue was the trains ran late as the engine needed to take water after ever trip!

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  • 8 months later...

Generally a good model with most being silent runners. I bought some of the chassis straight from Dapol and at first half of them didn't work. They all needed to be oiled and have the armature manually moved to make them go. Once they were up and running most were great. I suspect they had been in storage for a while. Haulage varies massively, I think due to the varying pressure from the spring on the pony axle. My latest one had a nasty wobble and had to be returned.

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They all needed to be oiled and have the armature manually moved to make them go. Once they were up and running most were great. I suspect they had been in storage for a while.

 

The grease seems to dry out and go solid fairly quickly on the early ones. I clean it out and relubricate.

 

Cheers,

Alan

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I believe their load could be up to four autocoaches, two either end of the loco, plus one or two vans as tail traffic.

 

Nick

 

 

The permitted loading for auto fitted engines came in two forms - one load table when working an 'ordinary' train and another table when working a rail motor service. The permitted loads for rail motor services were governed by the gradient and the following applied for 14XX

1 in 40 72 tons

1 in 50 96 tons

1 in 60 120 tons

1 in 80 144 tons

1 in 100 168 tons

In contrast under the ordinary trailing load tonnage tables a 14XX was permitted to take 220 tons trailing on any section of the route from Paddington to Bristol in the Down direction and a generally similar load in the Up direction but reduced to 198 tons effectively between Bristol and Swindon via either route. They were, remarkably, allowed 310 tons between Old Oak Common and Kensington but only 258 or 284 (depending on stops) in the opposite direction while in one or two other places - and invariably downhillblink.gif - they were allowed 336 tons. Whether they ever actually did it is another issue but they were gutsy little locos and they could - as is well known - also run pretty fast when the occasion (or competition) so demanded.

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Thanks for those details, Mike, even if it did take you a while to respond :D

 

Perhaps what I should have said was that I'd not seen photos of them with more than four trailers and a van. Do you happen to know what what the weight of a typical trailer is?

 

Nick

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Thanks for those details, Mike, even if it did take you a while to respond :D

 

Perhaps what I should have said was that I'd not seen photos of them with more than four trailers and a van. Do you happen to know what what the weight of a typical trailer is?

 

Nick

 

Serves me right for not looking at the tread previouslywink.gif I would say about 27-30 tons, the only one I can find a definite figure for is the Diagm. A26 74ft car which had an official weight of 32 tons.

 

 

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