New Dapol O gauge B4

[PaulRhB]

Mine don’t sound like a Pacific so I’m not sure what file Marc got 😆

 

On 24/06/2023 at 20:45, MarcD said:

It sounded more like a 3 cylinder compound than a 2 cylinder shunter.

 

 

 

[MarcD]

Not sure what was going on with the one I saw but it didn't sound like that. There were a few of us and none of us though it was quite right. It might just need synchronization. I had a chip in a terrier that had the same problem until it popped.

Marc

[PaulRhB]

Just received a very nice response from Joel at Dapol. He was mystified why the decoders were loose and has checked their stock and found them seated correctly. He will be interested to hear if anymore arrive like it. 
He offered help if required for the damage but I’ve said no as it’s easier to touch up than send it back and forth. 
Well done Dapol, nice to see a speedy and good response. 

[PaulRhB]

Right a couple more cv’s that might be useful. 

 

Many commercial projects have the volume up and down buttons on the function list but the Dapol list ends at F15. 
 

So I looked up the Zimo cv’s allocate it and volume up is cv397 and down cv396. 
 

To allocate it to an F button you just put in the number of the key up to 27 or 0 for F28. 
 

I wanted,

Volume Up F16 - so changed cv 397 to 16

Volume Down F17 - so changed cv396 to 17

 

Now I can turn it up or down to suit the room if it goes quiet or noisy 😁

[neal]

17 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

 

Not particularly impressed with ‘Sound Fitted’ with the decoder tray just lobbed in loose and bouncing around in the post!

 

Both loose and Normandy has paint chips as a result. 
 

Ok they are dead easy to fit, once you’ve moved the wires from across the socket but how is this sound fitted for a novice? 
 

The locos are beautiful and I’ve switched to realdrive which works nicely. 
 

The other moan is how about a full function list? F1-F15, is that it? Most Zimo decoders allow a volume control on the F buttons so I assume this isn’t set up and I’ll have to do some digging to find out how to switch it on. I’ve tried reducing cv266 to 40 from 64 but it doesn’t reduce it much at all. 
 

Loco 9.5/10

 

Edit: A positive response from Joel at Dapol

 

 

 

 

My DCC ready one arrived with the decoder pcb loose in the box, and smoke box door off. Thankfully no other damage.

 

A simple fix, but a shame nonetheless.  I guess vibration in transit could have caused these to come loose.

 

Pity the smokebox door has no positive ‘hold-shut’, has a tendency to creep open in use.

 

Neal

 

[NHY 581]

Dapol have changed the packaging on their locos from a soft foam to polystyrene. I am aware that a lot of their locos, not just their B4s, are arriving at retailers with bits bouncing around.

 

I know of at least one which hadn't been properly screwed to it's perspex base. Carnage.

 

Rob

 

 

[PaulRhB]

6 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Dapol have changed the packaging on their locos from a soft foam to polystyrene. I am aware that a lot of their locos, not just their B4s, are arriving at retailers with bits bouncing around.

 

I know of at least one which hadn't been properly screwed to it's perspex base. Carnage.

 

Rob

 

 

I assume your shop has passed that back too, Joel seemed unaware of an issue with these. 
Polystyrene being harder relies on spreading the load and the small area of Perspex in contact means all that load is taken by a small area so I guess once it has got bumped to one end the shocks are more concentrated as the polystyrene is already compacted. 
Now I’m looking closely at the packing I can see the smokebox end is actually very compacted and I guess the vertical slot was originally the end of the slot? Both ends have been compacted as circled in blue. 
 

 

 

 

[NHY 581]

1 minute ago, PaulRhB said:

I assume your shop has passed that back too, Joel seemed unaware of an issue with these. 
Polystyrene being harder relies on spreading the load and the small area of Perspex in contact means all that load is taken by a small area so I guess once it has got bumped to one end the shocks are more concentrated as the polystyrene is already compacted. 
Now I’m looking closely at the packing I can see the smokebox end is actually very compacted and I guess the vertical slot was originally the end of the slot? Both ends have been compacted as circled in blue. 
 

 

 

 

 

Yes, Paul, fed back. I'm not sure of the rational behind the change. Easy guess would be cost. 

 

But it certainly does not appear to be fit for purpose..  

 

Rob

 

 

[PaulRhB]

On my second box the polystyrene has broken away so I’m pretty sure this is the issue. I’ve fed back the pics to Joel at Dapol. 
 

[PaulRhB]

Just now, NHY 581 said:

 

Yes, Paul, fed back. I'm not sure of the rational behind the change. Easy guess would be cost. 

 

But it certainly does not appear to be fit for purpose..  

 

Rob

 

 

I think it’s a good idea in theory but it’s not up to the rough handling once it gets to the throw it around couriers 😉 

 

 

If that little vertical slot at each end had a hard plastic strip in it to spread the shock over a bigger area it would probably work as intended. On the sides there is marking into the polystyrene but it’s spread the load better. 
 

[NHY 581]

Well, there were far fewer locos damaged in the old packaging...............

[PaulRhB]

3 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Well, there were far fewer locos damaged in the old packaging...............

Which one, vacform or the hard clamshell? Two of my terriers had bits knocked off by the vac form clamshell within the foam 🤣 the 14xx’s in the hard shell packing were fine but it’s a right faff to use for storage. 

[NHY 581]

1 minute ago, PaulRhB said:

Which one, vacform or the hard clamshell? Two of my terriers had bits knocked off by the vac form clamshell within the foam 🤣 the 14xx’s in the hard shell packing were fine but it’s a right faff to use for storage. 

 

Ah! I missed the Terriers. The foam stuff. 

 

I'm otherwise very impressed by the B4s. Lovely model. 

 

 

[PaulRhB]

5 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

. 

 

I'm otherwise very impressed by the B4s. Lovely model. 

 

 

Yes much like the 4mm one it’s a superb model and runs as well as the smaller brother too. Very impressed. 

[NHY 581]

23 minutes ago, PaulRhB said:

Yes much like the 4mm one it’s a superb model and runs as well as the smaller brother too. Very impressed. 

 

Quite........it appears there may have been a spontaneous financial incident involving a sound fitted early crest B4..............

[PaulRhB]

51 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

Quite........it appears there may have been a spontaneous financial incident involving a sound fitted early crest B4..............

We’ll call it October now just for you . . 😆

[dpgibbons]

My factory sound-fitted B4 has just arrived in Oz. Decoder pcb, smoke box door and smoke box door surround were all detached, whilst the handrail had slid out and was half-way off its supports. No PCB removal tool either, not that one will be needed as the pcb is quite a loose fit in its guide slots. Nothing that wasn't easily fixed, but it's rather disconcerting to find an expensive sound decoder rattling around the box.

[Matabiau]

15 minutes ago, dpgibbons said:

My factory sound-fitted B4 has just arrived in Oz. Decoder pcb, smoke box door and smoke box door surround were all detached, whilst the handrail had slid out and was half-way off its supports. No PCB removal tool either, not that one will be needed as the pcb is quite a loose fit in its guide slots. Nothing that wasn't easily fixed, but it's rather disconcerting to find an expensive sound decoder rattling around the box.

My DCC ready version arrived with the smokebox door open and the PCB loose in the box, no tool either.  packaging rethink needed by the sound of things.

[brossard]

My B4 spent the weekend on the layout at Exporail (Montreal's Railway Museum) and it was brilliant, everyone loved playing with it.  The track did get a good clean but I haven't touched the loco.  The performance is impeccable and sure footed.  Sound is outstanding too, at least to my ears.

 

 

This was taken prior to the show.  I'm still waiting for pics and they'll be posted on my thread (link below) when I get them.

 

The sound setup is so good, it's worth knowing what Dapol used for decoder and speaker.  I had a look at the tray (very neat I think) but I couldn't see any identifier on the decoder, although I think it's Zimo.  I saw two sugarcube speakers.  Anyone know?  I'm also curious as to whether there's a stay alive on board, running quality is just so good for a 4 coupled loco.

 

John

Edited August 21, 2023 by brossard

[coeurdelyon]

Good evening John,

Glad you are enjoying your B4 including the performance which is down to design. It is fully compensated allowing the front axle be able to rock over a central pivot much like a three legged stool, it always has its legs on the ground, whereas a four legged one can loose contact on an uneven surface, like the model over uneven track or points, no stay alive necessary. Dapol best by design

 

Cheers Richard

[Solo]

On 26/06/2023 at 13:05, PaulRhB said:

Mine don’t sound like a Pacific so I’m not sure what file Marc got 

That sounds lovely – can you just confirm it's the factory-fitted file and speaker? What strikes me is the clarity; I find it strange that, despite the larger space to hand, sound in O gauge locos can often sound big but very muffled, as if it's being swallowed up inside the body. I'm sure the speaker choice plays a part here.

 

In any case, I'm seriously tempted by one of these.

[brossard]

59 minutes ago, Solo said:

That sounds lovely – can you just confirm it's the factory-fitted file and speaker? What strikes me is the clarity; I find it strange that, despite the larger space to hand, sound in O gauge locos can often sound big but very muffled, as if it's being swallowed up inside the body. I'm sure the speaker choice plays a part here.

 

In any case, I'm seriously tempted by one of these.

 

I can't see any obvious openings for the sound to escape but it undeniably does.

 

When I have hardwired sound into other 0 gauge locos, (FSB J50 and J39) I drilled holes in the bottom of the boiler to ensure the sound had somewhere to go.

 

John

[PaulRhB]

1 hour ago, Solo said:

That sounds lovely – can you just confirm it's the factory-fitted file and speaker? What strikes me is the clarity; I find it strange that, despite the larger space to hand, sound in O gauge locos can often sound big but very muffled, as if it's being swallowed up inside the body. I'm sure the speaker choice plays a part here.

 

In any case, I'm seriously tempted by one of these.

Yes mine are the standard factory fit, nothing added. 

[Pre Grouping fan]

I don't think anyone has posted pictures of the innards here yet so I took a few when I took the body off mine to try and tone down the firebox flicker a bit. Hopefully these may help.

 

The chassis looks to be 99% metal with only the detailing parts like sanding gear operating rods, coal bunkers, handbrake and reverser and maybe a few other parts. No wonder it weighs so much!

 

 

 

A view of the DCC socket in position and another of the underside of it showing the 2 factory fitted speakers, although they are in chambers so unidentifiable.

 

The underside of the boiler has holes in it for the sound to escape, it "exhausts" (if that's the right word), straight onto the running plate casting below.

 

One showing the back end of the chassis and the light board

 

Its a poor image but just quickly rested the body back on to test what I did to tone the firebox flicker down.

 

All I have done so far is add a piece of frosted plastic behind the firebox doors. Its acting as a diffuser to soften the light and seems to remove that look of having 2 LEDs shining out of the door. I may add some orange paint on the inside of the plastic to help tone down the red further.