Darstaed Mk 1 Problem

[Captain Cuttle]

I keep seeing an overload on my Prodigy controller which relates to one of my Darstaed Mk 1s. 

I have seen this mentioned elsewhere but cant remember where, i think its an issue with the bogies but cant see anything obvious.

[Joseph_Pestell]

I don't know the product that well but the symptom suggests an axle installed the wrong way round.

[ITG]

I too don’t know the loco at all, but I have a Prodigy Advance2. A bit more info would help… does your overload (short?) occur on points or plain track? If the latter, straight or curved? Back to back distances may be an issue over points as wheels clip frogs.

[Captain Cuttle]

17 hours ago, ITG said:

I too don’t know the loco at all, but I have a Prodigy Advance2. A bit more info would help… does your overload (short?) occur on points or plain track? If the latter, straight or curved? Back to back distances may be an issue over points as wheels clip frogs.

They are Mk 1 coaches with commonwealth bogies.It is a BSK next to the loco on this pic

It seems to occur on plain track in the garden and shed. It goes away  If i remove that coach.

[Captain Cuttle]

17 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

I don't know the product that well but the symptom suggests an axle installed the wrong way round.

This is o gauge by the way and they are ready to run coaches.

[ITG]

You could try, when it happens again, stopping the train and lifting each end of the coach off the track, each time resetting the Prodigy. At least that way you would be able to tell which bogie the fault is on, or if it’s in both (meaning maybe some electrical connection within the coach, Has it got lighting?

 

Does it occur continually or intermittently? If the latter, at same or different places on track?

Edited August 14, 2021 by ITG

[Captain Cuttle]

Not been able to replicate it today, only thing i have done is tightened up the nuts on the bogies.

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

On 14/08/2021 at 10:41, Captain Cuttle said:

This is o gauge by the way and they are ready to run coaches.

 

I do know that much!

[Joseph_Pestell]

On 14/08/2021 at 10:38, Captain Cuttle said:

They are Mk 1 coaches with commonwealth bogies.It is a BSK next to the loco on this pic

It seems to occur on plain track in the garden and shed. It goes away  If i remove that coach.

 

So you have established which coach is causing the problem - that's a good start. As I said initially, I have not had enough acquaintance with this product to see how it is set up electrically. It still sounds to me as though there is an axle that has been installed wrongly or perhaps even a bogie installed wrong way round.

[Merfyn Jones]

14 hours ago, Captain Cuttle said:

Not been able to replicate it today, only thing i have done is tightened up the nuts on the bogies.

 

Sounds a bit like flanges touching a metal underframe/floor, if that has cured the problem.  

[doilum]

2 hours ago, Merfyn Jones said:

Sounds a bit like flanges touching a metal underframe/floor, if that has cured the problem.  

A loose bogie with too much rock and roll? On an analogue layout this would probably go unnoticed ..........

[Captain Cuttle]

Others have had to insert plasticard strips to overcome an issue something to do with the top hat bearings but i cant remember where i saw it, my memory is poor these days so frustrating.

My wife is the same with mislaid glasses or car keys!

[doilum]

22 hours ago, doilum said:

A loose bogie with too much rock and roll? On an analogue layout this would probably go unnoticed ..........

In fine scale this can be a problem with loco bogies and pony trucks if using cast wheels as opposed to Slater's. If it is the rims, a layer of 5 or 10 thou plastikard on the underside of the coach floor should ensure peace of mind. Alternately, you could use electricians tape.

[Captain Cuttle]

On 17/08/2021 at 12:25, doilum said:

In fine scale this can be a problem with loco bogies and pony trucks if using cast wheels as opposed to Slater's. If it is the rims, a layer of 5 or 10 thou plastikard on the underside of the coach floor should ensure peace of mind. Alternately, you could use electricians tape.

The BR1 bogie has a huge amount of play in the bogie, the sideframes are fixed to the main frame by just one screw which although tight has a degree of slop in it.