Dapol Britannia

[Andy Y]

You have to remove the bogie and pony and then remove 2 further screws to get into the loco. Having done all this the body would not come away. I had to stop before any damage occured.

 

Please read the first post in the topic. This is covered there.

 

 

 

[Elvinley]

Glad someone found this out. Dapol should put something on their website about this. I am sure there will be a lot of baffled people.

[Roy L S]

Hi

 

It really is sad the amount of complaining I have witnessed regarding the detail of n gauge locos. 5-10 years ago what did you have in n gauge?

 

 

 

Dapol have done a great job with the Britannia. Brilliant detail sharp lines and an excellent runner (5 pole skew wound). Yes, some minor problems that can be easily fixed which makes it all the more interesting for me. My only problem is the drive from the tender to loco dont like it, but I will fix that.

 

All in all Dapol Farish etc have come a long way in the last 5 years.

 

I have found myself in hot water from the mods on this forum because I say what I think. I would really like to see more constructive critisim instead of the manufacturer bash. I am tired of reading about the pointless complaining.

 

Well done Dapol and a fantastic loco.

 

Martin

 

Hi Martin

 

Dapol have been great innovators with such things as close-coupling (Even on some 4 wheel wagons!) and underfloor mechanisms, coach lighting etc, all previously unheard of in British N. Their constant innovation has (I think) forced Bachmann to look over their shoulder and lift their game as a consequence with the results we are seeing now (Thinks Class 24, 108, Scot, 4MT Tender etc, all awesome models). Yes, some of the earlier Dapol steam models (45xx, M7 and Ivatt) have been something of a disappointment to me personally, but the good thing about Dapol is that they do seem to learn and get it better with each release they make and my more recent B17 is a model I am really very happy with.

 

Most it seems are more than happy with their Dapol "Brits" especially in terms of the way the chassis performs, and the picture of Alan's after he has weilded the paintbrush shows how good it could (and arguably should) have looked from the factory, whereas frankly it looks unfinished. Yes,sorting it out is possible but on a loco costing £120 (in fact any RTR loco irrespective of price)I do not feel one should have to. I do not consider this observation to be "manufacturer bashing" it is an honest objective statement, and knowing Dapol they will respond positively with future releases, so I will sit tight and wait for 70013 to be released

 

Cheers

 

Roy

[RWJP]

Having bought the Osborns limited edition Iron Duke (oh boy, even I can barely see those damn gold arrows!) I have to agree with the general sentiment on the loco.

 

It looks great, above the running plate... Finishing is lovely, paint is good, lining is neat and crisp etc etc.

 

It performs fantastically. I only had 10 coaches to hand at the time, 5 old Farish mainline Coaches, 4 Dapol Collets and 1 Autocoach, and it handled them with ease. I never run trains longer than 5 coaches anyway (small layout sadly) so that's no issue. Slow running is good, so shunting manoeuvres and the like are possible.

 

However, for over £110 the fact that the wheels look unfinished, and that the motion is a huge let down. The majority of their previous locos have managed fine, so i'd love to find out what changed with the production of this Loco... Sadly Dapol have gone rather quiet on the matter, which i'm hoping means they're rather embarrassed about it and are working to solve it for the next batch.

 

All in all though, it's the best representation of a Britannia we've ever had in N gauge, and with a little it of work, it's a bloody good loco.

[grahame]

Dapol have done a great job with the Britannia. Brilliant detail sharp lines and an excellent runner (5 pole skew wound). Yes, some minor problems that can be easily fixed which makes it all the more interesting for me. My only problem is the drive from the tender to loco dont like it, but I will fix that.

 

All in all Dapol Farish etc have come a long way in the last 5 years.

 

I have found myself in hot water from the mods on this forum because I say what I think. I would really like to see more constructive critisim instead of the manufacturer bash. I am tired of reading about the pointless complaining.

 

Well done Dapol and a fantastic loco.

 

Martin

 

Yep, I agree Martin. I'm very pleased and happy with my Brit. Is it worth the money - you bet, worth every penny. I've spent more than £120 on a meal out before. Sure there's a few things I could do to individualise and improve it. But then that has been the case with every other N gauge loco I have ever purchased and I'm sure it will still be the case when I die. Dapol have set a new higher benchmark with the Brit, particularly the engineering, but I'm also sure that things will get even better in the future - from all manufacturers.

 

 

 

G.

[Karhedron]

What you have done really does make the Brit look so much better, all basic cosmetic stuff but what a difference it makes! It really does beg the question - how much more effort would it have taken in the factory to do something similar and deliver a model to this standard making it look as good at it reputedly performs?

I am not sure it is a question of effort. Dapol used to darkened wheels and motions, it is only the Manor, B1 and Brit which have suddenly gone shiny. This leads me to suspect that it is a deliberate decision (and not one I like).

 

Perhaps they are assuming that as the loco body is being supplied ex-works, the metalwork should be too. Personally I am not a fan of shiny motions, too much of a throwback to the Poole-era.

[Roy L S]

Yep, I agree Martin. I'm very pleased and happy with my Brit. Is it worth the money - you bet, worth every penny. I've spent more than £120 on a meal out before. Sure there's a few things I could do to individualise and improve it. But then that has been the case with every other N gauge loco I have ever purchased and I'm sure it will still be the case when I die. Dapol have set a new higher benchmark with the Brit, particularly the engineering, but I'm also sure that things will get even better in the future - from all manufacturers.

 

 

 

G.

 

Hi Grahame

 

£120 may not be a lot to you, but I suspect it would make a serious dent in a lot of modelling budgets, and many would I think have high expectations for that kind of money!

 

Plenty like you seem to be very pleased with the Brit and the chassis from all accounts is well thought out and performs very well indeed. Due credit to Dapol for that, but a new benchmark? No, not for me, and the picture posted more eloquently says why than any words I can use when you look below the Running Plate. For example (and ignoring issues already discussed in this thread) bits of bent wire for slide-bars? Granted it works but is not really the most sophiticated engineering solution. Even ignoring Farish models for me the finesse of the Ixion Manor surpasses it!

 

Regards

 

Roy

[grahame]

£120 may not be a lot to you, but I suspect it would make a serious dent in a lot of modelling budgets, and many would I think have high expectations for that kind of money!

 

Roy, you've made the point about the Brit price many times now. However, I don't understand why you make such a big issue out of a RTR price of £120 when the Peco Collett was £149 several years ago and the RTR price for just about all tender kettles is now well over £100. Why make such a fuss now at £120, why not at £100 - after all that would make an equivalent dent in a proportionally smaller modelling budget and why not have the same high expectations at all price points? I appreciate that you might think £120 is dear but sometimes you need to see beyond the price tag. Prices will continue to rise (VAT goes up soon) and sooner or later £120 will be a cheap model.

 

G.

[Dr Al]

Roy, you've made the point about the Brit price many times now. However, I don't understand why you make such a big issue out of a RTR price of £120 when the Peco Collett was £149 several years ago and the RTR price for just about all tender kettles is now well over £100. Why make such a fuss now at £120, why not at £100 - after all that would make an equivalent dent in a proportionally smaller modelling budget and why not have the same high expectations at all price points? I appreciate that you might think £120 is dear but sometimes you need to see beyond the price tag. Prices will continue to rise (VAT goes up soon) and sooner or later £120 will be a cheap model.

 

G.

 

Why is anyone even paying £120? Mine cost £98...

 

Cheers,

Alan

[Roy L S]

Roy, you've made the point about the Brit price many times now. However, I don't understand why you make such a big issue out of a RTR price of £120 when the Peco Collett was £149 several years ago and the RTR price for just about all tender kettles is now well over £100. Why make such a fuss now at £120, why not at £100 - after all that would make an equivalent dent in a proportionally smaller modelling budget and why not have the same high expectations at all price points? I appreciate that you might think £120 is dear but sometimes you need to see beyond the price tag. Prices will continue to rise (VAT goes up soon) and sooner or later £120 will be a cheap model.

 

G.

 

Hi Grahame

 

Ok, you do make a fair point there, the Brit is not the most expensive RTR British steam loco to date, and others are "only" a matter of £15 or so less RRP wise. To me the Peco Collett was way over-priced for the British N Market even with a chip on board, nice loco though it is (Although there are some who question the dimensions of the tender). It's the price you pay for UK manufacture I guess.

 

I used the figure of £120 simply because that is the RRP of the Brit and I do not necessarily think that it is dear for a loco, but my expectaton for that money would be greater than the Brit delivers as an overall package compared to it's peers (notwithstanding it's undoubted good features). It just does not have the finesse as a product I would expect whereas other less expensive models do.

 

To put it another way, I can buy a Farish "Black Five" for £104.95 RRP or about £84 discounted. As a fair comparison the best price I have seen a Brit at is £109.95. As an overall package the Black Five is an equally good product, better in some aspects possibly not as good in others and the Brit just does not to me justify the price differental. The actual price is irrelevant as we move forward, you rightly point out that we will soon be paying more for either, it is the differential that is to me not justified.

 

Regards

 

Roy

[Dr Al]

I'm very pleased and happy with my Brit.

 

Sadly, yours has some additional faults over and above those already mentioned - badly bent slide bars and lots and lots of cyano vapour around the etched Golden Arrow....

 

...also if you were trying to flatter it you'd do well not to show it derailed...!

 

Is it worth the money - you bet, worth every penny.

 

At £120 no, at £98 maybe just, and only after the offending areas are painted maybe just.

 

Cheers,

Alan

Edited November 19, 2010 by Andy Y
Contentious comment removed

[Jon Harbour]

I just received my "William Shakespeare" from Rails and straight out of the box it runs beautifully. I'm delighted with it - hauled 16 coaches (a combination of BR maroon Dapol collets, Farish Pullmans and BR maroon Farish Staniers) around my test circuit which included 11" curves with a 2% climb and descent (on corners as well) without missing a beat and it looked like I would run out of coaches or space on the circuit before it would show signs of slippage!

 

Agreed, it was not cheap - £97.00 excluding VAT for Australia but plus international postage - but in my opinion money very well spent.

 

If this is the sign of things to come, then the future of British outline N looks rosy....

[Elvinley]

Please read the first post in the topic. This is covered there.

 

Tried again, but it wouldn't budge.

[Andy Y]

Tried again, but it wouldn't budge.

 

But have you tried loosening the clips beneath the boiler and the cab handrails as shown in the OP? Your previous post just said you'd removed the pony tuck, bogie and two screws.

 

 

 

[Elvinley]

I will try again, but the smokebox end will not come loose at all.

[romley midland]

May I ask why you actually need to get it off at the moment? Surely you've not ran it for 50 hours already have you?!

 

Cheers, Richard

[Elvinley]

May I ask why you actually need to get it off at the moment? Surely you've not ran it for 50 hours already have you?!

 

Cheers, Richard

 

No not quite! I wanted to check the oil situation as I don't always trust factory oiling.

[Plumloco]

Got my Iron Duke out for a test run before christmas wrapping and it appears to have a problem.

 

I did the outside oiling as instucted. After one hour running forwards on DC it starts and stops nice and slow with eight carriages on, but under power it surges and if power is increased above 2/3 there is a loud screech like a slack fan belt.

 

In reverse it starts nicely slowly but anything over 1/3 power and it screeches. I have disconnected and reconnected the driveshaft, but I fear it may be the gearbox skipping.

 

Any ideas? I would rather get on with giving it the Dr Al treatment than send it back to Santa.

[Dr Al]

 

In reverse it starts nicely slowly but anything over 1/3 power and it screeches. I have disconnected and reconnected the driveshaft, but I fear it may be the gearbox skipping.

 

 

Disconnect the driveshaft and run the motor. If it's the same then it's obviously the motor - and most likely a lack of lubrication on a motor bearing, or worse a bearing that's on the way out (I've seen a collapsing bearing on a 67, which is essentially the same motor, so can happen).

 

Regards,

Alan

[Plumloco]

Thanks for the tip Alan, I will try that during my next break from the avalanche of pre-Christmas chores that has just been dumped on me.

[Plumloco]

Dear Dr Al,

Removed the Iron Duke's drive shaft and ran the motor up. Lots of vibration and noise, suspect you are right about the bearing. Spoke to Osborns and a replacement is promised in the post tonight, which is excellent.

[Elvinley]

My Britannia just went up in smoke filling the room with fumes. I cannot believe the bad luck I have had with Dapol and I am definitely not going to buy another loco from them. Either I am incredibly unlucky or no one else actually runs their locos, (although I have a friend who has had the same thing happen to his Brit and other locos) I will be on to Gaugemaster first thing tomorrow.

 

UPDATE: After cooling it now runs again. The tender had got red hot after half an hour running time.

[Dr Al]

My Britannia just went up in smoke filling the room with fumes. I cannot believe the bad luck I have had with Dapol and I am definitely not going to buy another loco from them. Either I am incredibly unlucky or no one else actually runs their locos, (although I have a friend who has had the same thing happen to his Brit and other locos) I will be on to Gaugemaster first thing tomorrow.

 

UPDATE: After cooling it now runs again. The tender had got red hot after half an hour running time.

 

Sounds similar to the problems I had - loco drawing too much current and surging.

 

I've cleaned out the commutator several times (not at all easy - Dapol could really really do with revising the black plastic piece that the brushes are held in on the motor with a couple of cutouts top and bottom so the commutator is accessable for cleaning) which seems to cure it, though I do wonder if the brushes are on the soft side - for a few hours running there was a heck of a lot of brush carbon build up - more than I've ever seen on a loco with that amount of running. I've not seen this on the 86s, B17s or 67 I have that have all had more running, which is what leads me to suspect the brushes on these are from a bit of a dubious batch.

 

No spares seem to be available though . Bachmann (5 pole skew wound motor) ones might fit though which is something I've yet to try.

 

Definitely send it back (I would have had with mine not already had a couple of hours running which prompted me to assume wrongly that things would be ok and hence I went ahead with detailing) - am surprised it didn't melt the tender sides if it got as hot as you describe! I suspect mine would have done the same had I not stopped and investigated immediately when the current consumption started spiking and the loco surging....

 

Cheers,

Alan

[Elvinley]

It's really bad and I wouldn't be surprised if the fumes were dangerous, certainly made me cough profusely. I have made the promise to myself never to buy Dapol again after this. Two locos have failed this month. The Brit and a Hymek which I sold on ebay as a non-runner due to having bought it second hand. The amount of failures I have had over the last few years doesn't bear imagining!

 

I think the only really good thing that has come out of Dapol in N are the fantastic Gresley and Collett coaches and some great wagons. I wonder how the 00 crowd will recieve the new locos in that scale and whether they will be as forgiving.

 

When a new loco is purchased for over 100 pounds it should work and work for years period.

[Revolution Mike]

It's really bad and I wouldn't be surprised if the fumes were dangerous, certainly made me cough profusely. I have made the promise to myself never to buy Dapol again after this. Two locos have failed this month. The Brit and a Hymek which I sold on ebay as a non-runner due to having bought it second hand. The amount of failures I have had over the last few years doesn't bear imagining!

 

If you are having persistent problems then a few thoughts occur:

 

- what controller are using, what voltage does it put out and what thermal cut out has it got in?

- are you running in and oiling as instructions?

- is there a particular part of your layout that gives trouble with derailments? If so it is quite easy to get a short that puts a fair amount of current through a loco.

 

Of course, you could just be unlucky! All my Dapol purchases (admittedly diesels and electrics have been very good).

 

Cheers, Mike