Dapol HST

[arran]

Hi,

Once again referring to Nigel Burkin's website as he's posted new photo's of the FGW HST Bookset, power cars and coaches, click on the images - in particular the 3/4 coach shot highlighting the livery detail

 

Regards, Gerry.

HI All

 

The coach sides look first class to me, one the coach ends are the warning flashes the correct ones!!

 

Regards Arran

[Steven B]

Hi,

 

I've got a couple of problems with the Exec' livery HST I bought at the weekend.

 

Firstly, when I put the dummy car on DCC powered track there's a beeping noise. This happens regardless of if there's a decoder fitted or not (i.e. no decoder and no blanking plug - I'm not daft enough to put it on the DCC track with the DC blanking plug in).

 

 

Secondly, operating on DC the power car sometimes slows right down and occasionally stops with my Gaugemaster controller showing a short.

 

Any ideas what might be causing this?

 

I know the easy answer is to take them back to the shop but I bought the last exec livery ones they had. I think I'd like fix them myself if it's easy enough rather than risking the shop/Dapol returns process and hoping I get my favourite livery back again. The shops forty miles away so it's not a ten minute job to return it.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

[Roy L S]

Hi,

 

Secondly, operating on DC the power car sometimes slows right down and occasionally stops with my Gaugemaster controller showing a short.

 

Any ideas what might be causing this?

 

I know the easy answer is to take them back to the shop but I bought the last exec livery ones they had. I think I'd like fix them myself if it's easy enough rather than risking the shop/Dapol returns process and hoping I get my favourite livery back again. The shops forty miles away so it's not a ten minute job to return it.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

 

Hi Steven

 

Assuming that it uses the same "Super Creep" motor as recent steam locos (which I believe it does), it may be worth checking it to see how hot it is getting.

 

I recently had an issue with a new B1 whereby, having oiled as per instructions, after only three or four hours of running it started to run slower. I found I had to had to crank the controller round further to get a similar speed as previously and the motor started to get very hot indeed after only a couple of laps of my layout(too hot to touch). I noticed signs of the tender body starting to distort slightly. Clearly something was terminal with the motor, I stopped using it and it went back for replacement, the new one thus far is fine.

 

I say this as I recall someone also mentioning they had an HST which ran slow, started drawing a lot of current and got very hot (which they sent back).

 

Please ignore me if you have already checked this out.

 

Regards

 

Roy

[Dr Al]

Secondly, operating on DC the power car sometimes slows right down and occasionally stops with my Gaugemaster controller showing a short.

 

Any ideas what might be causing this?

 

If this is also accompanied with a lot of motor heating then send it back. Even if it's the last one - this is an increasingly common symptom of a failing Dapol motor. I've already had a HST that ran so hot it could barely be touched, and others have noted similar.

 

It sounds highly like yours is drawing more and more current as it heats up, eventually drawing so much it's tripping your controller. Worth checking what your controller trips at, but I suspect it'll be a pretty high number (1/2amp? 1amp?). My experience of these motors shows that a healthy one draws 100-150mA, sometimes less.

 

If the loco's tripping it in this way then it's potential future lifespan can almost certainly be measured in hours or minutes.

 

So I'd send it back before it dies.

 

Best Regards,

Alan

[Roy L S]

If this is also accompanied with a lot of motor heating then send it back. Even if it's the last one - this is an increasingly common symptom of a failing Dapol motor. I've already had a HST that ran so hot it could barely be touched, and others have noted similar.

 

It sounds highly like yours is drawing more and more current as it heats up, eventually drawing so much it's tripping your controller. Worth checking what your controller trips at, but I suspect it'll be a pretty high number (1/2amp? 1amp?). My experience of these motors shows that a healthy one draws 100-150mA, sometimes less.

 

If the loco's tripping it in this way then it's potential future lifespan can almost certainly be measured in hours or minutes.

 

So I'd send it back before it dies.

 

Best Regards,

Alan

 

Sorry Alan, It wan't until after I'd posted my reply that I remembered it was you who had advised me regarding the issue with your HST motor and overheating Dapol motors generally (put it down to senility!).

 

Regards

 

Roy

[bcnPete]

Once again referring to Nigel Burkin's website as he's posted new photo's of the FGW HST Bookset, power cars and coaches.

 

Thanks for this tip off...had a look at the photos and they are indeed excellent quality.

 

Saw a few of these beasts last week at Liskeard and despite not wishing to buy another to supplement my blue/grey one...its very tempting.

 

RESIST RESIST RESIST...

[hst125]

Hi all ,

 

Well i like many have waited for over 2 years for this new hst from Dapol. It is here at last and i think it is a really good attempt at bringing hst's back into the n gauge market. I have the intercity swallow version and am very pleased with it. It has run smoothly after oiling and fitting of the DCC chip in the power car was easy, and futher programming was good too. I was originally going to go for the Exec livery and am now glad i did not as i too, like other would feel somewhat dissapointed about the coaches. The reason why is this - about 18- 24 months ago, Dapol released the coaches in all three intercity variants and sold them straight away. They produced Mk3 with buffers for other trains and also mk 3's without buffers for the future released HST's. Now here we have the HST's with no possible release of other coaches to make up the sets. It seems that Dapol have not got this quite right. They should have released the sets and the coaches all together. Don't know if there is any further coaches to follow - i know a restaurant car was on the cards at one point, but if only Dapol could provide a consistency with regards to reliabilty and timing in relation to the release of its products. They are in my opion so near to getting it right at times, but just dont quite get it there like their rival farish. Could anyone shed any light on this matter as i would love to be able to have another 4 possibly 5 cars in my hst as i remember them leaving plymouth north road in the late 80,s/early 90,s billowing with smoke as they left.

 

p.S Paxman valenta rules - none of this MTU nonsense.

[hst125]

Hi ,

 

Does anyone know how i can get this sound ready and any idea of cost ???

[Bomag]

Hi all ,

 

Now here we have the HST's with no possible release of other coaches to make up the sets. It seems that Dapol have not got this quite right. They should have released the sets and the coaches all together. Don't know if there is any further coaches to follow - i know a restaurant car was on the cards at one point, but if only Dapol could provide a consistency with regards to reliabilty and timing in relation to the release of its products. They are in my opion so near to getting it right at times, but just dont quite get it there like their rival farish. Could anyone shed any light on this matter as i would love to be able to have another 4 possibly 5 cars in my hst as i remember them leaving plymouth north road in the late 80,s/early 90,s billowing with smoke as they left.

 

 

The problem Dapol has is that there are four variants of the HST catering trailers and six potential versions of the LH ones. Unlike Farish who can print any version onto the same shell, Dapol has to run a new body shell off for each one. The TGS has a similar problem, is it worth the expense for one vehicle per set.

 

The only full Dapol HST set I have is the GC (but missing the TRSB), the other Dapol power cars I run with Farish tailors

[Padishar Creel]

The problem Dapol has is that there are four variants of the HST catering trailers and six potential versions of the LH ones. Unlike Farish who can print any version onto the same shell, Dapol has to run a new body shell off for each one. The TGS has a similar problem, is it worth the expense for one vehicle per set.

 

The only full Dapol HST set I have is the GC (but missing the TRSB), the other Dapol power cars I run with Farish tailors

 

If a company makes a decision to manufacturer an HST it will know that it will need power cars, trailers, a catering and a TGS. Otherwise there seems little point to produce it. Trailer cars will sell more than catering an TGS, yes, very much so, in Dapol's case developing the catering coach and TGS to sell together with the power cars (instead of two trailers) would have forced recovery of development costs, maybe pushing the RRP up, but the sales would have been forced. And modellers would be able to run an HST as per the prototype.

 

 

and please remember that while Farish only need to print onto flat coach sides, that did not stop them failing to produce the appropriate MK2s for their Caledonian Sleepers...

[Steven B]

Further to my posting a week or so ago about my faulty HST:

 

After a bit more testing I found out that the problem was due to the lighting circuits not the motor. Whenever a red light was being shown the current drawn went up to the point where the short-circuit protection in the GaugeMaster E cut in (500mA compared to 100mA). This happened regardless of if it was just one of the power cars or both. I.e. you could put the dummy on the track, power it so the red LEDs were on and after a short time the controller would trip. I'm guessing there was a fault with the PCB or wiring.

 

It's now been replaced by the model shop and the new one appears to work OK. Fingers crossed it stays that way.

 

I just wish Dapol had make some more TF and TS to go with it. Fortunatly in the era I'm modelling (late 1980s), most of the HST Mk3 fleet had been refurbished and ran in swallow livery with executive liveried power cars.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

[Mike W]

Fortunatly in the era I'm modelling (late 1980s), most of the HST Mk3 fleet had been refurbished and ran in swallow livery with executive liveried power cars.

 

That's fair enough, I suppose the book set really couldn't have been better. I was hoping for a full Executive set so I'm looking forward to Dapol's reply on the coach issue and whether or not they'll release Executive coaches in the future.

 

I will have to re-brand the bookset coaches in due course.

[43009]

I am hoping to get the Grand Central HST for my Birthday and does any one have one if so how good is it when it's running and has anyone got photo's of the Grand Central HST?

[scruff]

I see there are lots of new Dapol Intercity Swallow Mk3s with buffers in the shops, under the numbers NC-212A and B. Does anyone know if they have the correct darker roof colour?

 

yes they do but you will need to carefully remove the buffers with a sharp scalpel.

 

HTH

 

Mark

[Mike W]

I am hoping to get the Grand Central HST for my Birthday and does any one have one if so how good is it when it's running and has anyone got photo's of the Grand Central HST?

 

Hi,

 

Plenty of pictures here.

[scruff]

I'm another one looking forward to Dapol's reply on the executive coach issue.

 

I notice Hattons are listing two executive livery second class mk3 coaches for the HST. Will they be produced in the correct livery? and will we be able to make up a full executive livery HST set? and what about executive livery loco hauled mk3 coaches?

 

Mark

[Adam1701D]

Two Executive power cars may well have worked a Swallow-branded set but this would have been EXTREMELY rare. If Dapol don't intend to produce "Inter-City 125" Executive liveried coaches, blue/grey trailers would be a far better match for Exec power cars.

[robrailltd]

Wasn't that rare. what ever locos are available go with what ever coaches are available.

[Steven B]

If Exec' liveried power cars and Swallow liveried Mk3s were rare or not depends on the period you model. According to my 1988 Combined Volume the combination was very common.

 

As ever, a bit of research is needed before making sweeping statements.

 

That said, matching "Intercity 125" branded mk3s would be very welcome as I prefer it to the italic Intercity branding.

 

Happy modelling.

 

Steven B.

[Adam1701D]

My comments were based on my experience of the southern end of the ECML during the late 80s and early 90s. I was working for BR at Kings X at the time, commuting from Stevenage and visiting the folks in York most weekends. It was a real period of mix'n'match with HSTs, with power cars and coaches in Exec, Swallow and a few survivors in blue/grey. From 1988 onwards, IC really got a wiggle on repainting HSTs into Swallow, with power-cars very quick to get repainted.

 

In no way did I indicate that Dapol are in any way wrong, just the combo was unusual in my recollection.

[Bomag]

On the ECML in the mid to late 80's it was only an even bet to get two power cars the same livery. The only ones which seemed to have some consistency was on the Yorkshire and TT Pulmans.

[scruff]

Dapol have said they will be producing executive livery mk 3 coaches as single coaches next year.

 

Nothing about a matching buffet car yet though.

 

Mark

[DapolDave]

Hi everyone,

 

our current production plans (and yes thing may change but i doubt it as i know someone in the know ) include, buffets (RFM's) in all liveries, executive I?C125 coaches with E.D.grey upper works, More Falcon grey swallow coaches, more FGW, and Blue / Grey Eastern Region numbered.

 

There is also provision for the 254 Eastern Region HST units too.

 

The RFM has now been 'locked down' and will go into the tooling room very shortly, but is a generic version that i'm sure wont please everyone, but will hopefully fill the gap before Dapol produce the TGS later next year.

 

Talking of HST's ,there's news on the pinned new releases section.

 

cheers

Dave

[Padishar Creel]

Good news on the RFM - that will complete the WCML sets. Is it still a "4-window version"?

[Robert Shrives]

Hi , Yes 4 window RFM is the plot

Robert Shrives