Dapol working signals review

[D826]

Good luck with those Gwiver.

 

I have a 50% success rate with the n gauge ones out of 6 purchased since the turn of the year. One just being returned as non functional on delivery, though a certain well known online supplier in Widnes could not have been more helpful.

 

Very frustrating - as ostensibly it is a good and much needed product. I hope Dapol have sorted out more reliable and robust components for these and for the n gauge brackets when they finally appear.

 

It's last chance saloon time for them for my n gauge ones - if any more of those I have, and the replacement I await fail, I won't be rushing to buy any more - already close to £75 spent on signals which inexplicably failed.

 

Let us know your thoughts on these - maybe new OO and N signals will be more robust - certainly hope so. I continue to enjoy your layout by the way - reminds me of Summer hols in the early 70s watching trains from the first floor bay window of the Beach Hotel on Marine Parade, Dawlish.

 

Best Regards

 

Matt Wood

[Gwiwer]

 

 

Good luck with those Gwiwer.

 

I'm happy to report that the three new signals all work as they should.  All were removed from their packaging and test-wired to the lever-frame for proving purposes before some workbench attention.  As with my first three these will have the arms cut down and the whole structure will be painted to look a little more realistic.  Two of the three in this batch have areas of black paint around the lamp lenses missing and are showing red paint where they should not.  A minor detail and in fairness the paint might have rubbed in the manufacturing process or in transit.

 

Now I'm more familiar with their wiring and operational quirks I'll be better able to site these next three in the awkward locations missed last time around.  All I really need to do is fit the control wires to the signals first rather than fit the signals to the location and then attempt to wire up.  

Edited July 11, 2016 by Gwiwer

[BR(S)]

Just placed a Southern Region rail-built signal on my layout four years after drilling the hole for it.  Really pleased with the quality, especially for £22.   

 

 

 

[Mallard60022]

Just placed a Southern Region rail-built signal on my layout four years after drilling the hole for it.  Really pleased with the quality, especially for £22.   

 

SR Signal 1.jpg

 

SR Signal 2.jpg

 

SR Signal 3.jpg

£22. Where abouts buddy? Looks good (It is 4mm isn't it?)

Phil

[Stevelewis]

Hattons  £22,  I  have   a  couple of  the SR ones   now,    very  nice  looking,  work  well

.................

TIP ------- I have  used  several  of  the  Dapol  signals  on various  layouts

 

Some  tend to be  a  little  noisy when  working,  so  to overcome  this  I have  wrapped  the  motor  section  under  the  basebourd  in  Foam,  this  effectively   masks  the  sound!

 

No  problem  with  oveheating  as  the   signal is  only  used  intermittantly. 

Edited August 11, 2016 by Stevelewis

[Mallard60022]

Thanks Steve. This signal almost replicates one I need and that's why I was interested. By the time I've tried to build one (and bought the bits then £22 + postage sounds a bargain (and it should work).

Phil

[BenL]

Does anyone know if Dapol are planning to produce both left hand and right hand GWR junction signals?

 

Many thanks in advance for any insight anyone is able to provide.

[gwrrob]

http://www.borg-rail.com/

 

Long promised Ben but this guy builds far superior versions for a little bit more money.

[Mallard60022]

My SR short Starter arrived today. A fine product that will be acceptable on my layout. If I were to do anything to it it would be to replace the arm with a LSWR one (that has ridges) as I think the existing one is plain BR?

Phil

[Stevelewis]

I Received  2  Dapol  SR  Home  signals last  week,  both  faulty!  Has  anyone  experienced any problems  with  this variant?

 

I have  installed  around 8  Dapol 00 signals  on other layouts  as  far  as  I know  all  are  working  still OK.

 

The fault  with the 2 SR ones  is as  follows:

 

First one  was  tested  before  installing  and  although the  light  worked  and  the  motor could be  heard   when power applied  the  arm  did not  move  I did all the  usual  things to try to  rectify the  problem with no success,  so that  was returned today.

 

Second one was tested  and  working  OK, installed  it  last  evening  and  it  was  fine,  switched on the  power  this evening    without even pressing  the  push button  a  buzz and  a  click from the  motor,  the light  flickered and  went  out, and  the  signal no longer  functions!  so that one  will be returned tomorrow!

 

Has anyone else  had  any problems  with   this  Dapol signal variant?

Edited August 22, 2016 by Stevelewis

[Stevelewis]

Further  to  my  recent  reprt  regarding  Dapol 4L 003 003  SR Home  signals  being  faulty,  these  were  returned to Hattons  and  2  replacements  were  recvd today.

 

These  were  installed on  the layout,  within 2  hours  one  failed  the  other  one  is  still working,

 

It was noticeable   when I noticed the  failed one  ( the  signal  had not been actually changed from  down to up for some  time but I noticed  the  light  had  gone  out)  I checked  the  wiring  which  was  still OK  but  the   motor casing  was  noticeably  warm,  I have  never  encountered  any warmth  in  any of  the  other  10 or so of these  signals  I have  installed,

 

I Notice  that  Hattons  have  now  completely  removed  the  catalogue number  from  the  site,  not  even showing  as  PRE ORDER!

[Stephen Freeman]

http://www.borg-rail.com/

 

Long promised Ben but this guy builds far superior versions for a little bit more money.

Hi,

I know people have been looking and perhaps have tried to ask for a quotation. Unfortunately, Serif seemed to have changed how they handle forms (it used to work honest guv) and I suspect that some recent enquiries may have disappeared into the ether. I've re-done the form slightly so that it goes to a non-gmail address and checked that it works. So if you haven't had a reply that's the reason.

[Stevelewis]

I  think   Number  4  has  just  failed!!!!!!!!!!!  Just  checkin' it  out  now

[Black 5 Bear]

Thank you for the update, I was contemplating replacing my operating Ratio LMS/BR signals for the forthcoming bracket units. In light of this I'll be giving these a wide berth !

Edited August 27, 2016 by Black 5 Bear

[Stevelewis]

Thank you for the update, I was contemplating replacing my operating Ratio LMS/BR signals for the forthcoming bracket units. In light of this I'll be giving these a wide birth !

 

Please  don't  get  me  wrong  I have  had  absolutely  no  problems  with  10  or so earlier Dapol signals  I  have  installed,  its  just  that   this  batch  of   the  new  SR ones  may  have  a  problem,  this  was  mentioned  as  a possiblilty  by  Hattons the  supplier of these  and  significantly  the type  is no longer listed  on their website usually when stock is  sold  out it is  flagged  as  pre-order  for  the next  batch.

 

Incedentally as  I reprted    earlier  I suspect  my  4th one  had  failed  and  it  has  It  just   stopped  working!  I suspect  a problem  with  the PCB  as  I  have  noticed  that  the bit  below  the  baseboard  has been becoming  warm  even  though  the  signal  has  not  been  changed (Up/Down) just  powered up with  the  light  on.

 

An LMS type I checked  had  no appreciable  heat  at  all  ( and  that  is  still working!)

[Gwiwer]

If the motor cylinder is warm to the touch something is definitely wrong.  They will generate small amounts of heat especially if the signal is changed multiple times is quick succession.  In that way they are like a point motor.  But they should not feel nor stay warm to the point where it is really noticeable.

 

That suggests the motor is trying to shift the arm but something is preventing free movement.  I have noticed some of them, once in place, are a little reluctant to shift suggesting the motor unit is barely up to the job.  My "fix" is to check that the rod is central through the small hole in the baseplate (it wasn't so on all of them) and that no scenic material has been allowed to obstruct its free movement (signals are often sited in ballast for example).  One tiny spot of WD40 applied to the hole where the rod passes through the baseplate has been enough to free a couple of slightly reluctant signals which for the moment are in good working order.   The same trick may be enough to "fix" an arm not fully raising or lowering as was the case with one of mine.

 

These matters add to the question of whether these signals are really fit for purpose.  They have a high failure rate.  The quality control in assembly and finishing seems suspect.  They are not particularly cheap and require a little effort to fit and wire up.  You can get other working semaphores which cost a lot more but may be more robust with it.  Or you can get the Ratio kits which are unpowered and allegedly operate from the supplied lever by way of a length of thread and a rod.  I suspect that they would not do so.  Buyers beware.

[Stevelewis]

Gwiwer.............as  I stated previously   not  perhaps  making  it   clear,  heat  is  detected  in  the  casing  WITHOUT  actually  moving  the  signal  arm  at  all,  making  me  believe  that  the  problem is  with  the  PCB  or  a  component  theron  not  the  motor  mechanism.

 

Sometime  ago  a  friend  had  some earlier production ones  where  the  motor  system   failed on   a couple   BUT  the  light  remained  working  thus  indicating a different problem  with  the  new  variant.

 

I did  think  of  actually going to Dapols premises  which  is  only  a few  miles  from  me to confront  them  with  the  problem, But  probably  wont  bother, as I sont  think  I would  have  got  much joy there!

Edited August 28, 2016 by Stevelewis

[BR(S)]

Or you can get the Ratio kits which are unpowered and allegedly operate from the supplied lever by way of a length of thread and a rod.  I suspect that they would not do so.  Buyers beware.

 

Bit OT but, while very fiddly to set up the thread, the Ratio signals work very well.

[Stevelewis]

Bit OT but, while very fiddly to set up the thread, the Ratio signals work very well.

I  used  some of  these Ratio signals  and  they  DO  WORK  ok  in  fact  one   was  outside  on a 00 line  which  ran into the  garden  from  a  shed!!

[Gwiwer]

Without wishing to deviate too far OT it's good to hear from one or two modellers who have managed to get the Ratio signals to work.  I couldn't even get the kits to assemble correctly and that allows for rubbing back some moulding flash.

[Steam in the North West]

I am experiencing some issues with one of my signal and following a scan through of the thread I cannot find my issue so wondered if anyone could advise.

 

The signal has been working fine but today I removed it from the baseboard to do some work in the area and after refitting it and turning the power on the arm moved. In other words when the controller is plugged in the signal changes straight away and then refuses to change until the power is turned off and then on again.

[Stevelewis]

I am experiencing some issues with one of my signal and following a scan through of the thread I cannot find my issue so wondered if anyone could advise.

 

The signal has been working fine but today I removed it from the baseboard to do some work in the area and after refitting it and turning the power on the arm moved. In other words when the controller is plugged in the signal changes straight away and then refuses to change until the power is turned off and then on again.

 

Which  signal  type  is  it?  My 4  problems are  the  recent  SR  Ladder type ,  the   10  or  so  which  work  OK  STILL  are  LMS upper  quadrant  around  2 years + old  now, I was wondering  if  there  has been  a design  change to  the PCB  as  the  faulty ones  were definitely HOT around  the  motor  case  when  failed!

[Steam in the North West]

Which  signal  type  is  it?  My 4  problems are  the  recent  SR  Ladder type ,  the   10  or  so  which  work  OK  STILL  are  LMS upper  quadrant  around  2 years + old  now, I was wondering  if  there  has been  a design  change to  the PCB  as  the  faulty ones  were definitely HOT around  the  motor  case  when  failed!

 

It is one of the LMS Upper ones but only just bought it

[Stevelewis]

It is one of the LMS Upper ones but only just bought it

 

Have  you  checked  that  there  is  not  a  problem  with the  push button ( Presumably you are  using  one to  control the  signal?)  OR are the   2 yellow  wires connecting  signal to P button  touching where  they  connect  to the P button? As  the  arm   only  moves  when  you power  up  it  looks  like the signal  is  getting  power  

[RJS1977]

Without wishing to deviate too far OT it's good to hear from one or two modellers who have managed to get the Ratio signals to work.  I couldn't even get the kits to assemble correctly and that allows for rubbing back some moulding flash.

 

I think the kits do require a certain amount of dexterity to put together - I tried some once and didn't get on very well with them, but the fact Ratio have been selling them for 40+ years suggests most purchasers are happy with them. (As an aside I seem to have talked myself into building two overtrack signal boxes for the club layout with signals built into the front of them - these will probably use Ratio arms attached directly to servo horns).