Wobbly D1029 Dapol Western at low speed

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Evenin' all,

 

Has anyone purchased one of the new 'OO' Dapol Westerns, found that it had a pronounced 'side to side' rocking motion at low speed and discovered the cause? 

 

My model only arrived today....D1029 in maroon with SYWP.

 

I don't want to attempt the P4 conversion yet, just in case the issue is, for example, with the drivetrain.

 

I've carefully attempted to 'fault find' the problem as follows:

 

each wheelset has been tested individually by substituting them one for one on the loco and running it with only the outer wheelsets in place on each bogie. After several substitutions I was able to prove that most of the issue was caused by two wheelsets. Rolling these wheelsets one at a time across a smooth, level surface (plate glass) and carefully observing each wheel for any signs of side to side oscillation revealed that at least one wheel on two of the wheelsets was not mounted true (at 90 degrees to the axle) and caused, or at least contributed to the wobble.  

 

Once the more seriously mis-aligned wheelsets were out of the loco, then the wobbling of the loco at low speed was minimised but not cured.

 

I should be able to remove this problem entirely as I fit the Ultrascale P4 wheelsets.

 

For those running these locos with their original wheelsets....beware wheels not mounted square to axles.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

[buffalo]

Yes, my D1029 also arrived today and exhibits the same wobble. Mine is also going to have Ultrascale P4 wheels but I checked some of the removed wheels in the lathe. All were somewhat off square.

 

Nick

[Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71]

Evenin' all,

 

D1029 the wobbly Western is no more...the Ultrascale P4 conversion obviously included the removal and replacement of all original wheels. The wobble has gone.

 

Dave