Dapol N gauge class 33 (next 18 variant) issues.

[Cowley 47521]

Evening everyone.

 

A few months ago my model of 33008 packed up and apart from the lights nothing would work on either DC or DCC. Unfortunately it was also out of warranty by then.
I didn’t really want to take it to bits to see if I could work out was wrong with it because I think I’d have probably made things worse. So I sent it to DCC Supplies and they diagnosed it as the motor needed replacing, that cost me £57 plus posting it to them.

 

Last night having a running session on my friends railway his model of 33042 packed up with exactly the same symptoms, won’t work on DC or DCC (and yes of course, it has also just run out of warranty). 
Neither of us are competent enough to start stripping the loco down to see what’s wrong so it will also have to be sent away to DCC Supplies for them to have a look at.

 

Neither loco has been run an excessive amount and both have been cared for so I’m at a bit of loss.

Has anyone else had a similar experience with these particular models?

 

Nick

[47475]

I have experienced the same with 33114, also a Next18 version from the same batch. 

 

I remember someone (yourself?) posting about this a few months ago and I asked whether you got it sorted, but I don't think there were any further replies to that thread.

 

I guess mine will be heading to DCC Supplies on my next visit to the UK, so I can expect a similarly hefty bill if indeed it is the same issue. Disappointing.

[Cowley 47521]

4 hours ago, 47475 said:

I have experienced the same with 33114, also a Next18 version from the same batch. 

 

I remember someone (yourself?) posting about this a few months ago and I asked whether you got it sorted, but I don't think there were any further replies to that thread.

 

I guess mine will be heading to DCC Supplies on my next visit to the UK, so I can expect a similarly hefty bill if indeed it is the same issue. Disappointing.

Not just us then.

Yes I think I did mention actually. I thought it would be interesting to see if this had been a problem with a few people but maybe we were just unlucky?

I’ve got one of the earlier 6 pin ones (33102) and dare I say it, it’s probably one of my most reliable locos and if I was going to get another one I’d be tempted with an earlier model.

[47475]

On 18/03/2022 at 00:44, Cowley 47521 said:

Not just us then.

Yes I think I did mention actually. I thought it would be interesting to see if this had been a problem with a few people but maybe we were just unlucky?

I’ve got one of the earlier 6 pin ones (33102) and dare I say it, it’s probably one of my most reliable locos and if I was going to get another one I’d be tempted with an earlier model.

 

I also have two of the 6-pin ones and, like yours, they are great runners. They were poor with the factory-fitted decoders, but once I replaced those with Zimos, they were great.

 

Back to the subject of the Next18 versions, when mine stopped working I seem to recall it made a very brief shorting sound before it stopped. Do you recall whether yours did the same?

[Cowley 47521]

5 hours ago, 47475 said:

 

I also have two of the 6-pin ones and, like yours, they are great runners. They were poor with the factory-fitted decoders, but once I replaced those with Zimos, they were great.

 

Back to the subject of the Next18 versions, when mine stopped working I seem to recall it made a very brief shorting sound before it stopped. Do you recall whether yours did the same?

I was just looking through my emails to see if I’d said that to them but I think I might have spoken to them on the phone.

One of my Farish 47s made a shorting sound and packed up a few weeks ago (my current repair bills are getting up near BR in the 1980s at the moment!) but from what I remember I was listening to something on my headphones at the time so it might have shorted out but I wouldn’t have heard it.

 I have found the email explaining what they had to do:

I have stripped your loco down and replaced the faulty motor and worn primary gears in both bogies. I then gave the loco a full service.

 

Worn primary gears… As I said, this loco had not had a great deal of use. Probably a couple of evenings a week doing a few circuits of the layout.