Poor quality control?

[Walkingthedog]

On the yellow one it is either a plastic plug that holds the bogie in place or you remove the cap and there’s a screw under it. Have you tried just pulling the bogie free?

[GeoffAlan2]

I'm a novice and my track has only recently reached the point where I can run locos on DCC. I have three new DCC fitted diesels, bought November, finally got to use them and have found:

* One had a bent chassis pickup.
* Another had oil smeared on one of the pickups.
* The third has some kind of stain (looks like soot?) all over the pickups.

I've fixed the first two but the third is proving difficult.

Question one: Is this typical of Dapol quality?
Question two: How should I clean the dirty pickups. Isopropyl alcohol?

Not terribly impressed. The other Dapol I have is an HST and I know it runs fine on DC but I haven't fitted a decoder yet so don't know if it'll be fine on DCC. They were all bought through Hattons so I'm not sure whether Dapol fitted the decoders or if that was Hattons.

My experience of N gauge Dapol locomotives, especially Steam Loco's, is that they are very haphazardly constructed, a good one is great, a poor one needs returning for replacement, or refund, asap.
I have returned at least as many tender steam loco's as I've kept, 3 returned to 2 kept of the 9F, 3 returned and a refund for an attempted purchase of a grange, 2 returns and refunded for a Britannia*.

* I eventually found a Minitrix Brit' which, with new traction tyres, runs beautifully.

[andruec]

On the yellow one it is either a plastic plug that holds the bogie in place or you remove the cap and there’s a screw under it. Have you tried just pulling the bogie free?

The voice of experience!

Yes, it's just a plastic plug and pulling the bogie releases it. It also revealed that there is a chassis so I was able to separate the body from it and that allowed me to revel in the amazing coupling centering system. I've made a video:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/2Y3UE1BuEvJBgt7KA

Even with the couplings hanging in the air that 'spring' does nothing. It even got stuck a couple of times. It might be possible to fit a better spring between the axel and the little nipple at the back but I doubt it. Maybe some strong glue just before the slot to try and force the arms of the 'spring' together?

[andruec]

For those who can't/won't watch the video here's an image of the top of the coupling.

[Walkingthedog]

Maybe a little lubrication would help. Not for you, the coupling.

[Buffer Stop]

I've just bought an OO gauge Dapol class 121 DMU from Hatton's. One of the buffers is loose -- I found a tiny circlip on my layout board which I guess is the retainer, and there is a blemish about 2cm in length near the guard's door, which is just visible in a certain light. A little disappointing, given that the lump cost north of £120. Hattons have agreed to a partial £10 refund, which on this occasion is fine. I can't get another sample of the model anywhere, not that I've looked that hard, and I think that a very small dab of modelling glue will hold the buffer in place. I really can't see a situation where the sprung-loaded buffers will be called upon!

[Chops]

I appreciate your concern, Andruec. If you would like to press one, press one. If you would like to press two, press two. If you would like to press three, press three.

But seriously, I am Stateside unabashed Anglophile, and British OO is a passion. My passion has led me to buy quite a bit of worthless junk, factory fresh. It is not feasible for me to simply pack it off back overseas for a refund. The cost of shipping is prohibitive (other USA British model rail fans, note that Hornby has, at last look, free shipping to the USA for orders over $70. That punched my ticket).

I found a resource of invaluable merit by the name of Sam's Trains Review. Now, some have no affection for this fellow, who at one point demonstrated running a locomotive under water to show it could be done (how many children have since electrocuted themselves is unknown) and running his tracks on bare carpet. All that aside, I have carefully watched his analysis of various pieces, and made purchases of new equipment based entirely on his discretion. Not one single piece has failed to perform superbly, as he demonstrated, not one, and this is straight across the line of Hornby, Bachmann, and Dapol.

Already, my ears are ringing. I can envisage some of my British cousins pounding the table as I write these words. But I swear on the man.

For nostalgia, I like to dabble in some vintage Triang and Wrenn. To this end, Oscar Paisley has a splendid YouTube channel, where he collects and run primarily new old stock, both power and wagons/coaches. His layout, under catenary, is nothing short of brilliant, and he gives great
insight as to what to anticipate when purchasing vintage pieces.

[darkscot]

Already, my ears are ringing. I can envisage some of my British cousins pounding the table as I write these words. But I swear on the man.

I am a big fan of Sam, I find him very entertaining and usually informative. There is also a Canadian guy I like with the channel SMT Mainline.

[sandy]

ChopsI....I have cupboards full of Hornby locos and rolling stock and I have never had to return anything to Hornby yet. Or Bachmann or Dapol. I have dislikes like Dapol couplings falling off, but that is minor stuff and soon fixed. I would think that fixing a loose buffer is soon fixed as well. Tell you the truth sprung buffers is one of the most darft things ever fitted to some locos.They are just waiting to fall off. Thats what being a railway modeller is.

[Mountain Goat]

If I am not mistaken, it looks like from the photos that they are fitting N gauge couplings with a form of "Close coupling" system as well. They did this in 00 and I had so many issues with them that I abandoned 00 because the manufacturers started to fit these designs (Made worse with extra flex by using NEM coupling slots) on some of their past designed vehicles as well, so one could not simply choose an older designto avoid them! (There were also financial reasons with prices going up and up way beyond inflation where I decided to abandon 00).
But for me the couplings, and the sheer cost and time involved in converting all my stock to something more reliable (Where they would end up with poor resale values if I did and I decided to part with some of them), made 00 less and less attractive. It is horrible to see similar problems in N.
I turned to model in 0-16.5 instead where I turned to designing and making my own form of simple couplings which I know to be reliable and easy to make. It makes quite a difference to be honest to not have vehicles parting from each other or de-railing due to the couplings not engauging correctly or nor flexing where they should.
I found 0-16.5 to be not too difficult to model in as though one relies on making kits or scratchbuilding, the kits I buy are both reasonably priced and normally easy to build, and though I am rather a novice at brush painting them, they have a oosistancy that I did not have when modelling in 00 which makes a difference to the overall look.
The little layout and its stock I am slowly building (No hurry) is very much a work in progress, but I am most impressed with the reliability of the couplings and their ability to negotiate sharp curves and any dips or bumps in the track.
In 0-16.5, there is no standard coupling so everyone decides what they will use, so potential re-sale values are uneffected as most modellers are used to fitting their own railways standard coupling (Whatever they have decided to use).
Though I admit that most of my stock have yet to be fitted with my couplings as I get over enthusiastic in building the stock and tend to say to myself that making couplings is easy, so I put it off, I am however increasingly frustrated when I hear of modellers who model in 00 or N scales who are having coupling problems, because with the sheer high costs modellers now pay for their models, this really should NOT be an issue. The manufacturers should really make more effort if they are going to charge those prices to make models that are reliable and faultlessly work. There is no excuse really to be honest! I do appreciats that things do not always go to plan, but what was wrong sith the old 00 gauge couplings (As an example) when they wefe sturdily fixed to the bogies or the chassis of vehicles by a screw and two tabs (Or moulded as part of the chassis)? The only real issue from the past was different coupling loop sizes (In 00) where they should have all adopted the medium size of coupling loop as small needed to have extra flex and large was a little too visible.
But since NEM pockets came in, the gap between wagons INCREASED! And the coaches were fitted with those close coupling systems which really cause reliability issues and extra coupling flex/droop, (Which MEM pockets amplify) and the results should never have made it into production as they honestly are not suitable for the purpose! And of course, if trying to copy the idea in a smaller scale again such as N, it really is going to be a disaster waiting to happen.

So my advice to modellers who have coupling issues is to first sort out what locos and stock one is going to keep (And sell the rest), and then start fitting them with a more reliable coupling. Do not aim for anything too fancy (As it just adds un-neccessary cost) but what one needs is a nice reliable coupling that works. Start by experimenting with a few designs until one finds something one is happy with.
These criteria are a must.
*Ease of use and reliability.
*Affordability.
*Relitively easy to fit and convert ones stock to.
*Availability. (What is the point of converting to a coupling one can't get if oneneeds to buy more?)
And though not really neccessary, is a bonus if the design can be automatically operated... Though a hand with some sort of uncoupling tool to couple and un-couple is perfectly acceptable if the couplings reliably work and the un-coupling or coupling is easy to do. The key here is to find a reliable coupling which does not cost a fortune every time one wants to buy a new item of stock.