Are they reliable runners

1936ace · March 13, 2017, 06:16:05 AM

Would love an A4 but scared off by Dapol unreliability and that drive shaft thingy between tender and loco.
Are they good runners and I need not worry about it
Thanks for the advice

Webbo · March 13, 2017, 07:15:44 AM

Mine's still running beautifully after about 4 hours (Commonwealth of Australia of course). It is a wonderful looking loco and pulls 12 coaches up a 1.9% grade with ease. Like you, I'm suspicious of the reliability of the cardan drive, but so far so good. Touch wood. Mind you, the first A4 sent to me had tangled motion and had to be sent back and replaced - no problem from Rails.

Webbo

1936ace · March 13, 2017, 07:24:08 AM

Thanks Webbo. Thats what i was afraid of, like you living in oz.
Decisions, decisions!

Gyppy101 · March 13, 2017, 07:48:34 AM

I've got two A4s. "Sir Nigel Gresley" and "Mallard", one with valances and one without. Both are excellent runners. The only Dapol loco I've had trouble with was the "Britannia" but ow I have a great one of these!

austinbob · March 13, 2017, 08:18:36 AM

No problems with my A4 at all but you really do have to be careful how you pick the thing up. Keep the loco and tender horizontal so the cardan shaft doesn't disconnect and perhaps drop inside the loco.
Had that happen to me and I had to take the loco apart to get it out again. Re-connecting the cardan shaft can be difficult, especially if your eye sight is not so good. You're putting a black shaft into a small black hole in a black cab.

Nice loco though if you're careful.

Bealman · March 13, 2017, 08:24:47 AM

I must admit that I've been very impressed with the appearance of the model since it was released, but can imagine that it's pretty fragile.

I follow this thread with interest.

Mind you, I still like my Minitrix Mallard, even with it's inaccuracies!

1936ace · March 13, 2017, 08:29:00 AM

Not helping me here! haha

Bealman · March 13, 2017, 08:37:24 AM

No, mate, I know, but I'm following along with interest. I've got one bookmarked!

Newportnobby · March 13, 2017, 08:43:40 AM

I bought one when they were first released and, having fixed an issue with the front pony truck, it runs sweetly and looks great IMO

https://www.dropbox.com/s/9ubyzhnvfizrb89/5MT%20and%20A4%20on%20Kimbolted.MOV?dl=0

Dr Al · March 13, 2017, 09:46:21 AM

Pickup tends to be variable. All mine have either had additional weight in tender, or rear pony pickups fitted (or both). Several have been fully stripped to get out grease in the drivetrain that's worked into the pickups.

Other than that only a few minor things - one with tight valve gear that had a limp (easily freed up) and a few with dodgey thickness traction tyres (i.e. they were varied in thickness) that gave wobbles - again these were just swapped for the spares in the detail bit/extras bits bag.

Cheers,
Alan

oscar · March 13, 2017, 09:54:21 AM

Quote from: Dr Al on March 13, 2017, 09:46:21 AM
Pickup tends to be variable. All mine have either had additional weight in tender, or rear pony pickups fitted (or both). Several have been fully stripped to get out grease in the drivetrain that's worked into the pickups.

Other than that only a few minor things - one with tight valve gear that had a limp (easily freed up) and a few with dodgey thickness traction tyres (i.e. they were varied in thickness) that gave wobbles - again these were just swapped for the spares in the detail bit/extras bits bag.

Cheers,
Alan

Never had these problems with my Farish or Minitrix, but what a goddam awful design of the valve gear on my Dapol B1.......

emjaybee · March 13, 2017, 10:48:02 AM

Quote from: oscar on March 13, 2017, 09:54:21 AM
Quote from: Dr Al on March 13, 2017, 09:46:21 AM
Pickup tends to be variable. All mine have either had additional weight in tender, or rear pony pickups fitted (or both). Several have been fully stripped to get out grease in the drivetrain that's worked into the pickups.

Other than that only a few minor things - one with tight valve gear that had a limp (easily freed up) and a few with dodgey thickness traction tyres (i.e. they were varied in thickness) that gave wobbles - again these were just swapped for the spares in the detail bit/extras bits bag.

Cheers,
Alan

Never had these problems with my Farish or Minitrix, but what a goddam awful design of the valve gear on my Dapol B1.......

Funny world isn't it? I've got a Dapol B1 in LNER green that's had a very light oiling and half an hour in each direction including turned around on my loop track.

Runs sweet as a nut. Shame really as I've decided to go LMS so it'll be up for sale.

Dr Al · March 13, 2017, 11:18:24 AM

Quote from: oscar on March 13, 2017, 09:54:21 AM
Never had these problems with my Farish or Minitrix, but what a goddam awful design of the valve gear on my Dapol B1.......

I've seen plenty of pickup problems on aging Minitrix, indeed there are few Minitrix locos that can run over my electrofrog double slips without stalling.

cheers,
Alan

1936ace · March 13, 2017, 11:28:45 AM

The more i read the replies the more im thinking maybe not a good idea geting one. having played with a OO dapol version the other day(had on board smoke geny, black label?) i really would love to have one.
maybe if i get one from say hattons and ask them to test run it(would they do that) before mailing out

Portpatrick · March 13, 2017, 02:12:33 PM

On any Dapol tender loco those prop shafts are a problem. They fall out if you are not very careful in handling to keep the whole edifice in line.
And to reassemble requires good eyesight and a steady hand. I have problems on both those counts. So my only Dapol tender loco is my Brit. An early release with those silly silver wheels and cross head screws holding the wheels and valve gear together. Later releases improved on this. To be totally fair it has always run and pulled well, and it looks great - above the running plate. A fine loco. But my Poole based Farish A3 and China based A4 will run on. And I went for the Farish B1s. Don't need a 9F.
Still have a Minitrix Brit. Running well after many years. But now turned into a Clan.