Need help getting Doc Pye's Dapol & Graham Farish locos running again!

[Doc Pye]

As the title says, I need your help to repair/resurrect some of my Dapol & Graham Farish locos running again. I figure the best way to do this is to start with listing the locos I have that need help, providing a description of what is wrong in hopes that some of you 'experienced' individuals can offer some insight. This is my last stop before sending them off to DCC Suppliers or elsewhere for repairs. Hence, I am really helping some of you can offer some DIY advice. A word of caution on the DIY advice, please make it simple for stupid people...okay, I am not stupid for please keep any advice basic.

Rather than listing out a number of threads I will put them all here with numbers. When responding it would help if you could state which number(s) you are offering advice on.

FYI, all locos have been tested on a DC set-up.

A huge thanks in advance for helping me with this. The wait time to get locos fixed via DCC and others is pretty long, as well as the costs involved, so I am hoping that I can repair/resurrect some of these locos on my own.

So here we go!

(1) Dapol GWR Leighton Hall 2S-010-003D 4-6-0 DCC Fitted
Problem: I recently got this loco from eBay and it is just not running well at all. In short, you have to put the throttle on full just to get it moving, and even then it is not moving quickly. It is also not going in reverse very well. On top of that, I have noticed that the tender (where the drive is located) heats up a lot.

Now I have already taken off the bottom plate of the loco (I haven't touched the tender yet as I can't figure out how to unclip it and don't want to damage it) and cleaned out the wheels, which were pretty messy.

So any ideas why this loco isn't taking power well and why the tender is heating up so much??? Can this loco be fixed or should I just return it to the eBay Seller???


(2) Dapol GWR 28XX class No 3802 2-8-0 2S-009-004 No DCC
Problem: This is a nice loco but it doesn't seem to be running all that well. However, I have no idea how the 2-8-0 works or how to clean it up. So any suggestions would be most welcomed. I think it just needs a tune-up so I just need advice on how to go about this.



(3) Graham Farish (Poole) GWR Ravingham Hall 4-6-0
Problem: This is a very old loco - probably dating back 40 years - but it still runs well and I want to keep it as my late Father bought it for me (sentimental value!). My issue is that the plastic bit that connects the tender with the loco has gone astray. So does anyone have a spare replacement or know where I can get one of these???


(4) Graham Farish (Poole) GWR 94XX class Pannier 0-6-0
Problem: This loco just doesn't move and when you apply power there is smoke coming from the cab.... :'(  I think this one needs professional help but perhaps some ideas before sending it off???


(5) Graham Farish GWR Winchester Castle (5 Pole Motor) 4-6-0
Problem: The issue with this one is minor but also major. The rear coupler has come off the tender and I can't figure out how to put it back in so it stays. I am guessing aside from the actual plastic coupler there is a spring involved...but that is MIA. So how does one take the tender body off and insert the coupler so it stays???


(6) Graham Farish (Poole) GWR Prairie (sloped) Tank 2-6-2
Problem: Simple, it doesn't move at all when power is applied. Suggestions???


(7) Graham Farish GWR Pannier 5700 Tank 0-6-0
Problem: This loco runs but is a bit jerky in the movement at times. Not sure how to take this one apart and clean it, so suggestions/guidance would be most welcomed? Also, the brass chimney bit is missing, so does anyone know where one gets a suitable replacement???


( Graham Farish GWR Railcar (5 Pole Motor)
Problem: The loco is not running at all. Suggestions???



FYI, the Dapol locos are fairly new but the Farish ones have been in storage for a while, some for many years. So this might have an impact on the issues described above. Also, from what I have read on this forum, the Farish ones seem to suffer from problems.

I look forward to hearing from you 'experienced' individuals out there on how best to repair/resurrect these locos. Oh, and so it isn't all gloom and doom, I do have another dozen GWR locos that all run well (fingers crossed they keep that way!).

[Dr Al]

(1) Dapol GWR Leighton Hall 2S-010-003D 4-6-0 DCC Fitted
Problem: I recently got this loco from eBay and it is just not running well at all. In short, you have to put the throttle on full just to get it moving, and even then it is not moving quickly. It is also not going in reverse very well. On top of that, I have noticed that the tender (where the drive is located) heats up a lot.

Now I have already taken off the bottom plate of the loco (I haven't touched the tender yet as I can't figure out how to unclip it and don't want to damage it) and cleaned out the wheels, which were pretty messy.

So any ideas why this loco isn't taking power well and why the tender is heating up so much??? Can this loco be fixed or should I just return it to the eBay Seller???

The most likely problem here is a motor issue, or failed suppression electronics. This is not uncommon. The suppression electronics (two inductors and various capacitors) can simply be removed.

All the motor gear is in the tender here, and it getting hot is a good indication of all not being well with the loco motor.

(2) Dapol GWR 28XX class No 3802 2-8-0 2S-009-004 No DCC
Problem: This is a nice loco but it doesn't seem to be running all that well. However, I have no idea how the 2-8-0 works or how to clean it up. So any suggestions would be most welcomed. I think it just needs a tune-up so I just need advice on how to go about this.

Difficult to know the problem without more precise symptoms. Check the loco-tender current wires are intact, if not then you may be suffering poor pickup (the tenders on these are not good for pickup, so rely on the loco wheels). Beyond that really need more detailed symptoms to advise.

(3) Graham Farish (Poole) GWR Ravingham Hall 4-6-0
Problem: This is a very old loco - probably dating back 40 years - but it still runs well and I want to keep it as my late Father bought it for me (sentimental value!). My issue is that the plastic bit that connects the tender with the loco has gone astray. So does anyone have a spare replacement or know where I can get one of these???

These can be good old reliable models, but they do want servicing if they are that old (especially if they've not been in recent times). Very elderly ones can benefit from a new magnet.

The tender pin isn't available as a spare - you can modify and fit a metal pin, or later style tender chassis are available complete from Peters Spares. The benefit with the later ones is that you can add tender pickup

(4) Graham Farish (Poole) GWR 94XX class Pannier 0-6-0
Problem: This loco just doesn't move and when you apply power there is smoke coming from the cab.... :'(  I think this one needs professional help but perhaps some ideas before sending it off???

Smoke is bad - do not run it at all. It may be oil on the commutator or it may be a failed or failing armature. Can be repaired - if oil it's simple; if a new armature it will be more expensive.

(5) Graham Farish GWR Winchester Castle (5 Pole Motor) 4-6-0
Problem: The issue with this one is minor but also major. The rear coupler has come off the tender and I can't figure out how to put it back in so it stays. I am guessing aside from the actual plastic coupler there is a spring involved...but that is MIA. So how does one take the tender body off and insert the coupler so it stays???

You should be able to remove the chassis baseplate by unscrewing to get at the coupling box. Removing the tender top won't help. The coupling has a spring to tension it, but if the coupling falls off then it's probably damaged and will also need replacement.

(6) Graham Farish (Poole) GWR Prairie (sloped) Tank 2-6-2
Problem: Simple, it doesn't move at all when power is applied. Suggestions???

Could be as simple as in need of a good overhaul and clean out, or could be something deeper (failed armature, jammed up, worn gear etc).

(7) Graham Farish GWR Pannier 5700 Tank 0-6-0
Problem: This loco runs but is a bit jerky in the movement at times. Not sure how to take this one apart and clean it, so suggestions/guidance would be most welcomed? Also, the brass chimney bit is missing, so does anyone know where one gets a suitable replacement???

Jerky on these can often mean a split drive gear on the main axle - this is very common. Can be replaced but needs the right tools/experience.

( Graham Farish GWR Railcar (5 Pole Motor)
Problem: The loco is not running at all. Suggestions???

Highly common (in fact almost guaranteed) to have split gears. Would be the first place to check - these commonly split all the internal gearing, and many of the bogie gears. All repairable as for the 57xx.

If you need help fixing the split gears or overhauls then feel free to let me know - I've done loads of them.

Cheers,
Alan

[Doc Pye]

Thanks for the insight Alan. So how does one fix 'split gears'...as I have no idea but am a quick learner.

[Dr Al]

Thanks for the insight Alan. So how does one fix 'split gears'...as I have no idea but am a quick learner.

You can replace wheelsets complete (very expensive) or replace gears on the original wheelsets (cheaper, but you need tools and the experience to get the wheels off and on again - they are heat treated into place so will not move easily, and you can destroy them trying!).

Cheers,
Alan

[Doc Pye]

Any links to 'how to' vids on how best to do this or should I just send them into professionals for repairs???

[Dr Al]

Any links to 'how to' vids on how best to do this or should I just send them into professionals for repairs???

I don't know of any videos to be honest.

I'd be happy to take a look if it helps, especially if there are long waiting times elsewhere.

Cheers,
Alan

[Doc Pye]

Well back in mid-June I asked for help on this forum to sort out a bunch of my locos, some of which weren't running. Out of the smoke came Dr Al riding riding his big white charger to the rescue! Seriously, a big shout out to Dr Al for coming to my aid to get my locos back up and running and giving the others a much due service. Doc Pye's stable of GWR locos are looking good now...and they all run!!!!!!!!!!      Dr Al!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh, and since one can never have enough, I have added to the stable by recently ordering a Dean Goods and Dukedog (all in GWR livery, of course) from Colin at Union Mills. I have heard good things about the Union Mills locos and plan on having fun with them when they arrive. The plan includes performing some cosmetic upgrades to them, as while I am not so good with fixing a loco I am pretty darn good on the modeling side of things. I also hope to upgrade some of my older GF locos, which still run nicely but compared to the more detailed Dapol and Peco offerings, well, they need a bit of work.

So watch this space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!