N Gauge Forum

General Category => N Gauge Discussion => Topic started by: Traveller on January 30, 2015, 11:50:53 AM

Title: Dapol Class 67
Post by: Traveller on January 30, 2015, 11:50:53 AM
Good morning
I have recently been given the Dapol Class 67 Loco and coaches set. All was not completely right and I had to return the loco to Dapol. It has been returned and still does not seem as it should do compared with other Class 67s I have.
Just for interest I weighed the new ATW version against one of the earlier versions which were purchased not long after the model first appeared.

The earlier model (Class 67 EWS livery) weighed 83 grams
The new model (Class 67 ATW livery) weighed 73 grams.

Both are identical with Lenz Gold mini de-coders fitted.

So my question is: "Does anyone know why I have this disparity in the weight?"

I asked this question over the phone to Daopl and was not given an answer.
Title: Re: Dapol Class 67
Post by: Karhedron on January 30, 2015, 03:29:43 PM
In what way is the new loco failing to perform?

Have you oiled it and  run it in for an hour or so each way as per the instructions?
Title: Re: Dapol Class 67
Post by: ScottyStitch on January 30, 2015, 03:54:00 PM
You don't say in what way it doesn't seem right. Can you elaborate a wee bit?
Title: Re: Dapol Class 67
Post by: Traveller on January 30, 2015, 05:09:34 PM
Hi
Thank you for the two responses.
All our locos are lubricated and "run in" on DC for around 20-30 minutes in each direction.
This particular loco "did not feel right" physically which is what prompted me to weigh them.
It is something I hope someone else may provide a possible. If the specification has been revised over the years it should not make this sort of differnce in weight.
Title: Re: Dapol Class 67
Post by: Zakalwe on January 30, 2015, 09:18:58 PM
when i get back from this business trip i shall weigh my two 67's.  one is 67030 from a few years ago , one is arriva and assess performance.

i'm creating a list of all my locomotives and how they perform up a 2% incline.    67030 can haul 14 dapol silver bullets up with ease at slow medium and high speed with no wheel slip, be interesting to test 67003 :)

weighing wagons tomorrow to work out what my heaviest rake is... currently the silver bullets is heaviest the dapol 66's can't pull it up but farish 66's mange it with ease as does the farish 70 and 60

difference in weight could be a new sourced metal block of steel over tungsten?

Title: Re: Dapol Class 67
Post by: Zakalwe on January 31, 2015, 09:29:09 AM
I can confirm your findings, the new class 67's are around 10g lighter than previously and this has a direct correlation on performance up a gradient.

67003 wheelslips to a standstill under test conditions when 67030 storms the hill (using the same EUN651 chip swapped over so same CV settings)

there isn't a large amount of space free inside the 67, but i think a few more grams can be squeezed in

Hopefully Dapol will make the new class 68 (sometime in 2020 when it is released) a bit heavier so it can pull a decent load.

So if you have a gradient and run longer trains, buy older dapol or Farish
Title: Re: Dapol Class 67
Post by: Traveller on January 31, 2015, 09:46:15 AM
Good morning,
I have now taken the bodies off the two locos, 67009 EWS and 67001 ATW.
The flywheels are different. The older loco 67009 has bras ones which are visually larger than what appear to be steel ones in 67001.
I am not able to strip down the locos any further at the moment but could the difference in the flywheels account for the 10 gram difference in overall weight?
I have just become aware of Zakalwes haulage tests which at least confirm the weight disparity.
Title: Re: Dapol Class 67
Post by: SmileyFace on January 31, 2015, 10:47:03 AM
I've never thought about actually weighing locos before but I'm amazed to find that my Grafar Class 66s weigh in at 100grms whilst the Dapol versions are only 70grms. This makes the Grafar versions a whopping 44% heavier and, not surprisingly, has so much better haulage capability. Incidently my Class 67, (67002), weighs in at 82grms so the latest version certainly seems a lightweight.