should Dapol be pronounced C**pol!

[bluedepot]

so far this in the balance list for me!

positives

these all work very nicely so far...

- hst
- class 58s x2
- class 56
- class 121

negatives

- one of my class 73s is a bit dodgy (but this was ebay purchase)
- massive delay on the intercity swallow mk3 buffet!!!!



tim

[oreamnos]

I had terrible experience with Dapol Hymeks.  Beautiful model, but I purchased 5 over the past several years trying to get good one (hoping each time a different batch would help), but all 5 have been returned for either mechanical or significant finish defects.  I ended up just getting an unpowered one.  I swore off Dapol at that point.

And then came the 26.  The first couple I bought from the first batch were bullet proof.  Fantastic models.  Based on that experience I ventured into the Dapol waters again and now have a 14xx (bought second hand, but a lovely runner), an M7 (also bought second hand.  Apart from jack rabbit starts, it runs well too), two 9Fs (Just OK, not great.  Also second hand and both required fiddling, which is probably why they were being sold, though the Evening Star one has become a very good runner.), an Ixiom Manor (bought new and a superb loco), a couple of 122s (1 was exchanged because it wasn't as superb a runner as the second one, and the replacement was fine).  I also bought new two more 26s from the second batch but both were returned (one because of poor running and the other because of poor assembly).  So I bought another 26 new (and old stock one from the first batch this time) and it was perfect.  My blue 56 is also superb,  And then there is the A3 (which I got a bargain on from Rails for less than 80 quid!) and it was and is fantastic, too.

I also have a Q1 from last years batch which required exchange because it kept stalling over insulfrog points.  The replacement arrived with the mechanical lubricator rod not attached, but it was easy enough to fit.  It has no issue with the insulfrog points, so there must have been a pickup problem with the first one.

I've bought and returned both a B1 and B17 - the former would not settle down even after running in, and the B17 front bogie kept hopping off the rails.  The B1 was replace by a Farish B1 (which itself had to be exchanged!) and I decided to live without a B17.

I recently bought an Easten blue/grey HST set new.  It took a while to run in but is now a super runner.  Assembly and finish quality were maybe an 8.5 out of 10, but nothing I couldn't live with.  I just wish Dapol would offer some more Mk3 coaches in that livery now to go with it!

I haven't had any problem with Dapol coaches or wagons.  They've all been nice models.

I'm glad I gave Dapol a second chance.  In my experience I'd say you are more likely to get a dud Dapol than a dud Farish but I've certainly had to return and exchange quite a few Farish models, too.  The prototypes that Dapol have chosen to model interest me so I expect to buy more from Dapol in future, even though I expect some of what I receive will have to be exchanged.

And having said all that - I will not be buying much more from either manufacture if prices continue to skyrocket as they seem to have been.  To it's credit, Dapol's prices don't seem to have been increasing as quickly as Farish's.

Matt

[daveg]

...

Even if I'm not going to immediately use a new purchase I always go through the run it in routine to make sure all is ok before I pack it away.

Always a disappointment when your new purchase fails to satisfy. I've had two, both GF diesels, that had to go back but no problem with either shop regarding replacement or refund.

I think Caz has the best policy and it's the one I certainly I use.

Dave G

[GrahamB]

I have 13 Dapol locos. With the the exception of the Halls they have all run fine straight out of the box after the normal oiling and inspection. My problem with the Halls is that they needed adjustment to get them to run around 9" radius curves (See separate thread). If you discount that I have had 100% success.

[Adam1701D]

I've not had any issues with any of the Dapol locos I've purchased, including a new NQP items sold as non-runners, which I coaxed back into life.

That said, I've not got a proper layout, so they have been limited to tootling up and down a bit of Unitrack.

Not sure the subject title is particularly helpful when it comes to getting the NGF taken seriously be the big manufacturers, though.

[Karhedron]

my Dapol policy is very simple. If it doesn't run out of the box it goes back for a full refund

Why should that policy be specific to Dapol? If I buy anything new that is not fit for purpose, I return it to the shop. That is what statutory rights are for.

I have only had one dud out of over a dozen Dapol purchases (most of them steamers). It was returned to the shop and came back a week or so later with a new motor.

I have been quite happy with most of my Dapol purchases. I can't comment so much on Farish as I only have a couple of locos from them. Until their most recent set of annoucements they appeared to be allergic to anything with a copper cap which limited my interest in their range to the Warship and class 14.

[B757-236GT]

Dapol went through a rough period around 2-5 years ago but im pleased to say the recent models, 58 and 86 seem alot better than some of the first 66s. My neighbours actually complained about the noise because to them it sounded like i was using a drill!

Richard

[Sprintex]

I have a fairly balanced mixture of new stock from both Dapol and Farish - 2x GF Class 108s and 4x Dapol Class 156s: GF HST and Dapol HST: plus GF Class 04 and 37 (split-chassis model, not new DCC ready one).

All my DMUs have been 100% reliable so far, the only criticism I can really find is that the dummy end of the 156s are too light causing lighting flicker over points. Easily rectified with a bit of added weight though

The Dapol HST has also been reliable, however I can't say the same for the split-chassis GF one. This suffers from needing to be poked to get it moving sometimes and occasional jerky running even when warm. Funnily enough the split-chassis 37 has now developed the exact same characteristics!  So far the cause of this has eluded me, and it's certainly not down to a cleanliness issue.


Paul

[Newportnobby]

Just for further balance I have had cause to return locos from Dapol, Farish and Peco.
I can't be arsed with messing about - if it doesn't work as it should it goes back.
Strangely enough I did mess about with my Dapol A4 which had a problem with it's front pony truck. Even more strangely my efforts were successful
Consider it a 'one off' though

[B757-236GT]

Just to also add balance my father bought a 37408 in EWS livery back in the poole days, it went back 6 times before it was rectified!! I find the older ones a doddle to repair quite frankly to the extent i look for non runners as normally its something very easy to sort, the newer ones are quite frankly a PITA so i dont touch with a barge pole!

Richard

[Sprintex]

Ah thanks Geez, would never have thought of that one but will give it a try


Paul

[PLD]

well viewers I's pretty cheesed off! About 6 months ago,  I bought the last, NEW G/F 57xx (from Hatton's) and a Dapol  195 Autocoach (from Bideford). They live on a shelf and neither have been out of the box. Imagine, yesterday, when i had another fond look at my lovely, lovely Autocoach, and noticed the bogey was  loose in the box!  When i took it from the packaging, and found that a crappy, rivetty, thing, that obviously allowed the aforementioned bogey to swivel, has fallen out!  Who designs this!!   will this Bideford bloke take this thing back and give me a complete and working model?  £16. worth of rubbish.  I have cancelled my Dapol order with Hattons for a 57xx.  No more Dapol stuff for me!!     who else makes an Autocoach model please?   regards, Raving  Rodders

To summarise, because of one very minor fault on your one and only purchase from that manufacturer which is literally seconds to fix (probably less time than it took you to type that rant) you are defaming the entire range?? If the dealer won't exchange because of the time since you bought it, I have to ask did you check it when you bought it? If not why not? if you did and it was OK then, any damage is due to how YOU have treated it since.

Raving indeed...

[Pete Mc]

I own 2 Dapol hst's,a 156 dmu,a 121 bubblecar,a class 58 and two class 56's.None of these loco's have given me any trouble so my experience is one of complete satisfaction.Most of these have been bought from Rails and tested on their track before leaving the shop.I almost always buy in person,the only exception to this rule was when I discovered a deleted Farish class 37,the last one they had,from Cheltenham Model Centre.I bought this over the phone and it arrived a couple of days later.This was the only loco I have had any trouble with but even so,at the time,my abilities to get a loco running properly were non existent.Just as well it was only a lighting problem that required the brass contacts on the lighting boards at one end to be bent out a tiny bit and it was ok.

Now though,I can confidently strip a loco down to its component parts and clean up all the packing grease which for some reason goes all waxy which I'm guessing puts more strain on the motor which leads to premature death.Having stripped both non dcc ready and dcc ready Farish diesels,I have absolute confidence in my abilities to make these loco's run better than when they were new.

Of course,we shouldn't have to do this when we buy new stock but when the warranty runs out it becomes almost a necessity to do things yourself and seeing as I am fitting sound to my loco's as and when money allows me to,it is at this point that I do the work to ensure ultra smooth running qualities and so far,I have been completely successful.All my dcc sound fitted stock runs beautifully.

I do know that with Dapol diesels,the bogies detach quite easily so any work that needs to be done is mainly with the pin point pickups in the axles and bogie contacts.What happens is this,Dapol chemically blacken the wheels but only clean the wheels where they come into contact with the track,not on the axle ends.The coating does wear away on the axle ends but like when a car collides with another car causing paint swapping,the black coating just transfers to the bogie contacts,so a good clean with a glassfibre scratch pen does wonders,no need to add weight either.I uave applied this to all my Dapol stock with pin point current collection and all have immediately displayed much improved running qualities.

Again,we shouldn't have to do this but I would rather spend time running loco's than driving back to the shop to swap them and besides,doing this does not affect the warranty so I always check them after running them in.

Might help someone out to know this and prevent the need to take an item back and causing them to lose confidence in such a good manufacturer.

I also agree that the thread title may cause Joel and Dapol Dave to not take our wonderful forum seriously,even though there are complaints of this nature on other forums as well,its just that its like everything else.A perfect example is this,I once owned a Ford Fiesta 1.8 diesel and it was the most shickingly awful car I have ever owned,but a few of my mates and workmates have owned them as well and they loved them,mine was terrible.

Manufacturers never get a product 100% right,thats why they have customer service staff and warranties in place to ensure,or at least try to ensure that their customers are happy.

Pete

[H]

To summarise, because of one very minor fault on your one and only purchase from that manufacturer which is literally seconds to fix (probably less time than it took you to type that rant) you are defaming the entire range?? If the dealer won't exchange because of the time since you bought it, I have to ask did you check it when you bought it? If not why not? if you did and it was OK then, any damage is due to how YOU have treated it since.

Unfortunately some people are like that. One little problem and they go to pieces and overboard. The forum consists of all sorts.

I also agree that the thread title may cause Joel and Dapol Dave to not take our wonderful forum seriously,even though there are complaints of this nature on other forums as well,its just that its like everything else.

Yep, I agree, and probably not just Dapol but other manufacturers as well. They'll reason that if the forum allows members to vilify manufacturers in such an unprofessional, unbalanced and OTT rant, that even resorts to name calling, then . . . .

However, errors and problems should be aired but also balanced with how they were resolved (if at all) and certainly not in such a bombastic maner.

Just my tupence worth.

H.

[bees]

I have a few Dapol items, a repainted Autocoach - really nice coach!  .....a 156 which has lighting issues on trailing vehicle! 4 Dogfish Wagons which are very, very nice! 

All in all i would still buy Dapol products, I agree with other comments, can't just blame them, Farish models have faults too, just as they also have perfectly working models!!

I have many Farish models, an old Class 37 which runs brilliantly, couple of 31's one runs perfectly, the other has split gears repeatedly (irritating), 97201 which runs smoothly but had an lighting fault (fixed now - Woohoo), new class 101 the best model i have!

I really think it's better to buy in person, albeit the internet is a great place to buy, especially Ebay, you just can't depend on the quality the same, or the handling by postperson!