Class 66 - Dapol or Farish

[NeMo]

Yes, I know there's a thread from a few years back on this. But nowadays, with all the tweaks to both designs. I'm after a reliable and quiet model. Less fussed about hyper-detail (they're both good enough for government work). Any thoughts?

Cheers, NeMo

[Zakalwe]

farish class 66 looks fractionally better from the front and pulls a lot more weight (about 25% heavier).

dapol one looks better from above and goes slowly / creeps about better

both about the same for noise when running at speed and none of my 6 (4 dapol, 2 farish) have yet had a problem... one dapol runs warmer than the others

[ChrisWV10]

I have 2 Dapol, 3 Farish. I find the Farish are quieter, tho the Dapol ones may run less growly after more running. The Dapol ones don't like 1st radius curves but the Farish are OK. No other issues with either. I do like the 2 GBRF special liveries by Dapol - the Children's and MSC Sorrento so I'd get whichever manfacturer does the livery you want.

C. 😃

[PostModN66]

Farish don't have NEM couplers so you can't (easily) use Easi-Shunt couplers.
Dapol 66s won't run through Kato number 4 points.
I find Farish ones easier to take apart to maintain.
I have had a small number of split gears on Farish ones
Farish ones strip their main gears if you run them upside down.
If I wanted a particular livery I would go with either if it wasn't available in the other one.

I have eight - six Farish, two Dapol plus a few dummies.

Cheers  Jon 

[Rabbitaway]

Hi

Similar experience as others

8 Farish and 4 Dapol (DCC type Dapol although run on DC)

1 Farish damaged gear at the top of the bogie tower and 1 Dapol has lost a light

Farish do pull a little better and I have noticed that the two Dapol locos I have with the later finer wheels can on occasion de-rail

[jpendle]

My Farish ones pull more stuff. The newer Dapol ones run well and are quieter

John P

[Greybeema]

I have two Farish and two Dapol (one original and one new). 

My original Dapol can pull anything.  It needed significant electrical works to make it DCC but it's slow speed pulling is superb.  It does prefer to be warmed up first though. 

The new DCC ready one can do what I need it to do, 16 PCA's on 12" radius up a 1 in 100 slope at a scale 10mph,  which is fine by me.

The Farish 66's are used on Mainline running.  Both run well usually on containerised traffic (13) or aggregates (10 mega boxes)..

But there is no great difference between them and they can all be rostered on all tasks...

[NeMo]

Thanks all. Much appreciated. Since I have Kato 4 points on one of my layouts, PostModN66's comment on the Dapol version derailing is especially useful. So will probably end up getting one of those.

Cheers, NeMo