Noisy britannia

[doug22150]

I was about to run in my latest Dapol loco., 70000 Britannia. When I placed it on the track first impressions were very good, Extremely quiet motor and ability to crawl straight out of the box. However, when the loco crosses pointwork and at other locations (but not all the time) there is a worrying "grating" noise from the tender (I think). The video link shows this. I notice that the loco to tender wires are also displaced, being bunched up to one side. Is it possible that, if these touch, shorting could occur and cause the noise? I'm reluctant to return the loco. as the motor and drive (apart from this odd noise) are the quietest "from the box" of any Dapol loco that I have purchased. Needless to say, I've not started running-in in case I cause any damage.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/sj631g224s...93212.jpg?dl=0

[Andy Dapol]

there is a worrying "grating" noise from the tender (I think)

HI, Hmm, tricky to state what is the issue is here, it's not an issue I have seen before. I don't believe its the wires themselves, but they could be restricting the movement of the tender. No harm in moving them carefully to see if anything changes.
The sound could be something rubbing against the drive shaft, but from the video it looks like the turnouts are set 'straight' so there is no alteration in the loco-tender alignment as it crosses (to cause parts to touch). I would need to examine 'hands on' to diagnose this accurately.

[doug22150]

Hi Andy
Yes, you're correct, the noise happens running straight through (either facing or trailing direction) all of my turnouts! It does also happen at other isolated locations but it's no worse on curves. I think that the loco. is not picking up currently correctly. I've tested this by running the loco. and tender slowly up onto a sheet of paper to isolate each end in turn. Going tender first the loco falters and then stops as soon as the tender is off the track. Going loco. first, it keeps going until the tender reaches the paper. This suggests no (or little) current being picked-up by the loco.. I wonder if this is connected with the noise? If the loco is relying on tender pick-up only, then this might be interrupted crossing turnout blades and frogs?

[doug22150]

It was the loco. pickup that was the problem! I've taken the plunge and changed the loco. to tender wires - the loco. now runs smoothly and quietly all of the time. Because pick-up was from the tender only there must have been intermittent contact, as I suspected, on some pointwork that resulted in the motor faltering and the strange noise.

[Andy Dapol]

Glad it's resolved - Well done.

[doug22150]

Thanks Andy. Those loco to tender wires are certainly very fragile - I managed to break another pair before I succeeded!

[Bert Saltash]

Thanks Andy. Those loco to tender wires are certainly very fragile - I managed to break another pair before I succeeded!

Doug,

This looks like the problem I've noticed with a pre-owned Brit I bought recently, thanks.

This is my first experience with a Dapol tender drive. If I need to replace the tender wires, where can I obtain them from please?

[Longbow]

DCC Supplies is the place to go for Dapol spares - for tender wires click on Universal Steam in the link below

[Bert Saltash]

DCC Supplies is the place to go for Dapol spares - for tender wires click on Universal Steam in the link below

Many thanks, Longbow.

[Diane&John]

Hi. This is a question for Andy Dapol. John was given a new n gauge "Oliver Cromwell" bought from Rails shop for his birthday and we ran it on our test track for the first time this weekend. The loco starts and stops well and runs smoothly on long areas of track, but has difficulty crossing all three sets of points travelling in forwards or reverse and whether going clockwise or anticlockwise and whether going straight or following the curved point arm onto or off the passing track. We are using peco set track insulfrog short points and only have a single power feed to the track. When it crosses any of the points the train seems to judder and lose power and makes a noise exactly the same as the loco Doug posted a video of when starting this thread.

It appears some members have found a solution, but being new to the hobby we haven't got a clue how to change wires or extend couplings. As the loco is only four months since purchase (we didn't have a track set up when it was given) and mechanics are covered by the warranty can we send it to Dapol for you to do the necessary?