New Bogies for 00 Dapol Autocoach

[rjpwilliams]

I have a pair of Dapol Autocoaches and want to replace their plastic wheelsets and bogies with something that a 14xx will happily pull/push.  I wonder if there are any commercially available bogies which have the same basic outline as the autocoach.

[Dunsignalling]

36 minutes ago, rjpwilliams said:

I have a pair of Dapol Autocoaches and want to replace their plastic wheelsets and bogies with something that a 14xx will happily pull/push.  I wonder if there are any commercially available bogies which have the same basic outline as the autocoach.

Unless the bogies are defective, just replacing the wheels should do the trick.

 

The metal ones from Hornby and Bachmann are available as spares and will fit.

 

John

 

 

[rjpwilliams]

Thanks for the suggestion John, but I have replacement wheels and pinpoint bearings fitted to one carriage and the 14xx still finds it too much and spins like mad.  I was hoping that someone would have a suggestion of a precision made bogey set which might just make the autocoach run more smoothly and give this little, light-weight, engine a chance.

Richard

[The Johnster]

I'm impressed with Stafford Road Works/Shapeways 3D printed resin bogies, which are available in several GW types including the 9' Colletts you need.  They are a straight plug in replacement for the old bogies and, fitted with Bachmann wheels, run very freely; you'll find gradients you never knew you had!  They are not cheap but are a very high quality product, with the further advantage of NEM pockets.  

 

Replacing the plastic wheels originally supplied with the coaches is worth doing; not only will it improve the running but will help to maintain track cleanliness, as plastic spreads crud everywhere!

 

But I can't help thinking your 14xx needs a looking at as well.  It should be able to manage one trailer unless there is something very badly amiss with the trailer, and on reasonably well laid track I'd expect it to have few problems with two, unless very sharp setrack curves have to be negotiated.  Which model is it exactly, the old Airfix, or one of the Hornby derivates, or a DJH/Hattons?  An Airfix should manage 2 Dapol auto trailers (Dap inherited these toolings from Airfix and they are still made by Hornby), even if like me you remove the traction tyres from any loco that has them, but this model, a game changer in it's day, has a poor reputation for long term reliability because of problems with it's sprung plunger pickups.  More recent Hornby iterations have redesigned chassis, but, again, the running is allegedly a bit hit and miss, as is the much more expensive DJH.  

 

0-4-2s are a bit of a problem because they are difficult to 'balance' about the trailing driven axle and end up being too heavy at the front or too heavy at the rear, with adverse affect on the haulage.  If you compound the problem with sharp curves, uneven track, or steep gradients matters will be worse.  I would advise the following:-

 

.Make sure your track is level, and smoothly laid.

 

.Check that the loco sits square on the track with all the wheels contacting the track at the same time.

 

.Check that the loco continues to do this when coupled to the trailer(s) and that the couplings are not lifting it off the track, or bearing down on it which will lift the other end off the track.

 

.Get as much ballast inside the loco as you can to bear weight down on to the driving wheels to help them grip better.  I use 'Liquid Lead', not actually liquid but small ballbearings/shot, sealed in with PVA glue, for this.

 

.Try to get the balance as even as possible about the pivot point of the trailing driving axle.

 

.Check that the trailer(s) are running freely, not just that the wheels spin freely in the bogies but that the bogies can pivot correctly in both the lateral and vertical planes as well.  

 

.Check that the loco and trailer(s) are not fouling and dragging on the track, including the 'droppers' of the coupling hook pieces which can foul on turnouts.  I've had trouble with the guard irons of another loco that resulted in the driving wheels not sitting on the track properly; snipping off .25 of a mm had it running properly, but diagnosing the problem took a while...

 

Does the spinning occur at specific places on the layout, or will the loco simply not pull the trailers anywhere?  If the former, then the loco has proved that it can pull the trailers and that there are particular locations causing trouble that need looking at.  If the latter, then we are looking at a traction issue.

 

Let us know how you get on, Richard!

[lofty1966]

I'd be looking at your 14xx as the problem, not the auto trailer.

Sounds like its missing its traction tyres.

[billbedford]

11 hours ago, rjpwilliams said:

Thanks for the suggestion John, but I have replacement wheels and pinpoint bearings fitted to one carriage and the 14xx still finds it too much and spins like mad.  I was hoping that someone would have a suggestion of a precision made bogey set which might just make the autocoach run more smoothly and give this little, light-weight, engine a chance.

 

2

 

Do the wheels spin for an appreciable time when you spin them?

[TheSignalEngineer]

My 14xx is a modified Airfix body on a Dapol chassis which I think is basically the same as Hornby still produce. 

 

I've just tried it with a random selection of Airfix/Dapol/Mainline stock all with replacement wheels. It runs from anywhere on the layout with 3 coaches and will take 4 as long as you are careful if it is starting with the train on one of the fiddle yard curves about 24 inch radius.

[Dunsignalling]

13 hours ago, rjpwilliams said:

Thanks for the suggestion John, but I have replacement wheels and pinpoint bearings fitted to one carriage and the 14xx still finds it too much and spins like mad.  I was hoping that someone would have a suggestion of a precision made bogey set which might just make the autocoach run more smoothly and give this little, light-weight, engine a chance.

Richard

As others have suggested, Your 14xx shouldn't be doing that, I have an old Dapol 14xx, with plain wheels from a scrap Airfix one substituted for the ones with tyres (admittedly with a bit of extra weight added to make up for that) and she doesn't have any trouble with two of the Airfix/Dapol/Hornby trailers or a B-set.

 

John

Edited June 19, 2019 by Dunsignalling

[The Johnster]

Mine, got rid of years ago, would manage about the same as SignalEngineer’s without the traction tyre.  I can’t help felling the root of your problem is something solvable on the loco, but still thoroughly recommend the Stafford Road bogies with Bachmann wheels. 

[RexAshton]

Alan Gibson wheels clipped straight into the plastic bogies and mine would roll off a snooker table given half a chance.