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Dapol class 22


grockle
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Having just recently purchased brand new a Dapol class 22 I am impressed with its looks but not its working. Only had it 7 days and its going back for the second time for repair. First time around the blanking plate worked loose disenabling the lighting that was one reason why I bought this particular loco in the first place. And again the lights have given up the ghost and what makes it even more frustrating is that I have not even been able to complete its running in yet. Possibly got about 25 to 30 minutes of running so far out of it. No good to me if its to run correctly on the GGR.

Dapol are getting a very snotty letter sent to them showing my disgust at their lack of Quality control on this model, just wondering what their responce is going to be, that is if they bother at all.

Ian

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I don't have any experience of Dapol locomotives and although their OO catalogue is expanding I have only a small number of items of Dapol rolling stock. It sounds like you've been unlucky with the class 22 locomotive and while I understand how frustrating it can be when you receive a model that doesn't work as intended, and more so when it has been returned for repair already, I'm sure that Dapol would see it as being in their best interests and be more than willing for the situation to be resolved to your complete satisfaction.

Did you order directly from Dapol or through a retailer? You say it's going back a second time for repair... surely you can request a replacement? I know this bit is slightly off-topic but our new dishwasher failed soon after installation. They offered to send a guy out to repair it but we pointed out that we'd paid for a new machine and didn't want one that had been 'repaired'. We got a replacement.

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  • 7 months later...

About time I gave all and sundry an update on the Dapol class 22 that is giving me nightmares still.

Well after a third trip back to the shop with the same fault yet again, directional lights not working again, yet another snotty letter to Dapol UK and a couple of emails, which they Dapol have not answered I decided that it was a case of SOD the warranty, its not worth the paper its written on and give it to my Mr Fix It to have a look at and hopefully find the fault.

The fault has been found as its not down to me. Fault is on the main circuit board that is part and parcel of the directional lighting. It is that fragile and badly made that for the third time its shorted, thereby burning the circuit board to a crisp. Solution is to have either yet another new running chassis from the shop, where I purchased it from, or get a new model from Dapol, but seeing that they are being totally non co-operative, Dapol that is, and the shop already has two returned loco's, I am having a new circuit board built, and as the loco is only ever going to be used in DC mode, it makes it simplier to build. Dapol will be sent the bill for the new circuit board along with the labour costs and a report about the faults found on the circuit board. The report is being written up by an electronics engineer so that might make them dig into their bloody pocket and pay me back for fixing their CRAP workmanship in the first place.

Will get some pictures taken of the 22 once its back and working properly, which I know it will this time around.

Ian

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Ian, I am pleased that you have finally found the problem, and have a solution of sorts. However, I thought "Customer Service" of this type had died out years ago. Dapol ignoring the problem you have had with this model is not acceptable.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sale_of_Goods_Act_1979

You have redress in the law - the Sale of Goods Act 1979 gives you the right to have a refund, a replacement or a repair. However, if Dapol are not willing to communicate with you over this, you may need to go down the Small Claims Court route.

When you email Dapol I would advise you to put read receipts on the email (easy if you use Outlook or Outlook Express as your mail client), that way you know that at least someone is reading the email.

I wonder what the Model Railway press would have to say about Dapol's attitude?

ETA

There is a user on RMWEB called DapolDave who appears to be connected with Dapol, maybe worthwhile joining if you are not already a member and contacting him?

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I am not surprised to hear of your problems with Dapol, Ian.

I had an N gauge class 67 and it died after about 3 months - luckily, the shop where I bought it were very helpful in getting Dapol to replace it. However, my Dad bought an n gauge Hymek last May and this has got an issue with its running (apparently something to do with the motor bearing) and Dapol do not want to know because its gone over its 3 month warranty - what a load of cobblers! 3 month warranty! Ridiculous. He is now seriously considering cancelling his pre-orders for the forthcoming class 22 & class 33. :?

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I have given Dapol 14 daus to respond from date of letter sent to them Friday. Failure to respond within the time frame, I have told them that I will be going to the Small Claims Court. I will not be involving the model shop from where I purchased said loco as they have co-operated as much as possible but they can't keep supplying me with loco's when they don't have anymore in stock to exchange again for faulty products sent out in the first instance by Dapol. My Fix It guy has given me a bill for the work he has got to do to rectify their faulty merchandise and that will be included in the claim that I am making against them, plus of course the cost of the loco in the first instance, add to that all the postage for numerious letters sent to them, and the running around I have had to get replacements (faulty) new loco's from said shop, and also for the hassle and grief that its caused me, in that its been unfit for purpose even before it was sold new by the shop. ie their selling faulty goods sent out from source, their own factories.

If they offer my any compensation like vouchers for other new goods, I will tell them in NO uncertain terms exactly where they can stick them, I for one will Never Ever buy new loco's again.

Lets see what happens

Ian

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Is that new locos of ANY make, Ian?

I have just pre-ordered the Bachmann Class 101 DMU from Hattons, and bought a Heljan Hymek (which is tremendous) middle of last year and a Bachmann Berkshire 2-8-4 Pere Marquette from the States just after Christmas. I am more than happy with both of those purchases that I have - I just hope that the Class 101 turns out as good.

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george356 said:

Is that new locos of ANY make, Ian?

YES in certainly is.

Okay so will have to wait that little bit longer to get what I want but at least I know that when I buy it, its going to work, which is more that I can say for the Dapol class 22. Nothing but trouble from the word go.

Ian

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I'm sorry to hear of all your troubles with the Class 22 but I must say that I am very pleased with my Dapol manufactured steam locos.

My Beattie Well Tank and BR Y-3 Sentinel are lovely little runners. Also, they are so very easy to fit DCC decoders into. If only the "Big 2" would make it such an easy and quick job!

Just my personal experiences.

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  • 1 year later...

So sorry to read of your woes with Dapol. Over here Ian consumers have the right to a replacement. You don't have to have the original box. The manufacturer can't fob you off with a 'you need to send it here' and the retailer can't do the same thing. Here we have the right to demand a replacement or a refund. Here to have a sign reading "No Refunds" is against the law. As long as you can prove that you bought it like a sales docket you have no problems.

Like Mick and his washing machine when I bought a new washing machine the top was broken having been unsecured in the back of a truck and it had been thrown around in on the way from the store to me. I refused to take delivery angering the delivery bloke from the store who's job it was to make sure it was secured. I told him he could bend over and I'd put the machine where the sun don't shine. I contacted the manufacturer by phone and they sent me a new one instead.

As for RMweb yes it does have a lot of 'Vested Interest People" on it. I made a comment on Hattons saying they were cheap and nasty as they sent me a loco that didn't work and when I asked them to test a loco before sending it they flatly refused and I cancelled the sale. The comment got a torrid of hate from those with a "vested interest" and was locked by the administrator. Box shifters is what they've become. Most of the staff have no idea or interest in model railways. So for me Hattons for wagons and coaches and local people for locos and other bit and pieces.

Roy.

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IGNORANT ########, Dapol are the ###### of model manufactors. :evil::evil::evil:

How many times have I emailed, written, phoned them is now beyond a joke and still I get NO responce. Small claims court here I come and as I have already told Dapol I am not going to keep quiet about their lack of responce and I will freely talk to who ever wants to know about my trouble with my 00 gauge class 22.

The only reason that I've not yet got my loco back is because my Mr Fix It, like the rest of us, has a life to lead outside of model railways.

I had a circuit board design engineer check out Dapols circuit board and he found over 12 errors on it. He was actually astonished that the loco itself actually run at all. Suffice to say a new circuit board has been designed for my loco along with all the necessary bits and bobs to make it function properly.

Mr Fix It has been sourcing parts required. Not so easy when you only want a single component and rebuilding said new circuit board as per the new design.

Ian

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I understand your frustrations Ian but you keep giving me additional words to add to the word censorship feature and they're not ones everyone wants to see/read on a model railway forum. I would also suggest that you choose your words carefully no matter how angry you are over this unfortunate experience - it's important not to include any statement that could be deemed defamatory. Your best recourse is to follow correct procedures and pursue a claim through the relevant channels.

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Mick,

Please except my apologies, and to anyone else that happened to read it before Mick amended it sorry :oops:

Fristration is the name of the game at present with this particlar company. Never bother to respond to any form of communication, so lets see what happens when I take them to court. They will either come up with some excuse like, never received any correspondence, but that will fail, as I've got signed receipts for recorded and special delivery letters and the like, so they know that I've an issue with them and this particular problem and what I have done so far in trying to get them to respond and what matters I have taken into my own hands to get the item back to full working order again, and they are going to PAY for it, big time.

Ian

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  • 3 months later...

Some good news on the class 22. Its back on the GGR in full working order, thanks to my Mr Fix It. New bits and bobs all singing and dancing, and its actually been test run at the club for over an hour without anything going wrong or lights going out. Hu #####y Ray.

However the manufacturer of this loco is still not playing ball. Court time is fast approaching and I'm actually starting to think that they won't even bother to turn up or even write to the court. My time to show them for what they really are is fast approaching.

Ian

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  • 6 months later...

Although an older thread my local model shop here Woodpecker Model Railways stocks many manufacturers but Dapol locos is not one of them. When I asked why, I was told that the service from Dapol for locos and rolling stock was totally pathetic and they have a real ingrained attitude of "well you've bought the product and now you're on your own. They do however stock the old Airfix range of kits now made by Dapol.

Roy.

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