Farish V2 problems

[x568wcn]

Anyone else having major trouble with the Farish V2's?
I have Coldstreamer in LNER, and find that it causes my no end of trouble.
The V2 was a mixed traffic engine right? So I couple it up to a rake of 6, standard coaches of the formation (an odd one at that!)
3x Teak Composite, and 1x Teak 3rd and 1st Brake, with 1x Crimson & Cream Corridor second, and 1x Crimson & Cream BG Full Brake, so a rake of not very heavy coaches, they are all standard, no extra weight.
Now my board isn't flat, but you can't tell this by looking, it is a very slight slope in places.

The V2 has a plastic shell and a spring loaded front set of leading wheels.

When the V2 gets to the (Very) slight slope at speed, it starts to slip, and I have to crank up the power, this then causes the V2 to do a (slight) wheelie, causing the front truck to lift off the track and not land back on, then it gets to the next points and derails...anyone else have trouble with these?

But it's fine with a rake of trucks (12 open wagons, the box I mentioned on here, and a guards van)

Hmmm...

[richard]

I've only tried it on the level. It is a bit anaemic (as many others have also stated), also if overloaded it will slip, but it slips ever so smoothly

One theory is that the switch to plastic body for increased detailing led to a reduction in adhesive weight.

Also the tender pick ups tend to be too tight, and some have had success with *slightly* slackening these off a bit. (i haven't tried yet)


Richard

[x568wcn]

Yes, I've brought it up again, but, I have a second one, and using peco setrack points to make a 1/4 circle, it would cause trouble, so I took action, and took the front bogie off, took out the screw, and removed the spring, then put the screw back, but not very tight, and it is perfect, it has been round and round for 10 minutes without one single derail, now to do the other one.
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8ZNToq8VSs

(Needs the body putting back on though!)

[alangdance]

I have just received a new V2 today after running in for 2 to 3 hours, I decieded that I would test it pulling power using my small Peco settrack oval test track. I pull 16 coahes with out any problems. Unable to test any more than 16 coaches as there was no more room left on the test track to put any more coaches. Pushed 14 with out any slippage or any other problems. On pushing with 15 start to slipping on the curves only. These were tested at various speeds (from a crawl to jet speed).
Now have I been lucky or have Farish changed any thing to this loco. I have to say this at the moment is one of the best locos I have had. People have mentioned that the body is very light due to the plastic but I actually throught there was not a lot of different in weight between this and old Farish.
More runnig to do for futher test on my layout once I have converted it to DCC. WIll try and run as many coaches as possible.

[richard]

It is definitely the best looking Farish steam engine - even with the boiler skirt.

For pulling power, mine appears to have loosened off. I don't think Farish have changed the design. I even suspect that the ones on sale are still from the original batch.


Richard

[x568wcn]

My first one, is with farish, as it fell off my board, and the gears started slipping.
My newer one (now Green Arrow) is still causing a lot of trouble with the leading axle, which can be seen the the post below this (at the time of writing!)
5 coaches seams to be my limit though, but now I have the board down stairs, I'll lay it out again, and try all 14 servicable coaches that I have, and see if a flat surface will help, although 14 won't fit the fiddle yard, let a lone the branch!

[x568wcn]

Update; 14 coaches tried, and it struggles to go anywhere due to the train streaching half way round the board, so I stuck 3 8Fs and 1 Scotsman on the front and it helps a lot, but I would have had 4 8Fs but one rear coupling has magically broken!

[x568wcn]

Update;
I went for the worlds most outlandish train, with 3 V2s pulling 5 Pullmans, and got them in to an order of workieness. then added 4 8Fs and a A4 in to the mix, and found first v2 Coldstreamer that Bachmann fixed, was being dodgy, and you could push it round the track with no power, so tried it on it's own, and it was fine, but with stock it wouldn't go, and on taking it apart found the cog on the middle axle was loose, so shuffled it about and it looks to be ok now, just going to test it!


and as soon as I apply power it goes again, so I have to take out loads of screws again!

[richard]

Is it a split gear?

This is a notorious problem on later Graham Farish and even the Bachmann products, although I haven't experienced it yet. It is something to do with the choice of plastic for the gears, and the way the axles are inserted. Eventually the gear cracks and is useless. We're all amazed that it continues - other manufacturers manage okay with plastic gears!


Richard

[x568wcn]

I've glued it, but not tested it, then put my arm in the superglue!
Good job we do it at work, and I know what I'm doing with the stuff!

will just go test!

it worked, then the pistons all came apart, then fell off, so that side resembles an 0-6-0 tank engine!

[Atso]

I was able to purchase a V2 with a broken gear on a well know auction site. I removed the motor and the gear and replaced the tender with a union mills motor unit (after some butchery of the rear pony truck and gluing half a UM drawbar in place!). Runs very well now and with no sign of slippage at all! The farish chassis fee-wheels very well (although might benefit from some additional weight) and I've had no problem with the valve gear binding.

The only problem I've got now is that the tender is a slightly difference shade of green than the loco. Having said that the wheel base of the UM tender is exactly the same as the Farish one so I might add some weight to that and see how it runs.

[x568wcn]

To be honest, it seems to run much better than before, and quite happily pulls 9 coaches with no slippage now!!!