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N Gauge Class 68 Locomotive


gedlee
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From the Dapol Digest:

 

I received an email today from our factory containing both good and bad news.

The production of the N gauge models has been in progress since early January (moulding, production of outsourced parts etc.) and I was anticipating news today of the shipment of the first production samples, hopefully to arrive by the end of the week. The bad news is that this has slipped until the 31st. I shall of course post an update with photos a day or two after I have the samples on my desk.

The good news is that once approved, shipment will take place as anticipated, and we should see the models in the shops by the 3rd or 4th week in Feb, followed by DCC fitted and DCC Sound fitted 2-4 weeks later.

Observing the EPs at Warley, they did look very good. Hopefully they are not let down by niggly little issues that often affect Dapol N Gauge models, in my experience anyway.

 

Tom.

Edited by TomE
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I received an email from a retailer today notifying me they have been given updated delivery info from Dapol.  They expect the three I've ordered to hit stores around 26th February.

 

Hopefully they do arrive around that time but I'll take that date with a pinch of salt!

 

Martin

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  • 4 weeks later...

Aren't the DC ones actually DCC ready, so it'd only be a matter of changing the blanking plug for a decoder of your choice?

 

G

 

Indeed they are, but Dapol are doing 3 versions of each Model. Take 68002 Intrepid which comes in 2D-022-001 as DC (DCC Ready), 2D-022-001D as DCC and 2D-022-001S as DCC Sound.

 

Anybody who pre-ordered the 'D' or 'S' products has another month to wait. I naively thought they might all arrive at once, so opted for the 'D' version myself. I might see if I can pick up the DC versions sort myself out with Chips and bin the pre-orders.

 

Cheers, Mark.

Edited by Vonzack
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Indeed they are, but Dapol are doing 3 versions of each Model. Take 68002 Intrepid which comes in 2D-022-001 as DC (DCC Ready), 2D-022-001D as DCC and 2D-022-001S as DCC Sound.

So anyone who pre-ordered the 'D' (DCC) version and wants it quickly can simply purchase the DC (DCC ready) version and fit their own decoder. And probably all versions are fitted with speakers as well (like the Farish class 40).

 

G.

Edited by grahame
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I think they will sell out pretty quickly.

 

Yes, they probably will - didn't the 00/4mm version sell quickly?

 

It does seem strange that a very modern model, with limited era exposure and potential use, should prove popular. It seems to fly in the face of those who say there is no interest in D&E modelling and especially for the contemporary scene.

 

Anyway I've ordered one and hope to get a good look at it soon.

 

G

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Yes, they probably will - didn't the 00/4mm version sell quickly?

 

It does seem strange that a very modern model, with limited era exposure and potential use, should prove popular. It seems to fly in the face of those who say there is no interest in D&E modelling and especially for the contemporary scene.

 

Anyway I've ordered one and hope to get a good look at it soon.

 

G

The N gauge model is probably not going to sell out as fast as the OO gauge ones. But it will probably sell out.

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I get the impression that with both Dapol and Farish (don’t know about 4mm equivalents) the DCC or DCC Sound fitted versions come a few weeks after the main batch because they might actually have the chips fitted in Chirk / Barwell? If they were coming from China pre-fitted, I doubt it would make sense to split the shipment if there’s only a few weeks in it?

 

Either way, looks like a good model! The ETS jumper looks a tad oversized, but that’s understandable. There is also a general sense of the cab and front end detail looking a little less sharp than tends to be the case with Farish models, but that seems to be a general characteristic of whoever Dapol outsource their design and spark-erosion tooling to.

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I'm rather disappointed that the class 68 I ordered from Hattons on Tuesday morning didn't arrive today (the postie has now been and gone), so does anyone have any feedback or comment for the models that they've got?

 

G

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The N gauge model is probably not going to sell out as fast as the OO gauge ones. But it will probably sell out.

 

Apparently, according to Kernow, the 'Intrepid' and 'Defiant' models have already sold out at Dapol. Best to purchase what is still available at retailers quickly.

 

G

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Mine turned up yesterday. Very impressive, the detail is superb, I really like the fact one buffer beam comes detailed. 

 

No speakers in the DC ones, which is a bit of a shame, but there's a slot to mount one (obviously), which is better than nothing.

 

It feels like a real step up for Dapol - the PCB quality looks far superior, the box is better. It runs beautifully quietly, very smooth and slow. That said... I had one handrail which will barely attached, and fell off removing the model from the box. To my surprise they're actually plastic, I'd assumed they were metal, but it re-attached very easily. I also had the light tubes fall out of one end when I removed the body, and I've seen someone saying the front valance was detached on theirs out of the box, so some silly little QC issues still present. Haulage is good, romped around the layout with 16 Megafret flats with weighted containers, definitely better than their 66 (not saying much).

 

All in I'd say it's hands down the best Dapol model I've bought, possibly the best British N, I'm excited for the 50 now, I'd say it bodes well.

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Ours arrived in stock this morning. We've tested each one and no issues. Lovely model and the different combinations of lights you can have by altering the internal switches is impressive. Room for a cube speaker as well. For Dcc a next 18 decoder is required ideally with 6 functions for all light options but you can use a 4 function next 18 decoder.

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My 3 arrived yesterday and I had them out for a look at Model Rail Scotland today.  I double checked all the areas where people have reported issues and I must be lucky as mine seem perfect.

 

I agree with the comments above that it's probably one of the best N gauge models and a step up for Dapol - I haven't had to re-solder all the joints on the PCB for a change.

 

I did fit DCC sound to one today for LegoManBiffo and it was a simple job.  Next 18 decoder was slightly longer than the space on the PCB so I added some insulation tape to isolate from the components underneath.  The speaker fits face down into the slot provided and two wires are soldered to the speaker then onto the LS+ and LS- terminals.  Simples as the Meerkat says.  Sounds bloody good as well even in the noisy SEC.

 

Cheers

 

Martin

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Was going to wait for the DCC models but caved in and ordered a 68007 today. Just need some mk2's to go with it..

 

I expect a few other impatient people like myself will have ordered DC models to avoid the wait. I can foresee the DC models selling out very quickly. The DCC and DCC sound models may stick around a bit longer. 

 

I can't see the ScotRail ones being re-run anytime soon, which was my logic for going for it. I will get a DRS one at some point but there are other running numbers I'd rather have so I'll wait for the inevitable re-runs.

 

I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it, from the photos they look superb. Recently many of Dapol's models have been let down by decoration issues, but these look spot on from what I've seen.

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My Intrepid arrived yesterday and I've snapped a few photos of it. 

 

Now, I've been a bit down on Dapol recently and as an N Gauge modeller I find them somewhat infuriating. Their Schools Class initially impressed, but over time running quality has become a problem on my example. The Class 33 has lovely moulded details, runs like a dream but is let down by awful design and sloppy finishing. My 9F runs like it has square wheels and a Britannia isn't far behind. I'd long hoped a 142 would appear in N Gauge, but Dapol's looks sufficiently unlike one that for me that it's off the list. Of course I've also had a few niggles with Fairsh stuff in the past but to nowhere near this extent, and their recent models have all been outstanding in every aspect. 

 

I ordered the 68 with an eye on a future project involving swinging bridges, but only after having a close look at the samples at Warley and being sufficiently impressed by those to take a punt on it, so there was some trepidation when it arrived yesterday. On extracting it from the box, one of the bogies immediately flopped loose.

 

Arse.....

 

After removing the body, which is pleasingly simple compared to the 33 (in so much as the model didn't reduce itself to its component parts) I found that the clip on top of the gear tower that holds the bogie in place had become unclipped. It was a bit of a faff to get it all back where it should be as the PCB covers almost the entire length of the chassis block, but once clipped back into place all was fine. Having run it around my usual Unitrack oval, the ruling qualities are superb, equalling those of the Farish Class 40 which is pretty much perfect. There is some light leak down the sides of the body so this will need to be blocked somehow, and Dapol haven't replicated the Halo lighting of the prototype, but that would challenge any mass market manufacturer in this scale I suspect. 

 

The 68 has clearly benefitted from the development of the OO Gauge model, and there really is nothing to find fault with in the quality of the mouldings. The separate plastic handrails are commendably fine and flat section as per the prototype and overall it looks like Dapol have perfectly captured the complex curvature of the cabs when compared to the real thing. My only real niggle is the fit of the centre headlight glazing, which is somewhat abstract at both ends on my example. This will need to be removed and seated properly after the small moulding pips still present have been removed. 

 

Clearly the 'wow' feature on this particular model is the finish. I have to give kudos to Dapol for even considering attempting this livery. Bachmann copped out with their OO FGW 166 by ignoring the colour transitions altogether, so to see a scheme which features multi coloured fading transitioning artwork done this well in N Gauge deserves maximum credit. Is it perfect? No, and close up the pixelated nature of the finish is evident, but you have to be seriously close up for it to even be a concern and the overall effect is as close as it's going to get in this scale. The Compass has a simplified representation map but again it's enough to give the right impression and the plethora of other markings are all excellent, right down to the tiny warning flash on the ETS fitting. Top marks to Dapol on this front! 

 

The 68 is a superb model in N Gauge. If it wasn't for the epic scale and gutsiness of the RevolutioN Pendolino it might even be model of the year. But this brings me back to my initial infuriation with Dapol. They can produce models which are the equal of Bachmann when they put their minds to it, the 68 proves this. But then we get a misshapen lump like the 142, or get strung along waiting for a model which never comes like the BoB/West Country. I want to like Dapol, I really do, but they just make it so dammed hard! From my own personal point of view, if they stopped flailing around like a sweaty octopus trying to unhook a bra and brought some focus and consistency to their range, they could really start to give Barwell something to be worried about. 

 

 

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Tom. 

Edited by TomE
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