Dapol 2012 Catalogue

[Mod3]

On topic and sensible please gentlemen or the thread will be locked

[definate maybe]

Then based on what does appear - or is at least announced - it'll enable me to proceed informedly with what I have in mind with my little O gauge project

 

For example, I'd be silly to buy a Slater's kit for nearly £40 and mess about putting it together if an rtr equivalent of the same wagon needing little to no work apart from perhaps a quick dirtying up with an airbrush for £25 is announced. Particularly if I want 10 of them. That's £150 difference before you even think about paint, glue, time etc.

 

Of course, there are many who will choose a kit anyway as that's their preferred style of modelling and it gives them more opportunity for detailing from the get-go - but I would rather not mess about with complex kits unnecessarily.

 

I know where you are coming from with your reply - I done exactly the same for a few years. The problem comes when they dont release it as an item this year but come November you will be wondering about the 2013 catalogue. It really is a great way of (potentially) never doing anything.

Dapol has stated this coming years catalogue is a massive jump forward in product ranges but I doubt they will disapear into the ether afterwards!

[grahame]

I'm not sure that many - if any - of us would complain that a certain model wasn't released in exactly the livery and condition it appeared at 2.30pm on the 14th May 1973 when you underlined it in your book.

 

But that is exactly what many are complaining about - something isn't in the 'right' livery or exact running number or not quite the right condition/period they want. And they want to know when it will be produced as such by the manufacturer - hence harranging Dave about the brochure. Dennis Lovett (of Bachmann) has said (in the Railway Modeller) that many people express just such wishes to him.

 

I know, practice more etc etc but that isn't always the easy option - and, of course sometimes a single bad experience on a bad day can be enough to put someone off attempting something (like using an airbrush) for a long, long time.

 

The point is not to give up so easily.No one has said it is an 'easy option' to start with. We've all had problem days (and I still regulalrly do), but in time it will become 'easier'. Practice on things that are free or cheap before trying on something expensive. But ultimately if you do mess up a re-paint/re-livery you can always clean it all off and try again.

 

G.

[justin1985]

I think there is a big difference between not wanting to go to the effort of repainting a model at all, and "I would like to find out of it will be produced in that livery, so I don't end up having wasted time and effort". Only the very elite modellers, such as Ian of Mercig and Chris of CJM are really capable of producing paint jobs that are so good that they're indistinguishable from a factory finish. Even for someone with an above average skill level, and the will to do it, they're probably still going to prefer the option of a factory painted model.

 

It isn't necessarily a case of moaning at the manufacturers to produce what you want, its just wanting to know what they will produce! Dapol surely now know what re-liveries they will be producing this year, I just wish they'd hurry up and tell me!

 

If there is an indication of an Anglia livery cl.86 in the next 18 months or so, then I'll wait. If they say no more 86s, then the Virgin one I picked up cheaply will be heading into a bath of Phoenix SuperStrip!

 

J

[cromptonnut]

I think there is a big difference between not wanting to go to the effort of repainting a model at all, and "I would like to find out of it will be produced in that livery, so I don't end up having wasted time and effort".

 

That's the point I've been trying to make How many times have we heard people say that they have just started (or finished) a kit or scratchbuilding something - and a manufacturer has announced exactly that item rtr within days?

 

At the end of the day it's up to Dapol to announce what they are making when they feel like it - but perhaps we'll never be able to tell just how many potential sales they have lost by people giving up waiting and either doing the work themselves or abandoning the layout plan completely because a class xyz isn't available.

 

In my own case, I started working in N gauge some years ago as I wanted a Class 159 (which was releaased in the Farish range) because I had got fed up waiting for Bachmann to do one in OO when it had been announced as coming soon two years previously. Hence all my OO stuff went into a box in a cupboard for about 7 years whilst I built up a not insignificant collection of N gauge stock so that was a fair chunk of money that could have gone towards OO products that went on N gauge instead.

 

In this case I'm wanting to proceed with my O gauge project and when the catalogue is made available I can then decide whether to buy anything from Dapol that may be suitable, or revert to having to build kits - or paying someone else to do them for me.

[DaveArkley]

perhaps we'll never be able to tell just how many potential sales they have lost by people giving up waiting and either doing the work themselves or abandoning the layout plan completely because a class xyz isn't available.

 

Few I believe. While most of the regulars on here will fret about class xyz, in time zone abc, on region blah blah blab, the vast majority of sales (by Dapol or any other RTR manufacturer) will be to people who buy a model because they like the look of it.

 

Don't forget that the members here represent the minority of purchasers. Most buyers are not aware that there is an impeding catalog, nor of the speculation which has been running here on what my appear in it. For many birthday or christmas money, or those (rare) times when they have a few bob in their pockets will determine when and what they buy.

[justin1985]

Few I believe. While most of the regulars on here will fret about class xyz, in time zone abc, on region blah blah blab, the vast majority of sales (by Dapol or any other RTR manufacturer) will be to people who buy a model because they like the look of it.

 

Don't forget that the members here represent the minority of purchasers. Most buyers are not aware that there is an impeding catalog, nor of the speculation which has been running here on what my appear in it. For many birthday or christmas money, or those (rare) times when they have a few bob in their pockets will determine when and what they buy.

 

I think this is far less true of Dapol than any other manufacturer. Their small batch sizes seem to mean their products never really spend much time on the shelves! (which is of course the aim) As a general rule, you have to know its coming to be able to get hold of it (other than via box shifters etc.) When its all but impossible to find more than a handful of less popular Dapol models actually on shop shelves at any one time, its very hard to browse them!

 

I've certainly yet to have seen a physical model shop with more than one or two classes of Dapol model physically around, and even at major exhibitions like Warley and Ally Pally, their models tend to be like hen's teeth!

[Mod3]

It seems like a simple request is impossible for some to follow.

 

The thread is now locked until DapolDave is ready to add something to this thread, when he is ready he can drop any of the admin team a PM and it will be re-opened.