Jump to content
 

Mk3 coach production


DapolDave
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi guys,

 

I think I need to clear this up before we get into a gnashing of teeth and wailing in the street by the "Dapol" has let us down AGAIN brigade.

 

MK3 coaches for the HST in ALL liveries are scheduled for production over the coming months.

Nothing has changed in these plans!

 

The buffet and further projects have taken a front seat.

 

Please ask yourself this question........if we were abandoning these, why would we produce the buffet, or the W&SR and pretendolino twin packs?

 

If those that were there would have noticed, the last 2 shows attended have featured a MK3 in both I/C swallow and I/C executive liveries.

 

Blue/grey , virgin, and others are slotted into the schedule (2x TSOs and a First in Blue /grey if I remember correctly along with a 254 HST book set in Blue/grey.

 

You will find that certain shops have culled from their order list quite a bit recently, but basically as either that code has dropped out of our system, or we have cancelled that model.

 

We may have 'cancelled' those particular coaches, but only with that production number, as this will be re-issued with the new ones closer to release. In fact ,and I'm sure this will fan the flames of the conspiracy boys, I'm thinking that the catalogue mentions the coaches but doesn't include product numbers for them due to lack of space.

 

I hope this clarifies

Cheers

Dave

  • Like 7
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Same here re the WSMR sets.

 

Would be nice to see the Chiltern Mainiline livery. I have done one set using the Electra sides - but would be even better if the new plug door ones were done! However, I suppose that body moulding modification would have very limited sales until other TOCS adopt this door modification.

 

Ian

Link to post
Share on other sites

from the N-Gauge forum:

The mk3 Buffet cars have been rejected by Dapol for some reason and are not expected until at least august now.

Cheers

Is this accurate Dave / are you able to expand?

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi PLD, yes it is and no I won't, sorry.

No point giving others more ammunition on something that apart from a delay, won't affect them.

 

 

Blue/grey 254's are about 3 months away as that's when their production slot is.

 

Cheers

Dave

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold

Coincidentally I am waiting at one of our completed projects to discuss replacing equipment that was made in China that the quality is a major problem. Can't get parts. Without them being shipped from China each tine. Going to be a huge cost to replace this equipment with items made in Europe so that if they do our wrong then spares are more readily available. Luckily the decision to use the Chinese items wasn't of our making

Link to post
Share on other sites

Dave, I sense a bit of anger and I can understand why you may be feeling a bit of it.

I've said on a couple of other posts in relation to changes that its probably a change of catalogue numbers or a similar tweak and with the catalogue immiment that it may be an idea to wait rather than have the, what appears to be fashionable, Dapol bash.

 

With the speed of which Dapol are moving forward, I think you deserve a lot of praise for being as ambitious as you are. There are likely to be the odd glitch or change of production lines, tweaks of models and delays but you always appear on here and will point out why something has been done and ask for input into your models.

 

I dont see anybody from any other mainstream manufacturor on here answering gripes but it appears that your 'public face' means you get a much wider bashing then you deserve. You may not get everything 100% right and will never keep everybody happy but I think some of the criticism is a million miles wide of the mark.

  • Like 10
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi PLD, yes it is and no I won't, sorry.

No point giving others more ammunition on something that apart from a delay, won't affect them.

 

Cheers

Dave

Thanks Dave, and no worries about not disclosing reasons. Actually good to know that if there is an issue with them (whatever it may be), that it was caught by yourselves and they were stopped before they went out to dealers or worst of all just sent out regardless in the hope that no-one would notice.

 

Paul

  • Like 3
Link to post
Share on other sites

You could look at it another way and say that whether comments are good or bad, people are focused on Dapol productions so much that nothing goes unnoticed! :)

 

I can relate very directly to the position Dave puts himself in by being here, so thank you for taking the time and risk to keep us unruling lot informed :)

 

Regards

Link to post
Share on other sites

Regarding the buffets, this is what I was told by sales on 18th June (statement between inverted commas)

 

"The official list is as follows:

 

NC054A MK 3 COACH VIRGIN BUFFET BUFFERS

NC054B MK 3 COACH I/CITY BUFFET (executive livery)

NC054C MK 3 COACH BLUE/GREY BUFFET BUFFERS

NC055A MK 3 COACH VIRGIN BUFFET NO BUFFERS

NC055B MK 3 COACH I/CITY BUFFET (swallow livery)

NC055C MK 3 COACH BLUE/GREY BUFFET NO BUFFERS

 

As you will please note Product Development has decided on one of each Executive & Swallow and not both. NC054 is for models with buffers and NC055 without."

 

So I feel it is not what is produced that is the issue, that is Dapol's decision, but the different statements that come depending on where they are read (eg Dapol's FB side)

 

->Dapol, I am looking forward to reading what is in the catalogue, as all our doubts will be laid to rest and once the catalogue is publically available I bet you'll find all these discussions die!!!!

 

Es grüßt Euch

PC

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi PLD, yes it is and no I won't, sorry.

No point giving others more ammunition on something that apart from a delay, won't affect them.

 

Dave,

 

Thanks for letting us know - and thank you for having the confidence to reject them and face the (unwarranted) criticism for wanting to make sure they are right. I shall look forward to getting them when they do pass muster!

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Excellent news regarding the Buffet and Standard Open coaches in Pretendolino. Shames it looks like we will still be short of one final coach (even after 3 years).

 

Need to get my ass in gear and customize an existing TSO if I can still find one lurking in the back of a model shop.

 

Adam

Link to post
Share on other sites

Has it been confirmed what type of buffets are being produced?

 

I am personally hoping for a TRFB with buffers for an HST set and a couple of RFMs for loco hauled West Coast sets all in Virgin Trains livery. I see there are buffered and unbuffered versions but are they the same vehicle.

 

I have to admit to getting a bit confused by the changing release schedules and announced models/liveries.

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

Link to post
Share on other sites

NC054A MK 3 COACH VIRGIN BUFFET BUFFERS

NC054B MK 3 COACH I/CITY BUFFET (executive livery)

NC054C MK 3 COACH BLUE/GREY BUFFET BUFFERS

NC055A MK 3 COACH VIRGIN BUFFET NO BUFFERS

NC055B MK 3 COACH I/CITY BUFFET (swallow livery)

NC055C MK 3 COACH BLUE/GREY BUFFET NO BUFFERS

 

Are the InterCity Executive and Swallow with or without buffers?

Link to post
Share on other sites

are we going to get any TGS to complete our HST rakes no sign of them in the catalogue

john

 

Good question. Apart from Grand Central and possibly also B/G when a 254 comes out I run my Dapol HSTs with complete Farish sets - with painted seats they look OK with Dapol power cars.

 

I have only really gone for the LH Dapol Mk3s.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Has it been confirmed what type of buffets are being produced?

 

I am personally hoping for a TRFB with buffers for an HST set and a couple of RFMs for loco hauled West Coast sets all in Virgin Trains livery. I see there are buffered and unbuffered versions but are they the same vehicle.

 

Thanks,

 

Mark

 

Mark, are you sure you want a buffer fittted TRFB for your HST ?

 

There has been some rebuilding of Mk3A (LHCS) into Mk3 (HST) vehicles in the last decade, but I have been under the impression that all "production" class 253 and 254 trailers were delivered without buffers. Obviously the class 91+HST combos needed buffers fitting to a small number of TGS "end" vehicles, but I believe that was a retro fit, and would welcome correction.

 

Suitable youtube clip of this

Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...