Dapol announce 8 new 'O' gauge wagons at Guildex

[brossard]

Yes announced on page one of this thread

 

Well that's awkward.    Neither Tower nor Hatton's list these in their future releases.  Dapol's site is pretty sparse with info. 

 

John

[Fat Controller]

Id like a blue one.....I wonder if Dapol will do one in time?

The blue ones (later white) were Insulated Meat Vans, and had no end or side vents. The crimson ones with lots of vents were for Fresh Meat traffic. Both types ended up being used as general traffic vans, the traffic for which they had been intended having gone first to containers, and then road. Some of both types ended up branded 'ALE' 'Empty to Park Royal'

[CME and Bottlewasher]

The blue ones (later white) were Insulated Meat Vans, and had no end or side vents. The crimson ones with lots of vents were for Fresh Meat traffic. Both types ended up being used as general traffic vans, the traffic for which they had been intended having gone first to containers, and then road. Some of both types ended up branded 'ALE' 'Empty to Park Royal'

Hi,

 

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that the white (insulated) versions were the earliest with blue following on, sans vents etc??

 

ATVB

 

CME

Edited August 18, 2017 by CME and Bottlewasher

[Fat Controller]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the info. I was under the impression that the white (insulated) versions were the earliest with blue following on, sans vents etc??

 

ATVB

 

CME

They were parallel builds; the Fresh Meat ones being intended for home-produced meat, and the Insulated ones for imported (notably lamb from New Zealand) . The Powder Blue scheme replaced the White for insulated vehicles; this was post-1964, I believe. The only time I was aware of seeing an Insulated Meat Van, it was in a very mixed rake taking fertiliser or animal feed towards Carmarthen, in the very late 1960s or early 1970s; the livery was scarceely visible under the dirt.

[F-UnitMad]

Yes announced on page one of this thread

Which was... how long ago..??   

[Mike Huxley]

Hi John,

 

Many thanks for that....obliged.

 

Kind regards,

 

CME.

CME, http://www.petersspares.com are advertising the blue version in stock as well.

 

Mike

[CME and Bottlewasher]

They were parallel builds; the Fresh Meat ones being intended for home-produced meat, and the Insulated ones for imported (notably lamb from New Zealand) . The Powder Blue scheme replaced the White for insulated vehicles; this was post-1964, I believe. The only time I was aware of seeing an Insulated Meat Van, it was in a very mixed rake taking fertiliser or animal feed towards Carmarthen, in the very late 1960s or early 1970s; the livery was scarceely visible under the dirt.

Hi,

 

Many thanks.

 

In your first Post you stated that the prototype blue liveried versions came before the white versions, I was just endeavouring to clarify that point as it was confusing/confused me, as my understanding was that the white came before the blue.

 

As you say though, with road/traffic dirt, livery could be a moot point Ha ha!

 

Thanks again though.....

 

CME, http://www.petersspares.com are advertising the blue version in stock as well.

 

Mike

Hi Mike,

 

Many thanks.

 

CME

Edited August 19, 2017 by CME and Bottlewasher

[The Bigbee Line]

I had one of the new vans delivered on Saturday.  Keen to see how the couplings looked I opened the box.  No couplings, just the hooks.  Nothing hiding in the packaging...  I contacted Hattons using the on-line chat line.  Within a few minutes some instanters were found dispatched.  Arrived today in the post.  Thanks Mr Hattons well done..

 

Also in the parcel on Saturday was a fitted HIBAR open, very nice.  3 x 17'6" over headstocks are very tight on my 3-3-5 Inglenook....  All part of the challenge...

[brossard]

A problem I noticed with couplings using "gedge" hooks for the link is that the gap in the top link can be just large enough to slip out of the gedge.  If the links fall out and are not noticed they could be lost forever.  For Parkside I solder the top link after installation.

 

John

[CME and Bottlewasher]

I had one of the new vans delivered on Saturday.  Keen to see how the couplings looked I opened the box.  No couplings, just the hooks.  Nothing hiding in the packaging...  I contacted Hattons using the on-line chat line.  Within a few minutes some instanters were found dispatched.  Arrived today in the post.  Thanks Mr Hattons well done..

 

Also in the parcel on Saturday was a fitted HIBAR open, very nice.  3 x 17'6" over headstocks are very tight on my 3-3-5 Inglenook....  All part of the challenge...

Hi,

 

Has the Hi-Bar spent the reqd. time in the mould, or is it like many of the previous batch of opens?

 

ATB,

 

CME.

[The Bigbee Line]

Hi,

 

Has the Hi-Bar spent the reqd. time in the mould, or is it like many of the previous batch of opens?

 

ATB,

 

CME.

I didn't notice them as too bent.  So have just checked.  Left side:

 

 

Right side:

 

 

The bar is not dead straight, but were they straight when abused....  Now looking for pictures to see how they ran. 

[CME and Bottlewasher]

The sides are not too bad, compared to some Ive seen. As you say the bar isnt an issue as they got bent in hard use on the prototype....if its a concern it can be replaced with a metal one.

 

AFAICT all of this range of wagons run exceptionally well.

 

ATVB

 

CME

 

PS Ive sent you a PM with a few suggestions/remedial solutions to this-apparently-perenial problem.

Edited August 23, 2017 by CME and Bottlewasher

[deltic17]

Just bought 4 of the box vans - (I was too slow first time round!) - very nice, BUT......but as others have noted the attachment of the couplings is simply not good enough.

 

When I opened the boxes only 2 out of the 8 (ends) had the coupling attached - the rest were all laid around in the various boxes. I have had similar problems with somewhat related Lionheart minerals previously....

 

I have refitted them (not too easy) but you can do without having to do that especially when so many have fallen off

 

....so please Dapol....time to have a review of your wagon couplings.....PLEASE

[CME and Bottlewasher]

Just bought 4 of the box vans - (I was too slow first time round!) - very nice, BUT......but as others have noted the attachment of the couplings is simply not good enough.

 

When I opened the boxes only 2 out of the 8 (ends) had the coupling attached - the rest were all laid around in the various boxes. I have had similar problems with somewhat related Lionheart minerals previously....

 

I have refitted them (not too easy) but you can do without having to do that especially when so many have fallen off

 

....so please Dapol....time to have a review of your wagon couplings.....PLEASE

Yes they are a phaff.

I use autocouplings, but divide wagons into Cuts. The sprung hooks are held in place with a tiny pin-more fiddly than a small split pin. On one van, I gave up and glued the hook in situ (save taking the chassis off I had to remove the hook to 'easily' replace a failed coupling). From what I can see the hooks, pins, springs & couplings are set in place when the chassis has yet to be attached to the body (in the factory) and the coupling links have gaps in them-the very devil to close up (never had that issue with other links)-and the hook often doesnt keep them captive either etc etc.

 

At the end of one van Ive made repairs, twice, then knocked off the Slaters vac pipe. All repaired, relatively neatly-but not upto my usual stds-that no one would know, but what a fiddle! Never had this issue with others' products, there have been one or two minor issues with Lionheart products, but not many.

 

As I say nice vans, run superbly well, but let down by couplings (ie either/or wrong type or not fit for purpose) and too thin a W Iron Tie-Bar. Manufacturers are the subject matter experts, yet still allow stuff like this to slip through the net!?

 

I have spent a fair bit of money on Dapol products and virtually every one, has had a fault-I have flagged this up to my suppliers and Dapol-if it were any other consumer goods it would be unacceptable.....but its acceptable in model rly products....one wonders why?

 

The strange thing? I have other RTR products, from the same factory, from different manufacturers, and none of them to date, have sufferred from problems.....most of which seem to be quality control issues. This seems weird as 'the factory', one would have thought, should be working to the same standards, with couplings etc being generic? I understand others who subcontract with that factory do additional QC checks though, ie in the UK??

 

Its not the end of the world, yet its annoying as it appears that when a product is off of the design table, there is no Continuos Improvement and no product development as far as Dapol is concerned. The W Iron Tie Bar issue maybe a major retooling, ie not financially viable (not if its a seperate part though?) but the couplings could be rectified, so could the lack lustre Vac hoses etc...

 

As I say I only use every other coupling, I could auto couple all my stock at a push, but many use 'three links' to couple up in 7mm and thus from a functional POV Dapols are not always FFP (fit for purpose), litterally the weakest link, functionally.

 

If mine keep playing up I shall swop them out for CPLs or Slaters....yet that adds to time and expense. Im begining to wonder if certain manufacturers really know what RTR means!? LOL!

 

ATVB

 

CME

Edited September 3, 2017 by CME and Bottlewasher

[Wolf27]

Couple of Hybars, suitably ruined!

 

 Untitled by Shane Wilton, on Flickr

 

cheers

 

Shane