Dapol's new Class 68 locomotives

[YesTor]

I've bought a lot of diecast models etc from him at really good discounted prices, but that is obscene. A £100 more than what they've been on sale with other traders this week.

 

Hmmmm, okay, but did you at any moment consider that those "discounted diecast models" and similar bargains, may well have been sold to you at a loss/break-even to the retailer?  It can often be intensely difficult for retailers to score a profit at all these days, especially with fierce online competition from the bigger outlets resulting in profit margins being cut down until they are wafer-thin.  Sometimes as a business you simply have to capitalize on literally everything that comes through the door, even if on occasion that means some items end up being overpriced.  Unfair?  Possibly, but hey, that's life sometimes.

 

Of course, I don't know if that's the case in this example, but it's worthy of consideration.

Edited February 19, 2017 by YesTor

[srihaggis]

Well they soon went! The DRS Livery is growing on me, but i'm not all that 'enthusiastic' about buying one yet.

 

I picked up a Scotrail version today (no 006). First impressions very good. I've not had a chance to test the model electrically, but plenty of weight (possibly the heaviest loco i've got), decal application very good, nameplates are straight with no glue residue as reported elsewhere, overall very impressed. Nice that the detailing pack is pre-fitted too. If it runs as well as it looks, 10/10!

[aquilla]

Received my 68002 on saturday...had the issue of one wonky nameplate, so took the knife to it, and repositioned it correctly.   On another note, regarding the Chiltern version, on photos i have of the real thing, they do not have front cab handrails above the buffers, but the models do..anyone noticed this !!

[Roy Langridge]

Received my 68002 on saturday...had the issue of one wonky nameplate, so took the knife to it, and repositioned it correctly. On another note, regarding the Chiltern version, on photos i have of the real thing, they do not have front cab handrails above the buffers, but the models do..anyone noticed this !!

Do you mean the ones just below the window? If so some do, 68013 for example: https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/466/18921544860_0f3dface43_b.jpg (Not my photo)

 

I don't know why some don't.

 

Edit. Now found photos of the same loco with and without and am confused. Are they being removed?

 

Roy

Edited February 19, 2017 by Roy Langridge

[newbryford]

Do you mean the ones just below the window? If so some do, 68013 for example: https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/466/18921544860_0f3dface43_b.jpg (Not my photo)

 

I don't know why some don't.

 

Edit. Now found photos of the same loco with and without and am confused. Are they being removed?

 

Roy

 

I think the handrails were removed (on the Chiltern locos) not long after entering service, but they were refitted later.

 

A quick check of 68010 on flickr for 2016 photos onwards shows handrails fitted.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Edited February 19, 2017 by newbryford

[Roy Langridge]

I think the handrails were removed (on the Chiltern locos) not long after entering service, but they were refitted later.

 

A quick check of 68010 on flickr for 2016 photos onwards shows handrails fitted.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Thanks Mick. I knew they were there to start and therefore must have been taken off, I hadn't realised they were now going back on.

 

Roy

[Trains4U]

still one defiant left...  

Edited February 19, 2017 by Trains4U

[Cradley Bridge]

Photomunki, I'm in the same boat. I wanted the full air dams at each end, but have had to settle for one full and one with a slot. I've emailed Dapol to see if there will be an accessory pack containing at least one full air dam and a full set of pipes. I'll let you know how I get on, once I get a reply. I have noticed that DCC Supplies have a full set of buffer beam pipes etc. now available for the class 73's, so hopefully the same will be available for the class 68's as well soon. Tony.

 

Tony, great minds think alike - dropped Dapol an email myself asking exactly the same thing. Really hoping they will be available as spares as theres obviously a decent amount of interest in getting hold of them - even for those of us who never had one to start with 

[Kelly]

Thanks Mick. I knew they were there to start and therefore must have been taken off, I hadn't realised they were now going back on.

 

Roy

Perhaps removed to stop riding?

[aquilla]

Perhaps removed to stop riding?

The photos i have are from when they were first introduced, i have one of 10,that shows none fitted, not even fixing brackets for future fitment, but looks as it they were fitted at a later date then.

[60006]

The photos i have are from when they were first introduced, i have one of 10,that shows none fitted, not even fixing brackets for future fitment, but looks as it they were fitted at a later date then.

 

Speaking to Dapol at one of the shows last year I believe it was frustrating them a little bit as they had been added, removed and then added again at various points so they were/are/have tooled for both.

[aquilla]

Speaking to Dapol at one of the shows last year I believe it was frustrating them a little bit as they had been added, removed and then added again at various points so they were/are/have tooled for both.

also noticed, as it caught my eye, the chiltern ones in my pics and on many you tube vids also dont have the small handrails below the cab window by the red connector sockets.....never a dull moment i guess.

[newbryford]

Twenty-odd locos (going on for 32 eventually)

 

Three liveries to start with (will some get TPE vinyls/paint?) Two locos already re-vinyled (68006/7)

 

Two versions of fuel tank.

 

Two versions of cab nose corner handrails - including both versions on one livery.

 

AAR connectors on two liveries. Fitted after delivery to the UK.

 

Any more obvious details?

 

Who'd want to be a model producer?

 

Cheers,

Mick

[Scottish-Exile]

Any more obvious details?

 

Who'd want to be a model producer?

 

 

And this with a model where the prototype is still in production. You can imagin the furore with the model makers in a 100 years time when some manufacturer proposes producing a Class 68. Much akin to the noise that accompanies todays new models of pre-war steam locos etc

[Coach bogie]

also noticed, as it caught my eye, the chiltern ones in my pics and on many you tube vids also dont have the small handrails below the cab window by the red connector sockets.....never a dull moment i guess.

Junior with his latest favourite engines.

As for handrails - now you don't see them,

 

Now you do. As you say. Never a dull moment

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Roy Langridge]

The photos i have are from when they were first introduced, i have one of 10,that shows none fitted, not even fixing brackets for future fitment, but looks as it they were fitted at a later date then.

Not correct I am afraid, here are 10 and 11 before entering service, both with: http://www.mainlinediesels.net/index.php?nav=1000178&lang=en&id=6552&action=shownews#.WKqEWzzfWEc

 

Roy

[Roy Langridge]

Twenty-odd locos (going on for 32 eventually)

 

<snip>

 

Cheers,

Mick

Another two have been ordered taking the total to 34.

 

Roy

[philden]

Not correct I am afraid, here are 10 and 11 before entering service, both with: http://www.mainlinediesels.net/index.php?nav=1000178&lang=en&id=6552&action=shownews#.WKqEWzzfWEc

 

Roy

It looks as if the yellow panel was repainted later too - the numbers are bigger when in service and there's no black in the Vossloh logo. The pics on Hatton's site show large numbers and black in the logo.

Phil.

[JSpencer]

I wonder why they chose such an odd complex shape for the front on the real thing. I cannot think of any benefits other than making it harder and more expensive to manufacture.

[Coach bogie]

Not correct I am afraid, here are 10 and 11 before entering service, both with: http://www.mainlinediesels.net/index.php?nav=1000178&lang=en&id=6552&action=shownews#.WKqEWzzfWEc

 

Roy

 Well something is amiss then. More shots of 68011 NO HANDRAILS. The linked shot cannot be as delivered.

 

Another variance. Some of the 68's have a black background to the arrow, what ever it is, centred between the light clusters whilst others it is yellow.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Roy Langridge]

Well something is amiss then. More shots of 68011 NO HANDRAILS. The linked shot cannot be as delivered.

 

Another variance. Some of the 68's have a black background to the arrow, what ever it is, centred between the light clusters whilst others it is yellow.

 

60011 no handrails 2.jpg

60011 no handrails 3.jpg

60011 no handrails 4.jpg

Mike Wiltshire

I don't think anything is amiss, they had them, then they didn't, now they do again - just as newbryford stated. If you look at the photos in your post you can see the mounting holes are present.

 

68010 and 68011 had them at delivery. Here they are being delivered: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uOwvTHIOPXo

 

Roy

Edited February 20, 2017 by Roy Langridge

[Coach bogie]

Bizarre. Just found images of 6014 being delivered with them then at Marylebone without them.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Roy Langridge]

Bizarre. Just found images of 6014 being delivered with them then at Marylebone without them.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

I would hazard a guess that they were removed over fears of people using them to train surf (as suggested above) but then reinstated as drivers couldn't safely clean the windows if needed, leading to trains being failed.

 

Roy

[alibuchan]

There was a proper operational reason which lead to the the handrails being removed and modified on the Chiltern ones (nothing to do with surfing). If I remember correctly, it's something to do with making access difficult for whatever equipment or connector is under those red boxes, when coupled to the MK3s.

 

Alistair

[sanspareil]

 

 

 

Illustrated well here:

 

Intrepid and Defiant by Jordan Mossom, on Flickr

 

It is impressive how Dapol managed to get the details like logo differences between locos correct but managed to get the general loco livery 'swoosh' so wrong on one side!

 

I know these things take time to setup and sort out but I assume Dapol will be trying to get more DRS locos manufactured as soon as they can given the speed of sell out etc. I guess we could easily be looking at 6 months to year (or more) for batch 2 depending on if their production line is full?

Edited February 20, 2017 by sanspareil