Jump to content
 

Dapol's new Class 68 locomotives


Nobby (John)
 Share

Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

Chiltern/Scotrail/TPE 68s have  appeared on 6C02 Crewe-Carlisle (and return 6K05) workings to provide something other than the normal passenger fare.

Other regular freight shows have been 6U77 Mountsorrel-Crewe.

 

https://www.flickr.com/search/?text=6U77 68

 

There are a few NDA trips with them as well.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited by newbryford
  • Informative/Useful 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
15 hours ago, adb968008 said:

 

The class 68 has been done a few times now, the last occasion included the TPE.

All other versions had at least some suitable stock to pull. It is reasonable to assume there might not be huge demand for a loco which at that time had seen limited use, and that later would not have stock to pull. Since then someone else announced mk5’s and subsequently raised demand.

 

The issue might be, that after a number of runs of class 68’s future runs will inevitably be smaller, and the costs if doing a TPE alone may not be sufficient. 

 

Maybe we need a new livery to appear on a 68, to get enough demand for a couple new numbers to be run ?, but as noted, as long as others remain unsold on shelves, i guess chances of more following recede into the distance for now.

 

 

 

Im sure there has only been 1 run of TPE liveried locos.

Ive heard other people say "oh, as the mk5 production run is going to be limited, there isn't the need for another run of locos".

That's nonsense, as, im sure, people would like more than 1 TPE liveried loco (sort of the reason I didn't buy one originally - I wanted something other than 019).

Your point about other versions having stock to pull isn't exactly correct - there are no Chiltern Mk3 available and, as someone else has pointed out, these locos have been used on other traffic too - both sides of the coin covered there.

I suppose, having bought a set of the Mk5's, I could always cash in when someone else cant buy them and double my money on Ebay!  

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

Just to say I have spoken directly with Dapol before regarding OO Gauge Class 68 releases and I was assured that every running number would be covered over the coming years. Initially I was shocked because considering their are already x34 locos and with more expected this did sound ambitious but with many now wearing different liveries for passenger use as well as two DRS liveries so far it's easy to see that Dapol could make this work, especially producing these over the years ahead. 

 

Dapol have also commented regarding further OO Gauge Class 68 batches/production runs after the release of batch three in Q1 2019. They said that at the moment another run isn't justified because more than one livery has to be produced per run, thus to make the run financially viable. With all of the Class 68 liveries now covered including: DRS Compass/Swoosh, DRS Basic, Chiltern, ScotRail & TPE at the moment another run just isn't justified. 

 

So at this point Dapol are now awaiting a new livery to appear on the locos in reality before they do another run. The other option is that Dapol wait a couple of years until 2020 or 2021 and then do another run of DRS Compass/Swoosh and TPE and no new liveries if none are revinyled into a new livery in reality. That way the demand will be back for the DRS Compass/Swoosh livery and more TPE numbers will be available to run with MK5s. So as we stand that is the two options that Dapol have and thus why batch four has not been announced in Q3/Q4 this year alike previous years.

 

Something else to remember is that Hattons, Rails & Kernow still have DRS Compass/Swoosh 68s available to buy as well as 68026 in DRS Basic, thus they still have the models available from when they arrived in Q1 2019. This is another reason why Dapol can't as yet announced another batch because retailers simply wouldn't want to take stocks of them with the previous runs still been in stock. 

 

Also remember that when Accurascale announced the TPE MK5s in February 2019 that was when the Dapol OO Gauge Class 68s (batch three) had already arrived, thus Dapol wasn't aware that the MK5s were been announced/produced in OO gauge in the matching livery. Basically Dapol did not want to go overboard on the first batch of the TPE been included when at the time their wasn't the main stock announced to run with them. But I can assure everyone on this thread that further TPE Class 68s in OO will be produced in due course. 

 

Hope this helps. 

 

 

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

DRS Crewe On A Mission - thanks for the reply.

Hattons are advertising the 68's as new stock, so I assume they are another production run that Dapol have distributed, which still puzzles me as to why they've done a load more DRS and Chiltern models, but not what must be the most promising seller.

Oh well, gonna have to be patient :blush:  

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium
7 minutes ago, ba14eagle said:

DRS Crewe On A Mission - thanks for the reply.

Hattons are advertising the 68's as new stock, so I assume they are another production run that Dapol have distributed, which still puzzles me as to why they've done a load more DRS and Chiltern models, but not what must be the most promising seller.

Oh well, gonna have to be patient :blush:  

 

You are more than welcome. 

 

The new models that Hattons continue to receive stock of will be the remainder of batch three that arrived in January 2019 from the Dapol warehouse which haven't been distributed to retailers, thus not a new batch, rather a current/existing batch that hasn't yet fully sold out. 

 

I do understand what you mean though, I think everyone was expecting 2/3 TPE 68s in January this year but I suppose Dapol realistically have to think that with so many ScotRail (006 & 007) and Chiltern models (010, 014 & 015) still sitting on shelves with retailers that could have potentially happened with the TPE 68s if Accurascale hadn't announced the TPE MK5s. 

 

But certainly to you and anyone else do not go paying over the odds on Ebay or any other selling site for 68019 in TPE as I can assure you that in 2020 or 2021 at least another one, possibly more will be produced in this livery. Annoying yes that more were not produced in batch three but don't worry we will get their. I too am wanting another one or two in TPE to go with 019 that I already have. 

 

Plus at the moment the main Dapol focus is getting the OO 59 done and delivered by Summer 2020 and the O Gauge 66 which was recently announced, which I expect will be delivered in Q3 or Q4 2020. 

 

Hope this helps. 

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, No Decorum said:

Excellent! Much better than what I have at the moment.

385996273_68010(Chiltern)onFunnyTrain.jpg.60c63f95055a321780053a6d38365968.jpg

(Posted earlier in his topic.)

Hatton’s seems to think this sort of thing is perfectly acceptable. :D

 

Progress!  Can you please suggest this to the DFT!  If they fit Annie and Clarabel with a toilet, wider door and a a couple of LED screens and volia! A replacement for the IEP!

  • Funny 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
On 05/12/2019 at 13:44, ba14eagle said:

 

Im sure there has only been 1 run of TPE liveried locos.

Ive heard other people say "oh, as the mk5 production run is going to be limited, there isn't the need for another run of locos".

That's nonsense, as, im sure, people would like more than 1 TPE liveried loco (sort of the reason I didn't buy one originally - I wanted something other than 019).

Your point about other versions having stock to pull isn't exactly correct - there are no Chiltern Mk3 available and, as someone else has pointed out, these locos have been used on other traffic too - both sides of the coin covered there.

I suppose, having bought a set of the Mk5's, I could always cash in when someone else cant buy them and double my money on Ebay!  

 

I did say they only did 1 run.

I also said that run was announced before mk5’s were announced.

Dapol make model trains, not crystal balls.

when the current batch has not sold out, it is crazy to stack more on the pile.

sorry if you missed you preferred one, but I also pointed out they said they will eventually more. If you cant wait, buy one on ebay.

 

Edited by adb968008
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
2 hours ago, atom3624 said:

Rails have a sale on 'N' Gauge 68's at the moment.

 

Al.

 

And in a fairly sad statement on the size of the N gauge market the N version of the TPE liveried 68 is still in stock pretty much everywhere. Not entirely sure what planet Rails are on with todays (5th) offer since only the DCC fitted version of the TPE one is on offer making the standard DCC ready one the same price...oh well.

Link to post
Share on other sites

10 minutes ago, Kaput said:

 

And in a fairly sad statement on the size of the N gauge market the N version of the TPE liveried 68 is still in stock pretty much everywhere. Not entirely sure what planet Rails are on with todays (5th) offer since only the DCC fitted version of the TPE one is on offer making the standard DCC ready one the same price...oh well.

 

Likely a reflection of what has more inventory, thus more need to shift...

Link to post
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, martin_l_jones said:

I'm sure someone sat in the sales office will be rubbing their hands and I'd be quite surprised if we don't see a different derivative in the TPE livery sometime next year.

 

Given that the 68s in non-TPE livery are currently quite abundant at retailers almost a year after release I wouldn't expect to see another batch until 2021 at the earliest.

  • Agree 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Gold
26 minutes ago, mdvle said:

 

Given that the 68s in non-TPE livery are currently quite abundant at retailers almost a year after release I wouldn't expect to see another batch until 2021 at the earliest.

 

I do have to wonder how much of that is down to Dapol doing 3 runs in OO with the first 2 runs pretty much duplicating some of the numbers, IIRC most of the 2nd run was pretty much identical to the 1st except from the couple of versions modelled with the changes to the handrails/fuel tank.

Suppose with the benefit of hindsight having a couple less DRS/Chiltern versions and a couple of TPE versions in the 3rd run would have been better.

 

Pity the 88 would need so many tooling changes to make - if they could have done an 88 with minimal retooling that could possibly have helped justify another run with more TPE ones.

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • RMweb Premium

They are brilliant models although I do have issues with the couplers not returning to straight after curves and derailing the following wagon or coach.  Not really sure how to correct that.

 

The ones that are hanging around on shelves are ones where they had already released versions of the model .  I might still be tempted by a Scotrail one , although I thought these had mostly sold and do I really need three 68s?  I already have a DRS Compass one and TPE Brutus, that I acquired as soon as Accurascale annonced its Mk5s . Bought it just in the nick of time I think .  I'm sure more TPE ones will be released , but possibly not until next year.

Link to post
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Simon Bendall said:

Given Accurascale has said they will be paint matching the actual TPE colours for the Mk.5s, will Dapol be altering the various incorrect shades used on the first 68 so everything actually matches?

 

Was there than issue with Dapol's TPE 68 colours?...didn't realise there was.

Link to post
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Simon Bendall said:

Given Accurascale has said they will be paint matching the actual TPE colours for the Mk.5s, will Dapol be altering the various incorrect shades used on the first 68 so everything actually matches?

Dapol has already commented on the blue shade on Facebook. Like it or lump it, it’s staying the same!

 

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...