New OO gauge Class 73

[YesTor]

Anybody had their hands on one of the GB one's, see they've landed...

 

I picked up the Olivia's GBRf liveried 73205 and, this is my opinion only of course, this seems to be the best of the bunch so far.  However, the warning panel yellow is still clearly the incorrect and very intense lemon shade, which sadly seems to have been used on all versions of the model. 

Edited December 28, 2015 by darkjunglemung

[Butler Henderson]

So - what should Dapol be doing to salvage the reputation of this model?

Well pretty obvious with the livery issue is recalling all the stock and of those which have been sold providing the customer with a replacement body like Bachmann did when they had a livery error. Actually surprised its taken this long for Dapol to really foul up in OO given the rubbish they did  in N gauge, best described as a bit like Morrisons The Finest, cheap stuff tarted up to look good.

Edited December 28, 2015 by Butler Henderson

[Revolution Mike]

Well pretty obvious with the livery issue is recalling all the stock and of those which have been sold providing the customer with a replacement body like Bachmann did when they had a livery error. Actually surprised its taken this long for Dapol to really foul up in OO given the rubbish they did  in N gauge, best described as a bit like Morrisons The Finest, cheap stuff tarted up to look good.

 

Your point about Dapol's N gauge locos is spectacularly unfair! The 66 is reasonable and the 22, 26, 52, 58, 67, 73 and 86 have all been good along with the 121/122 and 156.

 

Bachmann have the major advantage that they own their own factory so it is somewhat easier for them to get mistakes corrected.

 

Cheers, Mike

Edited December 28, 2015 by red death

[Walkes07]

I have the same problem with my 73. What track cleaning fluid did u use?

[msw2009]

Well pretty obvious with the livery issue is recalling all the stock and of those which have been sold providing the customer with a replacement body like Bachmann did when they had a livery error. Actually surprised its taken this long for Dapol to really foul up in OO given the rubbish they did  in N gauge, best described as a bit like Morrisons The Finest, cheap stuff tarted up to look good.

 

I'm sure our experiences are completely different, but I think you're being a little harsh on at least some of Dapol's N gauge models.  I've been following this thread with interest as I'd love to see a retooled 73 in N (although preferably without the howlers that appear to have plagued this new OO model).  The Q1 is a wonderful model despite being several years old, as is the Terrier. The 22 is outstanding and even the M7 and 73 are both still perfectly passable for very old models.

 

Dapol have clearly fouled up here and it's certainly true that their quality control can sometimes be found wanting, but to trash their entire N gauge output is a little unreasonable, especially given that a stong case can be made to argue that Dapol's emergence on the N gauge scene forced Bachman / Farish to up their own game several notches with some delightful results. 

Edited December 28, 2015 by msw2009

[NIRCLASS80]

Lets hope this mess results in a Class 59 built with belt and braces to try and regain some reputation!!  

[BR(S)]

Second batch of 73s now in stock at Hatton's.  No pictures yet.

[sanspareil]

I think its already been posted here but the GM Pullman 73101 is due in stock 29th (today) I understand.

 

I am sure several people on here will appreciate any feedback/photos etc from any locals who get to pick there's up in store sooner than those by mail.

 

I am pretty nervous about my pre-order given all the negative postings recently!

[Gwiwer]

So - what should Dapol be doing to salvage the reputation of this model?

 

In my opinion the silence is deafening and requires breaking.  Someone with some clout in Dapol needs to stand up and say "we know there are some issues - this is what we will do to fix them"

 

It happened when Bachmann released 2EPB units with carriage number transposed and it happened with other loco releases.  What makes Dapol different is that they don't say a word.  And in a private email (which is precisely that - private) they clearly do not wish the matter to be discussed at any other level.

 

I queried the shade of blue used on the Dapol class 22s which I consider pale and with a hint of light green.  I queried the shade used on the 52s which is dull but closer to the larger manufacturer's offerings.  Now we have a whole range of 73s with livery errors and yet not a word from the manufacturer.  Regarding any of the above, in fact.

 

The 22s have been weathered to resemble well-used and little-loved locos as they often were in traffic.  The 52s are OK though adrift to my eyes from "Rail Blue" and my single 73 is "too blue" but has come down just a little with a light weathering as that detracts from the large areas of otherwise unrelieved colour.

 

In short I do not consider the lack of response good enough from a business which has disappointed (at the least) many customers more than once.

[Temeraire]

And in a private email (which is precisely that - private) they clearly do not wish the matter to be discussed at any other level.

 

At least you got a reply, they've just ignored mine!

[YesTor]

At least you got a reply, they've just ignored mine!

 

Ditto.  Well, as nice as the Dapol 73 is visually, there are plenty of other great models out there without ridiculous livery errors.  So if Dapol cannot be bothered then I'm afraid neither can I, so I figure I'll spend my hard-earned cash elsewhere.  Simple. 

Edited December 29, 2015 by darkjunglemung

[71H]

Goodness me, a very useful, informative thread this.

 

I was so looking forward to getting the JA version (BR green) but i think i'll save my money until things improve.

[No Decorum]

I'm very sad but I'm going to cape my pre-order for 135 and go for a Helgen 33/0 with sound fitted...

 

Jim

I won't deny that there are problems with the Dapol 73s but, before you take the plunge, it might be worth comparing the grills with those on the Heljan 33s.

[No Decorum]

In my opinion the silence is deafening and requires breaking.  Someone with some clout in Dapol needs to stand up and say "we know there are some issues - this is what we will do to fix them"

 

It happened when Bachmann released 2EPB units with carriage number transposed and it happened with other loco releases.  What makes Dapol different is that they don't say a word.  And in a private email (which is precisely that - private) they clearly do not wish the matter to be discussed at any other level.

 

I queried the shade of blue used on the Dapol class 22s which I consider pale and with a hint of light green.  I queried the shade used on the 52s which is dull but closer to the larger manufacturer's offerings.  Now we have a whole range of 73s with livery errors and yet not a word from the manufacturer.  Regarding any of the above, in fact.

 

The 22s have been weathered to resemble well-used and little-loved locos as they often were in traffic.  The 52s are OK though adrift to my eyes from "Rail Blue" and my single 73 is "too blue" but has come down just a little with a light weathering as that detracts from the large areas of otherwise unrelieved colour.

 

In short I do not consider the lack of response good enough from a business which has disappointed (at the least) many customers more than once.

I've been thinking that I'm alone out on a limb, as usual, so I'm glad to read your opinion of the 22s and 52s. The green 22 is just about acceptable, if lifeless, but the blue is truly horrible. The green 52 is not awful but is lacklustre enough to have put me off buying a maroon version, bearing in mind that I have maroon 52s which I would have been delighted to supplement with a perfect or near-perfect model.

 

I remain broadly content with my green and rail blue 73s (I think I must have been lucky) and Dapol has certainly tackled the problem of the dull finish. It is a terrible shame that the shades are adrift. The yellow was too lemony on the 22s and remains so on these - it was was a known problem and should have been addressed. As for the rest, well, as you say, it is about time that Dapol came up with some sort of response.

 

It is after all, in Dapol's own interest. With 59s on the way, we need some sort of reassurance that the improved mechanisms will be matched with accurate colour.

[37081LochLong]

I'm pleased I diverted my money that I was going to spend on the 73's towards a pair of SLW 24's that arrived today. I called into Rails in Sheffield this morning and had another look at the 73's but like most people agree on, the blue and yellow just isn't right and it does stand out and I saw the intercity one in Olivias last week and the dark grey just screams Black at you I'm hoping the next batch are improved upon.

[locoholic]

Clearly Dapol have messed up, but to use Bachmann as an example of good practice is perhaps unfair. They managed to comprehensively mess up the front of the new Modified Hall, and I'm not aware of any official response, let alone any action to rectify the mistake.

 

The option which we can all exercise (as I have with the Modified Hall) is to not buy the model.

[JSpencer]

Goodness me, a very useful, informative thread this.

 

I was so looking forward to getting the JA version (BR green) but i think i'll save my money until things improve.

I have the JA BR green one. This one is actually fine colour wise it would seem (well someone has commented on bits falling off, but mine was air freighted out to France and arrived intact).

[Butler Henderson]

Your point about Dapol's N gauge locos is spectacularly unfair! The 66 is reasonable and the 22, 26, 52, 58, 67, 73 and 86 have all been good along with the 121/122 and 156.

 

Bachmann have the major advantage that they own their own factory so it is somewhat easier for them to get mistakes corrected.

 

Cheers, Mike

Think a lot of people woud question the N 73 due to its mechanics, same goes for the 2-6-2 tanks and right at the start of the N gauge range the fitting of 2mmFS wheels and then charging for N replacements really set out how they were going in the way of customer service or rather the lack of it.

[newbryford]

I can only hope that when they do this one, it's the correct shade......

 

Cheers,

Mick

[37081LochLong]

I can only hope that when they do this one, it's the correct shade......

 

Cheers,

Mick

I suppose we'll find out soon enough when Olivias take delivery of their 73212 - http://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/Dapol/Dapol-class-73-oo-gauge-locomotives/Dapol-class-73-212-in-network-rail-livery-olivias-exclusive/

 

It's one I had on my want's list but i'm actually dreading it now who knows what shades of yellow we'll get!

[griffgriff]

I won't deny that there are problems with the Dapol 73s but, before you take the plunge, it might be worth comparing the grills with those on the Heljan 33s.

True. I'm no fan of those Crompton grills but at least they are the correct colour, the buffers on the end are straight and when it runs, well it runs and runs well even managing to stay on the track. Oh and it works as expected on DCC. Not forgetting a range of destination blinds. Not to mention the cab lighting...

 

 

Isn't it cheaper too?

 

Griff

[east_anglian]

I ran my BR Green 73 today. Straight out of the box and the loco ran fine but juddered on all of the points. However, after cleaning the wheels (which seem to have been blackened) the loco ran perfectly through the point work.  I’m glad the Green one has avoided the disappointing colour issues that some of the other liveries have suffered (certainly the shade of blue on the BR Blue TOPS version) and so far the loco has not had anything fall off it.  Overall, I am very pleased with the loco which runs well and in my opinion looks superb. 

[srihaggis]

After buying Dapols Western, I had high hopes for such a fine model- but from the comments I am reading on here, it looks to have gone backwards a few paces.

 

If we all forget about the colours applied, what is the actual base model like, in terms of accuracy, motor/haulage capability, quality of the actual product etc? Those are some of the things that I am not really seeing anybody talk about on here besides roof-dimples and running irregularities

Edited December 29, 2015 by srihaggis

[ChrisB]

The blue's too blue. The yellow's not yellow enough. The horns are wrong. The windows aren't triangular...

Sorry... just had a quick psychic glimpse into the immediate future of this thread....

 

 

 

Many a true word spoken in jest...............................

Edited December 30, 2015 by ChrisB

[Derekstuart]

Colour scaling is a well known phenomenon and has nothing to do with the size of the object being painted. Given that a very large paint manufacturer in Britain makes paint for real trains AND produces the Railmatch range, getting a technically correct match is not a problem. A rail blue real loco 12 inches from your eyes will look exactly the same as a model loco 12 inches from your eyes if it is painted in this same paint.

 

What makes the difference is that to look at a model 12 inches from your eyes, you are looking to replicate to colour of a real loco at 76.2 feet away (for 4mm).

 

I would suggest that if you are collecting models for a display then you might want an chemically exact paint and if producing a model railway- especially a large one- then you might want one that is slightly paler.

 

But given that until comparatively recently- certainly until late BR blue era- that paint was matched manually, that depot allocation (care of paint- or not), work type (passenger or freight), weather, time of year would all factor into what colour it appeared to be. Even whether it was parked next to something light or dark can alter your perception.

 

I would suggest that IC Swallow was actually very dark indeed when new if you looked very closely at it (perhaps not as dark as Dapol depict- but I haven't seen the actual model in the flesh).

 

 

Then I guess you haven't read the thousands of words written on the subject, many of them by manufacturers - I can think of Simon Kohler, and Jason Shron quite recently. Models reflect light and, therefore colour, differently to the full-size vehicle. If you paint a model in the REAL colour it will look too dark. So, you have to make the colour look right on the model. Unfortunately, we all see colours slightly differently and, once you start changing the colour (as you have to) what looks right to you won't necessarily look right to me. We are never going to get agreement over model colours, which is why it's a case of reviewers saying "it doesn't look right" rather than saying 'it is wrong'. (CJL)