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Freightliner MJA twins & HIA hopper


newbryford
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Had my mitts on a couple of review samples thanks to Simon Bendall of Rail Express.

 

Not the world's best pics as one of them hurries through New Bryford.....

post-408-0-00397700-1456088577_thumb.jpg

post-408-0-80857200-1456088578_thumb.jpg

 

First impression is that it looks like a HIA. It's also quite weighty and a stable runner.

 

The buffers look a bit thin and the sloping doors over the ends are painted white, whereas I think they are unpainted aluminium.

See photo a few posts back

 Easily rectified.

 

Having said that, much better value than a large silver hopper from another manufacturer.

 

Cheers,

Mick

 

 

 

 

 

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Had my mitts on a couple of review samples thanks to Simon Bendall of Rail Express.

 

Not the world's best pics as one of them hurries through New Bryford.....

attachicon.gifHIA1.jpg

attachicon.gifHIA2.jpg

 

First impression is that it looks like a HIA. It's also quite weighty and a stable runner.

 

The buffers look a bit thin and the sloping doors over the ends are painted white, whereas I think they are unpainted aluminium.

See photo a few posts back

 Easily rectified.

 

Having said that, much better value than a large silver hopper from another manufacturer.

 

Cheers,

Mick

Much better value than an up an coming orange one from another manufacturer as well if the photos are anything to go by.

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Yep, aluminium, (or possibly a grey plastic/fibreglass?) doors looking at pics of newish ones I've got - as you say, easy to correct if you want an ex-works one, might not even need it if you're weathering it as the real ones discolour.

Buffers (on the real thing) are a bit odd, sort of a "reversed" style, with the outer part bigger than the inner, not sure that effect has quite worked on the model though. Looking at the real things, the whole of the buffer is painted black* rather than being part black, part green as it is on the model, I wonder if it would less odd with a bit of detail work with a paintbrush?

Either way - it looks like a useful model of what it's supposed to, and that's great value even comparing against other modern bogie wagons (even ignoring certain expensive limited editions!)....well done Dapol for managing to get a useful "trainload" wagon like that to market at such a good price.

 

(*Inner bits seem to weather to a rusty colour after use.)

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Yep, aluminium, (or possibly a grey plastic/fibreglass?) doors looking at pics of newish ones I've got - as you say, easy to correct if you want an ex-works one, might not even need it if you're weathering it as the real ones discolour.

Buffers (on the real thing) are a bit odd, sort of a "reversed" style, with the outer part bigger than the inner, not sure that effect has quite worked on the model though. Looking at the real things, the whole of the buffer is painted black* rather than being part black, part green as it is on the model, I wonder if it would less odd with a bit of detail work with a paintbrush?

On the very similar IIAs from the same builder the end doors are corrugated metal, steel I think. It certainly dents, and makes a metallic echo when you hit it! The buffers seem to be a reasonably standard euro type. I can't remember if they're capsule or rubber-metal sprung inside though. The heads are a distinctive 'bread loaf' type shape and are quite stiffly sprung.

 

Jo

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On the very similar IIAs from the same builder the end doors are corrugated metal, steel I think. It certainly dents, and makes a metallic echo when you hit it! The buffers seem to be a reasonably standard euro type. I can't remember if they're capsule or rubber-metal sprung inside though. The heads are a distinctive 'bread loaf' type shape and are quite stiffly sprung.

 

Jo

The end doors on these are also corrugated. And this photo also shows the bread loaf shaped buffers http://PaulBartlett.zenfolio.com/freightlinerhia/e5c088a62

 

Paul

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I queried with Hattons the recent notification that pre order prices couldn't be maintained on the HIAs due to an rrp increase by Dapol, as this had not occurred previously with Dapol products. I wasn't concerned about the increase for this item, as it is still very good value, but I have several other Dapol pre-orders that this decision might affect. Hattons have advised that Dapol have recently introduced a similar policy to Bachmann, whereby a newly released product cannot be discounted by more than 15% of the rrp at release. As Dapol invariably increase the rrp of new products at the initial release, this will affect current pre orders.

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The HIA wagons on show at Telford were production models airfreighted in and they confirmed that the container was on the way. The Dapol bookface page states early March, so here's hoping soon. Giving me enough time to get them weathered for an outing at the end of April.

 

Cheers,

Mick

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Due 28th March according to a well known retailer.

 

Cheers,

Mick

If these items are half as good as they look and considering the likely selling prices, I don't expect to see them gathering dust on retailers shelves!!

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