Dapol and Lionheart Trains merger

[Sam Moss]

Taken from Dapol's website....

 

Dapol Ltd and Lionheart Trains are pleased to announce the merger of the two companies as of 5st August 2016.
The Lionheart Trains models, GWR 7400 and 6400 Pannier Tanks, Auto Trailer, 16T mineral wagons, 14T Air Ministry Tanker Wagons, 7 and 8 Plank Open Wagons and the new B Set Coaches shall come under the Dapol brand and Lionheart shall continue to manufacture handmade highly specified O gauge models under the Lionheart branding. Richard Webster, of Lionheart will work with both companies and oversee and manage all Lionheart Train development.
Joel Bright of Dapol said “This is a marvellous opportunity for both companies to cement their existing close relationship and benefit even more from each other’s core skills and areas of expertise. Under Richard expert eye we hope to develop and improve the Dapol range in O, OO and N and at the same time use Dapol’s size and distribution to make O gauge more affordable and accessible to more modellers through our range of dealers”

Both Companies will be located at Dapol’s Chirk based facility. Any enquiries regarding the Lionheart range can be made at the following contact number:

01691 774455

The changes may take some time to implement on both companies websites and we thank everyone in advance for their patience, during this transition.

 

Joel Bright    &           Richard Webster
MD Dapol                    Lionheart Trains

[Captain Kernow]

Interesting. How close was the commercial and/or technical relationship beforehand?

[Kris]

This announcement doesn't come as a great surprise given Richard's involvement in both companies. 

[delticfan]

Oh no does this mean years of waiting for new 16t mineral wagons, I hope not.

[Ressaldar]

Oh no does this mean years of waiting for new 16t mineral wagons, I hope not.

let alone the BR Class 3 2-6-2t!

 

cheers

 

Mike

[The Stationmaster]

No surprise at all - I wonder what the next step will be as originally I'd expected to eventually see Dapol O gauge pass into the Lionheart stable as a result of Richard's involvement.  So is paying whom I wonder?

[jjb1970]

Interesting but logical given Richard's involvement in both companies. I must admit I hoped that we'd see some of his vision and innovation which he has shown at Lionheart carried over to Dapol when he got involved there. Maybe the Black range is evidence of his influence? Either way Lionheart are an unheralded hero of UK model trains, I find it odd they seem very low profile on this board given their efforts releasing superb models offering great details and digital functionality at attractive prices.

[gismorail]

I suppose that it does make sense given the current relationship although one would imagine that Dapol is the overall winner in the merger. The Lionheart brand name to me is a symbol of 'top notch' models and I very much hope that will continue. 

[Wheatley]

 

Why exactly ?

[TheSignalEngineer]

I suppose that it does make sense given the current relationship although one would imagine that Dapol is the overall winner in the merger. The Lionheart brand name to me is a symbol of 'top notch' models and I very much hope that will continue. 

Perhaps we will get a 'Reverse Hornby' with Dapol as the entry level and Dapol Lionheart as the premium brand.

[The Stationmaster]

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Why exactly ?

 

You need to know some history - which is probably not wholly in the public domain - and maybe also have a look at my comment in Post No.7?

[Tricky-CRS]

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Why exactly ?

Because of Dave's previous connections and the details of his leaving Dapol, I would add more but that would get leapt on here. I think his funny is unprofessional and should be removed.

[jjb1970]

I hope this signals hope for the future of Dapol. Since DJ left they've had a rather troubled time and the 73 release which felt like an unfinished product was delivered felt like a company at the limit of an overdraft. Despite that the black range is a bold initiative, the 68 looks very promising and the O gauge Terrier and 08 are opening up O gauge to a new audience. I wish them well for the future.

[MGR Hooper!]

I think it's great news and I wish the two well for the future. I'm sure it's going to be a bright one.

[Wheatley]

Because of Dave's previous connections and the details of his leaving Dapol, I would add more but that would get leapt on here. I think his funny is unprofessional and should be removed.

 

Exactly, thank you. I know the history, or at least that side of it which was broadcast all over here, I agree that DJ's continued sniping from the side lines is unprofessional and unnecessary.  

[rembrow]

I hope this signals hope for the future of Dapol. Since DJ left they've had a rather troubled time and the 73 release which felt like an unfinished product was delivered felt like a company at the limit of an overdraft. Despite that the black range is a bold initiative, the 68 looks very promising and the O gauge Terrier and 08 are opening up O gauge to a new audience. I wish them well for the future.

 

Dapol were a small, family owned business, with Boyle family members being the owners and the current md is a family member. I would imagine that the loss of their production manager 3 years ago, in, I'm assuming, no succession planning, did cause a severe disruption. Richard Webster came in to take over production management, but retained his separate role in his own business, as did Andy Forty of DCC Supplies. Whether this merger changes the company ownership will be interesting to establish, as I can't imagine the merger taking place without benefits to Lionhart.  Despite the small size of the company, they have progressed development in three scales and in the last year have moved forward a number of the projects started 3 years ago. In my gauge 'oo' we have seen this year tooling eps for the GWR railcar, Class 121 and 122 railcars, the Class 68 and Class 59 and now the Freightliner MJA boxes. This shows a significant investment, just in that gauge, this year and the determination to progress the 'oo' range, which previously was more of a sideline and for commissions, with the 'black label' range coming in as well as a premium 'oo' product. They must rank highly in the level of uk models actually in production development.

[PMP]

You need to know some history - which is probably not wholly in the public domain - and maybe also have a look at my comment in Post No.7?

 

 

Perhaps you'll enlighten us on the history then? 

 

It is always the case that there are two sides to every story, and then there's the truth. 

 

I note your comment in post 7, quite why Lionheart would have wanted to integrate poorly designed and inaccurate models such as Dapols seven/five plank and southern brake van into the Lionheart product range is beyond comprehension.

[Bomag]

Perhaps you'll enlighten us on the history then? 

 

It is always the case that there are two sides to every story, and then there's the truth. 

 

I note your comment in post 7, quite why Lionheart would have wanted to integrate poorly designed and inaccurate models such as Dapols seven/five plank and southern brake van into the Lionheart product range is beyond comprehension.

 

Your not ABS resurrected? 

 

In terms of DJM finding things funny, I am not one to tell him it isn't. However, I would like to see some actual products for sale (in a proper Scale) so I can see if they are better/equal/worse than Dapol.

[MGR Hooper!]

Perhaps you'll enlighten us on the history then? 

Personally I wouldn't want anyone to enlighten people on the topic. Quite a few feel that DJ has been very unprofessional on here and I do not see the need for topics like this to be the starting point of a lot of confusion.

 

Perhaps if you really want to know, you can PM relevant members. Just because DJ was very unprofessional I think don't others have to go there.

[MGR Hooper!]

Does Lionheart produce brass models or injection moulded plastic ones? (in terms of construction)

[Jon Fitness]

If the new O gauge wagons turn out to be as good in the flesh as the photos show them to be, then this will be a "good thing" IMHO..

[rembrow]

Does Lionheart produce brass models or injection moulded plastic ones? (in terms of construction)

 

I believe they are similar to other rtr products with plastic injection moulding for fine details such as bodies and metal for weight in chassis.

[TheSignalEngineer]

Your not ABS resurrected? 

 

In terms of DJM finding things funny, I am not one to tell him it isn't. However, I would like to see some actual products for sale (in a proper Scale) so I can see if they are better/equal/worse than Dapol.

Raising the spectre of ABS is probably the easiest way of getting a thread locked.

[PMP]

Your not ABS resurrected? 

 

In terms of DJM finding things funny, I am not one to tell him it isn't. However, I would like to see some actual products for sale (in a proper Scale) so I can see if they are better/equal/worse than Dapol.

 

No, I can assure you I'm not Adrian, but I do know the previous designer was responsible for some pretty major errors in some of Dapols product lines and commissions. There is a certain irony in DJM finding the link up funny, when he was clearly responsible as Dapols chief designer for those errors. That Dapol has taken on Lionheart and continues to work with one of the best respected producers of 7mm models in Richard Webster, can presumably only be for the better, (and probably not very funny).

[PMP]

 

 

Perhaps if you really want to know, you can PM relevant members. Just because DJ was very unprofessional I think don't others have to go there.

 

Lets be quite clear its not me who brought the subject matter up, read post #12. I can assure you I've heard versions from both sides(supporters) of the story and from people I feel and trust have no need to embellish or enhance Dave Jones leaving of Dapol. 

 

I have no need to PM any one who's telling members that they need to know some history. All I suggested was that if members need to know that 'history' then why not put it in the public domain. There's probably two very good reasons, libel and slander.

 

As I said, two sides to every story and then there's the truth.