Dapol's new Class 68 locomotives

[RJennings]

Ian Allen in Birmingham had there delivery of DCC ready models start of the week - Still a couple of Scotrail and Chiltern ones left (They had both of the Chiltern ones) - £125 each.

[Widnes Model Centre]

So I was very excited to get home and open my parcel with 68010 and 68005 from my chosen model shop (pre ordered Nov 15)! Anyway within seconds of opening I'm sending both back for replacement. I started with the Chiltern one expecting it to be fine especially after reading good stuff on here. As it turns out one buffer snapped off and the steps on the same corner. Also both noses have some of the yellow paint rubbed off in the same place. See pics.

Next the dreaded Drs example. Not as bad as the Chiltern one but a large unsightly scratch on one of the large Drs decals. One wonky Nameplate but I could of sorted that myself and happily would of.

Anyway both are going back. Can't believe I have had to wait this long (over a week) to find that both examples are damaged. Not a happy bunny at all. I sincerely hope that the model shop I used has some spare and if not then Dapol need to supply them. By the way all packaging from Dapol and the model shop were perfect and I would consider all packaging to be of a very high standard. As far as I'm concerned these issues have to have happened at the factory.

 

To sum up: The locos on the whole look amazing, very heavy and extremely highly detailed. I'm fuming that I can't even tell you how they run. Also the legomanbiffo chips will have to wait yet another week at least.

 

An upset Andy.

 

Just opened the first of our delivery. Is exactly the same as above, definitely happened in the factory. Saw the buffer loose in the clear packaging. Did you find a way of refitting the spring loaded buffer? Doesn't appear to be broken, definitly won't push fit. Now to examine the rest. Waited nearly two weeks for them to arrive. Apart from snowploughs loose in the box and the previously reported DRS Decals, nameplates wonky. They look amazing. I have never been so nervous opening a delivery.

[Andy7]

Just opened the first of our delivery. Is exactly the same as above, definitely happened in the factory. Saw the buffer loose in the clear packaging. Did you find a way of refitting the spring loaded buffer? Doesn't appear to be broken, definitly won't push fit. Now to examine the rest. Waited nearly two weeks for them to arrive. Apart from snowploughs loose in the box and the previously reported DRS Decals, nameplates wonky. They look amazing. I have never been so nervous opening a delivery.

Honestly not even looked at re-fitting, it looks snapped on my one. After I finding the damaged paint I didn't even consider trying to fix it. I'm sending them back and the shop is going to source replacements. Fingers cross for a couple of good ones.

[Widnes Model Centre]

Honestly not even looked at re-fitting, it looks snapped on my one. After I finding the damaged paint I didn't even consider trying to fix it. I'm sending them back and the shop is going to source replacements. Fingers cross for a couple of good ones.

 

 

Thanks Andy, I cannot see anything that looks snapped, I have the buffer, the collar and the spring. It looks like it should be a push fit, but won't stay in. Dapol contacted and the man who knows how they fit... only works on Thursdays. Anybody know?

[ruggedpeak]

Dapol contacted and the man who knows how they fit... only works on Thursdays. Anybody know?

And lives on the moon? Or can they make a quick call to ask him how to fix it before next Thursday, and then perhaps do a quick Youtube video or something?

[Coach bogie]

It hasn't.

 

Still owned by the Boyle Family, but run by a board of directors if Wikipedia is correct.

 

Cheers,

Mick

According to Companies house David and Pauline resigned as directors in 1/4/99 of Dapol Limited

 

Two directors currently listed, Joel Bright and Craig Boyle.

 

The later Dapol Model railways Limited is still listed but not currently trading.

[Widnes Model Centre]

I have spoken to DCC Supplies, Fiona. She knew exactly what the problem with the buffer stop was. There is a "fish hook" on the end of the buffer stop.This has snapped off. Replacement being sent. Customer happy as he wanted to keep it anyway. Thank you DCC Supplies for being so helpful.

Doesn't excuse the factory for sending them out in this condition. Best guess is that it broke when being fitted and loose parts were just left in the box.

Edited February 24, 2017 by Widnes Model Centre

[47375]

Thanks Andy, I cannot see anything that looks snapped, I have the buffer, the collar and the spring. It looks like it should be a push fit, but won't stay in. Dapol contacted and the man who knows how they fit... only works on Thursdays. Anybody know?

It looks like the buffer shanks are mounded to the beam, so assume you must have to push the spring into the head and it must push on something like that judging by looking at the photos and my model with them intact.... Must be a small lug it pushes over to stop it springing right the way off?

 

Using a magnifying glass looking where the buffer fits into the beam, when you press it in and out I cannot see a retaining ring on the back like you get with Hornby 56 type thing, so it must push on in the correct order unless its broken.

[No Decorum]

Please note, the following is just my own opinion.

 

What is it about the 68s? The real ones, I mean. They’re new and therefore exciting but there’s more to them than that. The nose is perhaps not beautiful but it is full of character; it commands more attention than most diesels or electric locos. The sound is very attractive – much more so than the 66s or 67s, for example. Then the liveries, in particular the DRS with the swoops which follow the lines of the cabside windows and link them at both ends. Add the wonderfully evocative names and that the 66s have taken the hit for replacing so many British diesels and it all adds up to a very attractive package.

 

What about the Dapol models? In two words, "superb but". I have three: one each of DRS, Chiltern and Scotrail. All are superb runners, being smooth even at low speed and with only the faintest purr from the gears. Heavy too – there should be no problem pulling heavy trains. The finish is excellent with much fine printed detail.

 

I am a fan of fixing bodies on with screws even though there can be problems with factory over-tightening. That comes from struggling with clip-fit bodies. However, these bodies are clip fit and very easy to remove; I think I’m a convert. There seems to have been a lot of careful thought gone into these models. The connections to the lights in the body are novel. Instead of wires or sprung connectors there are round-ended pins which bear on flexible contacts at the end of the PCBs.

 

If I were at Dapol and responsible for these, I’d be feeling rather glum. Despite all the thought and trouble taken, for the livery misapplication on one side of the DRS version to slip through would make me wonder, "How on earth did I miss that?" It is very obvious and I feel for Dapol. It doesn’t put me off my DRS one but what a shame.

 

I find myself asking, are these game-changers? Well, niggles apart, they certainly are up there with the very best and they are also very good value. Game-changing? Yes, when it comes to lighting. Quite apart from the halo lights, I don’t think there’s any other British model which caters for the now very common top-and-tail formation. Some otherwise good models don’t even provide for switching tail lights off. If I lived in the Bachmann Cave, I’d be thinking very carefully about the lighting on my new Class 20s. ("Oh, $hit, look at these! What are we going to do about it, people?")

 

Now for the niggles. Nameplates have been mentioned but I seem to have been lucky; all four straight and only one small glue blob. The air dams have also been mentioned. The instructions mention one extra slotted and one extra unslotted valence but only one slotted is provided – very easy to put right. Some people don’t care for cab lights but I’m a fan. However, to be effective they need to be remotely controllable. Dapol has obviously looked at this and decided that there isn’t a decoder with enough functions to do this. Incidentally, it is not necessary to remove the loco from the track to operate the cab switches. According to the instructions, the cab light switches can be accessed easily by removing the exhaust moulding. Not so. The exhaust moulding is firmly stuck on with glue or paint. For the first removal, it is probably better to take the body off and press up from underneath.

 

Finally, assembly shortcomings. All three of mine arrived with the air dams detached. They are only an interference fit, so perhaps it isn’t surprising. All the same, time will tell if they are secure enough or liable to fall off when rattled through points. The packaging is excellent but I doubt that the packaging has been invented which can withstand a determined courier. On one of mine a jumper cable was broken off and on another a buffer shank step but, given the number of tiny parts fitted, I suppose it’s remarkable that so much was still in place. The worst failing was that the head and tail lights at one end of one didn’t work and that was because the light lens was missing.

 

In all honesty, I think these are tremendous models. Better QC would be welcome and if Dapol really wanted to impress, production of a DRS version with corrected livery would strike home. Perhaps it is a failure of imagination on my part but I can’t foresee any diesel or electric emerging this year to match them.

[Roy Langridge]

As you may have seen above I was uncertain whether to go ahead with my planned purchases of Scotrail 68s. Eventually I decided that enough people were getting good ones to give it a go.

 

The first one arrived just now (68006) and I have to say it is a lovely looking loco. One nameplate is perfect, the other very slightly crooked and a tiny bit of glue - I can live with that. Now the however, one of the handrails is missing, those that are just below the front window. It was not in the packaging and there is no evidence that it was ever there. I am reluctant to send it back given that the rest is ok, I fear I end up with a worse model.

 

Is anybody with a Chiltern one planning to remove the handle and would therefore have a spare that I could have please? I need a right hand one. Please PM me if you have one available.

 

Will test run it tonight.

 

Cheers,

 

Roy

 

Just to follow up on my post above, Hattons have done the business and I now have a Class 68 with all its handrails in place. I am a happy bunny and just hope that I am equally please with 68007 when it arrives (hopefully next week).

 

Roy

[CathcartCircle]

Picked up Scotrail Defiant from Model Rail Scotland today thanks to Footplate Models (best value in show) after first checking nameplates etc and got to say am stunned at how good this model is. Just a pity about the problems others are having!

Edited February 25, 2017 by CathcartCircle

[bensanchez43310]

I am annoyed and angry to say the least with what i collected from the postie today, bear in mind one of these is supposed to be my birthday present, was really excited until i was presented with broken buffers and footsteps and footplates above buffers, glue splurges and mal aligned name plates, sending them to be fixed to say the least for i dont have the time nor the springs to do it.

 

Ben

 

[Floreat Industria]

Thanks Andy, I cannot see anything that looks snapped, I have the buffer, the collar and the spring. It looks like it should be a push fit, but won't stay in. Dapol contacted and the man who knows how they fit... only works on Thursdays. Anybody know?

See my earlier post. Just like mine when it came but mine is all mended. It isn't the factory - the locos are too heavy for the plastic packing to withstand certain knocks/vibration. There is another bit of the buffer still inside. From underneath push with a tiny screwdriver and it will pop out. The difficult bit is gluing the two bits together with superglue as the bit that pops out has a projection at the bottom which keeps the buffer straight. You can't see it without a magnifying glass. Glue the two bits together with absolute accuracy or it won't work and remove any excess glue after it dries or it won't fit! The tube round the buffer is narrower at the buffer head end - don't put it the wrong way round!

Regards Patrick.

[Floreat Industria]

We've had Chiltern ones in Anglia, maybe it's time to get my stock back off Widnes Vine Yard and make that layout based on Eccles Road

 

Have a layout based around Tamworth! We've had all three liveries through on both lines - either light or on the ballast trains from Crewe to and from Mountsorrel and Crewe - Bescot - Toton - Crewe. They seem to do work on them at Crewe and then try them out before sending them back.

Regards Patrick. 

[Legend]

I was quite surprised to see lots on sale at Model Rail Scotland . I expected to see the ScotRail and Chiltern ones (lowest price I could see was £122) but there were also DRS ones at a few stands , albeit at full price £145. Still plenty there at end of first day.

[simon2003]

Is the 68 DRS oo gauge now discontinued , some sellers sites say sold out some say temporarily unavailable .?

Bit disappointing that I'm going to have to pay 200 quid to greedy eBay sellers to now get one for my lad ,,been looking out for the release of this train for over a year now when they finally released there only seems limited numbers .

[Floreat Industria]

I just remembered that I took a photograph before mending my broken buffer. Part is still in the sleeve which is a push fit - remember that it is narrower at the buffer head end. The other bit is in the centre of the picture and you can see the two little projections on the end which hold it in.

 

Also attached is the real loco on 31.3.15. I wish the models were available in  gloss!

 

Cheers, Patrick.

[Widnes Model Centre]

Thanks to those members who have helped "fix" the buffers.

[Roy Langridge]

Is the 68 DRS oo gauge now discontinued , some sellers sites say sold out some say temporarily unavailable .?

Bit disappointing that I'm going to have to pay 200 quid to greedy eBay sellers to now get one for my lad ,,been looking out for the release of this train for over a year now when they finally released there only seems limited numbers .

It has been available for pre-order for quite a while. As with many modern releases, if you don't pre-order you risk not getting one. I didn't pre-order and took the gamble, had I not got one, I would only have myself to blame.

 

I am sure there will be more along, and if you have a hunt, there are still some about. Several posts on here have said where.

 

Roy

[Pegleg90]

Hello, 

 

I purchased 68006 from my local model shop last Saturday, no issues, lovely model and it runs fine on DC and even better on DCC. 

 

I've put a MX634D Zimo chip in mine, all good but the lighting functions are doing this:

FN0 on in forward direction (cab 1), head lights, cab lights but no tail lights (cab 2 end)

FN0 on in reverse (cab 2), cab light only at cab 2 end, no headlights, red lights on cab 1 end

FN0 & FN1 on in forward direction (cab 1), head lights on cab 1 & 2, cab lights cab 1

FN0 & FN1 on in reverse (cab 2), cab light on at cab 2 end, cab 2 headlights on, red lights on cab 1 end

 

FN0 on in forward direction (cab 1), head lights, cab lights but no tail lights (cab 2 end) FN2 on momentarily with red red lights cab 2

 

I presume I'll need to do function mapping to correct this - correct? how do you function map?

 

Side note in the dark i've noticed there is some light bleed around the door handles and cab side at the base from headlights - still a fantastic model!

 

Thanks

 

Ali

[Pegleg90]

It has been available for pre-order for quite a while. As with many modern releases, if you don't pre-order you risk not getting one. I didn't pre-order and took the gamble, had I not got one, I would only have myself to blame.

 

I am sure there will be more along, and if you have a hunt, there are still some about. Several posts on here have said where.

 

Roy

 

I've pre-ordered the DRS livery 2 DCC fitted versions from rails but they cannot confirm they'll be able to fulfil my order as they rung up on the release day asking if i wanted to change to DCC Ready because of this - half kicking myself now.

[The Black Hat]

Hello all, 

 

I know this is a long shot, but Im after DRS bodyshell. If anyone knows where I can get one send me a PM please.... 

[Roy Langridge]

I've pre-ordered the DRS livery 2 DCC fitted versions from rails but they cannot confirm they'll be able to fulfil my order as they rung up on the release day asking if i wanted to change to DCC Ready because of this - half kicking myself now.

Frustrating isn't it? I am not sure how Dapol have seemingly allowed too many pre-orders from stockists. It seems that the Hornby system works ok.

 

At least by pre-ordering you increase your chances. I get a bit fed up by people who don't pre-order and then complain about lack of availability. As I said, I didn't pre-order the 68s, but would have had no complaint had I not got one.

 

Roy

[No Decorum]

Frustrating isn't it? I am not sure how Dapol have seemingly allowed too many pre-orders from stockists. It seems that the Hornby system works ok.

 

At least by pre-ordering you increase your chances. I get a bit fed up by people who don't pre-order and then complain about lack of availability. As I said, I didn't pre-order the 68s, but would have had no complaint had I not got one.

 

Roy

On the other hand, I got all three of my pre-ordered 68s but never did get my pre-ordered Dodo.

[srihaggis]

At least by pre-ordering you increase your chances. I get a bit fed up by people who don't pre-order and then complain about lack of availability. As I said, I didn't pre-order the 68s, but would have had no complaint had I not got one.

 

Not everybody can afford to pre-order everything they want. If you use the system hattons use (for example) whereby you pop your card details in and then no money is taken until the day it is despatched, it can cause cashflow issues to some people, therefore the risk of preordering can be too risky.

 

I didn't pre order anything though ordered one from Kernow earlier in the week and got mine today for £135 + post. Maybe I was lucky they had stock (just 2) at the time.

 

Everything seems in good order (DRS 005), no glue marks, no wonky plates, livery appears to be in good order (slight bit of paint blead on the cab but nothing critical), just 1 main res pipe missing on the non-coupling end, but thats not the end of the world and the ETH cable assembly was loose in the box - it isn't broke, it just needs re-attaching.

 

Overall impressed. Interesting to note Dapol haven't stamped the bottom of the loco either.