Andy Y Posted June 6, 2010 Share Posted June 6, 2010 (Containers sold separately) Introduced in 1999 the IKA 'Megafret' wagons are a low platform intermodal flat capable of carrying containers up to 9' 6" on cleared routes. The load deck features multiple anchor points along it's maximum 45' load length meaning each wagon is capable of carrying 1 x 45' container, 1 x 40', 1 x 30' or 2 x 20' containers. A 'Megafret' is a fixed pair of wagons with a fixed linkage and each wagon has self-contained braking systems. Click images to view full screen. The first impression even before unpacking the wagons is the weight, the flats alone weighing in at 217g. This translates into solid and smooth running with no problems in propelling a pair of wagons through a short radius crossover. The colour may be vivid but it's how they were delivered from AAE in Switzerland; we're far more used to seeing them in a filthy grey with the blue colour most frequently seem where the wagon data has been wiped clean on the bogie side panels. The only significant difference between the model and the prototype is the bogie sides and 'wheelarches' which form a curved panel over the access points above the bogie wheels. Prototype reference image - this may have been a post delivery fit though, my knowledge doesn't extend that far! The Dapol wagons come provided with a linkage to connect the pair of wagons, this is to be fitted by the user and is secured with two small Phillips head self tapping screws. Wheels are of RP25.110 profile with 14.4mm back to back measurements, and feature MEN coupling sockets along with a self centreing coupling arm. Push-fit locating pins for the container mounting points are supplied on sprues for the user to fit according to the container load configuration carried. A moulded representation of the braking system linkage is present and may benefit from appropriate highlighting when weathering the wagon. The printing on the sides is clear and legible under magnification. The complex curves around the bogie side quards and the chassis are well captured. The 'Megafrets' have been pictured with a pair of separately available 45' curtain side containers in Stobart Rail livery. The portrayal of the soft sides is very good and should be even more evident with appropriate weathering to highlight the folds. The Stobart Rail livery features fleet numbers on the roof of the container principally for the benefit of container crane drivers. The numbering is well applied considering the profiled surface of the container. For anyone running a rake of Stobart Rail containers it will be necessary to consider renumbering as it's such a prominent feature of the livery. The printing is excellent and is shown below on the opening doors. The locking bars are supplied on a separate sprue and a small amount of superglue successfully fixes these to avoid loss. As stated at the beginning of the post the reason for the low platform of the IKAs is to carry 9'6" containers; these rigid 9'6" containers will also be available from Dapol stockists separately. For further prototype reference please see Martyn Read's UK Rail Rolling Stock fotopic page. Price: IKA 'Megafret' intermodal flat pair - £27.95 RRP Availability: End June Price: Stobart Rail curtain side containers (pair) - £10.99 RRP Availability: End June Price: 9' 6" high containers (pair) - £10.99 RRP Availability: end July/August Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 Ref the wagon, I still think it's a bit of a shame it has swinging skirts (see comments on the smaller HO scale ones from Brawa being fixed) - but I reckon it's a good thing that such a iconic wagon exists as a model, at least it will be a detailing starting point if modellers want to replace that part. Ref loads: I've also got some images of the prototype Stobart / Tesco curtainside boxes here: http://thehumblebox....t/c1624621.html The 45' looks to be quite a nice representation of a "palletwide" (2.5m wide) 45' box (type LEG1) - wider than the deep-sea 45's (which are 8' wide) but fairly common on rail over here, especially on DRS flows that use these megafrets. Common liveries on-rail for that kind of box include: ECS: http://thehumblebox....t/c1624052.html JG Russell: http://thehumblebox....t/c1624645.html Dreambox: http://thehumblebox....t/c1624650.html Unit 45: http://thehumblebox....t/c1751150.html or http://thehumblebox....t/c1624603.html Samskip: http://thehumblebox....t/c1625951.html WH Malcolm: http://thehumblebox....t/c1624500.html (includes ones liveried for ASDA) JG Russell and ECS also roster or at least have rostered 23.6m palletwide boxes (as modelled by Bachmann) so depending on the train being modelled a nice mix of types is feasible - this is a more accurate box BTW for several of the liveries that Bachmann has done on it's one, and it will also work well under some of Arran Aird's decals - he does GTS, Adaptainer and WH Malcolm which will work on these. Note that the ones that stay on rail most of the time like JG Russell's get much filthier than your average container, so a nice weathering project too. There are plenty of other suitable liveries too - GTS used to appear on trains to Bari (Italy?) run by EWS if I recall? Arran Aird has a pic of one of them here: http://www.arranaird.../p30233426.html Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
craigwelsh Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 Are the bits of the body that have been stuck on the bogies removable to allow people to stick them back on the body? Its a shame Dapol couldn't find another method to get around that issue as it looks a bit naff and reminds me of the old LMS dining cars with some solebar missing. I hope something else can be done in future especially on any older prototypes with this issue.. Compare http://ukrailrollingstock.fotopic.net/p64321034.html with the last of Andy's pictures. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 I'd been interested to see how visible that separate skirt is when the wagon's had a characteristic coat of filth applied. Regardless of the skirt, I'll probably acquire a couple of pairs. The wagons were used on the Manchester- Bari (later Brescia) flow for GTS, and are currently used on the Hams Hall- Italy flow for Norfolk Line. Others have remained on mainland Europe for flows of 9'6" boxes in parts of Italy with gauging issues. Freightliner also used them on a vehicle carrying flow for a few years, each wagon carrying a pair of modified flat containers (the outer ones being fitted with a ramp and extension to clear the drawgear) AAE were originally a small local line in Germany, with their own UIC identity (68), before diversifying into wagon leasing. I suspect they now have that problem, well known to modellers, of having more stock than track to house it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious NSE Posted June 9, 2010 Share Posted June 9, 2010 To expand on Brian's post these are really, really useful wagons, they are nearly unique in being usable with almost all operators. EWS/DBS uses them on Tunnel intermodals, and occasionally other intermodals Freightliner used to use these (along with some other types) for Ford van traffic from Southampton (since taken over by EWS using more conventional wagons) - they still use a few on intermodal duties up North however (last I heard they were regular features on the Ditton-Coatbridge trains - Usable with the FEA-B in that way) Colas use them (with multifrets) on the Hams Hall intermodal GBRf recently have been using them to provide a high cube capability on their Felixstowe to Selby/Doncaster trains (so usable with FEA-B) DRS however are the big big user of these, practically all of DRS's intermodals have been solid sets of these - if you're modelling the WCML anywhere in the last 10 years you will need lots of them! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted June 9, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 9, 2010 Has any shop comissioned a weathered batch to save the lazy amongst us the trouble? I just need a few to go with the DRS Eddie I bought on impulse. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Regional Boy Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Any clue on the release date of these now the KTQs are out? Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickL2008 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 likewise, Have seen these advertised but only as a pre-order?? Would like to buy couple of pairs but nowhere else apart from Trainlines of Derby have advertised these NL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
97403_Ixion Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Hi, Trainlines did advertise doing these wagons weathered, some time back... however, I noticed recently that it had gone from their website. I can confirm that it has been cancelled, sadly , but have been told that Dapol are likely to bring it out later . I really think Dapol should be congratulated on just how good their weathering technique seems to be getting. For those of us who have not yet got into home weathering, these new products are a real treat and, frankly, not badly priced. Cheers, Ixion Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
158722 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Has any shop comissioned a weathered batch to save the lazy amongst us the trouble? I just need a few to go with the DRS Eddie I bought on impulse. Yes.....Dapol Dave showed us one at DEMU. Now I just have to remember who they were for!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin_R Posted July 22, 2010 Share Posted July 22, 2010 Anyone have a updated release date for the Megafret wagon, originally to be available end of June? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DapolDave Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Hi, If it helps, the megafrets, stobart rail containers, and 45ft high cube containers are being packed at the moment for shipping to stockists within the next 7 days. Cheers Dave Dapol Ltd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Martin_R Posted July 23, 2010 Share Posted July 23, 2010 Many thanks Dave for the update - as I type this I can hear my wallet starting to groan yet again! With the JNA's and IOA's just over the horizon as well plus whatever else you may have up your sleeve it is going to need life support soon! Cheers, Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
66540Ruby Posted August 5, 2010 Share Posted August 5, 2010 My local model shop has e-mailed me today to say these are in! nothing on the box shifters sites yet? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRman Posted August 6, 2010 Share Posted August 6, 2010 I just ordered a pair from Rails yesterday, showing as in stock, together with a KQA. I'm sure Rails count as one of the "box shifters"! Edit: I just checked hattons site and they are listed as in stock but with no pictures yet. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickL2008 Posted August 6, 2010 Share Posted August 6, 2010 thats good news.. finally can get something for my DRS tractors to Shift! I shall investigate B) NL Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest taylorc Posted August 6, 2010 Share Posted August 6, 2010 Have just picked two pair up from Durham Trains of Stanley. Out of the box they look impressive. Very solid, each wagon weighs about 100g, which is an ideal weight. Now to convert them to P4. Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
YesTor Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 Hmmm... just been looking at these. I would really like a rake of these, but the whole bogie/underframe arrangement is just putting me off... it just doesn't look good. Has anyone figured out a way to create a solid underframe without the separate swinging bit? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard Lamb Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 Hmmm... just been looking at these. I would really like a rake of these, but the whole bogie/underframe arrangement is just putting me off... it just doesn't look good. Has anyone figured out a way to create a solid underframe without the separate swinging bit? This was discussed when the first photos became available. The answer was not very easily. It depends how you measure one bad point against all the other good points. I have come to the conclusion that I can live with it as I don't know how to get a better alternative choice. If you want some you better get in quick as they are selling fast. One big box shifter has no sets left and less than a handful of odd numbers. Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
YesTor Posted August 11, 2010 Share Posted August 11, 2010 It depends how you measure one bad point against all the other good points. In my opinion it is a significant bad point, making what would be a great model look rather toy-like. I'll be giving them a miss unfortunately. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
puffmeister_general Posted August 15, 2010 Share Posted August 15, 2010 Got a couple of packs of the B857 A & B Stobart models during the week and I'm happy with them. A quick question if these are B8857A & B Stobart cutain side containers does anyone know what are the forthcoming B846a Dapol Model Railways Twin Pack Assorted 45' Curtain Side Containers 'Stobart' going to be? Will these be the Tesco variants? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
charliepetty Posted August 27, 2010 Share Posted August 27, 2010 My local model shop has e-mailed me today to say these are in! nothing on the box shifters sites yet? DC Kits had them at Skipton Show this weekend, assume they will have them at Woking in two weeks time too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arran Posted August 28, 2010 Share Posted August 28, 2010 Got a couple of packs of the B857 A & B Stobart models during the week and I'm happy with them. A quick question if these are B8857A & B Stobart curtain side containers does anyone know what are the forthcoming B846a Dapol Model Railways Twin Pack Assorted 45' Curtain Side Containers 'Stobart' going to be? Will these be the Tesco variants? Cheers HI All The containers are all Stobart and are numbered 1 to 220 or more, its just the curtain sides that are differant, the Less co2 number 1 to 90 and the Stobart 90 something to the 220. so if you see a model with Stobart sides numbered less than 90 !!!!!! http://arranaird.fotopic.net/c1097947.html Regards Arran Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
WOMBATTY Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 We use the Dapol IKA quite a lot on Warren Lane Its much easier to load with the crane than an FEA or KQA .........its wider and we dont put the spigots on And with a bit of weathering they look OK Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kiltedsignaller Posted September 24, 2010 Share Posted September 24, 2010 We use the Dapol IKA quite a lot on Warren Lane Its much easier to load with the crane than an FEA or KQA .........its wider and we dont put the spigots on And with a bit of weathering they look OK I agree, WOMBATTY, they look great. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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