Dapol O gauge TTA announced.

[birdseyecircus]

http://www.Dapol.co.uk/Catalogue/189/index.html

 

Paul

[Pete the Elaner]

They look nice.

At least Dapol's announcements give you time to save up for their models. The HEA was announced in 2014* & has not arrived yet.

 

*Dapol claim 2014, but the thread on this forum dates to 2012, so maybe Andy York has a time machine?

[Hippel]

Tried to follow this but I've rated it 4 stars instead! That's what you get using sausage fingers on an Amazon Fire!

 

Like you say, we've chance to save up, fortunately.

 

Paul.

[markjj]

15 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

They look nice.

At least Dapol's announcements give you time to save up for their models. The HEA was announced in 2014* & has not arrived yet.

 

*Dapol claim 2014, but the thread on this forum dates to 2012, so maybe Andy York has a time machine?

I think this project might be more advanced than the HEA was. 

It was only recently that Dapol released the engineering samples of the HEA but it looks like the Tankers are passed that stage already so fingers crossed.

I'm guessing they will release them to coincide with the Class 66 when it arrives.

[Hal Nail]

51 minutes ago, markjj said:

I think this project might be more advanced than the HEA was.

They did point out somewhere that the original intention was always to do the HEA at a later date after finishing other projects and in the event they didnt actually start work on them until relatively recently.

 

They've only tended to announce things once they are more definite recently. Takes a bit more than a run of good form to shift RMWeb perception though!

[hmrspaul]

Aren't Dapol unique in the way they try to be all things to all people? The catalogue on line runs to 221 pages as they have considerable offers in all 3 main scales - N, OO and O. They also cover a lot of different time periods, and continue to have some popular kits available. http://www.Dapol.co.uk/Catalogue/220/index.html

 

And that is without the numerous specials they make - in O gauge they have churned out all sorts of product for Tower models, using their standard lines to produce many more examples of types. Undoubtedly there are problems of how quickly or slowly a planned item appears, and probably a lot of annoyance that production is dedicated to a period one is not interested in. Personally, I think the anchor mounted tanks are long overdue, but then I'm not interested in the numerous Salt vans produced for the pre-Group, Grouping and early BR period, nor a TTA even if I have photos of hundreds of them. 

 

And then there is their introduction of UK production, which now seems to be an idea in advance of its time! 

 

Paul Bartlett

[jonhall]

22 hours ago, Pete the Elaner said:

They look nice.

At least Dapol's announcements give you time to save up for their models. The HEA was announced in 2014* & has not arrived yet.

 

*Dapol claim 2014, but the thread on this forum dates to 2012, so maybe Andy York has a time machine?

 

I think the HEA was just one of MANY announcements that Dave Jones made for Dapol before (if the rumours are true) he was asked to find another employer, and I wonder if it may have come as a bit of a surprise to the rest of the Dapol management team?

 

Jon

[tommyboy]

There have been mutterings re. The walkway/platform position. This photo by Arran Aird (with permission) shows the design on the Dapol tank

[deltic17]

On 12/11/2021 at 10:05, tommyboy said:

There have been mutterings re. The walkway/platform position. This photo by Arran Aird (with permission) shows the design on the Dapol tank

Interesting photo because the first thing I also thought on seeing the Dapol release pictures was that the end ladders platform were too low/curved etc. When you look at most pictures, I believe the Dapol model as currently shown doesn't reflect the standard/traditional position for the platform/ladders and most previous models in other guages have the higher platform/ladders. Were the lower ladders a later introduction? (I am assuming that is quite a recent photo?). One thing I will give Dapol credit for is research and if things are wrong they actually take the time to correct them. I must have a look at more old photos the determine what is going on here etc....maybe someone can enlighten us?

[Kris]

1 minute ago, deltic17 said:

One thing I will give Dapol credit for is research and if things are wrong they actually take the time to correct them.

That is a little hit and miss. Several of their recent offerings in N gauge have been dubious in the livery department. 

[Mol_PMB]

There was enormous variety among TTA tanks, built at different times by several manufacturers for numerous customers, for fluids with different densities and flammability. 

Many were modified at various stages in their life, with different suspension, lagging/heating, safety-related mods etc. 

It wouldn’t surprise me if there were 100 different variations. All Dapol can do is to pick a few examples and try to get those ones right. 

[deltic17]

1 hour ago, Kris said:

That is a little hit and miss. Several of their recent offerings in N gauge have been dubious in the livery department. 

That could well be true re N gauge and I am sure you are certainly more of an expert than me but I was referring to my observations with their O gauge offerings

[Mol_PMB]

The Dapol models listed are as follows, with details looked up in 'Private Owner Wagons Volume 2', Metro Enterprises 1990 edition, or 'Petroleum Rail Tank Wagons of Britain', Tourett:

 

'Drawing A1'

BPO 37267 TT026X, Norbitt-Pickering, length 8864mm, single link and parabolic spring suspension, Diesel

BPO 67695 TT026X, Norbitt-Pickering, length 8864mm, single link and parabolic spring suspension, Petrol

Regent 512, TTB originally, Met-Camm, double link and leaf spring suspension, Class A

Shell/BP 507, TT096E, Met-Camm, length 8864mm, double link and leaf spring suspension, Petrol

Shell 65908 TT059G, Met-Camm, length 8864mm, double link and parabolic spring suspension, Grease

Texaco (number not given, but Texaco's fleet was inherited from Regent, see above. They later received parabolic springs and were coded TT029V, length 8839mm)

 

'Drawing A2'

BPO 67090 TT026X, Norbitt-Pickering, length 8864mm, single link and parabolic spring suspension, Petrol

LPL 65744 TT029Q, Powell Duffryn, length 8864mm, double link and parabolic spring suspension, Lubricants (used for Diesel by 1990)

Esso 6102 TTV originally, later TT043, Pickering, double link and leaf spring suspension (later parabolic), designed for Class A but used for Gas Oil by 1990

Esso 56235 TT045H, Charles Roberts, length 9140mm, double link and parabolic spring suspension, Gas Oil

Gulf 54235 TT042R, Charles Roberts, length 9144mm, single link and parabolic spring suspension, Diesel (some of this batch used for petrol)

 

The green wagon pictured in the post above is (I think):

BPO 60580 TT091F, Met-Camm, length 8864mm, double link and parabolic spring suspension, Kerosene

 

There are two images in the catalogue, one with a single ladder and one with twin ladders. It is not clear which is 'Drawing A1' and which is 'Drawing A2'.

Both have parabolic springs, one has single links and one has double links. Assuming that the springs/W-irons can be selected for the appropriate prototype, then these are right for most of the selected prototypes (though among TTAs in general there was much more variation in suspension types)

 

Note that the selected prototypes are not all the same length; most are approx 8864mm (29'1") but some are 9144mm (30'). It's not clear whether the different lengths are represented in the models.

Some of the selected prototypes have one or other of the ladder arrangements pictured in the catalogue images. Others of the selected prototypes have different arrangements! Perhaps Dapol are planning more than two ladder variants?

 

[Covkid]

9 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

There was enormous variety among TTA tanks, built at different times by several manufacturers for numerous customers, for fluids with different densities and flammability. 

Many were modified at various stages in their life, with different suspension, lagging/heating, safety-related mods etc. 

It wouldn’t surprise me if there were 100 different variations. All Dapol can do is to pick a few examples and try to get those ones right. 

 

Very much so

I have no idea of numbers but a proportion of 45 ton tanks were built with vacuum brakes, and were modified and probably resprung whilst still relatively young. I guess a lot of research was done into the behaviour of 2 axle wagons in the 1970s as all the HEA coal hoppers were resprung, and recoded from HBA to HEA.  I think their parabolic springs were replaced as part of this programme, but clearly some of the private owner fleets had similar attention.

 

Pretty sure the Texaco nee Regent fleet of 45 tonners were one pool of tanks which were rebraked and resprung.  This probably stems from the respringing of the earlier 35 ton Regent fleet as modelled by Heljan and to be released by Ocford in 4mm.  Oxford have actually announced both spring types IIRC. https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/class-b-tank-regent-class-b-revised-suspension-441-or76tkb003 . 

 

Oxford OR76TKA003 lists original suspension with OR76TKA002 the revised suspension on their Esso 35 tonner.

 

[PaulRhB]

The advantage of the TTA is short trains of 4-5 weren’t uncommon and there were small facilities like the one at Fort William so a very useful small layout wagon too  

[Covkid]

8 hours ago, PaulRhB said:

The advantage of the TTA is short trains of 4-5 weren’t uncommon and there were small facilities like the one at Fort William so a very useful small layout wagon too  

 

Very much so Paul. I started my railway career in July 1978 at Machynlleth on the Cambrian. We had two flows of fuel back then, one in vacuum braked tanks and the other air braked. 

 

The vaccy tanks were TTFs or TSVs in the form of Esso tanks with products from Esso at Bromford Bridge for Bates & Hunt at Machynlleth. Their private siding could only accommodate two vehicles at a time so it was always a battle for the firm to get their tanks swapped, as all goods traffic at Machynlleth was kept in the five road yard on the upside. The daily goods class 25 was booked to shunt but didn't always have time, so occasionally the chargeman would persuade a spare driver to use a spare DMU to shunt the empties out of the former cattle pens siding, then replace with the loads.

 

The airbraked tanks were the Shell TTAs numbered SUKO 67xxx and these tended to come down in batches of six of seven for the Shell installation in the Upside yard at Aberystwyth. Obviously these had incompatible brakes with regular traffic of vacuum fitted vans and mineral wagons and the Esso tanks, but the goods ran as a partially fitted train back then with a brakevan on the rear. 

 

A rather nice reminder of the Shell tanks being shunted by 25035 at Aberystwyth

 

25 035 shunts the oil terminal at Aberystwyth | Four days be… | Flickr

 

When the wagonload service ceased on the Cambrian the Shell fuel was delivered from Stanlow in block trains. These were worked by pairs of class 20s later RETB fitted class 37s.  Here is an image of the oil siding at Aberystwyth after the changeover to block trains  Aberystwyth oil siding 1988 | A long line of tank wagons at … | Flickr

 

This interesting 1973 image shows the familiar oil tanks in the siding with a pair of class 24s ready to work a return excursion to Sheffield

 

Aberystwyth Wales 1st April 1973 | Aberystwyth station and C… | Flickr

[tommyboy]

Branded A1 Aviation fuel TTA BPO.60579

[Crepello]

That's a great shot for us weatherers; must try to re-create that reddish-brown. Thanks Tommyboy.

[PaulRhB]

 

 

[Hippel]

Had an e-mail from Hattons today that these are due in September/October.

 

Paul

[Southernman46]

Further progress

 

http://www.tower-models.com/towermodels/home-page.html

[birdseyecircus]

In transit:

https://www.Dapol.co.uk/blogs/news/o-gauge-tta-tank-wagons-in-transit

 

Paul

[pylonman]

Hi.

 

Three months from the last post, and we're still waiting.

 

Maybe they're being shipped on the "Evergiven" and it's got stuck somewhere....... again !!!

 

Regards

 

 

 

[PJ10]

3 minutes ago, pylonman said:

Hi.

 

Three months from the last post, and we're still waiting.

 

Maybe they're being shipped on the "Evergiven" and it's got stuck somewhere....... again !!!

 

Regards

 

 

 

Hi,

 

Tower Models stated on their website that they had been put back to January  - "Dapol have now confirmed that the production run of both the standard and our limited editions should be with us in January". But an update dated 28th Nov says " Unexpected email from Dapol this afternoon. Although the TTA's had been put back until January it now appears that they will be arriving late next week".

 

So they may be imminent.

 

PJ10

[pylonman]

Thanks pj10.

 

From your info I guess we're only a little bit wiser!  😕