Which Models would you wish from Dapol?

[The Pilotman]

17 hours ago, John M Upton said:

The only recent model that does need a retool is the N scale Class 50, the thing Dapol put out just looks wrong (all be it miles better than the old Farish thing) but still a no sale from me until they try again and get it right this time.

Well, they’re retooling the Class 56 body whilst retaining the same chassis so who knows….

[johnofwessex]

20 hours ago, Mol_PMB said:

But the 03 and 04 have already been done in O gauge by Heljan, and are still fairly easily available online. And before that were available from Bachmann Brassworks and they come up on ebay from time to time.

Better to make something new rather than duplicating other recent models!

 

I suspect that a Dapol 03 would be much more attractive price wise than a used Heljan or Bachmann one

 

Also as 'smaller' layouts are more attractive on O I suspect that they might find a ready market

[Adam1701D]

18 hours ago, John M Upton said:

Yes, there is too much clamoring from certain overly vocal sections of the hobby (usually via social media) for retooling anything that hasn't had a newly tooled version in the last half an hour which quite frankly pees me off somewhat!!  I roll my eyes upwards every time Bachmann announce yet another retool of their OO Class 37 for example.

 

The only recent model that does need a retool is the N scale Class 50, the thing Dapol put out just looks wrong (all be it miles better than the old Farish thing) but still a no sale from me until they try again and get it right this time.

Hi John

 

Our 50 looks pretty good to me and the feedback has been really positive. I appreciate that the indicator box needs improvement but what aspects of the model bother you?

 

I doubt if we could run to a complete retool in the current financial climate but a tweak here or there might be possible.

[Dunsignalling]

14 minutes ago, johnofwessex said:

 

I suspect that a Dapol 03 would be much more attractive price wise than a used Heljan or Bachmann one

 

Also as 'smaller' layouts are more attractive on O I suspect that they might find a ready market

I got a mint/boxed Bachmann 04 off Hatton's about 18 months back for £52.

 

I couldn't see Dapol getting below double that for a new one!

 

John

Edited February 26 by Dunsignalling

[John M Upton]

3 hours ago, Adam1701D said:

Hi John

 

Our 50 looks pretty good to me and the feedback has been really positive. I appreciate that the indicator box needs improvement but what aspects of the model bother you?

 

I doubt if we could run to a complete retool in the current financial climate but a tweak here or there might be possible.

 

It's the face, mainly the upper part with the head code box and windscreens.  It has tripped up RTR manufacturers in the past, the 50 seems to be jinxed!

[The Johnster]

I'd say with all due respect that any 4mm RTR model tooled during this century with NEM couplings is probably pretty good and doesn't need retooling for running, detail, or scale purposes.  I can usually work them up satisfactorily.  Retooling may be needed to reduce production costs/increase profitability but this is not likely to achieve running, deailing, or scale improvements and in fact we should count ourselves lucky if these are even maintained.  Retooling may also be justified in order to improve DCC elements, such as speakers and servos, or to introduce new variants of the same class.  Retooling is a very potent sales technique but in fact does not necessarily deliver the improvements the sales departments would like us to think it does. 

 

Often this sort of partial retooling replicates problems that were associated with the original tooling, and I would prefer it if the term were only used to describe new releases that were completely and wholly retooled from scratch.  There is no point in it if the improvements are minor and significan problems still remain.  As an example, Hornby retooled the old Airfix 61xx several times previous to the current totally retooled release, which is a big improvement.  The earlier model was gradually 'uptooled' over several incarnations and came to include lamp irons, better vacuum pipes, much better pickups, a centre axle drive with a can motor, a better smokebox door, better handrails, better finished wheels, but always retained the moulded shovel on the tank top firemans' side and no glazing. 

 

One could live with these, and provide one's own glazing, but a glaring fault, not really acceptable when Airfix originally released the model.  This was the appalling arrangement of the metal tabs on the rear of the chassis block that located into rectangular holes in the rear of the bunker, along with the impossibility of providing any cab detail on this model.  What was the point of retooling if this crudity remained, as did the very poor motion and fragile slide bars that were very often the cause of the demise of these locos?

[Padishar Creel]

14 hours ago, Adam1701D said:

Hi John

 

Our 50 looks pretty good to me and the feedback has been really positive. I appreciate that the indicator box needs improvement but what aspects of the model bother you?

 

I doubt if we could run to a complete retool in the current financial climate but a tweak here or there might be possible.

 

To me the most obvious error is the positioning of the multiple working cables on the refurbished version (on the left of the cab face), which was correct on the original version.

 

It was called out before the model was released, but possible that the project was too far along to change it.

 

es grüßt

pc 

[tomparryharry]

Sorry, see previous post...

Edited March 2 by tomparryharry
Excess post

[Dunsignalling]

 

I'd really like to see a range of six-wheeled milk tankers in 4mm scale to the standard that we appear to be in line for from Dapol with the Air Ministry fuel tankers when they arrive.

 

With the latter being followed by the anchor-mounted variety as they have done in 7mm.

 

John

 

 

Edited March 3 by Dunsignalling
e

[gwrrob]

8 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

I'd really like to see a range of six-wheeled milk tankers in 4mm scale to the standard that we appear to be in line for from Dapol with the Air Ministry fuel tankers when thy arrive.

 

I would rather see Accurascale or Rapido tackle these John @Dunsignalling

[Dunsignalling]

10 hours ago, gwrrob said:

 

I would rather see Accurascale or Rapido tackle these John @Dunsignalling

Perhaps, but Dapol's samples of the Air Ministry tanks demonstrate their ability to produce tank wagons to a high standard, as already seen in their bigger brothers.

 

Given that there are multiple designs from all four groups to be tackled, maybe there's room for all of them to get a bite of the cherry....😊

 

From their showing with the little 12T petrol tankers (not quite perfect, but way better than anyone else has yet managed in steam-era 4mm r-t-r), I'd not turn my nose up at Oxford Rail pitching in, either.

 

Maybe they'd be the logical maker of the Road Tank trailer on transporter wagon combo... 😉   

 

John

Edited March 3 by Dunsignalling

[F-UnitMad]

For those like me, calling for an O Scale version of Dapol's D63xx/Class 22, I asked them about it at the Guildex Kettering show yesterday.

The response was not encouraging. It seems some in the Company hear our calls & would like to go ahead, but a more senior Descision Maker (who I assume was not at the Show) views it as (quote) "something of a poisoned chalice".

The fear seems to be that after the debacle of the Little Loco Co failure, whereby many (myself included) lost £££'s, this person at Dapol seems to think that if they did a 22 in O, people would think it was somehow linked to the L.L.Co project, and go banging on Dapol's door demanding their money back that they lost.

I assured the chap I spoke to that that certainly was not my view at all, but that's just one person. The phrase "never say never" was used, but to be honest I left with the impression that a Dapol O Scale Class 22 just isn't going to happen.

😟😟😟

[BMacdermott]

4 hours ago, Dunsignalling said:

Maybe they'd be the logical maker of the Road Tank trailer on transporter wagon combo... 😉   

 

John

 

Hello John

 

Certainly agree with that part of your earlier post.👍

 

Within The Results of The 00 Wishlist Poll 2022, the 6-wheel Milk Tank Truck (20ft 6in) with 4-wheel Milk Tanker Trailer Load was in The Top 50.

 

Immediately behind that in the NPCCS category - and high up in High Polling - was the 6-wheel Milk Tank Truck (24ft 6in) with 6-wheel Milk Tanker Trailer Load.

 

Brian (on behalf of The 00 Poll Team)

 

 

 

 

[meatloaf]

3 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

For those like me, calling for an O Scale version of Dapol's D63xx/Class 22, I asked them about it at the Guildex Kettering show yesterday.

The response was not encouraging. It seems some in the Company hear our calls & would like to go ahead, but a more senior Descision Maker (who I assume was not at the Show) views it as (quote) "something of a poisoned chalice".

The fear seems to be that after the debacle of the Little Loco Co failure, whereby many (myself included) lost £££'s, this person at Dapol seems to think that if they did a 22 in O, people would think it was somehow linked to the L.L.Co project, and go banging on Dapol's door demanding their money back that they lost.

I assured the chap I spoke to that that certainly was not my view at all, but that's just one person. The phrase "never say never" was used, but to be honest I left with the impression that a Dapol O Scale Class 22 just isn't going to happen.

😟😟😟

Im hopeful that Bachmann may do the Class 22 under the EFE brand. Hopefully they aquired the rights to it with the Class 15

[Stefen1988]

On 16/02/2024 at 10:33, Roy L S said:

As an avid N Gauge modeller of steam/diesel transition period and noting that the West Country and GW Mogul will hopefully by now actually be in tooling, I would really like to see those models followed up by a tender loco of an LNER prototype. There are some pretty large classes of loco that might fit the bill and some had very long lives. I am thinking maybe a 4-4-0 like "the Shire" to follow on from the Schools or possibly a K3 which was originally a Great Northern design so a number of livery choices.

 

I would like to see a 0-6-2 GNR/LNER N2 with Gresley "Quad Art" Suburban Coaches Set...

[letterspider]

I really really want to see a Class 88...

[Kaput]

31 minutes ago, letterspider said:

I really really want to see a Class 88...

 

Hiding under a rock much? The 88 is being worked on.

[letterspider]

Have you seen it?

[atom3624]

Any update?

Still 'due Q2 2024'?

 

Al.

[Dunsignalling]

3 hours ago, letterspider said:

I really really want to see a Class 88...

Commissioned from Dapol by Rails, AIUI.

 

Don't know how far along it is though.

[Stefen1988]

I wish Dapol could complete their Range of Gresley LNER Coaches in N-Gauge;

 

Gresley ECML Express Coaches (fittig to that ECML Restaurant Coach)

Gresley Suburbans

Gresley Quad-Art Suburbans

 

Edited March 11 by Stefen1988

[pylonman]

Hi.

 

In reference to what I would like Dapol to produce ;

 

I would like Dapol to produce a model, any model, within what could be considered a reasonable time scale. (for example with in 2 years max., preferrably less).

 

I've just cancelled my pre-order for a Class 66 as they've just added a year to the delivery date, with the click of a mouse. ( It's already been 5 years since the announcement)

 

Regards