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Dapol 'Western'


Andy Y
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good man Dave

 

found this shot which may be useful for the later day modellers..

 

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Western Lament by Sir Hectimere, on Flickr

 

A cracking photo Michael which was much discussed last week on the Old Oak facebook page as the chap leaning out of the 31's cab window remembers it well! Also the cause of much mirth as there was some competition between OC secondmen to bag the 'Lament' job on that particular Thursday, with a very disgruntled Chris Guntripp losing out to a mate who refused to swap turns... ;-)

 

All this wanton nostalgia is doing me no good at all... I've just been looking through some treasured Hydraulic books and am veering nervously close to the banger blue period again and can't decide which Thousands to 'do'.... deary me I don't know, so many choices...!!!

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 Also the cause of much mirth as there was some competition between OC secondmen to bag the 'Lament' job on that particular Thursday, with a very disgruntled Chris Guntripp losing out to a mate who refused to swap turns... ;-)

 

reminds me of my old driver mate Jimmy Carlin of Edge hill Liverpool depot. when they where deciding who would drive what in the Rainhill trials of 1980, they passed a hat round and he got the Western, he was dissapointed as he wanted a steamer so he let the men from the Severn valley drive it while he hung out the door with a giant wooden clockwork key. got pics of him somewhere pretending to wind it up.

 

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Rocket 150 Railway celebrations. by PA Miller, on Flickr

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Slightly off topic I know (sorry) but "Yay!" Ultrascale target met for 18.83 sets for this wee beastie. http://www.ultrascale.com/node/37... I expect this thread's had something to do with that :clapping:

 

Hornby review looked ok .... although I did think it odd that the "headcode" numbers were stuck on the outside of the glazing - that's wrong isn't it! Looked so odd!

Just waiting for mine now... I must ring up Brian and order some other plates/numbers.

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Slightly off topic I know (sorry) but "Yay!" Ultrascale target met for 18.83 sets for this wee beastie. http://www.ultrascale.com/node/37... I expect this thread's had something to do with that :clapping:

 

Hornby review looked ok .... although I did think it odd that the "headcode" numbers were stuck on the outside of the glazing - that's wrong isn't it! Looked so odd!

Just waiting for mine now... I must ring up Brian and order some other plates/numbers.

Hmm, EM is still only halfway. Grumble... I did vote twice as I'll need to buy two sets to convert two locos.

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Hmm, EM is still only halfway. Grumble... I did vote twice as I'll need to buy two sets to convert two locos.

If they don't get the required number you could always make your own conversion set? Ultrascale make a Western diesel disc wheel for a very good price. I've got 2 P4 sets waiting for Empress and Druid to arrive. Add a piercing saw or hacksaw blade, some shorting strips (Brassmasters) and some 2mm inside diameter plastic tube for use as spacers and away you go. If the wheels are good enough and you can get them off you could consider just replacing the stub axles. Ultrascale (again) now supply axle material in 2mm diameter. I assume of course that the axles are 2mm.

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If they don't get the required number you could always make your own conversion set? Ultrascale make a Western diesel disc wheel for a very good price. I've got 2 P4 sets waiting for Empress and Druid to arrive. Add a piercing saw or hacksaw blade, some shorting strips (Brassmasters) and some 2mm inside diameter plastic tube for use as spacers and away you go. If the wheels are good enough and you can get them off you could consider just replacing the stub axles. Ultrascale (again) now supply axle material in 2mm diameter. I assume of course that the axles are 2mm.

... and that's how the clever ones do it!

 

... yet more tricks to learn!

 

I presume yours will be fully sprung Justin  ;)

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... and that's how the clever ones do it!

 

... yet more tricks to learn!

 

I presume yours will be fully sprung Justin  ;)

Of course! The primary springs should be straight forward but the secondary suspension could be interesting to say the least. I spent some time looking at the bogies on the one at the NRM before christmas and I have visions of those little coil springs working for a living. :) That's not to say I'll be able to make it work but I'll give it a go!

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Reading through the MR review of the 'Western' yesterday (which I felt was very positive), I was disappointed too with the rating of 'only' 92%. However, someone at MR can't count.

MR achieves its rating by giving a score out of 10 for each of five categories and then doubles the final score to give a score out of 100. The 'Western' scored 47 out of 50 which when doubled makes 94%, not 92%.

So, unless MR has a different score rating for smaller manufacturers, the 'Western' scores in the top 5 locomotives, exactly where it should be. Well done to Dave and all at Dapol!

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Hi Andrew,

 

Not common picture content as you'll be aware but the Railway Magazine supplement of April 1990 entitled 'The Yeoman Enterprise' (covering the rail operations of Foster Yeoman) includes a black & white John Chalcraft pic of 1009 working 6O46 Merehead to Longcross through Earley in 1972 (30 + HTVs).

 

TEE publishing of Leamington Spa should be able to fix you up with a copy but ensure that the supplement is with the magazine.

 

Cheers

 

Dave

 

Thanks Dave - I should have the RM stored somewhere if its 1990, just don't know where!.

 

A working to Longcross will of course not have used the Guildford-Redhill section of line, over which I think the stone trains worked to an unloading point near Gatwick, so if  you or anyone can direct me to photos I would be grateful.

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Reading through the MR review of the 'Western' yesterday (which I felt was very positive), I was disappointed too with the rating of 'only' 92%. However, someone at MR can't count.

MR achieves its rating by giving a score out of 10 for each of five categories and then doubles the final score to give a score out of 100. The 'Western' scored 47 out of 50 which when doubled makes 94%, not 92%.

So, unless MR has a different score rating for smaller manufacturers, the 'Western' scores in the top 5 locomotives, exactly where it should be. Well done to Dave and all at Dapol!

 

Are we really quibbling over a margin of error of 2% over 90%?

 

Even if their maths is wrong, so what? Who died? They got over 90% in an almost arbitrary score. What was written in the article was almost 100% positive stuff, bar the extremely minor point about the brake rigging (which is Model Rail doing their jobs frankly).

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I've just read the Model Rail review for the first time and have to say I think it's a very fair one, and looking at the large photo of the GSYP / D1038 model I'm every bit as impressed as I was with Andy's photos on page one of this thread. However I think there are still three little jobs worth doing if you're sticking with D1038 and want it to be bang on - the air pipes below the buffers should have white ends not yellow, the red paint on the buffer beam should extend to the sloping edges of the valance just below the buffers but not the raised lip (a Crewe Works peculiarity on D1035, D1036, D1037 and D1038) and the OHLE warning flashes should be positioned a bit higher up and further out towards the edges of the cab front. The first two mods are easily done but moving the OHLE flashes might be a pain in the rear for some folk if you don't want to scratch your shiny new model and have to get the green paint out.

 

92% or 94%, it makes no difference really... this is a superb model!

 

(By the way - I'm currently working on a follow up to the Western livery info I posted over in the Diesel Hydraulic section of the forum, which hopefully should cover all the relevant stuff from a modelling perspective on the entire fleet of Westerns, Warships, Hymeks, D63xxs and D95xxs, from introduction to withdrawal - liveries, modifications, experiments, collision damage repairs etc. I'm setting it out on a 'year by year' basis starting with D600 entering service and the final railtour which ran on 26th February 1977, so people can see what ran alongside what and in which liveries).

Edited by Rugd1022
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quick question then, how long did the maroon with yellow bufferbeam livery last? what was the last loco to have it?

 

Last one to have it was D1009 which was released back into traffic with black bufferbeams and small yellow panels on 2nd July 1963.

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I've just read the Model Rail review for the first time and have to say I think it's a very fair one, and looking at the large photo of the GSYP / D1038 model I'm every bit as impressed as I was with Andy's photos on page one of this thread. However I think there are still three little jobs worth doing if you're sticking with D1038 and want it to be bang on - the air pipes below the buffers should have white ends not yellow, the red paint on the buffer beam should extend to the sloping edges of the valance just below the buffers but not the raised lip (a Crewe Works peculiarity on D1035, D1036, D1037 and D1038) and the OHLE warning flashes should be positioned a bit higher up and further out towards the edges of the cab front. The first two mods are easily done but moving the OHLE flashes might be a pain in the rear for some folk if you don't want to scratch your shiny new model and have to get the green paint out.

 

92% or 94%, it makes no difference really... this is a superb model!

 

(By the way - I'm currently working on a follow up to the Western livery info I posted over in the Diesel Hydraulic section of the forum, which hopefully should cover all the relevant stuff from a modelling perspective on the entire fleet of Westerns, Warships, Hymeks, D63xxs and D95xxs, from introduction to withdrawal - liveries, modifications, experiments, collision damage repairs etc. I'm setting it out on a 'year by year' basis starting with D600 entering service and the final railtour which ran on 26th February 1977, so people can see what ran alongside what and in which liveries).

I also read the MR review today and found it very well put together.

 

Your work on the class details will be very much anticipated and very well received Nidge. Keep up the excellent work. 

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A friend of mine is involved in the pres of D1013 on the SVR. I've asked him if he could ask one of his pals on/near the SVR if they could go and measure the headcode glass and the black rubber surround. I'll report back when I hear something.

 

RWJ

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The pettiness apparent with regards the model rail review leaves me wondering what exactly the agenda is for that sort of party line.

 

No agenda so I don't know why you keep trying to resurrect it. :)

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