New OO gauge Class 73

[BR(S)]

No headlight on the blue one now and the number looks correct.

 

Here's a link to the original blue one: https://www.facebook.com/214563285228094/photos/ms.c.eJw9yskNwEAIA8COInMYL~;03FmlJ~_I7GoDJ2hydMzMc~_8EaddFuIAQwUwAs4CzWgBVFBKH4wXiguzKh4AT7fGzc~-.bps.a.1076159742401773.1073741858.214563285228094/1076159939068420/?type=3&theater

[HullCityB17]

The Electric Blue Class 73 E6047 is due in next two weeks or so as I have received an email today stating the following....

 

"We have today been informed by Dapol that the Limited Edition

Cl.73 E6047 will be with us towards the end of next week.

We will be dispatching them in Limited Edition number order so

please be patient as it will take a few days to process all orders.

For those who have paid a 50% deposit we will be in touch

regarding the settling payment.

Once your loco is processed you will receive a dispatch notification from us.

 

For any further enquiries, please contact us

 

Many thanks

 

THE HOBBY SHOP "

[mark walker]

The blue's too blue. The yellow's not yellow enough. The horns are wrong. The windows aren't triangular...

Sorry... just had a quick psychic glimpse into the immediate future of this thread....

just check class 73 out and it is correct

[Dogmatix]

Just such a pity that Dapol not only couldn't be bothered with close-coupling mechanics, but have gone and moulded the NEM pocket into the bogie frame, not even on a pivot - the worst-case scenario, and there's no room there to fit any sort of close-coupling unit.

[newbryford]

Just such a pity that Dapol not only couldn't be bothered with close-coupling mechanics, but have gone and moulded the NEM pocket into the bogie frame, not even on a pivot - the worst-case scenario, and there's no room there to fit any sort of close-coupling unit.

 

I think you've just answered your own question........

 

Cheers,

Mick

[big jim]

Wonder if i can pick up a GBRf one from the factory shop on friday, my job finishes at chirk at 10am just in time for it opening, i normally call in on my way home anyway for a browse so would be nice if i can get one

[Pete Harvey]

They will be on there way to the NEC Jim.

[kintbury jon]

Just such a pity that Dapol not only couldn't be bothered with close-coupling mechanics, but have gone and moulded the NEM pocket into the bogie frame, not even on a pivot - the worst-case scenario, and there's no room there to fit any sort of close-coupling unit.

With the amount of problems I've had with my Hornby 50's, 56's and 60 pulling the first wagon/carriage off the track due to the coupling unit having a mind of its own, I'm pleased that Dapol have gone down that route.

[steve1023]

I'm not quite sure why, but there appear to be small dents either side of the air horns on the cab roofs - is this correct?. Other than that I quite like it. Assuming the livery application is good on the Inter-city exec version I will get that, and probably the large logo and maybe this Rail blue version.

 

Steve

[Mike Storey]

I'm not quite sure why, but there appear to be small dents either side of the air horns on the cab roofs - is this correct?. Other than that I quite like it. Assuming the livery application is good on the Inter-city exec version I will get that, and probably the large logo and maybe this Rail blue version.

 

Steve

 

Much discussion about the "dents" or "dimples" - it has taken up about a quarter of this thread, see many past posts. General consensus appears to be that it is true to the prototype in most cases, apart from when brand new. That part of the roof is glass fibre (on the real locos) and suffers from distortion, probably from the heat of the sun and/or fitters' bottoms when working on the roof, over time. 

 

Mike

[jjb1970]

This is looking very good indeed, I can't wait. On the dimples, they are probably the result of laser scanning picking up a damage to the roof. Then either Dapol might not have been aware of the dimples or alternatively taken a decision that the distortion is typical of 73's in service and therefore kept the dimples for the model. Either way it looks like a cracking model to me and really captures the look of the 73.

[brushman47544]

The number on 73124 still doesn't look quite right. They seem too close together and there should be a slight space between the 3 and the 1. See this photo taken at HG http://flickrhivemind.net/blackmagic.cgi?id=6888656757&url=http%3A%2F%2Fflickrhivemind.net%2FTags%2F73124%2FInteresting%3Fsearch_type%3DTags%26textinput%3D73124%26photo_type%3D250%26method%3DGET%26noform%3Dt%26sort%3DInterestingness%23pic6888656757&user=&flickrurl=http://www.flickr.com/photos/41701047@N08/6888656757

That's how I remember them in BR blue anyway.

[Waverley West]

With the amount of problems I've had with my Hornby 50's, 56's and 60 pulling the first wagon/carriage off the track due to the coupling unit having a mind of its own, I'm pleased that Dapol have gone down that route.

 

Couldn't agree more. Close-coupling mechanisms (mainly Hornby's) account for far too many of my derailing problems.

[Dogmatix]

Couldn't agree more. Close-coupling mechanisms (mainly Hornby's) account for far too many of my derailing problems.

It works fine if it's done properly. Continental brands have had properly done, perfectly working close couplings for over thirty years - but British brands, even ones active on the continent, still can't get it right. It's quite ridiculous. Add to that the completely absent information from brands and in magazines on how close coupling works.

 

Oh, and when I wrote that there' not enough room in the 73, I meant that there's not enough room to retro-fit any of the available retro-fit close coupling units. I've seen continental models with even less room that sported properly working close coupling mechanics when it was designed in from the beginning.

[Mike Storey]

It works fine if it's done properly. Continental brands have had properly done, perfectly working close couplings for over thirty years - but British brands, even ones active on the continent, still can't get it right. It's quite ridiculous. Add to that the completely absent information from brands and in magazines on how close coupling works.

 

Oh, and when I wrote that there' not enough room in the 73, I meant that there's not enough room to retro-fit any of the available retro-fit close coupling units. I've seen continental models with even less room that sported properly working close coupling mechanics when it was designed in from the beginning.

 

I generally agree with that, except to say that the British mags have from time to time showcased such mechanisms, especially Keen and KD, on multi-page "how to" items, of which I have kept several. Anecdotally, it appears (from layout articles in mags both continental and British, and at exhibitions) that far more UK modellers use tighter curves than their European counterparts, although I have no other evidence for that! It is also true to say that Hornby International absorbed the mainly lower fidelity, lower product cost, model railway firms in Europe (with perhaps the exception of Rivarossi) and therefore expects its customer base to be those with greater space constraints. The UK modeller certainly seems to be far more cost conscious than its European contemporaries. I cannot find any other reasons why UK modelling lags behind in this area, as with many others - sound, digitisation, fidelity and functionality. Maybe we have ourselves to blame? Well, when I say "we", not me - I moved to France so I could build my layout in a gigantic barn for the same price as a studio apartment in London (although my wife believes it was really for the benefit of her health).....

[PeteB]

I visited the Gaugemaster shop in Ford yesterday, and I spotted the preproduction samples of their limited edition Pullman livery class 73s.

 

I asked if they minded me taking a few pics and posting them here, so with their permission here they are.

 

Sorry about the less than perfect photos and the reflections, I only had the mobile phone with me.

 

 

 

 

 

Regards,

 

Pete

Edited November 25, 2015 by PeteB

[LaGrange]

Dapol said they had some 'in the van' when we visited earlier on the way to Birmingham, find out at the weekend I guess....

[steve1023]

Much discussion about the "dents" or "dimples" - it has taken up about a quarter of this thread, see many past posts. General consensus appears to be that it is true to the prototype in most cases, apart from when brand new. That part of the roof is glass fibre (on the real locos) and suffers from distortion, probably from the heat of the sun and/or fitters' bottoms when working on the roof, over time. 

 

Mike

Thanks for that - I had never noticed before. Yesterday I browsed through the latest edition of Rail and there straight in front of me was 73966 fully refurbished - dents/dimples for all to see.

 

Steve

[Lyddrail]

Pete,

Thanks for the pics of the Pullman versions.

I think the Brighton Evening Argus printed nameplates are poor, shape, size and position.

Hopefully this was picked up.

Cheers. 

[Gwiwer]

There will be a home here for at least two 73s provide they turn up in the shops looking as close to the real thing as the latest images suggest.  And hopefully running well on both electric and diesel

 

Mike Storey might just have christened the layout / diorama they would appear on:

 

 

 fitters' bottoms when working on the roof

In SE London / Kent we have Locks Bottom and Pratts Bottom.  In Sussex we have Cowbottom.  So I see nothing wrong at all with a third-rail location called Fitter's Bottom.

 

Pickett's Bottom has already been done as anyone who remembers Noel Edmonds on Radio 1 might recall.

 

And for what it's worth and be cause it fits my existing layout theme nicely there's Skinner's Bottom near Redruth in Cornwall.  The eyes water.

Edited November 28, 2015 by Gwiwer

[Dogmatix]

I generally agree with that, except to say that the British mags have from time to time showcased such mechanisms, especially Keen and KD, on multi-page "how to" items

Well, not living in the UK, I don't see most of the UK magazines. I subscribe to the Modeller, and a newsagent at Zoo station sometimes has the Hornby Magazine, and when I do get to the UK I usually binge on that month's railway magazines - but - and this is part of my point - when the UK magazines review a model, they usually say if NEM pockets are fitted, but almost never say how (i.e. if close-coupling compatible), and rarely show a picture of the underside. Compare that to German magazines, especially MIBA - when they review a model they do a proper job on it.

 

Same with catalogues: the German catalogues and websites give more details about their models than the British ones, including lighting, length... and, as a matter of course, the coupling arrangements, about which the British ones say diddly-squat.

 

So back to topic: I've decided to pass on the 73, and wait for DJModels' 71 and (especially) 74 instead (as I said before, pity that no 74 was preserved and back-painted into green which it never carried (wouldn't be the first preserved engine to carry a 'false' livery) so DJModels could do a green 74).

[Mike Storey]

Well, not living in the UK, I don't see most of the UK magazines. I subscribe to the Modeller, and a newsagent at Zoo station sometimes has the Hornby Magazine, and when I do get to the UK I usually binge on that month's railway magazines - but - and this is part of my point - when the UK magazines review a model, they usually say if NEM pockets are fitted, but almost never say how (i.e. if close-coupling compatible), and rarely show a picture of the underside. Compare that to German magazines, especially MIBA - when they review a model they do a proper job on it.

 

Same with catalogues: the German catalogues and websites give more details about their models than the British ones, including lighting, length... and, as a matter of course, the coupling arrangements, about which the British ones say diddly-squat.

 

So back to topic: I've decided to pass on the 73, and wait for DJModels' 71 and (especially) 74 instead (as I said before, pity that no 74 was preserved and back-painted into green which it never carried (wouldn't be the first preserved engine to carry a 'false' livery) so DJModels could do a green 74).

 

I agree about the extent of technical detail usually available also in French mags, compared to UK reviews, but I am still buying the 73 as there are many other reasons to do so!

[jjb1970]

I think that the manufacturers are in a difficult position. The UK is an extremely cost sensitive market and despite British OO being very competitively priced to HO models from other European countries, North America and Japan many consumers still consider prices to be too high and are loathe to accept rises. In terms of fidelity to prototype, finish and running qualities I think British OO is now competitive with models produced for any other market which is an immense turn around from the position 20 years ago when we were so far behind it wasn't funny. We do still lag in digital functionality and coupling (although to balance things out a little, it amazes me how some European models which are beautifully modelled are ruined by pizza cutter wheels) and I think the main reason is that manufacturers have decided the UK market just won't pay for such features. And they're probably correct on the whole.

[Mike Storey]

I think that the manufacturers are in a difficult position. The UK is an extremely cost sensitive market and despite British OO being very competitively priced to HO models from other European countries, North America and Japan many consumers still consider prices to be too high and are loathe to accept rises. In terms of fidelity to prototype, finish and running qualities I think British OO is now competitive with models produced for any other market which is an immense turn around from the position 20 years ago when we were so far behind it wasn't funny. We do still lag in digital functionality and coupling (although to balance things out a little, it amazes me how some European models which are beautifully modelled are ruined by pizza cutter wheels) and I think the main reason is that manufacturers have decided the UK market just won't pay for such features. And they're probably correct on the whole.

 

I agree, which means the new Dapol A4, with, almost literally, all its bells and whistles, at 400 sovs, is a brave gamble. I wish it well - if successful, we could see a step change in UK outline functionality, at least in a new, top end market, for those of us rich, or rash enough, to go there. What's that address for debt advice again?

[steve1023]

Did Dapol have any class 73s on display at Warley?. If anybody got any pics could they possibly display them please.

 

Thanks

 

Steve