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Dapol announce 8 new 'O' gauge wagons at Guildex


Andy Y

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As I have inevitably succumbed to the O Gauge bug, I have purchased some wagons for shunting (to go with the 08 which started it all), and the eventual layout. Currently have a Dapol 7 plank, and two recently delivered Lion heart 16t mineral wagons. I'm very impressed with the 7 plank, and, although I don't class myself as a rivet counter, even though the 16t minerals look great on the outside, there did seem to be a lack of detail on the inside. I intend to have them full of something, so easily rectified, but what do others think?

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As I have inevitably succumbed to the O Gauge bug, I have purchased some wagons for shunting (to go with the 08 which started it all), and the eventual layout. Currently have a Dapol 7 plank, and two recently delivered Lion heart 16t mineral wagons. I'm very impressed with the 7 plank, and, although I don't class myself as a rivet counter, even though the 16t minerals look great on the outside, there did seem to be a lack of detail on the inside. I intend to have them full of something, so easily rectified, but what do others think?

Yes I was surprised by lack of any internal detail considering this is included in the plank open wagons with are much finer. The sides also bow inwards so not as well made as plank wagons which is a shame.

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Yes I was surprised by lack of any internal detail considering this is included in the plank open wagons with are much finer. The sides also bow inwards so not as well made as plank wagons which is a shame.

The welded mineral wagon is very plain internally, what did you expect?

 

Paul

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Can confirm there is no door on the inside! Still wouldn't stop me buying them though, as I've still got one more on order, and if I needed 10, I'd still buy them. I currently don't have the time to build kits, so having a rtr 16t min is a great help.

Don't disagree so they are still good value but observation was it would not take too much to make them better inside as there is some missing detail which is visible especially in this scale.

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  • 5 weeks later...

I have just opened a box from Tower Models. I have unpacked my first box of 5 which is Vanfit B768898 Dapol ref 7F-056-003. It has a strong cardboard box with foam padding with the van in a plastic cradle. When I opened this cradle the van roof came off, perhaps to allow weight to be added? The finish seems to be first class. The wheels have 3 holes and the van is free rolling, the brake gear looks to be all complete. This the first Dapol O gauge wagon I have handled and my first impression is that this together with the Class 08 is a very satisfactory start to my O gauge adventure.

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I have just opened a box from Tower Models. I have unpacked my first box of 5 which is Vanfit B768898 Dapol ref 7F-056-003. It has a strong cardboard box with foam padding with the van in a plastic cradle. When I opened this cradle the van roof came off, perhaps to allow weight to be added? The finish seems to be first class. The wheels have 3 holes and the van is free rolling, the brake gear looks to be all complete. This the first Dapol O gauge wagon I have handled and my first impression is that this together with the Class 08 is a very satisfactory start to my O gauge adventure.

Sounds great. Photos and a bit of text about how they compare to the prototype would be very welcome.

 

ATVB

 

CME

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20170107_124511.jpg

 

20170107_124416.jpg

 

20170107_124400.jpg

 

Looks good to me. I'm not in the game of studying prototype photos and drawings playing spot the difference, I'll leave that for someone else.

 

Compared a van to a Slaters kitbuilt one as well, certainly wouldn't have a problem running the two side by side- some details are probably better on the kit and some on the RTR so swings and roundabouts really.

Edited by brianthesnail96
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20170107_124511.jpg

 

20170107_124416.jpg

 

20170107_124400.jpg

 

Looks good to me. I'm not in the game of studying prototype photos and drawings playing spot the difference, I'll leave that for someone else.

 

Compared a van to a Slaters kitbuilt one as well, certainly wouldn't have a problem running the two side by side- some details are probably better on the kit and some on the RTR so swings and roundabouts really.Definately

 

Definitely more Lionheart that previous Dapol, so Richard Webster's input is working.

 

My 8 should arrive tomorrow (would have had them Friday if I hadn't missed the phone call from Tower Models on Thursday), will be interested to see how the 5 plank in natural finish looks as it appears slightly odd in the photos I have seen. Whilst the planking is a natural 'wood' colour, the metal work / ends are black - would have thought they should have been grey primer. Has anyone got one already?

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These look marvellous, as said, very much Lionheart influence.  I wasn't all that impressed with the Dapol RTR PO wagon below the solebars.  My Lionheart PO wagon is brilliant, has a diecast underframe I'm thinking.  It leaves my Parkside kit in the dust.

 

I have three of these on order, so relieved that they are this good.

 

John

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Definitely more Lionheart that previous Dapol, so Richard Webster's input is working.

 

My 8 should arrive tomorrow (would have had them Friday if I hadn't missed the phone call from Tower Models on Thursday), will be interested to see how the 5 plank in natural finish looks as it appears slightly odd in the photos I have seen. Whilst the planking is a natural 'wood' colour, the metal work / ends are black - would have thought they should have been grey primer. Has anyone got one already?

They look pretty good-LH influence has helped there.

 

I did cast my eye over the vans and the UFs etc look pretty good along with other aspects. As you say some aspects of kits arent perfect so its swings vs roundabouts. Hopefully theres still enough business for kit manufacturers and RTR alike to be able to complement each other.

 

Are the sides pretty straight? My LH POs suffer from inwards curves-never had that problem with kits.

 

Do you know if the tarp bar is metal or plastic?-thanks in anticipation.

 

ATVB

 

CME

Edited by CME and Bottlewasher
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My insulated van turned up today, very nice but very delicate! I managed to break the bar that goes between both axle boxes (sole bar?) when trying to get the roof on. The roof was a tight fit in the plastic packing so came out seperately. The van walls were slightly bowed in so getting the roof on wasn't easy hence breaking the bar . Easily glued but Ho hum!

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Just received my Dapol vans today have to say I'm pleased with them. I also had the roof fitting problem on the plywood vans only

They come with 3 link couplings is this correct? I thought they should have screw links being fitted vans

I await the wisdom

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My insulated van turned up today, very nice but very delicate! I managed to break the bar that goes between both axle boxes (sole bar?) when trying to get the roof on. The roof was a tight fit in the plastic packing so came out seperately. The van walls were slightly bowed in so getting the roof on wasn't easy hence breaking the bar . Easily glued but Ho hum!

 

Hi 70E,

 

I am sorry to hear that you have had problems, can you replace with Plastistruct reinforced with 0.7 bar/rod or similar to the rear (that's what I do on my kit builds)? Add bolt-head detail from plastic-rod of the appropriate size, sanded down to shape and size. I have noticed that with some of my LH/Dapol stock that for a few penth extra of tar (to paraphrase) certain parts should be from brass/metal as the plastic (not always the flexible ABS) is very vulnerable and also fragile.

 

Sorry to hear that the sides are bowed too - I noted that on my LH planked wagons, which seems like a schoolboy/quality control error.

 

Looking at the photos above - which was hard over the weekend as I was using a 'mobile device' and I got two Posters mixed up - I am not sure if it's the camera angle or not, but the sides look very bowed on the 'Open' too (to quite and extent). In nearly 20 years of 7mm modelling and 40 years of railway modelling, I have never seen as much bowing as present on these models - is that why some retailers are photographing them in the side on orientation? - on any kit I have built, on a steel open one can get away with such, add a few dents and dings too, and if to a lesser degree, wooden sides too, yet not as those photographed above.

 

I am hoping that someone can prove me wrong and tell me it's just the camera/photo angle issue.

 

ATVB

 

CME

Edited by CME and Bottlewasher
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Just received my Dapol vans today have to say I'm pleased with them. I also had the roof fitting problem on the plywood vans only

They come with 3 link couplings is this correct? I thought they should have screw links being fitted vans

I await the wisdom

 

I believe many in the early builds had Instanter couplings, where the centre link can be positioned to 'lock' the coupling to remove the slack. Certainly photos in a variety of sources appear to show BR standard fitted wagons with either type. However I know there are others on here who can supply more details.

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I believe many in the early builds had Instanter couplings, where the centre link can be positioned to 'lock' the coupling to remove the slack. Certainly photos in a variety of sources appear to show BR standard fitted wagons with either type. However I know there are others on here who can supply more details.

Although I've haven't been able to check yet, my gut feeling is that if they're fitted vans (ie. in bauxite livery), then they should either have Instanter or screw couplings.

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