Vonzack

Hi WBF,

Then the jib looks very much like it's from a Ransom & Rapier 45 ton Steam Crane. But as my encyclopaedic knowledge of Steam Cranes starts and ends there, then I am more than willing to be corrected

Cheers, Mark.

Is it a crane of some sort?

@Matt-b, you've got to consider the investment people have made in these models and this company. They probably have coaches and a HST bookset and are just waiting for one or two items to finish off their rake. How dis-appointed and let down would you feel when a mistake ruins the look of your train or means you then have to purchase additional items to try and match things up.

Mike W's point about limited production runs is also really valid. To be certain of acquiring some models, you have to pre-order which is fine, but if the company wants to operate like this, they have to ensure that the quality doesn't change between production runs. Are these errors in production, in which case we have faulty goods, or are these differences conscious decisions by the company, I'd like to know that.

@ash39, I think you've come up with a perfect solution for my I/C Swallow Coaches, I could put them into a mixed rake with Virgin liveried stock.

@DapolDave / jbqfc, as you disagreed with my earlier post, come on guys, what did you disagree with?

I should also add that, as far as the Mk3 coaches and HSTs are concerned, they are of a very high standard and I would consider them at the top of the list with regards to detail, on a par with Kato especially with regards to electrical pickups and provision for lighting out of the box.

Cheers, Mark.

At the risk of being called a 'troll', or a 'Dapol basher', I have to say I'm very disappointed with the quality of the HST sets and Mk3 coaches.

As somebody who is modelling modern image (for me that's 80's on), the HST sets and Mk3 coaches figure highly on my wish lists. Over the last few years I have been lucky enough to be able to get a hold of a number of examples and based on my personal experience, here are the issues I have spotted:

• HST IC Swallow livery Bookset coaches do not match the livery of the original Mk3 HST Coaches that were released.
• Of the original Mk3 IC Swallow livery coaches, the Mk3 HST coaches have a different livery to the Loco hauled versions.
• Of the original Mk3 Virgin livery coaches, both Loco hauled and HST seem to have IC Swallow window inserts (look out for the swallow in the door windows).
• The IC Swallow livery of the Class 86 and DVT matches the original Mk3 HST coaches, not the original Mk3 Loco hauled stock which matches the HST bookset.
• Virgin Pretendolino bookset and original Mk3 coaches have gloss roofs, the recently released bookset of Buffet and TSO have matt roofs.

Each one of these items has been discussed on this forum and there is little or no response from the company. Indeed, when I contacted a certain individual about the pretendolino roofs, all I received was a curt 'nobody else has mentioned it as a problem'. Which for somebody, who I consider must take some responsibility for these quality issues, is a less than understanding response to a Customer who has obviously bought their products. To the person in question (if you read this thread), it's great that you make yourself available, but please try and understand that when people contact you, they may want to be a little more engaged than the response I received.

With regards to the IC Swallow livery, it would be nice to have a confirmation from Dapol as to whether or not the new HST coaches will match the livery on the booksets or the original MK3 HST coaches. Or for that fact, what livery they will deliver with the loco hauled ones when they are released. I'm guessing this hasn't and won't happen as it could mean allot of unsold coaches at the end of the day.

Don't forget, these are meant to be RTR items and are sold as such, if you then have to go and start weathering them to hide errors in the livery, there's something badly wrong.

Cheers, Mark 'Dapol Basher'

I will ask Parkside what size those cups are so I can potentially design them into the model.

Hi David,

I have these details, have sent a PM with them in for you.

Cheers, Mark.

The chassis now has buffers and attempt at a coupling!

I'd prefer to see a NEM Coupler box being used, Dapol or even can I suggest part of the 3D Print. 

You're correct, Farish have not decided or announced that they will transfer the DRS livery to their new N Gauge Class 20 Chasis, which is such a shame.

I was in a similar position to you a few months back and managed to pick a couple up from eBay, but as we all know with the older Poole Chasis, they can suffer from split gears and do not compare well to modern mechanisms.

Good luck, hope you can find a couple of good ones like I did.