southernelectric

I started out thinking I'll just stick to BR Blue (and I don't have a layout yet!) as that was what I grew up with but I would agree a splash of colour doesn't hurt. I've accumulated around 30 locos/multiple units and around 70+ coaches and most of it is BR blue era...but the non-BR blue stuff I've accumulated now includes a Bachmann Blue Pullman, green and prototype livery Bachmann Deltics, Bachmann GWR150 green Class 47, SR green 4-CEP and 2-EPB EMUs, and a few steam locos in the mix too (Flying Scotsman, Tornado, Mallard, Clan Line), not forgetting some Hornby Pullmans and last but not least some pre-BR blue era Mk1 coaching stock - mostly chocolate/cream and crimson/cream. No 'modern' stuff though, as in Pendolinos and the like - just doesn't do it for me. I'll always have a soft spot for the BR blue era and models based on that timeframe what will dominate my layout when I get around to building one (I don't intend modelling a real place or specific era) but I will have a mish-mash of stuff, a lot of modelling license...but above all else fun!

Nice! VERY tempted to get this one. I wanted a pristine maroon one but held off due to some of the QC issues (which I had also experienced with one of my blue ones) but this WLA model is proving hard to resist!

Very tempted to get the Connex one, I have the blue one on pre-order and very seriously tempted to pre-order the green SYP and NSE versions as well when Kernow start taking pre-orders for these again!

Thanks for the replies everyone...explains things perfectly!

Can someone clarify...the two different NSE liveries...I don't recall seeing any EMUs in the 'revised' livery. Is that the case? I only recall the original 'upswept' one on EMUs. So when did the revised NSE livery first appear? And was it only applied to diesel locos and DMUs?

Mine was derailing on a flat straight piece of track, before it even reached the curves! No pointwork to navigate either. Your tip may come in handy when I get around to building a layout though!

That would be me! The lights were fixed but the constant derailing issue was not. DCC Supplies/Dapol kindly sent me a replacement loco. Only had time for a quick test on my non-permanent test oval but all seemed OK.

D1015 in blue with FYE? Nice! Think I'll get the plates for D1015 from Shawplan for one of my as yet un-named and un-numbered blue Dapol Westerns!

Does that mean the Dapol Venturer isn't accurate?

I just like the name Neither of my blue Westerns have their name and number plates fitted yet....I may even go with a different set of plates for Venturer, quite like D1015 Western Champion and D1016 Western Gladiator.

Good points....but it's the hassle factor of sending it back I could well do without! I don't have a permanent layout yet, when I do it will be DCC but I will send the loco away for the name/number plate fitting and DCC conversion!

The Western I had with non-working lights was not subject to a short circuit as far as I could tell. I placed it on the track and started to run it very, very slowly with a Gaugemaster Model D on my test track and in both directions the lights didn't work. It derailed after I established there were no working lights. Then just kept derailing, as it continued to do when it came back from DCC Supplies the first time. I do want to convert mine to DCC operation, as I now have a Hornby eLink/Railmaster bundle (haven't set it up yet though as want to rebuild the laptop I will use for it). So do I take my chances and go for the maroon/FYE one?

How many did you get through before you gave up? Sounds like you had a really unfortunate experience with this model? I would love the maroon one with FYE but I am just nervous about forking out the hard-earned for it only to potentially have all the hassle all over again. Given that these were my first Dapol purchases of any kind, I was somewhat disappointed that one of them caused me so much hassle. I have a Dapol blue Class 121 bubble car DMU on pre-order and I'm crossing my fingers I won't have any issues with that when it comes out. This isn't a case of Dapol-bashing on my part, I've had issues with Hornby and Bachmann locos too but I have far more locos from those two manufacturers in my collection and the issues I've had so far with those have only been with a couple of locos out of the 20 or so I currently own.

I am still debating whether or not to get a Maroon FYE one (Western Sultan - which I would change to Western Explorer) to add to the two blue FYE ones (Western Venturer - but will rename one to Western Thunderer) I have already. The first blue I got from Kernow, no problems at all. The second blue one from Cheltenham had no working lights in either direction and would not stay on the track (no pointwork to contend with either, just a little test 6' x 4' oval with R3 curves). Sent back to DCC Supplies. Came back with the lights working fine but still derailing. So it went back again to DCC Supplies. In the end they sent me a replacement locomotive which - although I've only had a chance to do a quick test run with - seems OK, except a little noisier than the first trouble-free one I bought. So thank you to Dapol and DCC Supplies for sorting out the problem. But I still have my doubts about the QC on these wonderful looking models. I'm worried I will have problems with the next one I buy given that, out of the two blue ones I bought, I had serious problems with one of them (which is 50% of my purchases of this model) - with all the resultant hassle of sending it back twice before getting a replacement. I don't want to go through that palaver again!

Great pic :-) I was hoping I might be able to find some information somewhere on what all the different codes supplied with the model refer to in terms of their destinations, i.e. London to Paington, or Exeter to Birmingham, etc...

Can anyone point me to where I can find information on the supplied head-code destinations and how they correlate with the prototype?

Are the blue ones still available? I have noticed they are no longer listed on Kernow's site, where I got the first one I bought. I hope Dapol haven't run out.

Thanks - the photo is extremely useful. I was looking in the wrong place at photos of the prototype all along!

Thanks Richard, greatly appreciate the explanation!

My Heljan Western (and Hymek for that matter) is noisy as hell! Been interesting to see how the Dapol model runs when I get round to it. Don't have a permanent layout yet so it will be when I clear some space in the garage to set up a little test oval.

I haven't even run mine yet and won't be able to for a few weeks at least, but I'm SO tempted to get another blue one D1011 Western Thunderer is currently my likely choice for renumbering and renaming a second one of these. I have a question about the supplied etchings though....the box contains a pair of number and name plates (D1005 / Western Venturer) and what appears to be a small oval works plate. Question is, where on the loco is that that small oval work pate supposed to go? I've been looking at some photos of the real thing, and some appear to have these above the number while some have it located to the right-hand side of the cab door. I've also noticed on photos of the real thing from the mid-70s timeframe have a square plate below the number, but earlier photos (from 1967 for example) show the red 'spot' below the number, like seen on the Dapol blue version. So am I right in thinking the Dapol blue model is based on how the locos would have looked in the late 1960s? If that's the case then I presume the small oval works plate would be positioned to the right of the cab door? Any pointers here greatly appreciated!

I have a blue one on pre-order too. Kernow told me at Ally Pally last weekend most likely going to be next year before we see them :-(

Thanks! PM sent.

I have just taken delivery of a blue one, trust me it's a marvellous looking model...you won't be disappointed with how it looks

Have just been looking at my recently delivered blue one (D1005 Western Venturer). What a fantastic looking model! I won't have a chance to test her out for a little while yet, but I'm seriously tempted to buy a second one, and get some nameplates from Shawplan so it can have a different number and name! One question I do have, and apologies if it's been covered already but I haven't got time right now to wade through the entire topic, but do we know when spare headcode sets will be available for these? Perhaps DapolDave can clarify here? I looked on the DCC Supplies website but could only find Class 22 ones, nothing for the Westerns.