DRS Crewe On A Mission

The 00 Gauge Dapol IOAs are still available. I think Kernow Model Rail Centre have some currently in stock.

Thank you for the reply Jim. I think I have only ever seen one or two photos on Facebook of inside Washwood Heath and I think that was on the Boden Rail page or something. I can understand why though, security reasons been the main one. I'm pretty sure the owner wouldn't want everyone seeing all of the locos and equipment stored inside the depot. How many lines has the depot got running inside it? Thank you in advance.

Fantastic photos as always Jim! Thank you very much for uploading them on a regular basis. Just out of interest what does the Colas shed at Washwood Heath look like? Do you have any pictures of it either inside or outside that you could upload? Are all of the Colas 47s and 56s stored in there? Thank you very much in advance.

Thanks for the info Mick! I wasn't aware of that. That is very true Hornby won't do these modifications to help Dapol sell there Chiltern 68s. Like you say they are rivals and no doubt if they did Dapol would have a huge increase in sales which of course Hornby wouldn't want as they want people to buy there locos. I'm not fussed though about Chiltern MK3s. I will just get more use out of my Compass MK2s with a bit of swopping and changing for different loco hauled trains. I think that the DRS liveried pair of 68s will be the most popular because they can work with just about anything modern image whereas the ScotRail liveried pair would require ScotRail liveried MK2s and the Chiltern liveried pair would require Chiltern MK3s, both of which are currently unavailable as a standard ready to run model. That's if you wanted to be prototypical of course. However as mentioned before by yourself we could run the Chiltern liveried 68s with Dapol IOAs for to recreate the 6U76 and 6U77 trains in reality.

True enough but they aren't even in any 2015/2016 catalogues as yet so they won't be released this year, probably not next year so probably some time in 2017 maybe later. So I have plenty of time to save some more money haha! If I'm honest in a way I am slightly pleased they aren't available as yet because for a rake of six coaches and DVT you are probably looking at a good £250 and that would just be another massive cost to add to my never-ending wish list haha! Not to mention if you bought both Chiltern 68s (010 and 014) and you wanted two rakes of coaches you would need twelve coaches and two DVTS resulting in the total cost been around £500. Besides I might as well make as much use of my DRS Compass MK2s as possible.

I think at some stage the silver/grey MK3s and DVT will become available but just not before the release of the Dapol Class 68 which is now planned for next year. For the moment though I'm happy to run my Compass MK2s with the Chiltern 68s as it just saves me buying the blue set of Chiltern coaches which are currently available.

Thank you very much! I saw that one but when I saw the 56 skimmed past it and didn't see the number haha!

I have just tried looking on his Youtube channel for the video but I can't see it. Please can you post the link to the video? Thank you very much in advance.

Found them! Haven't seen these before.

Are these available to buy in 00 Gauge as ready to run models? If so where can they be bought from please? Thank you in advance.

I'm just going to snap them all up I think as I have seen how fast some locos sell out and if you don't buy them straight away nowadays there gone. I was debating weather to buy the Chiltern 68s as I don't have any silver/grey Chiltern MK3 coaches but I am just going to use Compass MK2s to save having another rake of coaches resprayed. I am also going to buy some Dapol IOAs I think for them to work the 6U76 and 6U77 freight trains as they have appeared on these workings before. The Chiltern 68s will see some use either way

I'm the same. The only models I have ever pre-ordered are the five DRS/NB Class 47s from Rail Exclusive which had to be pre-ordered because you can't buy them off the shelves and they are all Limited Editions. I think with these six Class 68s I will be either going to look at them in a shop or look online on Ehattons because they normally upload several photos all from different angles giving you a good view of what you are buying. I will definitely be having 005 too. I did think that 002 and 005 would be produced in DRS livery and I was right haha. That's strange Tase because for me on Ehattons for the past couple of days there have been no 00 Gauge Class 68s appearing only a page for the N Gauge Class 68. Thank you for the link.

What I find very strange is that KMRC have announced which 68s Dapol are producing in 00 Gauge before Dapol have updated it themselves onto there website and Facebook page. I have also just checked Ehattons they still have the on order photo for the N Gauge Class 68s but since a few days ago since I last checked the 00 Gauge Class 68 page has been removed so maybe there updating there website alike KMRC have done with details of which 00 Gauge Class 68s are going to be produced. Is everyone pre-ordering them or are people just going to wait until they are released and buy them on the day? Which ones and how many is everyone buying? I am getting all six I think. I am definitely having both DRS liveried models and both ScotRail liveried models and I think I am going to have both Chiltern ones too. I can't afford to have a rake of silver/grey Chiltern coaches resprayed as I am currently buying and commissioning a fellow RMWebber to produce me Compass and ScotRail MK2s. So instead the Chiltern liveried 68s will work with the Compass MK2s on Chiltern loco hauled trains and freight trains for me

I have also been thinking that maybe even at the moment Dapol can take the Class 68 project elsewhere. They haven't said there going to produce 68008 or 68009 which are used on both freight trains and the Chiltern loco hauled trains. I know that the DRS livery they wear is the same as 002 and 005 which they are going to produce but there duties are different which makes these two 68s a little more interesting. I'm also sure that once 68016 onwards start arriving which I think the first batch are due later on this year Dapol will produce some of these as there will be more running numbers, names and possibly liveries to apply to the model.

70s currently there are 803 and 806

Thanks Mick for the photo of 68010 on a freight train! I think I might be very tempted to have both of the Chiltern 68s too as they do look very good and smart and like you say they can work freight trains as well. In fact I think all of the Chiltern 68s have now debuted on one freight working or another mainly 6U76 and 6U77 workings so it would be prototypical to model them on freight trains. Saying that I already have some DRS Compass MK2s so I don't suppose there is any reason why the Chiltern 68s couldn't work atop these coaches just to save on buying a rake of grey/silver coaches. I have already commissioned a fellow RMWebber to respray me a rake of ScotRail MK2s to work with the ScotRail 68s because I haven't seen Hornby or Bachmann advertise these anywhere and it doesn't look like they have any plans to produce them at the moment. The delivery date on the KMRC website shows 2016 which I am actually quite pleased about. I think Dapol have said previously that they would be delivered late this year but what with me wanting to buy four DRS 37s and four DRS 57/3s that's already a lot of money to pay out so at least if they are released next year it will give me the time to save up for all six. I'm not complaining at all at £118.99 RRP I think it was as Dapol have been very confident to produce this brand new model in two scales and as you say we do expect a high quality livery on the models, a good finish and good detailing so I am sure they will be worth every penny.

I thought the same. In 00 Gauge I expected two in DRS livery and then one in Chiltern livery and one in ScotRail livery with another Chiltern and the other ScotRail livery to be produced at a later date. I am very pleased though that they are going to produce two of each livery in 00 Gauge. I have read on the Dapol website though "first batch of models" which suggests that they might produce more in DRS livery and Chiltern livery after the first batch. There are also 68016-68032 on order so there might possibly be more liveries within this number range.

Thank you very much for posting that fantastic news! It's very much appreciated. I have been checking the Dapol website every day hoping that something would be updated but it hasn't as yet. I better get saving haha! I will be wanting 002, 005, 006 and 007 and possibly the Chiltern ones but then I would need coaching stock to run with them. Really looking forward to these models now. Hopefully they will feature cab lighting too!

I really like the final photo which shows an overview of the whole layout. This is how I plan to have my new layout when I start putting it back up. A space in the middle for me to put a chair and to operate the trains and then the boards running around the walls. On previous layouts I have just had one whole piece of board from one wall to another but I have found this way isn't a very good use of space as sometimes there are gaps in the middle of the layout that haven't been filled. How many complete circuit running lines do you have on your layout Jim? I am planning on having two complete circuits on my new layout with possibly a third if there is enough room as well as some loop lines and lots of sidings to store locos and wagons. The ballasting and track layout and just everything in general is coming along really well now Jim. Keep up the good work!

Fantastic photos! I'm glad you have posted one of 66618 as it shows the rust on the cab ends albeit not head on. It's such a shame Freightliner don't take as much pride as GBRF with the external condition of there 66s. I mean when you look at Freightliner 66618 and GBRF 66711 there is no comparison for smartness and cleanliness.

It's just a shame that more 66s don't look like this at the moment.

I believe 66750 is been repainted at Eastleigh Arlington into Europort livery

Fantastic photo! It's good to see DB repainting there 66s too. It's just a shame that apart from 414, 416, 418, 504 and 528 that Freightliner haven't fully repainted anymore of there 66s recently. After all a lot of them are looking a bit tired and worse for wear. I was looking at photos of Freightliner 66s on Flickr last night and 503, 508, 513, 515 all look like they could do with a repaint. I stopped at 66527 but I also saw a photo of 567 a few days ago and that certainly needs at least it's cab ends repainting. 66618 is also quite bad. I know it's probably a long shot but does anyone know how much Eastleigh Arlington charge per Class 66 for a full repaint? Thank you in advance.

I know that it doesn't really matter because the FOCs still earn money regardless of the external condition of there Class 66 locos but some of them look quite scruffy recently. I have noticed on pictures of the Freightliner 66s that they are missing the Freightliner logos at the cab sides but yet they have the new zero injuries stickers applied. Not sure why new stickers have been added but yet there company logos are missing. Surely they have there priorities wrong there? There are also still a lot of Freightliner 66s running around with rust on the cab ends. I know that quite a few have had there cab ends repainted but I haven't heard or seen any pictures of ones that have been repainted in the last couple of months so there might have been a pause in that project? As much as what I like Freightliner and always have surely it's not good advertising for a company that doesn't have there logos on some of there 66s and they have rusty cabs and look scruffy externally. I have to admire GBRF they don't quibble about repainting there locos. After all 66701-66707 and 66709-66717 have all been repainted as well as 66718-66722, 66751 etc and any others I have missed. There all within the last two years or so. I just have to wonder why Freightliner don't repaint the 66s that look the most scruffiest like 66508 in one of the above pictures and just leave the ones that look alright and have logos intact etc. This would give the worst looking 66s a new lease of life and it would just improve there image. What's everyone else's views on this?

Looks like you saw the 4M04 Millbrook to Lawley Street. Due to depart Millbrook at 19:17, it departed at 19:10, 7 minutes early. Hope this helps