Dapol MK3s

[njee20]

Adds up quickly frankly, FGW rake, Pretendolino rake, ATW rake, Network Rail set, few spares. Have had another 15 or so through my hands and must say I've never had a problem with any of them. The only annoying thing can be the couplings getting 'dislocated' when pushing. I use 3D printed bar couplings on mine which make them run far better when propelled.

[robert shrives]

Hi ,
Then just to get this right, getting a match across a rake is the right thing and if a whole rake is to be made available at the same time then putting it right in terms of logos ,stripes, roof colours and end data panels is the way to go.

Railtec and Fox produce correct - to my eye- stripe packs but sales ?? So have few corrected or are unwilling to correct.   

As noted the organic method of correction fails to please any camp.
The Blue GW sets have been a real pain with the gestation period of the three coach types and the train pack coaches not matching the loose vehicles. Yes I agree roof compromise the best that could be achieved, an all over blue roof would be over powering.

Thanks for thoughts gang - something to mull over while out and about today.
Robert     

[scruff]

I've got nearly 70 Dapol mk3's, I didn't believe it when I counted them! Never had a problem with chassis fit so I agree with njee20, send it back if it is new..
I have had problems with droopy NEM pockets though!

Cheers
Mark

[47 years N]

And what is the cure for the dapol droop?  My HST set uses printed bars as I got so fed up with parting.  PARTING I said.

[pape_timmo]

I'm gonna throw a cat amongst the pigeons here... I work for GWR, and I've seen coaches coming back from overhaul with blue roofs, mixed into rakes with black roofs, and every shade of dirt in between. I can kind of understand people's wish for a uniform looking rake of coaches, but the real thing is not like that. They all weather differently, they all go through overhaul at different times, they all have different maintenance done on them as required. We are now seeing green GWR liveried locos and coaches mixed with FGW blue coaches and vice Verda, due to operational requirements. There is a prototype for everything.

I think Dapol and Bachman can both improve certain things, I grant you that, but I also think they do a great job with models that are 1inch high and 6inches long. Let's push for greater accuracy, yes, but let's be thankful too for the efforts they do make.

Just my thoughts, cheers, Timmo

[njee20]

All FGW Dynamic Lines mk3s have blue roofs, however they get filthy very quickly, so it appears they have a black roof. There's a defined line between blue and black because that's where the carriage washers reach.

It's one of the amusing places where Dapol is wrong, but it looks right, IMO when you do see a clean mk3 with a blue roof it looks way too bright. I'm happy they got this wrong, and certainly wouldn't want it corrected. Not that I need to buy any more.

[robert shrives]

Hi,
Glad your amused by it the amount of angst in whether to follow the livery diagrams or photos and verbal info can only be imagined- except I was there !

Scale colour anybody? Who would be a manufacturer!   It not a problem because even the gauge is wrong !!

Happy modelling - Just been painting grave stones !!
Robert

[47 years N]

I wonder if a decal ( transfer in my day) could be made that would simulate a dirty roof with feathering into clear to represent where the washers reached? Don't ask me to airbrush it but I suppose I could try on an old GF mk3 I have 

[robert shrives]

Hi
Two thoughts on that - the printing process for feathering a bit pixelated which spoils effect and getting a decal to sit down on the roof ribs  might  be a RPITA ...

Have fun spray but would suggest a wide flat brush loaded with black/ dirty thinners as a wash and then cotton buds used as wipes to remove most might be more fun - To replicate washer then leave middle ribs alone for full depth matt mix and then on last two ribs clean more away and leave a trace on last rib - go for a longways removal pattern but last curve of roof a slight light downward trace for rain washed/ cleaner rinse effect. 
Un like normal advice of having all different levels of weathering the simulation of a carriage wash should have whole rake the same, but if you wanted to have a spare inserted due to knocking out a failed one that one could be much cleaner - but not always so it could be worse but certainly a way of having a varation
Robert     

[47 years N]

I think that I would wimp out and do chalks that I could wash off. Then again I am 1970s / 80s