Dapol Maunsell coaches

[Dorsetmike]

Rails still show forthcoming release, pre order, but a search of Dapol site even quoting part number returns not found. Nowt on Dapol Digest since last year, I'll try an email to the collectors club se if that gets a result.

[Chris in Prague]

Many thanks, Mike. I had thought they were imminent. So, I guess no info., yet, on liveries, running no's, and Set no's, either? I need some to make North Cornwall 2-car local sets although 'loose' Maunsells lasted as late as 1964 as 'strengtheners.

[longbow]

The Dapol online catalogue lists these for delivery late 3Q/early 3Q, whilst Hattons says September. Both have full details of what's coming - SR Olive only. However, Dapol haven't posted production sample pics and they don't appear in their latest Coming Soon ads, so don't hold your breath. 

[Chris in Prague]

Thanks. So, next year for the BR Crimson & Cream and BR SR Green ones?

[Capri_sam]

Edit: I thought rails had a news announcement about these being imminent but it seems to have vanished from their front page - error in communication?

It's bizarre, I've never seen a new tooling model arrive (if they actually have!?) with less fanfare. Especially since SR modellers have been demanding the high windows for so long. I've also got no idea why they are only doing one livery.

Seperately, I've never understood Dapol's reluctance to release the maunsells in Malachite, given how many of their SR locos they (unnecessarily) produce in that livery which the never sell because they've got nothing to pull!

[woodbury22uk]

Catalogue page link.

http://www.dapol.co.uk/Catalogue/57/index.html

[talisman56]

Mike beat me to it with the catalogue pages, the latest I've seen for delivery estimate is Q4 2020, so before Christmas, hopefully. Engineering and Production samples have been around for a while, liveried samples I haven't seen, but there is very little change from the low-window coaches, so hopefully they'll be OK.

They are following the same production order to the low-window versions; SR lined Olive Green first, then BR(S) Green then BR Crimson/Cream, so other liveries to follow.

The BR(S) Green looks more like SR Malachite than the proper BR(S) Green that is applied to the Farish Mark 1s. The BR(S) Green on the Farish Bulleids is a shade darker than that on the Mark 1s, so you can't win them all...

[Dorsetmike]

Extract from email received this morning

The High window Maunsells are expected here second half of October.

We have previously notified stockists of this on the new release forms we send them each month So I am surprised only Rails are putting this out.

Hattons also have them listed but it takes ages to find them, scroll down a long way at this but does include mono images
https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/1000396/dapol/advance.aspx
all listed as due September and available to pre order.
4 coach set in SR olive green - set 193
6 coach set in SR olive green 456
brake third 3730 in SR olive green
composite corridor 5635 in SR olive green
first corridor 7228 in SR olive green
third corridor 1122 in SR olive green

Edit, I've just replied to Dapol with thanks for the release info and included a gripe about lack of catering vehicles and push pull sets

[talisman56]

Extract from email received this morning

The High window Maunsells are expected here second half of October.

We have previously notified stockists of this on the new release forms we send them each month So I am surprised only Rails are putting this out.

Hattons also have them listed but it takes ages to find them, scroll down a long way at this but does include mono images
https://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/1000396/dapol/advance.aspx
all listed as due September and available to pre order.
4 coach set in SR olive green - set 193
6 coach set in SR olive green 456
brake third 3730 in SR olive green
composite corridor 5635 in SR olive green
first corridor 7228 in SR olive green
third corridor 1122 in SR olive green

Edit, I've just replied to Dapol with thanks for the release info and included a gripe about lack of catering vehicles and push pull sets

I did ask them to change 3730 to 3733 as 3730 is not a 6-compartment BTK. Making it 3733 enables them to release BCK 6674 when they get round to doing the BTK(4) and BTK coaches and complete set 180.

The problem with the catering vehicles is that there is possibly not a demand for those that will justify the development and production expense. I can see a demand for the drop-window open thirds, though. They were widely used as strengtheners, but to use them in a 1960 Pull-and-Push set they need a Period 2 high-window BCK, which has a completely different design 'blind door' window in the corridor side and a double-bonnet ventilator over the toilet window in the compartment side.

[Chris in Prague]

Very good info., Mike, and thanks for mentioning the P&P sets and buffet restaurant cars, too.

I'll look forward to the other liveries, next year?

[Dorsetmike]

The problem with the catering vehicles is that there is possibly not a demand for those that will justify the development and production expense

They've done the Gresley teak buffet, is there that much more demand for LNER than SR?

[nobby]

tbh dapol have only done 1 version of the mk3 buffet car the 4 window version ,not the 3 window version , yet look how many hst sets have been released over the years including livery reruns so i wouldnt hold much hope out for any catering cars nice as they would be.

[Bob G]

The thing about the Gresley buffets is that they did survive (with modification) until the Blue-Grey era (I modified one myself into Blue Grey).
Hornby did one in Blue Grey in OO too (but it was not modified from the original window layout).
They were also used on the SR and WR in the 1960s. So of all the big four catering vehicles, it is best to choose for breadth of use.

When it originally came out it was also £35 for the buffet when the coaches themselves were about £15. Prices have equalised now, so they have obviously made enough to pay for the dies.
I have an original maroon one which had the very inset bogies to allow for the close coupling mechanism (which was subsequently redesigned when they introduced the light bar fitting).

When I started in this game in 1970, there were only 1:160 Lima Mk 1 RMB catering vehicles, so I am feeling quite well supplied in comparison! You also had to buy the Lima BG as Minitrix did everything on a 63' chassis. And you only had the choice of Peco 10' and 15' underframes. One of Farish's first wagons was a GW Toad. OMG it was exciting times.

Best
Bob

[Karhedron]

Also the LNER had many more long distance services. The SR was primarily a commuter railway and only a small selection of routes were long enough to require catering facilities (primarily the WoE services).

[Dorsetmike]

Just did some checkingin Gould's Maunsell's SR steam coaching stock, not counting Ironclads there were 54 Kitchen/Diners and 6 Restaurant salons, plus 168 Open thirds some of which were paired with a diner/restaurant within a rake.
There was such a pair on Bournemouth>York>Newcastle, Bournemouth> Birkenhead, Brighton>Birkenhead and Margate>Birkenhead working alternate days with LNER or GWR MWF out, TuThSa back; there were 5 sets in daily use on W'loo>Bournemouth/Weymouth & W'loo>Portsmouth, 4 sets for W'loo> Ilfracombe, 2 sets Brighton>Plymouth, 1 set Brighton>Bournemouth, plus extras like boat trains; Summer Saturdays would see quite a few more, reliefs to the ACE, Saturdays only services to resorts like Swanage, Lymington, Seaton etc, prior to electrification there were also daily workingsfrom London to Brighton, North Kent line.

How many do Dapol/Farish need before they make things?