The Bachmann chassis for the diesels were the big initial improvement I think, although still with terrible gears and while the BO-BO chassis was great they messed up the pickups on the others quite badly.

Seemed to take the Dapol 14xx and 73 to kick them up into actually fixing the look a bit.

My Minitrix 47 is still a better runner than anything I've had out of Bachmann or Dapol and it's running on dirty track is far better because of the weight and design.

Quote from: Cols on August 05, 2026, 11:33:57 PM... ex-Poole/via China/Bachmann Prairie tank, but the only improvement that I could see was the new finer profile wheels

Whilst production of the Poole tooling in China did tighten up tolerances and finishes I always felt the finer flanges just made all the wheels look too small, especially front bogies    

I'd already abandoned British N by then, though I did buy a Dapol 14xx and autocoach as it was cute and my example is quite controllable.  I wasn't impressed by their 45xx but did like the 73.  I've not been impressed with other Dapol steamers that have come my way - nice finish but indifferent running.  To be honest it wasn't until I got hold of a Bachmann Tornado that I started to come round to the idea that British N was finally starting to catch up with European brands. Not enough to lure me away from Fleischmann and Minitrix etc.  though.

Good to see the sound version, but nothing for me, just have to wait and see what other 37 liveries they come out with. ROG ones would be good.

@Newportnobby: My original Dapol locos (the Auto-tank, and the two Small Prairies) would also  disappear over the horizon like scalded cats! However, they have calmed down, but it has taken nearly 25 years and a good Gaugemaster controller to achieve this state. I gave the Auto-tank to my son who is building a Western Region branchline terminus, but I still run the two Small Prairies on our Area Group layout and they perform well. Admittedly there's some wheel-slip when starting with any load greater than a B-Set or nine or ten goods wagons - but I have no need for them to be pulling any greater loads - my two Sonic Large Prairies will do that! I can also get the Dapol Prairies to run at not very much more than a scale walking-pace, but I rather think that it's result of over twenty years of "running-in"! One thing - these two Dapol locos are hardly ever oiled, and when they are, the oil is applied very sparingly via a 000 brush.

I did once own an ex-Poole/via China/Bachmann Prairie tank, but the only improvement that I could see was the new finer profile wheels, and it ran well - though, to me, it was still the ancient Poole horror with that abortion of a safety valve casing atop the boiler, with the wrong driving wheel spacing and wrong diameter wheels, and lacking in many details: I suppose that the 21st Century generation of N-Gauge locos has rather spoilt my view of what's gone before!

@Cols
I have a similar story although I'm just a young whippersnapper of 72.
Started N gauge in the 70s with a Farish 94xx pannier, a 2 car class 101 alng with a Minitrix Britannia, 9F and 2MT tank. Apart from the DMU I still have them all and they run very well. Like you I also purchased the Dapol 14xx and a straight sided 45xx which run well but take off like scalded cats. I now have some 130 pieces of motive power with more on pre order
Like you, I am entrenched in the analogue camp and won't budge

Quote from: Ensign Elliott on August 05, 2026, 11:31:13 AMA nice mix of steam, modern and wagons. I'm so pleased to see sound fitted 37s at long last.

I'm not sure that CL37's count as "modern" these days 

John P

Some short clips of dirty diseasels featuring classes 17, 20 and 52

Weathered Clayton class 17 with parcels train on Heatherley by Mick Hollyoake, on Flickr

Weathered class 20 passes Heatherley with cross country passenger train by Mick Hollyoake, on Flickr

Weathered Western on hopper train through Heatherley by Mick Hollyoake, on Flickr

Quote from: Moonglum on August 05, 2026, 09:28:14 PMI give up... I bet Mick @Newportnobby likes it!

I did, but prefer the version on Seconds Out with 2 drummers instead of 1½

@port perran
Maybe this will chime more with you........

Sorry-just not my cuppa.

I give up... I bet Mick @Newportnobby likes it!