Modellbahnunion

[Mr Sprue]

This is a name that keeps popping up on ebay like a sore irritating spot on one's buttock!

What instantly enters my mind when I notice these 'one off' decorations on ebay, especially in the recent departure of Dapol Dave.  Who the bloody hell made the decision that these fine examples should be given the sole rights to be sold from someone in Germany?

The examples in question are:

Dapol / Modellbahnunion MU10004: steam loco A4 Mallard wartime black LNER (NE)

Dapol / Modellbahnunion MU10003: steam loco A3 Flying Scotsman British Rail blue

Dapol Modellbahnunion GPV freight wagon Salvage GWR special edition

Dapol Modellbahnunion conflat freight wagon BR tractor special edition

Dapol Modellbahnunion Vent van freight wagon Islay Ales special edition

Dapol Modellbahnunion GPV freight wagon Willow Brewery special edition

Dapol Modellbahnunion 5 plank freight wagon Frame Perth special edition

And finally one decoration that really is so annoying that it should have never strayed from our shores of good old blighty is this one, yet again sold in GERMANY! Our beloved Queens DIAMOND JUBILEE EDITION!! Dapol Modellbahnunion Class 67 Diamond Jubilee Royal loco special edition.

For me the class 67 is a model that must have surely been kept to British shores, what in the hell were Dapol thinking when they agreed such a ludicrous deal?

They say that money speaks all languages but in the case of the class jubilee 67, I don't believe for one moment this deplorable decision was made by one person to have this unique model marketed from Germany. 

So what the hell are the directors of Dapol thinking, as it is very clear to me being patriotic is the last thing that enters their minds!

[EtchedPixels]

Dapol do commissions for anyone who wants them and pays for them. Modelbahn Union are one of Dapols main distributors in mainland Europe.

If you are such a little Englander you can't face ordering from Germany you'll find Heiko at TINGS in September and he'll be happy to take your money off you there.

Specials from all over the place are a normal part of European modelling, particularly brewery wagons.

He's also btw recently announced a version of Stepney in museum livery.
Alan

[Richard G Dallimore]

DCC Supplies have had some of these on sale this weekend at RailEx NE. So you can buy them in the UK if you want.

[MikeDunn]

What Alan said ... Also, DCC Supplies sell these in this country too.

If Dapol couldn't be bothered (or didn't dare) to release these particular liveries, I don't see why you're so upset that someone else has the balls to do it ?

There's nothing stopping you, you know, from contacting Dapol and having a special made for an edition of (say) 100 ... that's all these guys have done ... 

[Mr Sprue]

Hi Alan, as you put it "A little Englander" I am not.  But I guess thinking about it you are correct about "specials from all over the place are a normal part of European modelling" Its a bit like people with the name of "Joel" buying and driving cars manufactured by Volkswagen!

[Agrafarfan]

I am shocked I hope I've read the OP's statement wrong. Why shouldn't our fellow Europeans be interested in British rolling stock? After all we are in the common market arent we? Or EU or smoothing like that.

The Modellbahnunion I think is the German equivalent to the N gauge society.

But I think I might of read your post wrong, I'm sorry if I did.

I think it should be quite flattering if someone outside of the UK is interested in British Railways.

[ozzie Bill.]

I also hope that I am reading the OP wrong, otherwise I am really dismayed that he made those types of  comments. Regards, Bill.

[RussellH]

Hi Guys,

I would rather a model was done by someone - no matter where they are - than not done at all. Still it was surprising to see considering some of those are iconic - BUT - as were still in the EU then you can order what you like for MBU - or DM toys which is another source of interesting items. Just makes sense with the postal charges to chat with your mates and come up with a bulk order to share the postage costs.

As for decisions - Probably made by the same person that stuck a Loadhaul 56 in a train set with a gaugemaster controller....

Regards
Russ

[PLD]

I have to agree with all the comments. Doesn't matter where the commissioning dealer is based so long as they aren't refusing to sell to customers in the UK...

They were the ones to take the financial risk, if they hadn't there's no guarantee those liveries would have been produced at all...

[Mr Sprue]

To put things back into perspective, I haven't a problem with various decorations being commissioned to various parts of the world, I suppose in a way we as a nation should be flattered and proud of our vast history of rail and that many people all over the world want to model our trains.

However I think it was madness for Dapol not to release and sell the class 67 Diamond Jubilee and the wartime A4 mallard themselves.

Apologies if my post last night gave resentment towards Modellbahnunion it wasn't meant to read that way, only that I felt it annoying their name was connected to good models that Dapol should have marketed themselves.

So basically without wishing to sound too opinionated I feel someone could have made the wrong decision in Dapol!

I guess next time its probably better that I keep of off the forum when I've consumed a couple of large glasses of claret! 

[Chatty]

I guess at the end of the day Dapol made a commercial decision about what would sell and provide them with a profit.  Every decision that a manufacturer makes has an element of risk.

Modellbahnunion removed that risk for them.  It is as simple as that.

If anyone wants that model they can buy it from Modellbahunion.

The irony of it all is probably the models were made in China.

Kind regards

Geoff

[Agrippa]

Had a quick look at their website, quite a varied selection , including
Oxford Diecast VW vans with Sid James and Kenneth Williams faces
on them. Weird ...

[Norfolkrover]

Pardon my ignorance here but why does the mallard of only have ne on the side? Or are you being a bit unfair to the original poster as we can blame the germans for not being able to stretch to an L and an R in wartime?
Seriously though as someone after an n gauge mallard at the time of the 75th celebrations i also find it bizarre there are none available in the uk.

[NeMo]

Yes the Germans are to blame, or rather, the Second World War; shortening LNER to NE, like painting the engines in unlined black, was an economy measure. Use less paint, and use less expensive colours too.

Cheers, NeMo

Pardon my ignorance here but why does the mallard of only have ne on the side? Or are you being a bit unfair to the original poster as we can blame the germans for not being able to stretch to an L and an R in wartime?

[Pengi]

I can understand your frustrations that the Mallard and the Class Jubilee 67 is not available in the UK - it would be nice to be able to trundle down to your local model shop and check one out before purchasing so maybe an email to Dapol is in order? I also think that it is terrific that Modellbahnunion are producing UK stock (assuming they are 1:148) and wonder if they might consider commissioning a Javelin

I've found that it is not a hassle to buy stuff from Germany. After being initially nervous about ordering anything expensive from abroad, I have ordered ICE trains and a Thalys from a couple of companies in Germany and have been delighted with the speed of delivery and the price (much cheaper than in the UK - saved over £100 on the Thalys) and excellent quality of customer service And being in the EU, you don't run the lottery of being clocked for import duty etc like you do with buying stuff from Japan.

I'm not sure that I'm entirely happy with some of these comments throughout this thread about the Germans  although I'm sure they are probably intended as friendly banter