Dapol updates

[red_death]

I've just seen the following updates from Dapol:

1. Class 33 locomotive chassis and performance is approved however some minor body details are being corrected before a final EP.
2. Maunsell Coaches are at the decoration stage with samples due towards the end of February
3. The G.W.R. Grange locomotive uses many parts from the Manor and the 2884 class, and only requires a new footplate, original Swindon drawings are with the vendor who is preparing tooling drawings.
4. The latest CAD’s for the Schools class locomotive have just been received and are now being checked.
5. The first CAD’s for the class 50 are also ready for checking.

Hopefully of interest to some! Pity there is no mention of the 59 or 142!

Cheers, Mike

[Tank]

From what I had heard the 59 hasn't even been started.

A shame that the 50 is only at the first CAD stage when a year ago tomorrow "the first cad/cam pictures of the class 50 Diesel loco in N gauge" were released by Dapol Dave on RMweb.

Glad to hear that the 33 is getting there.  Already have mine on pre-order. 

[red_death]

Yep, there are some slightly concerning comments on things! I was sure we had already seen CAD of the 50!

Cheers, Mike

[AndyGif]

Dapol seem to have dropped the ball since DJ left the fold.
There's no regular feedback,  stuff that we all thought would be closer to finished by now isnt, or may have even regressed.
Perhaps Dapol are more interested in OO now??

[Adam1701D]

These models are having a very slow and painful gestation but I'm sure they will be worth the wait.

Wonder if the Class 68 is jumping the queue in secret?

[CarriageShed]

I'll be very happy to see the Maunsell coaches being released.

[redtrain]

These models are having a very slow and painful gestation but I'm sure they will be worth the wait.

Wonder if the Class 68 is jumping the queue in secret?

That would be nice!

Thanks for the update. Unfortunately this just seems to confirm in my mind that Dapol at the moment cannot be taken that seriously. All manufacturers have had delays in the past few years, some more than others. Atlas was awful, but is slowly getting back into order. Minitrix announcements come with a year give or take - but at least with a glossy brochure and quarterly updates.

I am rather disappointed by the late running 59 and also 50. There is no point in announcing something you have no intention or possibility of getting into production in the stated time period. In the end the customer is just going to lose interest.

This is not a rant  merely an observation 

Marcus

[ParkeNd]

Much the same as has been on Dapols website for ages. The Class 33 has been in EP for months.

[red_death]

I thought the 21/29 were 4mm?

The Falcons (and IOAs) were shown in first mockup form late last year when Dapol admitted there were some errors which needed correcting in the CAD. I doubt too much has changed since then.

Cheers, Mike

[Ben A]

Hello all,

My understanding is that the tooling for the JNA and IOA wagons has been modified to reflect feedback since the first test models were shown at the Dapol open day, and that they are awaiting revised EPs for both types of wagon very soon.

cheers

Ben A.

[bluedepot]

Could farish or djm or even hornby arnold try to beat dapol by producing a 50 or 59 or 142 before them???

I will buy a 33, 50 and 59 from dapol if they look good.

Tim

[Ben A]

Hi Tim,

Dapol have already had the majority of the CAD  work done for the 50, albeit there are a few errors that need sorting as of last summer.  Notwithstanding the Dapol delays I can't see Farish or DJM getting a 50 out before them and with the CJM version already well established I think they'd feel that the market can't sustain three different 50s.

I think a 59 from Farish is far more likely for these reasons:

1) they could do it in N and OO because the Hornby ex Lima version is rather long in the tooth. This would make more financial sense as the research could be shared.

2) they already have much of the "shape" in a computer somewhere as part of the CAD for the 66.  Yes the bogies, light clusters, exhaust and grilles are different but the basic shape is there and offers a good starting point.

But I suspect that for both Farish and Dapol this will be a year of consolidation rather than massive expansion! and what new models are announced will be predominantly from the BR steam/diesel transition era.

Cheers

Ben A. 

[bluedepot]

sounds sensible ben, esp. as you mention, the hornby OO class 59 is an old model now, so bachmann could get one over their rivals in the bigger scale too.

i would like a 50 in large logo and a 59 in yeoman livery.


tim

[Karhedron]

Dapol seem to have dropped the ball since DJ left the fold.

I think that is not really suprising. Dave was pretty integral to Dapol's R&D work. With the best will in the world, it is going to take his successor(s) time to settle in. It is not as if designing N gauge locomotives is a large industry with many qualified people to choose from.

Dapol have a fairly long list of forthcoming models and I suspect that they will have their hands full for this year just making sure existing commitments are progressing.

Let us also not forget that Farish are just as bad for announcing models years before their eventual appearance. Yes there were reasons why the Ivatt took 5 years to hit the shelves and the 9F never appeared at all. But I am sure Dapol have reasons for their delays too. The main things is that work is progressing and new models are appearing.

They may not be coming as fast as we would like and it may not always be progress on the projects we as individuals want to see prioritised. But look upon it as a silver lining. The model you want is coming and at least you have plenty of time to save up for it (or pay of the credit card bill from the last round of impulse buys). 

[alibuchan]

There are 2 ways that that announcements could be done. And neither of them are very good.

They can continue doing it the way that they have done for years and disappoint customers when they have not arrived in the timescale (142, ivatt, MK3 TGS and Buffets). The 2nd way is to not announce the new models that they are preparing and do a but of a surprise launch like Dapol did with the voyager. They risk the backlash from customers, who when the limited run comes out the dont have the money to buy it then, or manufacturers risk being beaten to it like Farish were with the 9F and voyager.

Either way nobody will be happy so they are in a loose loose situation.

Dapol have gone though a big change recently and the 2 people brought in to replace DJ will take a bit of time to find their feet but they are already making thinks better as the gave corrected issues with models that were about to go in to the tool room (SR WC/BB).

As long as they come out eventually then I don't see a huge problem. As it gives more time to raise the money for these models.

Alistair