Class 50, Class 59, prototype HST, Battle of Britain will be shelved for now

[longbow]

Yes they did report issues with the new chassis design but it appears that was not the reason for its deferment.

[njee20]

No, but it's a huge unknown, it's been shelved for financial reasons. Crowdfunding may provide you a lump sum, or at least a guaranteed return depending on how the payment profile is structured, but if you don't have something as crucial as a chassis design what do you do in 2 years when you've spent everyone's money and still don't have one?

Seems an incredibly risky prospect, and the least likely of the "postponed" models to be picked up I'd have thought. Who else has proven they can deliver n gauge steam? Union Mills or Farish at this time?

[longbow]

It's hard to see why a switch to loco drive in a relatively spacious chassis would defeat an experienced N gauge manufacturer. I imagine if the funds and motivation were present they would find a way.

[Karhedron]

What would be Dapol's response I wonder if they were offered a commission to build one of the deferred projects financed via crowdfunding?

No connection to Dapol but I imagine they would probably go ahead (depending on the exact terms they were offered). The advantage of commission work is that someone else takes the risk by providing the up-front costs for the R&D and tooling. Dapol then get a slice of the profits and/or possibly access to the tooling for future runs (depending on exactly what is agreed in the contract).

They would be wise to say "no" to the the BoB since on their own admission they do not have a working mechanism for it.

Well, yes and no. They don't have the new drive train they were apparently keen on. However they do have their existing tender drive mechanism. IIRC, that is how the WC/BoB was originally planned to be powered. The Grange was driven this way and does not seem to have suffered in terms of sales for it.

In some ways, the Light Pacifics would be even better models for tender driving than GWR locos due to their enclosed cabs. I would certainly be happy with a tender driven model although I cannot speak for others.

Still, I suspect we will never know.  :'(

[longbow]

My thoughts too - let's see...

[Steven B]

The simple truth is that OO gauge model sell in greater numbers and there's less profit in N Gauge models which will cost roughly the same to develop and produce the tooling for.

Dapol's O Gauge models have done well as RTR models at a reasonable price (i.e. less than £300-£500) are few and far between. That market's been starved and is now expanding as it's fed. The trouble is that they're just making small locos at the moment. I'd guess that sales would drop off once they answer the calls to produce something larger and prices go up.

I do think that some of their product decisions haven't helped their cash flow. Ignoring their choices of initial liveries, would they have sold more HSTs if all trailer types were available at the start rather than having to wait years for the buffet and TGS (although this was perhaps an early sign that Dapol were struggling with tooling costs). HSTs are something that Dapol could churn out for years in multiple liveries, yet they appeared to do as much as they could early on and then do nothing.

Similarly, there are wagons they could sell - we've still never seen an olive green Dogfish for example.

Happy modelling.

Steven B.

[njee20]

I agree that Dapol's production runs often seem a little curious, thinking about products that command an incredible premium when they crop up on the second hand market:

- Intercity Swallow 86s
- FGW mk3 buffets
- Grand Central mk3s

Others go for much more than they could be bought new
- FEA spine wagons (despite being wrong!), both GBRF and Freightliner
- some of the Dogfish(?) wagons

You'd think many of those would be quick wins, particularly the wagons and coaches, they could do a batch for a  quick injection of cash.

[joe cassidy]

I hope the Farish streamlined Merchant Navies are flying off the shelves now.

I postponed buying one (rule 1 purchase) because I was waiting for the Dapol Spam Cans to be reviewed before making my choice.

Best regards,


Joe

[longbow]

I hope so too, as it may bring us a rebuilt version sooner rather than never.

[Newportnobby]

I hope the Farish streamlined Merchant Navies are flying off the shelves now.
I postponed buying one (rule 1 purchase) because I was waiting for the Dapol Spam Cans to be reviewed before making my choice.

Best regards,
Joe

It's precisely what I did, Joe.
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=6331.msg436180#msg436180

[leachsprite4]

Thinking about easy wins, I am surprised no plain black br Manor or hall with small tender in plain green with gwr roundel.
Graham

[longbow]

Or indeed a Hall in lined BR black.

[RailGooner]

I hope the Farish streamlined Merchant Navies are flying off the shelves now.
I postponed buying one (rule 1 purchase) because I was waiting for the Dapol Spam Cans to be reviewed before making my choice.

Best regards,
Joe

It's precisely what I did, Joe.
http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=6331.msg436180#msg436180

I'm going to have to bash a BoB from one too. I've spent years researching and modelling coaching stock for a specific train. My enthusiasm for this project has taken repeated knocks with the continual delays of Dapol's WC/BoB. But I'm determined to finish it now.

[Elvinley]

Thinking about easy wins, I am surprised no plain black br Manor or hall with small tender in plain green with gwr roundel.
Graham

They did a plain Manor, and there was the old Ixion one too.

[Elvinley]

Or indeed a Hall in lined BR black.

They did produce one a fair while ago, but it needed work as it was the grey wheeled era.