News on the Dapol 08

JB Models

Member
Will the Dapol Class 08 come as an un-painted RTR model also? I really like the EWS, FGW and GWR liveries... Would be easier to paint one up rather than strip and repaint one.
 

BrushType4

Western Thunderer
Dapol will apply the liveries as that's how they'll generate more sales. It would be good if manufacturers would sell models in undercoat.
 

Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Wonder if the frames will be thin enough to take an S7 conversion? :)
Those who know me shall not be surprised to read that the Dapol Class 08 was persuaded to come out of the cabinet and meet a digital caliper.... round about 10.00 this morning. The result is that there is at least 38mm between the inner faces of the outside frames, this measurement was made immediately behind the rear coupled wheels - the presence of brake gear and similar prevented measurement being made at other places along the frame.

Peter has a photo of the underneath of the engine showing the keeper plate and final gear location (on rear axle). We shall post the photo when same has been downloaded from an I-phone.

Now the downside... the axles are continuous from side to side with the cranks retained as a press fit on a knurled part of the axle, removing and refitting cranks may well lose the quartering. The outside cranks look to be of appropriate thickness, the same cannot be said for the horn cheeks (look shallow compared to MMP offering). There is a (loose) brass spacer between each crank and the corresponding axlebox - removing the spacer may permit of changing the horn cheeks for a beefier version.

Overall, Peter and I are impressed enough that I have instructions to place pre-orders for Blue Gronks on Monday.
 
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Dog Star

Western Thunderer
Those who know me shall not be surprised to read that the Dapol Class 08 was persuaded to come out of the cabinet and meet a digital caliper....
Of course you are entitled to ask as to why I happened to produce a digital caliper when talking to Dalpol staff about the 7mm Class 08. Well the chap had just said that he had no way of knowing if the model could accomodate S7 wheelsets... and I had gone to the show to check out on the dimensions of the Heljan 7mm Cargowaggons (see here for results).
 

jhockuk

Western Thunderer
Here is a shot of the rear quarter:

20151129_104314_zpscj47myvw.jpg

According to the chat I had with the man from Dapol, they are now just awaiting the decorated samples for approval and would like to have this out by March, but sticking to the mid year delivery date in the hope of beating it.

Much like my approach at work, you never actually tell them how long something is going to take!
 

demu1037

Western Thunderer
Dog Star said:
The outside cranks look to be of appropriate thickness, the same cannot be said for the horn cheeks (look shallow compared to MMP offering). There is a (loose) brass spacer between each crank and the corresponding axlebox - removing the spacer may permit of changing the horn cheeks for a beefier version..

well, there isn't a brass washer on the real one....

My impression is the axlebox & horns are/should be deeper than the thickness of the springs by a small amount (I didn't have a patented DS measuring stick with me when i took these)
833231_nr_000.jpg

833231_22_003.jpg
 

JB Models

Member
Hey guys,

According to Dapol's website, they're now producing a BR Black Class 08 (number unknown). So can anyone tell me when exactly did the Class 08's carry the BR Black livery?

And does any BR Black or BR Blue Class 08 exist in service today (even on a heritage line)?
 

JB Models

Member
Hey,

Another question, many retailers list "7D-008-003" as a Dapol O gauge Class 08 in EWS livery. Can anyone confirm if that is still being produced? I see it all over except the Dapol website.
 

Heather Kay

Western Thunderer
The liveries followed steam practice until the mid-1960s. As with steam locos, goods and shunting engines were plain black, red buffer beams and with the early BR totem. From 1956 this changed to plain green with red buffer beams with the later totem, and eventually wasp stripe ends.
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
JBM,
It's also worth nothing that because the overhaul intervals were lengthy several of the class got wasp stripes on their black livery, which is an attractive combination. I also suspect some went straight from black in to blue, but can't be certain.
I think the 08 on the Dean Forest Railway is black, certainly a number in preservation are as it's an easy livery to maintain.
Steph
 

oldravendale

Western Thunderer
I've just received this from Hattons:

To
Message body
Hello

We thought you may like to know that an item you have asked us to notify when it arrives into stock, has had some information about its release date added or updated.

Dapol 7D-008-001 Class 08 diesel shunter 13115 in BR green with early crest and no yellow warning panels £169.00

Our latest information from the supplier suggests this item will arrive with us September 2016

Whilst we are hopeful this information is accurate, manufacturer lead times are frequently prone to be delayed. This information is to be used as a guide only.

We hope that this email has been useful.

Regards

Retail Team
Hattons Model Railways
www.ehattons.com

Interestingly Hattons are showing the earliest loco, representing 1948 to 1956 as BR green with no warning panels. As Steph and Heather note, the green livery was not applied until 1956, previous to that the locos were in black without warning panels as my own photos confirm. If this is, in fact, a description by Dapol I'm surprised that they have something as fundamental and easily researched a the earliest livery wrong, particularly as the model itself looks so good.

Brian
 

Steph Dale

Western Thunderer
Dad,
Green without wasp panels is correct too, the chevrons didn't come in until the early sixties I think. I think one of your photos shows a shunter (15100?) with the experimental horizontal stripes, so may help give an idea of the date?
But you're quite correct about the 13xxx number and early totem, neither being correct for this livery variation, as far as I can tell.
Steph
 
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oldravendale

Western Thunderer
Agree green without wasp stripes is possible - see D2088 below. Having checked my pics I don't have any shunters with horizontal stripes - certainly 15100 has the chevrons - 15201 may just have horizontal stripes but the photo is broadside on so it's impossible to say. All photos below are by me and my copyright.

D2088.  Swindon Shed.  23 May 1965.  Personal Collection.  Photo Brian Dale.  FINAL.jpg

D2088, Swindon Shed. 23 May 1965. Another of same class with wasp stripes behind. Clearly some locos were still wearing plain green without wasp stripes quite late in the day and with the later BR totem.

Unknown Class 08.  Cricklewood.  Poss April 1964.  Photo by Brian Dale.  FINAL - Copy - Copy.jpg

A truly awful photo of an unidentified 08 at Cricklewood, possibly April 1964. (It was one of those photos which is so poor I didn't bother to identify date or details. What a plonker! The date is taken from other photos at Cricklewood which I believe to be contemporary with this one.) However, this may have been green or black but clearly had no wasp stripes.

D3052.  Willesden Shed Roundhouse.  14 March 1965.  Final.  Photo Brian Dale - Copy.jpg

D3052. Willesden on 14th March 1965. Livery may be black or filthy green, but still no wasp stripes. Dunno what totem it was wearing though.

12058.  Willesden.  14 March 1965.  Personal Collection.  Final.  Photo Brian Dale - Copy.jpg

12058. Definitely black. Definitely no wasp stripes. And it's wearing the new BR totem. Willesden. 14th March 1965. So is this a combination we've not considered previously? Maybe at it's last overhaul they'd run out of green paint. Or maybe this livery only applied to the ex-LMS shunters although some of them definitely carried green with wasp stripes - I have the photo to prove it:

12105.  Stratford.  28 August 1965.  Personal Collection.  FINAL.  Photo by Brian Dale.jpg

12105. Stratford. 28th August 1965.

I hope Dapol produce a black 08 with early totem in the 13XXX number series. If they do so I'll have one! However it is my belief that they are not incorrect in producing a green 08 without wasp stripes and with early totem. It's just the possible dates of such a livery which they have wrong, and would a loco with that livery still be carrying it's 13XXX number?

Brian
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
There are definitely 2 Black 08's in service on the real railway as we had each of them at the diesel galas on the Epping Ongar railway over the last couple of years..

I believe they came from Willesden? I could be wrong..

JB.
 
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