Class 68 Update - Production

[the norfolkman]

Hi All, watched a you tube vid today where the chap presenting said he had ordered spares for his 68 via DCC supplies.
Duly rang and spoke to a very pleasant woman who was extremely helpful hence I have two obstacle deflectors on the way !
The service through out was excellent well done to Dapol and DCC supplies.

[159220]

Andy Dapol The 68 was awaiting me in the mail room, what a truly outstanding model and captures the prototype in immaculate detail. It has been a delight watching the development unfold on the Digest and only shows the strength of this forum in providing the customer with a direct involvement with the development to produce something we as a community are pleased with. Most impressed with the halo lighting effects and bogie plates. One minor niggle apart from that discussed privately is that the cab air-conditioning units should be silver as per-prototype yet it is a minor niggle which does not devalue the outstanding model in any way. Never voted on 'Model of the Year' but clearly the 68 needs to be!

What is most interesting is it is well known DRS traction is popular in terms of classic, the 68 proves this interest is extended to modern hi-tec traction and no-doubt supports justification for a Class 88 model due to the popularity of DRS models.

When shall batch two running numbers and liveries be confirmed?

Edit: I forgot to mention how superb the fine etching is on the cooler/radiator, I do not think I have seen such a fine etch on a model yet. Captures the prototype superbly.

[Anthony566]

I have both 68002 & 68005 both are fantastic modern detail loco's and would probably say they are the most detailed ready to run OO gauge locos available. This is my first ever Dapol loco purchase and I am very pleased with them both and just to touch on the printing issue on one side you do really have to look hard at the loco to notice it but I'm sure this will be corrected in the next batch.

So the real question is how soon can we expect the next run of the class 68's ? and will they be different numbers ? also if you are not already working on a class 88 then I would hope that the demand for the 68 has given you enough data on weather it is a viable next development.

Very new and happy Dapol customer.

[Joel Dapol]

The numbers and models have been chosen and we will be making this information available very soon.

[JeremiahBunyan]

Will the green faded stripe/swoosh be corrected in future batches? Joel Dapol

[159220]

Excellent! Looking very forward to the announcement and owning a few DRS numbers, if green fade and white to silver air-con units corrected. Especially now the 68 short set in EA is due to remain for the summer.

[RJennings]

Hope you don't mind me asking but can I please ask how the Sound / DCC fitting is progressing? Very impressed with the limited 68001 (even with the livery error) and am really looking forward to the sound ones arriving as well prior to sorting out some sound proofing for the walls!

[Joel Dapol]

The sound decoders are being drip fed into us from our supplier at the moment which has slowed things up. We have another tranche of sound fitted locos going out in the next few days however, and then there are only a few left outstanding. I am hoping all will be completed next week.

[Mooresby]

Thanks for the update Joel - much appreciated

[the norfolkman]

Hi All, following the post by 159220 above it prompted me to take a look at the air con units from the foot bridge at Acle staition. And Just as
a point of interest I can confirm they have a dull brushed aluminium type finish underneath a coating of soot ! there is also interestingly another
HSE decal in the middle of the air con unit showing staff carrying out roof exams not to stand on the unit, this is a red circle with a line across it
and two black boot prints with a white back ground in the circle. Hope this is of interest and possibly of use for batch two ? very much looking forward
to expanding the fleet and fitting sound now .

[159220]

68026 upwards have black air conditioning units....though they have also lost their VOSSLOH badge on the front (as per Class 88) so unsure if Andy Dapol has covered the tooling for 026 upwards?

Not thought about Acle footbridge, often find myself at Brundall changing between 37s and 68s. Glad 68s shall be in EA for at least another month!

[Anthony566]

Fantastic News Joel Dapol ..... really looking forward to adding two more loco's ( or maybe more ) to the collection

[Roylang]

Any decision yet on the printing/applying nameplates debate?

Looking forward to more models, my 2 Scotrail models are superb but I think they need a DRS version to stand in occasionally ;-)

Roy

[Joel Dapol]

We are working on printed undersized plates with etched ones in the bag.

[the norfolkman]

HI All. hope everyone is well.
Very much looking forward to the announcement of batch two and as others have stated hoping to expand the DRS liveried fleet.
Very interesting to see that Joel has stated the name plate issue is being looked at and very much hoping the livery is too !
that would make batch two outstanding indeed.

[Eastsomerset]

Hi I have an original drs sound fitted class 68 with the faulty livery can you please tell me if you are going to issue new bodies for these models?

[nix1710]

I am curious to know where the Dapol Research & Development team has got with the Class 88 Electro-diesels! To their relief I guess the primary tooling would remain the same but with some pronounced changes (including an incorporation of spring loaded pantograph on the model). Besides the DRS livery; the brilliant blue livery as seen during test runs on German tracks is as appealing as it possibly could get!
I couldn't resist to attach pics/ links in an attempt to aid the project for the R & D team to begin with:

Brilliant Blue livery:

http://www.railjournal.com/index.php...r-testing.html
http://www.railcolor.net/index.php?n...mage&position=
http://www.railcolor.net/index.php?n...mage&position=

DRS livery:

http://www.mainlinediesels.net/image...er_2854_51.jpg

[JeremiahBunyan]

Dapol haven't given any concrete approval that they're making a Class 88. I think you're getting a little ahead of everyone.

[Joel Dapol]

Hi, we have not been granted permission to make this yet and as such have not started any R&D in earnest. However, I would say and I am sure Andy will elucidate further, that the Class 88 is subtly different in more ways than you would expect and that there is a substantial amount of new tooling involved.

[DavidInYork]

From looking at them, the cabs and bogies are the same as a 68 but pretty much everything else is different!

[nix1710]

Thank you for your response Joel Dapol. Hope, Andy too would agree to get the class 88s on the track soon.

-A patiently waiting Dapol customer...

[DRS Crewe On A Mission]

Hi Dapol, Andy Dapol Joel Dapol ,

I wonder if you could help me please? I'm really pleased with the six OO Gauge Class 68s that I have bought from the first batch. Thank you so much for producing such amazing models.

However I have one problem which is the couplings. I am wanting to run two or more Class 68s coupled together but when I try and do so the couplings get fastened onto each other when they are going around the curves/corners of the layout which causes the locos to become fastened to each other, one or both couplings to fall off and either one of both of the locos to derail.

Have you got any advice as to how this problem could be solved?

Thank you very much in advance.

[DRS Crewe On A Mission]

Hi Andy,

Thank you very much for the reply and the advice.

Firstly the potential issue about the locos been a mixture of DCC Fitted and DCC Sound is not a problem because all of the six that I have are all DCC Fitted. None have DCC Sound.

I have just looked in the instruction booklet for the NCE DCC Powercab Controller that I have and I can't find anything about how to increase or decrease the acceleration and deceleration of locos.

I have been checking the locos regularly and the coupling arms have been pushed as far into the loco that they will go but they have still been coming off completely. The height of the couplings is also the same.

I don't really want to change the couplings to the knuckle type couplings on the 68s because then it is going to mean that I have to run specific locos together all of the time and realistically this isn't prototypical. It would also mean that the locos would always have to remain in the same order if I modified one coupling on each loco to enable them to have the knuckle type couplings in the middle when the locos are running together as a consist, in order to leave one NEM coupling on each loco to couple up to normal wagons with NEM couplings.

I'm really not sure what to do now because I have six Class 68s, that at present I can't run together and this is why I bought six of them. I also can't run at the moment in top and tail formation. I have tried to do this on several occasions now and to no avail. I have been used one or three of the Bachmann Nuclear Flask FNA wagons. When on the curves/corners either the rear coupling of the first 68 will fall off completely or the front coupling of the second 68 will fall off completely. So it's not as if I can run them in top and tail mode either.

When I say the couplings fall off, I mean all parts of the coupling including the NEM part with the hook and the actual arm from underneath the loco. This then derails the loco or wagons or both.

Thank you very much for all of the help so far.

Have you got any further advice?

Thank you very much in advance.

[159220]

I cannot recommend Kadee couplers enough for multiple working. Not specifically to the 68, but I used to run either two Bachmann 159s or a 159 and a Bachmann 170 in multiple on DC. The Kadee locking mechanism was simple to use and very effective. I do not run multiple on DCC (yet), but I know the Kadee couplings come with NEM sockets which are interchangeable with the coupling on the 68. The coupling provided is hardly prototypical so not sure why that worries you.

http://s386633784.websitehome.co.uk/...s/Kaydee01.jpg

I personally think the level of detail and beauty of the design of the Class 68 model is the best out on the market place and shall represent a benchmark for all new models.

[JeremiahBunyan]

http://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/3.../prodlist.aspx Here's some Kadee's to fit British coupling pockets

[Jimp]

I would suggest that the reason the couplings are causing you problems is that you have not speed matched you locos to get them running at the same speed.

Check this out ttps://tonystrains.com/locomotive-speed-matching-made-easy/

hope this helps

[DRS Crewe On A Mission]

Thank you very much for all of the replies.

I have just ordered some Kadee Couplings from Hattons. Hopefully they will be here for the weekend so that I can try them out.

I have also just had a quick read of the document about the speedmatching and it does look a bit complicated. This would be something to consider trying if the Kadee Couplings don't work.

Thank you very much for all of the help and I will keep you updated on the progress.

[159220]

Were any updates on the next production run of the 68s made at the recent open day? Would be good to see the green-fade sample?