O Gauge Wagon Detailing Parts for Dapol RTR 7 Plank Wagon

[SteveO]

How are the axles sprung on this wagon? I have some old CCW wagon underframes in the loft - not prototypical of anything on our planet but they have a interesting copyrighted (by an army Colonel I think) springing arrangement. I'll take a few pics next time I fancy a sauna in the attic.

 

[Bob]

I've got to say that wagon is something rather special.

 

[Adrian B.Swain]

Hi All, My wagon probably has the same system SteveO , a safety pin type spring on the rear of the w/m spring
acting on the back of the spring shoes. Very prototypical except the spring is only about 0.5mm wire to give
scaled down action. I am not sure how many variants were available but my Bickershaw wagon has the early
BR style axleguard rather than the '23 RCH design so is not correct but could be altered. The CCW solebar units
were available with a similar design Adrian

 

[SteveO]

Hi All, My wagon probably has the same system SteveO , a safety pin type spring on the rear of the w/m spring
acting on the back of the spring shoes. Very prototypical except the spring is only about 0.5mm wire to give
scaled down action. I am not sure how many variants were available but my Bickershaw wagon has the early
BR style axleguard rather than the '23 RCH design so is not correct but could be altered. The CCW solebar units
were available with a similar design Adrian

Adrian, do you want them? I've got no use for them and they were included in a box of other stuff I bought. I'm pretty sure they have a few spare springs included but I will have to check. I'll take a pic tonight and post it here. If you're interested let me know. No charge, of course!

 

[SteveO]

I waited until it was cooler before I ventured up there, even still it was pretty warm!

As you can see from the pic, there is a complete underframe plus the parts to make another (you just need to find suitable buffers which pin it all together) and another set of sprung axle guards/boxes. There are also 6 spare springs in the bag.

 

[Adrian B.Swain]

Hi All, Kind of you SteveO, I do collect historic items in various scales from various makers. When I first
started in "Serious" 7mm I did buy some CCW models and was very disappointed but started scratchbuilding some
wagons in Plastikard using the CCW parts as there was nothing easily available that was better. My first wagon was one from the Roche drawings book that had only recently appeared from Ian Allan. Guess what, it must be
the sister to the Dapol 5 Plank as it did not exist but was cobbled together from the SR shock open and the Bullied
5 planker. It was 16'6" long as per the body of the shock but so was the chassis which should have been 17' 6" !!

I still have the body and am part way through making a proper SR shock open. The only other kit is the​

Slaters LMS Shock open but that seems to have the wrong planking sizes for the standard design. Another
Dapol-like aberration and I can't find a real one like it although plank repairs might have produced such a version but unlikely all the way round !

 

[SteveO]

No problem, you're welcome to them if you can find a use for them. If you're interested let me know and I'll post them to the Hamworthy address, unless you prefer another one, in which case message me.

I've been looking for another set of buffers just to make two complete underframe kits but I can't find any - maybe you have some in a box somewhere or know where to find some – they're critical to hold everything together. Plus with some spare springs you can keep your lovely Bickershaw wagon rolling that little bit longer.

 

[Adrian B.Swain]

Hi All I notice that Dapol have now added another 11 items to the wagon range although most are just
renumbering/weathering variants. There are 3 new liveries of which the 2 SR ones are non authentic and I
cannot find info on the 3rd. Even the catalogue is now becoming inaccurate !! one of the renumbered 5 plank
GWR opens is illustrated by a 7 plank picture or are they going to pretend it is a 5 planker ??

They must surely be counting on the "Cigarette card collecting" mentality with many of these additional​

items and they still have all the LMS and LNER large and small lettering options to "tempt" the unwary as well
as further SR and GW variants. After that I expect we will see pregroup liveries as well, that will break the bank
of the collectors!! Still no further comments from Dapol themselves apart from the original "we have sold them
all so we must be doing something right". The GOG magazine have not been offered any, I was told, so there
will be no review in the near future. Strange that Dapol should not have given the most important O gauge
magazine a chance to comment !! ??
I notice that more of the Skytrex wagons are no longer in the listing including the HAA hopper and the
vanwide so I assume they have decided not to compete with Dapol. The market is being systematically swamped
by Dapol and the number of variants listed has now reached the 50+ mark in less than a year so who knows
how many there will be in the future. Surprisingly prices on Ebay for much more accurate kit buit models
still rarely reach the £40 mark although some are not always particularly nicely built and painted.

Regards to all Adrian​

 

[Adrian B.Swain]

Hi All Apologies to Skytrex the vanwide is still in the list but not in the Modern Image section !!
I would like your CCW bits SteveO for my "Black Museum" they can go alongside the Dapol Wagons
showing how it should be done even after 50 years ! Adrian

 

[Adrian B.Swain]

Hi all I did suggest MRJ did a review when I saw Paul at Cleckheaton and he did suggest I should do it, but
I did say what sort of review it would be and I doubt I shall hear further !! Alas, commercial pressures have far
to great an influence on many magazines which carry heavy advertising and as I have stated earlier there is
no "Which" type magazine where unbiased factual information can be found. Forums are a last resort and even
some of these are no longer free to publish what should be completely independant reviews. I remember the days
when Mecanno Magazine would show the latest Hornby Dublo SD6 plastic bodied wagon alongside a photo of the
real thing and I would marvel at the similarity. No longer are those wagons quite so impressive even though they
are still available in modified form from Dapol. Those wagons were all released before 1964 when the range went
into liquidation !! Here we are 50 years later and the standards are still acceptable to many even in 7mm.
Cheers Adrian

 

[SteveO]

I would like your CCW bits SteveO for my "Black Museum"... Adrian

I've just got back from a holiday so still propelling myself back up to ramming speed to get through all this work which seems to have accumulated. I'll get it into the post for you some time this week, or if I'm feeling particularly adventurous I'll hop in the car – you're almost exactly 100 miles away along the coast. I'll let you know in advance either way.

 

[Wagonman]

Hi all I did suggest MRJ did a review when I saw Paul at Cleckheaton and he did suggest I should do it, but
I did say what sort of review it would be and I doubt I shall hear further !! Alas, commercial pressures have far
to great an influence on many magazines which carry heavy advertising and as I have stated earlier there is
no "Which" type magazine where unbiased factual information can be found. Forums are a last resort and even
some of these are no longer free to publish what should be completely independant reviews. I remember the days
when Mecanno Magazine would show the latest Hornby Dublo SD6 plastic bodied wagon alongside a photo of the
real thing and I would marvel at the similarity. No longer are those wagons quite so impressive even though they
are still available in modified form from Dapol. Those wagons were all released before 1964 when the range went
into liquidation !! Here we are 50 years later and the standards are still acceptable to many even in 7mm.
Cheers Adrian

I don't see Dapol advertising in the MRJ any time soon so I don't see what PK has to worry about. The S7 Group Newsletter could take a review – not too long as I've only got 16pp to play with – say 5-600 words.

Richard