7mm 14XX

[James]

My son's main birthday present this year - he's unfortunate in being a Christmas Day birthday!

I really like the Dapol 14XX, I did a similar loco for the NRM a couple of years back - the main bits to be added are the missing parts of the push-pull equipment. The plastic vacuum and steam heat pipes are awful and detract from what is a lovely model - Laurie Griffin's range came in very handy.

1420 was chosen as it was a regular loco on the Presteigne branch which is a line which interests him.

It just needs couplings adding as I ran out of time. Despite this, he's completely besotted with 1420

 

[LarryG]

The Dapol 0 gauge 14xx is a really good model and the weathering on this one is excellent. The way prices are going, the forthcoming 00 version will actually be dearer than the 0 gauge model.

 

[James]

and the weathering on this one is excellent

Thank you Larry

There are already plenty of instances where 0 gauge items are barely dearer their smaller equivalents.

 

[simond]

The costs are probably not much different.

There will be (7/4)^3 (approx 5.35 times) more plastic & metal, but the packaging, assembly, moulding etc costs will be more or less the same, and I suspect the material costs are somewhat less than 10% of the selling price of an RTR model.

The same factor applies to shipping costs, as you can get fewer in a container. Again, shipping likely <<10%

It may be of course that the 7mm RTR market has been massively overestimated and there are hundreds of models looking for a home, but I doubt it (from a position of no useful / relevant knowledge at all).

 

[AJC]

It may be of course that the 7mm RTR market has been massively overestimated and there are hundreds of models looking for a home, but I doubt it (from a position of no useful / relevant knowledge at all).

There's fairly strong evidence to suggest that might be the case: certainly in less popular liveries. The astonishing bargains recently seen with Dapol 14xx and some Terriers hint that the economics are a bit different in 7mm. The niches are quite a bit more niche, simply. A 14xx for £110 is very much a discretionary purchase for a lot of people. Not for me, I spent a little bit less than half that on a discount Siphon G in 4mm (a more niche livery again, but suitable for repaint).

Adam

 

[simond]

I guess it could be a loss leader.

Dapol appear to do a good trade in colourful wagons at about fifty quid a shot. I’d guess there will be some punters who would love to dabble but fear that the cost of a loco would be unaffordable, and so don’t splash out on the wagons. But once you’ve got a loco, a £50 wagon is almost pocket money, and certainly in birthday & Xmas territory. So a 110 quid loco is a gateway to a £500 train…

I’m very sure that with plastic mouldings, the key to profitability is volume sales. The more the merrier!

 

[James]

I and certainly in birthday & Xmas territory

I think the loco here is a good example of how this can be in this territory.

Compared even discounted 00 RTR, Dapol's smaller locos are readily affordable and very good. They're definitely gateway drugs!