Dappol kits

HAWKERHUNTER

SMF Supporter
Joined
Feb 29, 2012
Messages
535
Points
43
First Name
Steve
Hi Guys

Well Ive spent a lot of time on my local railway lately, the Keighley Worth Valley Railway, which has ignited an interest in steam locos. So for a change from model aircraft I thought I would have a bash at building some. For the kits I have used the Dappol 00/HO models which I believe are the old Airfix moulds. I have to say that the detail is pretty impressive. There has been a lot of cleaning up to do during construction but on the whole they go together very well and reasonably quickly. To save on paint time I decided to build two at the same time and both will be finished in British Rail green (of which I have learned there are multiple choices). The models are of a Battle of Britain Squadron class and a Standard 4 Mogul. I hope to be painting them over the next few days.

View attachment 63487View attachment 63488View attachment 63489View attachment 63490View attachment 63491

These are my first efforts at building locos and its been difficult deciding on which parts to fit and which to leave off prior to painting. I should know shortly if i made the right choices.

Steve.

View attachment 64828

View attachment 64829

View attachment 64830

View attachment 64831

View attachment 64832

IMAG0068.jpg

IMAG0069.jpg

IMAG0070.jpg

IMAG0071.jpg

IMAG0072.jpg
 
R

Roobarb

Guest
This may be of interest at least it's a bit of early plastic kit history or more likely simply useless information. These kits were not originally owned by Airfix but by a company called Kitmaster/Rosebud they were introduced between 1959 and 1962 after which the moulds were sold to Airfix.When Airfix ran into trouble in the early eighties Dapol bought the moulds.A few of the kits are now regarded as quite rare off the top of my head they are the Duchess,Crocodile and Beyer Garrett (there may be a few others)the story being that these kits were not acquired by Airfix the moulds having been destroyed or lost. One thing I can say for certain the mould for the J94 was damaged beyond repair in a fire that occurred at Dapols Winsford factory just before they moved production over to Llangollen.

Malcolm
 

spanner570

SALAD DODGER
SMF Supporter
Joined
May 26, 2009
Messages
12,910
Points
113
First Name
Ron
Nice to see another Dapol Mogul on here Steve....I built one and altered it a bit to look more 'German' for a Group Build on here a while back.

I also built the Dapol freight wagons to make up the remaining rolling stock - then I did a train wreck dio.

I found the Dapol quality a bit mixed, with quite a few warped parts to deal with, but as I knew the untimate fate of the thing I wasn't too bothered!

Make sure you post some pictures of the finished models though...

More useless info!!lol I live fairly close to the Dapol factory - more of a small unit really - which is situated in Chirk, N. Wales. In the same lovely area as Llangollen.

Ron
 
R

Roobarb

Guest
Ron

You've got me thinking as to when Dapol moved production from Llangollen to Chirk, I am guessing it must have been around 2005 maybe even a bit later. On a personal level,when Dapol were at Llangollen they had on display a model of Mold railway station.The layout had been built by a club that I was a member.The layout having been completed around 1981. We ended up disposing of the layout due to the space it required and the difficulty in transporting such a large layout to exhibitions, after changing ownership again it ended up at the Dapol factory in Llangollen. I visited the Llangollen factory on a number of occasions to see the layout (I live only a few miles from Llangollen) I have to say by that time the layout was in a very sorry state.

Now for another useless piece of information Dapol produced for a time some of the old Gowland and Gowland injection moulded plastic car kits. I am not sure of the exact history of the moulds,it's possible they were a later copies of the original G&G moulds if they are original they date from the early fifties, making them one of the earliest examples of injection moulded plastic kits.

I've got to agree with you the Dapol locomotive kits leave a lot to be desired but then again I guess they are of their time, though they have been left far behind by later white metal and more recently etched brass kits.

Steve one thing Std 4's as all mixed traffic locomotives would of been painted in the BR lined black livery or at the very end of steam plain black, The West Country/Battle of Britain class for most of their time with BR would of been painted in lined British Railways green,when they were operated by the Sourthern they would of been painted in Malachite green or during the war plain black. I apologise for being a pedant,it's British Railways not British Rail that came later,it's likecalling the RAF the RFC

Malcolm
 
Last edited:

papa 695

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
SMF Supporter
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
20,291
Points
113
Location
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
First Name
Ian
Hi Steve Did you get decals with your kit ? I've started a B-o-B Biggin Hill class but there are no decals with it. So just wondered if any come with the kits
 

papa 695

Moderator
Staff member
Moderator
SMF Supporter
Joined
May 9, 2011
Messages
20,291
Points
113
Location
Doncaster, South Yorkshire
First Name
Ian
\ said:
They should have decels as i ve done 92 squadron was yours a shop purchase or second hand?.Peter t
Got it from a shop on the internet Peter will get in touch with them. Thanks for the help
 
Top