Dapol BR Prairie Kit
- ModelMinutes
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 5:40 pm
Dapol BR Prairie Kit
Hi All!
Had my first go at building a Dapol loco kit (a few more have been purchased - progress soon!)
What do you guys think of the finished model?
Check out the link below for a video of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ub47ctSBd4
Not 100% happy that the wheels dont turn as freely as i'd like, but overall im content with the build and paint finish
Constructive criticism welcomed, not only on the model build but also on video quality!
Thanks guys
Had my first go at building a Dapol loco kit (a few more have been purchased - progress soon!)
What do you guys think of the finished model?
Check out the link below for a video of it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ub47ctSBd4
Not 100% happy that the wheels dont turn as freely as i'd like, but overall im content with the build and paint finish
Constructive criticism welcomed, not only on the model build but also on video quality!
Thanks guys
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Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
Hi modelminutes. That Prairie looks good. I've never built any of Dapols locos but I wonder would the wheels benefit from being metal running on metal axles. Are such wheels even available?
Paul
Paul
- flying scotsman123
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Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
I think the chassis you've done is as good as it gets in plastic, it was never going to work as well as a metal one.
As for comments, I thought the video was excellent. The speeding up was good, although perhaps it might be helpful to slow down small section to better show a certain technique, or starting doing a task, then speed up for the rest of it.
Only being very picky about the model itself, the numberplate is in the wrong place (look up pics of the preserved example, 6106). And secondly, as far as I know, they never wore that particular livery, either being plain black with no lining, or BR green with the lining in BR days.
As I said, only being picky, and the actual modelling skill demonstrated is good. You did ask for constructive criticism!
As for comments, I thought the video was excellent. The speeding up was good, although perhaps it might be helpful to slow down small section to better show a certain technique, or starting doing a task, then speed up for the rest of it.
Only being very picky about the model itself, the numberplate is in the wrong place (look up pics of the preserved example, 6106). And secondly, as far as I know, they never wore that particular livery, either being plain black with no lining, or BR green with the lining in BR days.
As I said, only being picky, and the actual modelling skill demonstrated is good. You did ask for constructive criticism!
- Bufferstop
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Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
Very good work, don't worry about the livery details, they are just a matter of having the right info to start with. I think you got the wheels about as free running as they ever were. They are a good way to put something in the loco sheds. It's a shame the guy from Dapol was a day or so too late to save the rest of the Kitmaster tooling from the sledgehammer.
Growing old, can't avoid it. Growing up, forget it!
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
My Layout, My Workbench Blog and My Opinions
Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
There's no problem obtaining suitable steel axled metal wheelsets and brass bushes to suit these kits (Markits, Gibson for example) but it doesn't end there; fitting metal bushes into a polystyrene loco frame is a weak constuction ( Slaters tried it for some MR plastic motorised loco kits and you won't often find a running example). So you end up needing metal frames, and the side rods and crankpins too, even for a push along if any longevity is expected. There have been kit offerings of some of these loco kits plus metal parts and wheels to enable a running result, Branchlines offered kits for the GW 4-4-0, Railbus and possibly the Drewry six coupled diesel. Might no longer be available as there are now RTR options.carnehan wrote:... I wonder would the wheels benefit from being metal running on metal axles. Are such wheels even available?
I have a built original Kitmaster Stirling Single which is amazingly free rolling, builder unknown: helped by the fact it is a single of course, no rod coupling of wheelsets. The mould tool for that was sadly lost during the Airfix acquisition of the Rosebud Kitmaster range in the 1960s, where the owners pressurised Airfix to a price by using a man with sledge hammer. The first tool destroyed was reputedly for the Stirling single. He could have whacked the Skeleton tool, it would have been no more 'broken' than the impossible thing that Airfix continued to produce from the RK tools. (I had a profitable little industry while at school, building these for girls lacking brothers, who had to have one for the human bilge O level of days gone by.)
- ModelMinutes
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- Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 5:40 pm
Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
Thanks for the replies!
I'll definitely keep the video comments in mind for a future video.
As for the livery - I just followed the instructions on that one, so there must be a whole host of these kits out there with the decals in the wrong places!
I agree with the comments about wheels, and I seriously doubt that the model would last long even being pushed around on a layout....
I'll definitely keep the video comments in mind for a future video.
As for the livery - I just followed the instructions on that one, so there must be a whole host of these kits out there with the decals in the wrong places!
I agree with the comments about wheels, and I seriously doubt that the model would last long even being pushed around on a layout....
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Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
A passing comment (enjoyed the video BTW!) would be that i always painted the wheels and chassis before assembly unless the plastic was already black...
Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
Hi,
I didn't know you were on here too, I've been following your youtube channel as a source for "model making & weathering" techniques.
I'm sure others will find them interesting too.
I didn't know you were on here too, I've been following your youtube channel as a source for "model making & weathering" techniques.
I'm sure others will find them interesting too.
Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
If I was going to practice painting & weathering I'd much rather do so on a £10 ish Dapol engine rather then 1 10x the prices from the usual sources.
Worse case scenario would the scrap bin, with some lessons learned (hopefully), best outcome a back scene or diorama.
Worse case scenario would the scrap bin, with some lessons learned (hopefully), best outcome a back scene or diorama.
Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
There are some good constructive comments here: I agree about slowing the video a little just in a few places. I also agree about pre-painting some bits.
These relatively cheap Dapol (and their Airfix/Kitmaster predecessors) are a very good way of building up your skills as well as your engine shed. You can practice different techniques for construction, painting and weathering them and if it all goes wrong, you haven't lost too much, unlike trying things out on a £100+ model.
I used to build all of the Airfix kits I could lay my hands on from quite a young age. They got better with each build, and my painting also improved gradually as I got more practice.
There are limitations with plastic chassis, wheels, axles and valve gear (as someone else has said), but as static models, they fill a niche. There have been motorising kits available at different times from various sources, but as more and more of the types offered have appeared ready to run, the need/desire to motorise the kits seems to have dwindled. I still have an Airfix BR Standard 2-6-0 half built and a full brass chassis kit, wheels, valve gear and motor and gearbox sitting in a drawer, eclipsed by Bachmann's excellent ready to run model (which wrked out cheaper than the motorising kit and kaboodle!).
Two other improvements that can be done to any of these plastic kits is to shave off the raised mouldings for the lining, and to shave off the moulded handrails and replace them with brass handrail knobs and wire.
Having said all that, I am most emphatically not criticising the build here. I think the model and the video are both very well done.
These relatively cheap Dapol (and their Airfix/Kitmaster predecessors) are a very good way of building up your skills as well as your engine shed. You can practice different techniques for construction, painting and weathering them and if it all goes wrong, you haven't lost too much, unlike trying things out on a £100+ model.
I used to build all of the Airfix kits I could lay my hands on from quite a young age. They got better with each build, and my painting also improved gradually as I got more practice.
There are limitations with plastic chassis, wheels, axles and valve gear (as someone else has said), but as static models, they fill a niche. There have been motorising kits available at different times from various sources, but as more and more of the types offered have appeared ready to run, the need/desire to motorise the kits seems to have dwindled. I still have an Airfix BR Standard 2-6-0 half built and a full brass chassis kit, wheels, valve gear and motor and gearbox sitting in a drawer, eclipsed by Bachmann's excellent ready to run model (which wrked out cheaper than the motorising kit and kaboodle!).
Two other improvements that can be done to any of these plastic kits is to shave off the raised mouldings for the lining, and to shave off the moulded handrails and replace them with brass handrail knobs and wire.
Having said all that, I am most emphatically not criticising the build here. I think the model and the video are both very well done.
- ModelMinutes
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2016 5:40 pm
Re: Dapol BR Prairie Kit
Thanks for all the compliments and criticisms!
I agree, cheaper kits are definitely the way forward for practicing skills. When I started building this model, I hadn't realised that there would be so many fiddly bits to paint. On my next build, I'll paint certain parts (especially wheels etc) before assembly - the spray was a reasonable work around ...
I really enjoy the build part of the kits, not so much the painting - but a necessary evil I suppose :p
I agree, cheaper kits are definitely the way forward for practicing skills. When I started building this model, I hadn't realised that there would be so many fiddly bits to paint. On my next build, I'll paint certain parts (especially wheels etc) before assembly - the spray was a reasonable work around ...
I really enjoy the build part of the kits, not so much the painting - but a necessary evil I suppose :p
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