Dapol B4 tank, Due Q1 2018 (Jan)

[mattmay05]

Hello, couldn't find this posted anywhere on the forum, probably forgotten about them as they were announced a while ago!

[D605Eagle]

Bet the O gauge version will be cheaper!

[Bigmet]

...probably forgotten about them as they were announced a while ago!

I expect they have been remembered by those who specifically want a B4.

But while Dapol dawdled, Hornby have whipped their Peckett out, to general acclaim, and there are more coming; and Hattons expect to have their Barclay 0-4-0T available in Jan 2018 as well. So that's three 'current standard' 0-4-0T models bidding for the customer's cash now, all of them attractive in their own way. (Further SR tank loco competition of course from the almost as dinky P 0-6-0T from Hattons also expected in January, to add to the 415, E4, H, M7, O2, USA, currently on sale; which will make eight good SR group tank loco models ...)

Will the B4s all sell out briskly like the first round of Pecketts? This is something of a test of demand for the 'small steam (industrial)' genre in my opinion, all of them good subject choices with attractive liveries, so unless they quickly prove to be majorly flawed in some way they should sell.

[mattmay05]

Well it is between Jan - March more likely somewhere between those 2 I would imagine, The small tank market is still quite a good and open market, Hornby has had success with the Peckett, not something I really thought of getting... but sold out and sort after.

But as you have mentioned, most have forgotten about them... not sure when they were announced off the top of my head but was quite a few years ago, however there are some nice features on this model, when I last spoke to Dapol March last year, they just had samples, but informed me that it was a compensated chassis or at least the front end was.
But only time will tell when they arrive.

[alex3410]

Its nice enough, but there are more options now for this 'size' of loco and whereas before it would stand out now there are others I think I would prefer.

I really like the LSWR livery, but the extra cash needed for a club subscription pushes it a little to high.

looking forward to seeing how its received however