Dapol mineral wagon 5 pack for £50 are they any good?

[@russellbenton2987]

Nice to see a manufacturer catering for the budget end of the hobby . We really don’t need all that detail that results in 4 wheel wagons at £35 !

[@Mattslade6024]

It really is. Dapol have so fantastic value for money models

[@dibsyardshuntinglayout]

@@russellbenton2987 true story. I'm moving back to kits. Yes they are basic, but they are cheap too.

[@stephendavies6949]

Hi Matt. I did exactly the same: bought 2 packs to augment my South Wales mineral trains, running behind either my 9Fs, G2A, 56xx, green/blue 37s, or my 8750 #9600 that worked at Merthyr Vale Colliery (where my dad also worked) and is now in preservation. I could also replicate the Windcutters I guess. Like you, I'm very pleased with them - especially for £10ea! - apart from the notorious couplings! I'm a fellow Welshman, so it's good to be able to support a Welsh company.

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah I'm going to sort out the couplings on these I think not the best are they. I always like to support Welsh businesses and I also work with 3 of them 😊

[@stephendavies6949]

@@Mattslade6024 Supporting the Principaliy's business is an excellent strategy! As I'm OK with tension locks, I tend to swap them with the wider, more dependable, Hornby variety.

[@dibsyardshuntinglayout]

For those of us in the hobby who don't appear to have hundreds and hundreds of pounds to throw at wagon rakes this is a great product from Dapol. I have one of the 5 wagon multi-packs and I agree with the comments here, once weathered up will be fine for my purposes! Don't get me wrong I would love a rake of the Bachmann or Accurascale versions, but that is really never going to happen in lifetime. . For any one who likes mineral wagon kits, I believe for just over a tenner you can get the Chivers Finelines 21T MDO or MDV. They need some brass bearings from H&A and some Dapol 3 hole wheels (but in a multi-pack) but you then have 21T mineral wagons for under £13 each. Prices subject to availability. Dapol wheel multi-packs might well be over £20 these days!

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah it's good that Dapol are doing wagons at these prices. I hope they continue with it

[@davidstrains4910]

Great video here Matt, a fantastic release from dapol, personally wish we would see more manufacturers make packs like this especially when it comes to these smaller 4 wheel wagons, they would be the perfect thing for steam hauled freight trains.

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah that would be good to see from the others

[@ronjohnston8693]

I made the same purchase as you have good value I agree they run well, be aware the coal load looks very poor and is screwed in place using a self tapping screw which also attaches the wagon to the chassis, I replaced the self tapper with a nut and bolt, and am waiting to take delivery of some realistic coal loads, they are also very light, so I have added weights, all this said I am pleased with my purchase

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah it doesn't look the best but a little work will sort that out

[@joginns778]

Easy solution to the couplings us the bachmann short plug ins much better and they bring the buffers nearer,

[@Mattslade6024]

Ow ok I'll look in to getting some

[@joginns778]

@@Mattslade6024 bachmann 36-061 couplings on Google bachmann Europe price around 12 pounds,

[@BS1-5]

my grandad bought 3 packs of these wagons, 2 packs had the wheels absolutely caked in casting grease and oil so do check the wheels if you buy any otherwise youll be putting it on your rails.

[@Shauniboy1984]

Same with mine mate, 3 of them the wheels were so dodgy and filthy I swaped them out. Cheers

[@Mattslade6024]

Ow that's not too good. All the wheels on mine are good

[@brakecompo2005]

Hardly surprising that Dapol can do this for a tenner a wagon, given that tooling costs are non existent - given that the body is the Hornsby Dublin moulding first released in October 1958, and the underframe moulding is, I think the Wrenn update to replace awful die cast original, and thus not much younger. There are no add on detail parts - the model consists of two mouldings, a pair of couplings, and a couple of wheel sets. It is nice see a cheaper model, but I do think the Oxford Rail wagons are better value.

[@brakecompo2005]

Sorry for Hornsby Dublin read Hornby Dublo - thanks spellchecker!

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah Oxford wagons are very good. I have a couple on the layout

[@TRTX-em8kl]

These are very nicely painted up and great value of you want to run a good length train. The bodies are the Hornby Dublo moulding from the 1950s so are a bit longer than the prototype but they look good on the layout. I am currently painting up Hornby mineral wagons as 21 tonnes which you can purchase for £5-6. Once paint, transfers and new wheels on some are added it probably comes to about £10 each as well.

[@Mattslade6024]

Didn't notice they were a bit too long. Still good value for money I would say

[@attuslebeard5133]

I've been thinking about getting some of these. Good for Dapol - this is all I need from a wagon. Masses of 'value added' underframe detail and sprung buffers are just over-engineering and for me totally unnecessary.

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah I think detail on some wagons these days have gone a bit too far. Wagons like these Dapol ones are perfect for having longer raks for much less money

[@dibsyardshuntinglayout]

@@attuslebeard5133 I couldn't agree more.

[@jprp999]

Viewed from a normal running distance and given a proper heavy weathering you will get no better appearance from anything more expensive.

[@speleokeir]

Exactly. As long as they run and couple ok I don't care if they're super detailed, I just want an affordable rake.

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah you are right. When they are running around a layout you can't really tell

[@marcdempsey5850]

What a great find Matt. a true diamond in amongst the coal😂😂 these are fantastic for the price. Add your own coal and a little weathering they will look far more expensive. Look forward to seeing the final rake, all best Marc from Leighton Buzzard

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah these are great value for money. A little bit of work and they will look the part

[@going2thedogs]

Wozza, that is a steal in todays market. Thks for the heads up.

[@Mattslade6024]

It's really is. Not perfect but still nice wagons for the money

[@speleokeir]

I get most of my rolling stock from the second hand market, especially wagons and vans. There's so much out there for under a tenner and Dapol's stuff is in line with that, though I'm not keen on the loads and you get the odd dud, but I find most of mine are fine. Yes, Accuriscale, Rapido and Bachmann's stuff is better and more detailed, but if you want a decent rake you have to spend a fortune. And do you really notice when they're going around a layout, especially if you like weathered wagons?

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah don't buy much brand new rolling stock these days. It's just too expensive.

[@bentullett6068]

Dapol do some excellent value wagons. I have a few of them and they aren't bad.

[@Mattslade6024]

They do and hope they keep doing them

[@KellinoRail]

The stripe on the mineral wagon denotes the end with the unloading door.

[@Mattslade6024]

Thanks I don't know that

[@jamesjosephjjdyer3368]

Nice mineral wagons as I could remember seeing these where I lived in Coytrahen Head to and from Maesteg with a Class 37 and also heading to comprehensive school via Tondu in the 1980's memorable times indeed.

[@Mattslade6024]

Thanks JJ 😊

[@stretchedits]

Hi Matt, a great find. However i always think the wheelbase seems too long, same with Hornby ones. I think Bachmann are the only people to make a correct length chassis. I'd love to know if there were two different length chassis. Oh the white stripe you refer too indicated which end has an end door. All the best, great video, Dave.

[@Mattslade6024]

Can't say I've noticed. I have a bachmann one so I'll have a look

[@oswestryroadtmd4850]

Another great video Matt, If I didn't have a rake of 16 tonners I would certainly bought a couple of these

[@Mattslade6024]

They are good value for money. Not perfect but still looks good run around the layout

[@monsvillerailways5736]

Nice wagons for the price Matt. A bit of weathering to make them less plain and they'd be great even with their loads. Happy Modelling 👍

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah very happy with them

[@timothyclarke7689]

The white stripe tells you which end the end door is.

[@Mattslade6024]

Ow ok I've already wondered what the stripe was for

[@RG-Models86]

Nice reference at the beginning, Matt 😁. You've got a nice bargain there. If I were to pick them up, I would definitely weather them up and put real coal in them. But that's just me.

[@Mattslade6024]

I thought someone would get it haha

[@anfieldroadlayoutintheloft5204]

nice wagons thanks lee

[@Mattslade6024]

They are indeed 😊

[@gordonhanning476]

I bought a pack of these really good value. Will definitely have to get more. Stay safe mate

[@Mattslade6024]

Good wagons aren't they

[@gordonhanning476]

@Mattslade6024 excellent for the price. I do like Dapol.

[@piers995]

Nice. GCR Windcutter train.

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah that what I'm going for 😊

[@grandaddyoe1434]

Are they individually numbered? Are there other packs with different numbers? You're telling us very little . . .

[@sliverjack0283]

where can I get these packs

[@jimrobinson6362]

Rails of sheffield

[@Mattslade6024]

Most model shops and online

[@grandaddyoe1434]

"That stripe" indcates the end of the wagon with an opening door. You don't know this?

[@scooby2142]

Now you just need to cough up the other £200 to get the prototypical train length.

[@Mattslade6024]

Haha. I'll stop at 10 I think

[@alness1289]

look good behind Tank engine

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah the 15xx is a good loco for these

[@grahamariss2111]

Are these made in the UK or are they from China?

[@bentullett6068]

I think all of the wagons are made in the UK

[@Mattslade6024]

Yeah I believe so

[@grahamariss2111]

@@bentullett6068 Thank you and good to hear.

[@kellyashfordtrains2642]

Whatever you do, don't weather the mineral wagons. Keep them pristine, they look more the part behind a GWR 2-8-0 tank engine, but 1501 is a good GWR substitute if you don't have a 52xx. What you have there is something spooky. Replace the brown Guard's Van with a light grey NE one, and viola. A ghostly grey goods train is lurking on your railway. Beware of the Ghost Train.