Class 68 Makes An Impression

Dapol’s highly anticipated 4mm scale re-creation of the Vossloh machines has arrived but it is not without some controversy.

- Simon Bendall

SO, at last, the wait is over with the first batch of Class 68s making it to the UK and onto retailers’ shelves in mid- February. Not that many of the models had time to get acquainted with their surroundings as orders for one of the most desirable ‘OO’ gauge releases in years flooded in, the DRS examples in particular selling out in just a few days.

Measured by sales alone, Dapol has scored a major hit with its most significant 4mm scale diesel to date. However, this is not the only indicator of what makes a good model.

Six models make up this initial tranche, including the aforementioned Direct Rail Services duo of Nos. 68002 Intrepid and 68005 Defiant. These are joined by the ScotRail branded pair of Nos. 68006 Daring and 68007 Valiant along with the grey and silver-liveried Chiltern Railways examples Nos. 68010 and 68014. Both of the latter are unnamed, No. 68010’s christening as Oxford Flyer in December last year coming too late to be reflected on the model.

A seventh model has also been produced, class pioneer No. 68001 Evolution being a 350-piece limited edition that is only available from the DRS website (www.directrailservices.com)at a not insignificant price of £200.

A difficult shape

The Class 68s feature one of the most complex cab shapes yet seen on a UK locomotive and getting this correct was always going to be a key requirement of the Dapol model. Happily, extensive comparison to photos shows that this has been achieved admirably, from the sweeping curve around the cabside windows to the nips and tucks of the lower cab fronts and the somewhat stubby side-on profile of the cabs.