DABBLING WITH DAPOL
PAUL A. LUNN breathes new life into three classic kits, and shows you just how easy it is to convert them into other buildings.
We’ve all seen them in model shops: plastic kits of wagons, buildings, lineside structures and even locomotives in bags. You might think that the prominent Dapol logo on the simple, folded header card means that these are relatively new products, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Dapol purchased Airfix’s ‘OO’ gauge Trackside kits in 1993. However, the range included tooling from longdefunct Rosebud Kitmaster Ltd. After the firm ran into financial difficulties in 1962, its tools were acquired by Airfix. Some of Dapol’s models use tooling that dates from the 1950s! I’m sure that there will be few modellers who haven’t tackled one of these kits at one time or another, regardless of who was producing them. Many people have fond memories of this range. Despite their age, the quality of some kits is still extremely good. Some wagons in particular have, arguably, never been bettered. I always like to see the potential in modelling products and these kits are no exception. Sure, you can build a realistic church or shop straight from the box - or bag - but could you turn these kits into anything else? Inspiration for this feature came from the PSL Complete Guide to Model Railways by Michael Andress, in which he demonstrates how to create a lineside factory using the engine shed kit. It showed just how successful the conversion could be, and it’s a practice that many have followed; Geoff Forster, to name but one, used the water tower as part of a superb minimum space creamery for his ‘Llangunllo’ layout. Given this issue’s branch line theme, I decided to create a trio of suitable buildings, some from the most unusual sources. Why dabble with a Dapol kit? Because it provides great opportunity for personalisation and the result can be quite impressive. Even the most complex modification is more cost-effective than a similar resin cast offering, and you’ll have the satisfaction of having created something unique. There’s an added bonus too, in that you’ll have numerous spare parts left over; walls, doors, huts, and columns and so on, ready for other dabbling projects. Not bad value for a range of building kits that cost less than a tenner!
1: THE EASY ONE: Severn Beach-style station
Severn Beach station bears a remarkable similarity to Dapol’s C010 Station Booking Hall and C014 Canopy. They’re not identical, of course; they’re different lengths. The canopy fixes to the building, the columns fit to the canopy’s outer edge and there’s ag raceful curve to the bottom edge of the canopy end fascia. However, using the two kits shows how compatible they are. The station building has been assembled as per the instructions, save for the omission of windows and canopy (used in the church/station makeover), and requires only modest alteration to bring it closer to modern standards. The canopy, however, is quite a different task, requiring major changes to the girder structure.
2: THE INTERMEDIATE ONE: Tetbury-type shed
Now for something a bit more involved: the GWR engine shed at Tetbury, with the water tank in an elevated position at the rear. It’s a classic building and has appeared on countless GWR branch line layouts. I tried to re-create this classic structure using the C005 Water Tower and two C007 Engine Shed kits. The combination appears more complex than it really is. I carefully removed all the windows and the rear end gable wall, strengthening the roof with a roof truss sourced from another kit. When appraising any kit or combination of kits, I usually start with either one or both of the following processes: place the parts close together to get a feel of what might be achieved. And, for more accuracy, I sometimes make a drawing, tracing round the required larger parts onto cardboard, then I mock the whole thing up in 3D. This is especially useful where complex modifications are required. Not only does this give you a chance to work out any technical issues, but it also allows you to accurately assess how the whole thing will look when it’s finished. It’s a valuable technique in terms of getting balance and volume right - some components work well as they are, others will need reducing or enlarging to look right.
3: THE HARD ONE: The church station
Can you work out what kit forms the basis of this station? Yes, it’s the C029 Church kit! This is the most ambitious project. It combines almost the entire kit, including the canopy, and supports from the C014 (Booking Hall) along with the lamps from C005 (Engine Shed). The result is a small wayside standard gauge station or a larger terminus for a narrow gauge railway.