Dapol shares first look at 'Stroudley' coaches for 'O'

The first enginnering prototypes of Dapol's Stroudley four-wheel coaches are being reviewed. Stating that the project is "extremely exciting for us at Dapol", the manufacturer's Neil Morrlle comments in a short video posted to its Dapol TV channel on YouTube.

Produced in its Chirk factory, the samples shown are of its gas-lit version, its most complex variant, but the first run of coaches will be of the oil-lit version, which Dapol believes will be easier to assemble in its factory. Four different body types are to be produced – a Third, First, Brake Third and a Composite. The Third will allow a Second to be produced because these vehicles shared identical bodies, interior seating arrangements being the only difference.

Using as little as an all-third coach coupled to a locomotive, a compact, yet realistic train formation can be created.

Coaches are to be produced with options for DCC-controlled lighting, or without lighting for DC layouts. Tooling produced for the models covers buffer and coupling variations such as drawbar length, spoked or solid wheels, lighting and brake configurations.