It has truly been a great week for modellers of the Diesel & Electric era. Hot on the heels of the announcements of new 153 DMUs coming to the Gaugemaster Collection, now we have more.
Welsh Model Railway business Dapol have announced they are releasing more of their highly rated Mark 3 Coaches and DVTs early in 2021.
The standalone DVT will be released in a slightly updated spec as a standalone product in Network Rail yellow livery numbered 82124. Also it will be available to buy singly in Unbranded BR Blue and numbered 82115.
Whole Train Box Sets
As well as the standalone releases Dapol have announced some exciting box set releases too. Possibly the most sought after of which will be the Chiltern Mainline set.
As a previously never seen livery in N Gauge coaching stock, the Chiltern set will contain a full formation. Consequently, these will be perfect to operate with Chiltern Railways liveried Class 67 and 68 locomotives already available. The box set will include;
- 5 x Mark 3a TSO standard open in Chiltern Railways ‘Mainline’ livery
- 2 x Mark 3a FO first open in Chiltern Railways ‘Mainline’ livery
- 1 x Mark 3 DVT driving van trailer in Chiltern Railways ‘Mainline’ livery
Also being released in box set format is the DB Schenker Management Train.
The DB Management Pack includes all four coaches used in the DB Schenker / DB Cargo UK management train. It is possible to see this train throughout the UK . Usually being hauled by a Class 67 locomotive, which is readily available now in N Scale
The pack contents is;
- Mark 3a FO first open in DB maroon – 11039
- Mark 3a RFM restaurant first in DB maroon – 10211
- A Mark 3a SLEP sleeper in DB maroon – 10546
- And finally, a Mark 3 DVT driving van trailer 82146 in DB silver with DB logo
Model Technical Information (DVT)
The Dapol Mark 3 DVT will come as standard with;
- Finely detailed body with separately fitted parts.
- All-wheel electrical pick-ups.
- Directional lighting.
- NEXT-18 decoder socket as an update for the new release.
- Accessory pack with optional fit parts.
- Intricately applied liveries.
Prototype Information:
A Driving Van Trailer (DVT) is a purpose-built railway vehicle which allows the driver to operate with a locomotive in push-pull formation from the opposite end of a train, without the need for a second locomotive.
As a consequence, trains operating with a DVT also do not need the locomotive to be moved around to the other end of the train for a change in direction.
When a train is operated by a DVT, the control signals are encoded and multiplexed onto the cables by the TDM equipment in the DVT. At the locomotive, these signals are demultiplexed by the TDM equipment, resulting in the signals being used to control the locomotive.
These vehicles have seen use throughout all of the three home countries with regular traffic flows in England, Scotland and Wales. They are still in regular passenger service in 2020 with Chiltern Railways and Transport For Wales.
They were also in daily operation until the end of March with Greater Anglia with class 90 electric locomotives. These trains formed of Mark 3 coaches ran the twice hourly express services between Norwich, Ipswich and London Liverpool Street.