New Dapol Class 52 | A Great Value Diesel | Unboxing & Review

A review of Dapol's very reasonable class 52 "western" locomotive!

Thanks for watching!

0:00 Intro
3:17 Unboxing
10:32 Prototype Info
11:43 Detail
19:02 Mechanism
24:04 Performance
29:47 Haulage
37:42 Ratings
41:43 Conclusion

[sansovino]

Sam, to correct you on your comment about the tractive effort, the Class 52 at 72, 000lb TE trounced similar designs such as the 47 coming in at 55, 000-60, 000, 50's at 48, 000 and 40's at 52, 000. Only the Peaks came close at 70, 000 but with the added cost of 25 more tons weight and 2 extra axles.
The fact that Western's had such high tractive effort gave them a lot of low-down grunt, ideal for heavy stone trains and fast passenger alike. If you played Top Trumps, the Western TE was always a winner!

[alanrobertson]

A big advantage of NOT applying the nameplates and numbers is you can have any identity you want if you buy some third party plates. I have not had any derailment problems.

[chargoesboom]

"Aha, there's the blue puffball!"

[delaray]

Great review Sam. Thoroughly enjoyed that. Thanks for being the best scrutineer on the internet, bringing us the thorns along with the roses. Nice looking model but has it got it where it counts?! Good Luck 🍀 and take care. Shout out to your family and their support.

[_FyldeFlyer]

Ive got 2 of these 2nd release Dapol 52s. Both go around 2nd radius curves fine without derailing.

[samgineer]

As someone with a minor muscle impairment due to my Autism, putting decals onto a model is extremely difficult for me and I often times mess it up and either have to remove it and put a new one on or I miss it up only slightly to where it's not that big of a deal but it's still a little wonky. It's not something I can so easily just "do better next time". It's an actual physical condition caused by a mental disorder so when looking at models, whether or not the details are pre-applied or have to be applied myself plays a HUGE role in things. I'm glad you're making that argument to manufacturers because there are locomotives out there I want to get at the very least because I think they're cool and I'd love to display them but there are some details I'd have to put on myself and I don't have the skill to apply them appropriately. There's also nobody I know personally that can apply those details for me so I'm quite screwed on that front.

[nigelbaxter]

Hello Sam, new to this hobby and find your honest reviews invaluable. I did however take the plunge on 2 Dapol Westerns without waiting for a review from you. Like so many others, I would not trust myself to make a decent job of fixing etched name and number plates, but and a big but, I bought limited editions from Cheltenham Model Centre which came with them already fitted. Also, they have 3 Westerns, 2 at £99.99 and one, Enterprise, D1000 at £125, all still available. I did give up on their head codes but bought a set specifically for Westerns from Model Transport Graphics which are better and much easier to apply. The set has huge variety so after some research you can for instance accurately portray the up and down Cornish Riviera Limited.
Keep up the good work.

[sharkymcsharknose]

I have one of these Dapol Class 52 models in BR blue. It's a great-looking model. I cut away the factory speaker clips to add a "mega-bass" speaker along with ESU LokSound 5 and it sounds great now, too! I've not had any running problems with mine but I haven't run it much yet.

[Tom-Lahaye]

I got two from the first release some years ago now, and having worked on the real thing in preservation I can say that this was the first model released which has the front profile spot on (took my models to the workshop to compare with the real deal).
Detail is superb, but fitting some of the detail is somewhat challenging. I'm not talking about name and number plates, these are straight forward for me, but the tiny lifting rings which go on the roof panels, you will need a very steady hand, fine pointed tweezers and magnifying lenses to do these, also they may be very susceptible in getting detached when handling the locomotive.
So unless you don't handle your models a lot or very carefully better leave those off!
I haven't run my models yet, so I can't comment on performance.

[whizzo]

Have to disagree with you regarding the tractive effort ot the Class 52s -
they had a tractive effort of 72, 600 lbf - Class 47 was 60, 000 lbf - Class 45/46 was 55, 000 lbf - Class 50 was
48, 500 lbf. Incidentally, the Class 42/43 Warships had a tractive effort
of 53 400 lbf - so the diesel electric locomotives were not superior to diesel hydraulics in that department.

[petersmith]

hi sam. at least Dapol got the shape correct. unlike others.its a good model of a great loco.remember them well in the 70s

[CMDBob]

Ooooh, excellent, the Dapol Class 52. Got this exact one myself, and I love it. Hauls pretty great, the lights are great, and it looks GORGEOUS (and has the nice etched nameplates). Can be a bit slow, but I just give it 60-70% power on analog and that helps for the lighting as well. Got mine from Rails of Sheffield for £125.50 last year (and it's still that price now). I should at some point get the detail stuff attached, I've not put it on yet.
My only major complaint is the derailments, but I've taken to running it without the rear valance, as that avoids a lot of the derailments, as it seems there just isn't quite enough clearance on the tight turns with a coupling and valance installed. (it's even worse as most of my stuff has to have the large NEM couplings...)

[Teesbrough]

Fascinating and instructive review as ever, thanks Sam. Interesting to compare with EuviRail’s new ‘Long Term Review’ video of his weathered Dapol 52 where he’s escaped derailment issues.
Used to have a Trix ‘Western’ when I was a kid: lovely finish, great runner, etched nameplate fitted and streets ahead of anything Triang/Hornby we’re producing at the time (1969).

[superdave]

It looks like the side of the rear valance is getting hung up on the terrain in the curve, you may need to shave off a bit of the "turf" in the outside of the curve. or remove the rear valance.

[marcdempsey]

Thanks Sam, a great review from yourself. This Class 52 looks fantastic, a head turning once all the extras and normal features are added, nameplates !! The shame is the derailments, something that sometimes can’t truely be accepted especially if it comes down to the fine scale wheels and the lack of free movement of the mechanisms. Design floor which once would normally expect from H…. Thankyou for your review at least it’s not like the HushHush. Very best Marc

[AutoMotive_Vision]

Hey Sam, brilliant review. Would you consider /have you ever considered doing a review on one of dapol’s class 68? Keep up the amazing work

[TomPrickVixen]

"It may contains traces of a German diesel " Mine is a few years old now and I'm mostly satisfied with, (those "roof rings" are impossible to fit without issues), and our tightest curve is 500mm so no noticeable derailments, but it could use some more metal. BTW the "see trough wheels" means that u can see trough the "holes", not spoked wheels!

[patrickmurphy]

I like your history section. Good job!

[kandles]

Cracking review as always Sam .. I viewed it with interest as I have been looking to buy this DAPOL WESTERN .. taking into account your remarks and the comments left by followers, I have decided to make the purchase .. I've therefore ordered this very model from Jadlam Racing for £135 inc PP .. the future is bright, the future is maroon! 😎

[mikeking]

Please NOTE the very good advice Sam* "DO NOT operate the model on track laid onto carpet as dust and fibres will impair the mechanism" * Direct from the instructions as shown in you very own video at 7:43 into the video!