Dapol unveils LSWR 'B4' for 'O'
Dapol has unveiled plans to produce the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) 'B4' 0-4-0T for 'O' gauge.
Built in the late 1800s at the LSWR's Nine Elms Locomotive Works, 20 of these Adams-designed powerful diminutive engines appeared across the railway company's territory for use at goods yards and docks complexes with limited clearances and tight track curvature, followed by a further handful of similar Drummond designed examples in 1908. They became synonymous with workings at Southampton Docks, as well as many other locations across the South from Dover in the east to Plymouth in the west.
Dapol is planning six different models initially as Normandy in (as-preserved) plain black (Cat No. 7S-018-001), 90 Caen in lined brown (7S-018-002), 88 in Southern black (7S-018-003), 30084 in BR black with early crests (7S-018-004), 30096 in BR black with late crests (7S-018-005) and 91 in LSWR lined green (7S-018-006). The impressive specification includes fully-compensated diecast chassis, five-pole skew wound motor, all-wheel pick-up, slide-in PCB (with space for two speakers and 21-pin Digital Command Control (DCC) decoder socket, detailed cab interior, firebox glow, removable cab roof and much more. Dapol's tooling suite will also cater for alternative cab types, boilers, chimneys and more.
With CAD drawing work complete, tooling is now underway on this new 'O' gauge model, while artwork is also currently being prepared.
Prices are set at £230 DCC ready, £260 DCC fitted and £320 DCC sound-fitted. An anticipated delivery date has yet to be set.
Visit www.dapol.co.uk for more information.
