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Dapol 4P-020-421

GWR Toplight Mainline City GWR All Brown Composite 7909 S5

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Prototype Era
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)

Manufacturer description

The first order for these coaches was placed in 1915 but, due to the First World War, they were not built until 1920. The second batch was completed in 1921. Six sets of coaches were produced with each set comprising six coaches. The coaches were close coupled and constructed with a steel body rather than the traditional wooden panelling. Due to the restrictive loading gauge of the London Underground tunnels, the carriages are 7 inches lower than other contemporary carriages of the time. This enabled them to travel directly to Aldgate and Liverpool Street, on the Metropolitan Underground system.

The coaches were originally used for commuter traffic from the likes of Reading and Windsor into the City of London. At the start of the Second World War this service was curtailed. However, after the war and into BR days the coaches could be found on services much further afield.

The coaches started to be removed from revenue-earning service in December 1956 and all gone by December 1957. There was only one significant change made to the design during the lifetime of the coaches, which was the removal of one roof ventilator from each compartment.

1n 1958, two brake third coaches and one all third coach were converted into workmen's coaches for the miners service between Glyncorrwg and North Rhondda Halt, which was a former branch line of the South Wales Mineral Railway. The main changes were the addition of an extra window in the end of the guards luggage area and a fitting of a gong to the same end of the coach. This makes coaches 3755, 3756, and 3910 the last three coaches in service. 3755 is fully preserved at Didcot Railway Centre with 3756 being partially restored.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

Dapol is set to release a new range of GWR Toplight Mainline City coaches in OO gauge. The coaches will be available in GWR brown livery and will feature accurately moulded bodies, with details such as bolection window mouldings and frosted Toplight windows.

The coaches will be highly detailed, with features such as separate metal door and commode handles, wire end handrails, and separately applied end communication details. The chassis will also be highly detailed, with vacuum tanks, battery boxes, and brake linkages accurately modelled. The bogie frames will be made from diecast metal, with split axles for electrical pick-up.

The coaches will be available in all third, composite, and brake third configurations, allowing modellers to create a variety of different sets. Each coach will be equipped with a kinematic coupling system, allowing for close coupling and smooth running on R2 radius curves. The coaches will also feature sprung metal buffers, internal lighting, and a directional tail lamp.

The Dapol GWR Toplight Mainline City coaches are designed to represent a specific period in railway history, with the first coaches being built in 1920 and 1921. The coaches were originally used for commuter traffic on the Metropolitan Underground system, but later saw service on other routes during the BR era. The coaches were eventually withdrawn from service in the late 1950s, with some being converted for use as workmen's coaches on a former branch line in South Wales.

The coaches will be available in DCC-compatible form, with a six-pin decoder such as the Dapol Imperium Four being recommended. The coaches will also be available in non-DCC form, allowing modellers to choose their preferred method of control. Overall, the Dapol GWR Toplight Mainline City coaches promise to be highly accurate and highly detailed models of a classic British railway design.