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Dapol 4S-018-009D

B4 0-4-0T 87 Southern Wartime Black (DCC-Fitted)

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

Prototype Eras
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest

Manufacturer description

The London and South Western Railway B4 class was a class of 0-4-0 tank engines originally designed for station piloting and dock shunting. They were later used extensively in Southampton Docks for nearly half a century.

The locomotives were designed by the London and South Western Railway (LSWR) Locomotive Superintendent William Adams. They were unusual in having inside Stephenson valve gear but outside cylinders and coal bunkers on the footplate inside the cab. The class were originally built with Adams's design of stovepipe chimney, although these were later replaced by a lipped version, as on our model, designed by Adams' successor, Dugald Drummond. Our model is an example with an original cab, but some examples also had cut away cabs to improve visibility. They were designed for shunting in locations with a sharp curves, such as the dockyard at Devonport and as pilots at the major stations.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

^* Class names often change over the lifespan of a locomotive, so this is not necessarily the class name used by the operator in the period modelled.

The Dapol OO gauge Southern Black 0-4-0 Tank Locomotive is a model of the London & South Western Railway's Class B4 locomotive, number 87. The model is fitted with DCC and features a pristine finish in black livery.

The model measures 99mm in length, 34mm in width, and 48mm in height, with a minimum radius curve of 371mm. It has all-wheel pick up and drive, with NEM couplings and a coreless motor for smooth operation.

This model represents the Southern Railway period, during the Big Four era. The Class B4 locomotive was designed by William Adams and built between 1891 and 1908, with a total of 25 produced. The locomotives were used for goods yards and lines with sharp curves, with some being transferred to the Southampton docks.

The model comes with finely moulded body parts, a cast wheel in the correct colour, and a spares bag with additional detailing parts. The locomotive's history includes a transfer to the Southampton docks, where some were modified for improved visibility, and later being taken into British Railways stock in 1948.