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Dapol announce GWR Toplight Mainline and City non-Corridor Coaches in 00 gauge.

Contributed by: Graham Muspratt

2 Feb 2022 00:00am

Dapol have announced that they are to produce the much requested GWR Toplight Coaches in 00 Gauge, starting with the Mainline and Coty non-corridor versions.

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 a 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 World War 2 this service was curtailed. However, after the Second World 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 had been removed 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, this 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.

Dapol will be producing an all third (Diagram C37), Composite (Diagram E101) and brake third (Diagram D62) coaches, these GWR Toplight Mainline City coaches will have the following features and details:
• Injection moulded body with bolection window mouldings and frosted Toplight windows
• Separate metal door and commode handles
• Wire end hand rails and separately applied end communication details

• Correct number of roof ventilators depending on the prototypical period being modelled
• Highly detailed chassis with vacuum tanks, battery boxes and brake linkages all to a high degree of fidelity

• 9ft bogie bolster with dicast side frames and split axles for electrical pick up
• Highly detailed interior with period specific decorations being applied

As well as aesthetic details the coaches will includes the following technical specification:
• Kinematic couplings with NEM pockets including special coupling bar to give close coupling
• Coaches are capable of negotiating R2 radius curves
• Sprung metal buffers
• Internal lighting and directional tail lamp. Can be optionally DCC fitted with a six pin decoder such as the Dapol Imperium Four.
• Heavy Diecast chassis

The proposed initial versions being produced are as follows:
4P-020-001 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Crimson Third Brake 3747 Set 1
4P-020-002 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Crimson Third Brake 3748 Set 1
4P-020-011 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Crimson All Third 3901 Set 1
4P-020-012 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Crimson All Third 3902 Set 1
4P-020-021 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Crimson Composite 7901 Set 1
4P-020-022 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Crimson Composite 7902 Set 1
4P-020-101 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Chocolate & Cream 3rd Brake 3749 Set 2
4P-020-102 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Chocolate & Cream 3rd Brake 3750 Set 2
4P-020-111 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Chocolate & Cream All Third 3903 Set 2
4P-020-112 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Chocolate & Cream All Third 3904 Set 2
4P-020-121 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Chocolate & Cream Composite 7903 Set 2
4P-020-122 GWR Toplight M/Line City Lined Chocolate & Cream Composite 7904 Set 2
4P-020-201 GWR Toplight M/Line City Twin Shield Chocolate & Cream 3rd Brake 3751 Set 3
4P-020-202 GWR Toplight M/Line City Twin Shield Chocolate & Cream 3rd Brake 3752 Set 3
4P-020-211 GWR Toplight M/Line City Twin Shield Chocolate & Cream All 3rd 3905 Set 3
4P-020-212 GWR Toplight M/Line City Twin Shield Chocolate & Cream All 3rd 3906 Set 3
4P-020-221 GWR Toplight M/Line City Twin Shield Chocolate & Cream Composite 7905 Set 3
4P-020-222 GWR Toplight M/Line City Twin Shield Chocolate & Cream Composite 7906 Set 3
4P-020-301 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR Shirtbutton Third Brake 3753 Set 4
4P-020-302 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR Shirtbutton Third Brake 3754 Set 4
4P-020-311 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR Shirtbutton All Third 3907 Set 4
4P-020-312 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR Shirtbutton All Third 3908 Set 4
4P-020-321 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR Shirtbutton Composite 7907 Set 4
4P-020-322 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR Shirtbutton Composite 7908 Set 4
4P-020-401 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR All Brown Third Brake 3755 Set 5
4P-020-402 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR All Brown Third Brake 3756 Set 5
4P-020-411 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR All Brown All Third 3909 Set 5
4P-020-412 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR All Brown All Third 3910 Set 5
4P-020-421 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR All Brown Composite 7909 Set 5
4P-020-422 GWR Toplight M/Line City GWR All Brown Composite 7910 Set 5
4P-020-501 GWR Toplight M/Line City BR Maroon Second Brake 3757 Set 6
4P-020-502 GWR Toplight M/Line City BR Maroon Second Brake 3758 Set 6
4P-020-511 GWR Toplight M/Line City BR Maroon All Second 3911 Set 6
4P-020-512 GWR Toplight M/Line City BR Maroon All Second 3912 Set 6
4P-020-521 GWR Toplight M/Line City BR Maroon Composite 7911 Set 6
4P-020-522 GWR Toplight M/Line City BR Maroon Composite 7912 Set 6
You can pre-order the Dapol GWR Toplight coaches, due Q3 / Q4 2022, in 00 gauge here>>>


Dapol have received the Engineering Prototype (EP) models, as pictured above, and are in the process of reviewing these. Artworks are being generate and will be reviewed due course.

Dapol expect to receive decorated samples for the first three liveries Q2 2022 and production for these to be completed towards the end of Q3 2022. There is a planned three month gap between the first and second phases of production and Dapol anticipate all production to be completed by the end of the year.

Phase one of production will comprise coach sets one, three and six, the second phase of production will see coach sets two, four and five being produced.

Dapol further advise that Toplight Corridor coaches are currently in design and will provide details later in the year.

Note: the images are Engineering prototypes and do not yet show all the intended details.

Subject to alteration.

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