2S-034-005S Dapol West Country ‘Watersmeet’ 34030

New release - expected 3rd Quarter 2025 - pre-orders invited preauthkernow

The Southern Region West Country and Battle of Britain classes with their 4-6-2 wheel arrangement were also known as Light Pacifics or informally as Spam Cans due to their unorthodox appearance. The class was designed by Oliver Bulleid and developed to be cheaper and easier to build using much of the innovations developed during wartime.

The Battle of Britain Class and its sister, the Merchant Navy Class were the first to use welded steel in the manufacture of many key components, which reduced weight and building time. In all 110 were built between 1945 and 1950 and continued into service until the end of the steam era on the Southern Region in 1967. Due to some initial design limitations, fifty of the class were rebuilt during the late 1950s, after which they resembled the rebuilt Merchant Navy Class. Twenty of the class survive into preservation.

Dapol say "We will initially be modelling the as originally built locomotive, the rebuilt variant will follow in a later run. Our first Next Generation Steam model, with entirely re-designed chassis and electronics. This model will also incorporate our new locomotive mounted motor offering excellent slow running and exceptional pulling power with reliability and robustness."

The Dapol Battle of Britain / West Country will feature:

• Powerful new coreless motor mounted in the locomotive boiler
• Robust locomotive to tender connection with electrical pick up from all locomotive driving wheels and tender wheels
• Heavy diecast chassis with weight balanced low down and over the driving wheels offering superb traction and pulling power
• The overall weight of the loco and tender is 102g. The loco without tender is 81g
• Highly detailed injection moulded locomotive and tender body with exquisite plate and rivet detail accurately recreated
• Partial chassis compensation for smooth running and to aid electrical pick up
• Many prototype specific details including three cab types, two tender versions, long and short smoke deflectors
• Superb dicast wheels
• Firebox glow effect
• Standard NEM fitting N Gauge couplers
• Printed name plates
• Accessory bag with etched nameplates and detailed buffer beam fittings