We're proud to reveal the next release in our EXCLUSIVE Dapol Black Label Range - the iconic SR Bulleid 'Light Pacific' (Battle of Britain and West Country) Class 4-6-2 Steam Locomotives in OO Gauge!
We have recently received decorated samples of the entire range and while these are early samples for the design team to review, we are very pleased with how these are shaping up and we're sure you'll agree that they look absolutely stunning.
These all new models are the most advanced 'Light Pacifics' ever including pre-fitted DCC Sound and Steam Generator features, full diecast construction, working front lamps and headcodes (with user configurable destinations), firebox glow effect and so much more. These models have been immensely popular and pre-ordering is highly recommended!
We currently expect these models to arrive during Q3 2026! Please note - the nameplates and crests will be pre-fitted etched on production models, and will NOT be printed.
PROJECT UPDATE - 03/02/26
Dapol have just shared an updated engineering sample for this model with us, which addresses the slight panel gaps present on the original decorated samples as well as some other refinements. Following Chinese New Year we'll be able to share some updated decorated samples for the entire range too!
We thought this was a great opportunity to show you the sheer amount of tooling variations present on the models - making this the most detailed and accurate Light Pacific ever made!
Cab Variations
- Cab – Narrow Flat Fronted (8’ 6”) 2 Windows
- Cab – Narrow Wedge (8’ 6”) 2 Windows (164 & 165 Only)
- Cab – Narrow Flat Fronted (8’ 6”) 2 Windows
- Cab – Narrow Wedge (8’ 6”) 2 Windows (164 & 165 Only)
- Cab – Narrow Wedge (8’ 6”) 3 Windows
Smokebox Variations
- Smokebox – Southern Roundel
- Smokebox – Cast BR Number
- BR Shed Plate
- Smokebox - Top Lamp Iron – High
- Smokebox - Top Lamp Iron – Low
- Front Middle Cylinder Access Panel – Small
- Front Middle Cylinder Access Panel – Large
- Smoke Deflectors – Short (Flat)
- Smoke Deflectors – Standard Length (Slight Curve)
- Smoke Deflectors – Standard Length (Curved)
- Smoke Deflector Front Strengthening Brackets
- Smokebox Strengthening Strips
- Devon Belle Smoke Deflector Batten
Underframe/ Wheel Variations
- Bogie – Light Pacific Style (Adjuster with 4 Nuts Diagonal)
- Bogie Wheels – Solid Axles
- Bogie Wheels – Hollow Axles
- Cylinder Fairing
- Slidebar Brackets – Fabricated (Oil Tray at Rear)
- Slidebar Brackets – Cast (Oil Tray on Side)
- Slidebar Cover
- Front Sanding and Front Sand Filler Door
- Crankpin & Rod Fastnings – SR (Curl)
- Crankpin & Rod Fastnings – BR (4 Studs & Nuts)
- Reversed Rods
- One Piece Piston Rod
- Two Piece Piston Rod (BR Rebuilt version)
- Speedo
Locomotive Top Variations
- Chimney Fairing
- Safety Valves – 3 Front
- Safety Valves – 2 Back
- Firebox Top Front Washout Plugs – 1 Left & 1 Right
- Firebox Top Front Washout Plugs – 1 Right
- Front Washout Plugs With Sliding Doors
- Top Casing Valve Hatches – Lifting
- Top Casing Valve Hatches – Sliding
- Straps Added to Roof Ventilator
Bufferbeam/ Front Variations
- Locomotive Buffers – SR Stepped
- Locomotive Buffers – LMS Parallel
- AWS Battery – Lower Middle Lamp Iron Moved Up
- Revised Conduit Run to Bottom Route Lamps
Tender Variations
- Narrow (8’ 6”) 4,500 Gallon High-sided
- Narrow (8’ 6”) 4,500 Gallon Cut-down
- Tender Buffers – SR Stepped
- Tender Buffers – LMS Parallel
- Water Treatment – TIA
- Water Treatment – BR Briquette
- Tender Coupling Light
- Ladder Styles – Round
- Ladder Styles – ‘Square’
- BR Water Level Indicator
Pre-Order Your Light Pacific Now:
Watch our Launch Video
Product Features
Fully diecast body, tender and chassis - with very heavy weight
Dapol's innovative loco-to-tender simple coupling system
Powerful 5-pole skew-wound motor with flywheel
Loco driving wheel and tender wheel pickups
Intricate bodyshell, tender and cab interior detail with many separate parts
Working front lamps with 15 destination route options (including 1 user configurable mode)
Dynamic Firebox Flicker effect that responds to operating conditions
Hi-fidelity sound project recorded (Chuff sounds even operate in DC mode)
User-configurable RealDrive with working brake for prototypical driving experience
Twin speakers (one in locomotive and one in tender)
Steam generator system pre-fitted (controlled via the decoder)
Many accurate tooling variations included:
Three cab variations
Two smoke deflectors
Two safety valve positions
Two Buffer types for locomotive and tender
AWS Battery on selected versions
Golden Arrow brackets – where appropriate
Smoke box Roundel – where appropriate
Two types of top casing valve hatches
High sided and cut-down 4,500-gallon tenders
Tender water treatment details
Two tender ladder styles
Prototype Information
Created at the height of the Second World War, Bulleid’s ‘Light Pacific’ was a locomotive designed to fulfil a variety of roles on almost the entirety of the Southern Railway’s network. Whilst taking many design elements from the ‘Merchant Navy’ class, Bulleid’s new design had to be both lighter and smaller to be able to access the lighter laid lines in Devon, Cornwall and towards the Kent Coast, but also be capable of handling faster passenger and freight traffic, and needed the power to match.
The first locomotives entered service in 1945, quickly becoming known as ‘Spam Cans’ due to their air-smoothed casing. The first forty-eight were named after towns and villages in the West of England served by the SR, with cast nameplates and crests adorning the bodysides. As further locomotives were built and spread further across the network, the remaining locomotives built by the SR commemorated RAF squadrons, airfields, commanders and aircraft that had participated in the Battle of Britain over Kent, Surrey and Sussex.
Further locomotives built after nationalisation until 1951 resulted in a final total of 110 of the ‘West Country / Battle of Britain’ class (as they were now known) in service. Despite a lot of success in operation on a cash-strapped post-war railway, some elements of Bulleid’s innovative design proved problematic and sixty of the locomotives were rebuilt by British Railways between 1957 and 1961. Fifty of the locomotives retained their original configuration for their entire lives.
With the ongoing electrification of larger parts of the Southern Region, the days were numbered for steam locomotive operation, but it is testament to Bulleid’s design that 37 of his Light Pacifics made it into the final year of steam operation (on the SR) in 1967. The class has proven equally popular in preservation, with no less than twenty remaining. Half of these in original ‘air smoothed’ condition as per our model including 34051 ‘Winston Churchill’ which takes pride of place in the National Collection.