4mm RTR locos

Dapol 517 and 48xx

Another 48xx/14xx is perhaps not surprising, but a 517 is both unexpected and brave. Dapol has taken up the challenge. Further details here (for 517) and here (for 48xx/14xx).
(image courtesy Dapol)

 

Accurascale GWR pannier family

Accurascale has announced a 57xx/8750 Pannier family, with a full range of variations and liveries. Expected, hopefully, Q1 2025. Further details.    (image courtesy Accurascale)

 

Accurascale Manor 7801

Accurascale has set a new RTR quality bar with its Manor

 

Dapol Prairie from the 2nd series

Dapol is soon to release a second series of large Prairies featuring straight-drop front frames and different cab roof profiles. Further details.


This list shows most GWR 4mm ready-to-run locos produced since the 1970s. The list is arranged by year of introduction on the GWR, and indicates current and previous manufacturers, although this has been simplified.

The list also indicates whether the models have been recently marketed, i.e. within the past 8 years or so, but please note manufacturers do upgrades to body and/or chassis designs from time to time. Discontinued models are often still available secondhand, or can be purchased at shows or found on ebay. NYA = not yet available.

Golden Age Models is planning to produce OO models of Star, Castle and King locos, plus Super Saloons, Cornish Riviera Centenary and some Collett large-window Sunshine coaches.

 

Class Wheels Introduced Manufactuer Previous
manufacturer
Comments
517 0-4-2T 1870–1885 Dapol - NYA
Dean Goods 0-6-0 1883 Oxford Rail - numerous loco body accuracy issues, but 2500g tender is excellent
Dean Goods 0-6-0 1883 Hornby Airfix/Dapol/ Mainline Good body, poor chassis
Achilles 4-2-2 1894 Hornby Triang/Hornby Highly compromised, poor bogie, 2007 version fair runner
2721 0-6-0PT 1897 Hornby - Body too high and too long, inaccurate chassis
Saint 4-6-0 1902 Hornby - Wrong body dimensions
No. 101 0-4-0T 1902 Hornby - Chassis is fictional
City 4-4-0 1902 Bachmann - Good
28xx/2884 2-8-0 1903 Dapol - NYA. Details.
28xx 2-8-0 1903 Hornby - Newer revised version is good
County 38xx 4-4-0 1904 Hornby - Fair, especially body
Steam Railmotor 1905 Kernow - diagrams O & R
4400 2-6-2T 1906 Rapido - NYA
4500 2-6-2T 1906 Rapido - NYA
4500 2-6-2T 1906 Bachmann - Good
40xx (Star) 4-6-0 1907 Hornby - Good
1361 0-6-0ST 1910 Kernow - Some inaccuracies
1361 0-6-0ST 1910 Heljan - -
42xx 2-8-0T 1910 Hornby - Footplate prone to warping
Mogul 2-6-0 1911 Dapol - Available in a variety of eras and styles. Disappointing slidebars and gear ratio on the 1st batch, but these are now being revised on the 2nd batch.
43xx 2-6-0 1911 Bachmann Mainline Compromised body, reasonable running
47xx 2-8-0 1919 Heljan - -
30xx (ROD) 2-8-0 1919 Bachmann - GWR version of LNER Class 04
52xx 2-8-0T 1923 Hornby - straight footplate and raised footplate versions produced
Castle 4-6-0 1923 Hornby - The latest version, issued in 2010, is very good. (There were previous editions, see here. The last of the ex-Airfix versions was Hogwarts Castle.)
Castle 4-6-0 1923 Dapol Loco was ex-Airfix. Issued with a Hawksworth tender. No longer available
Castle 4-6-0 1923 Wrenn Hornby Dublo Poor body, fair running
Castle 4-6-0 1923 Fulgurex   Japanese brass import
56xx 0-6-2T 1924 Bachmann Mainline Good
4575 2-6-2T 1927 Rapido - NYA
4575 2-6-2T 1927 Lima - Poor, especially chassis
4575 2-6-2T 1927 Bachmann - Good
King 4-6-0 1927 Lima - Poor chassis
King 4-6-0 1927 Hornby - Latest tooling (2010) is good.
Several previous versions of lesser quality were produced at various times, including 1980 and 1978.
King 4-6-0 1927 Farish - Crude by modern standards. Thought to have originated in 1951.
King 4-6-0 1927 Fulgurex   Japanese brass import
Hall 4-6-0 1928 Hornby Triang Wrong dimensions and poor running – replaced by newer (2015) version, see below
Hall 4-6-0 1928 Hornby - Good
Hall 4-6-0 1928 Bachmann - Good
57xx/8750 0-6-0PT 1929 Accurascale - NYA. Many variations. Expected Q1 2025
57xx 0-6-0PT 1929 Bachmann Mainline/
Replica
Good body, good running
41xx/61xx 2-6-2T 1929 Hornby - new tooling 2019
41xx/51xx/61xx 2-6-2T 1929 Dapol - new tooling 2021, many different versions
Collett Goods 0-6-0 1930 Bachmann Mainline/
Replica
Reasonable body, some accuracy issues, good running. Available with various tender types.
61xx 2-6-2T 1931 Hornby Mainline/
Dapol
Good, especially body – replaced by 2019 new tooling, see above
93xx 2-6-0 1932 Bachmann - Fair
64xx 0-6-0PT 1932 Bachmann - Very good
48xx/
14xx/
58xx
0-4-2T 1932 Dapol - NYA
48xx/
14xx/
58xx
0-4-2T 1932 Hattons - Very good body, poor chassis design and performance. Post-WWII condition
48xx/14xx 0-4-2T 1932 Hornby Airfix/Dapol Reasonable body. Newer Hornby chassis is not a good runner
8750 0-6-0PT 1933 Bachmann - Very good, much detail
8750 0-6-0PT 1933 Hornby Triang Poor
72xx 2-8-2T 1934 Hornby - straight footplate and raised footplate versions produced
1366 0-6-0PT 1934 Heljan - -
Railcar
'Flying Banana'
1935 Dapol - Nos 5–16
Railcar
(Express Parcels)
1935 Dapol - No 17
Grange 4-6-0 1936 Hornby - Good
different tenders available
Dukedog 4-4-0 1936 Bachmann - Very good
Manor 4-6-0 1938 Accurascale -  
Manor 4-6-0 1938 Dapol -  
Manor 4-6-0 1938 Bachmann Mainline Poor body, reasonable running
2884 2-8-0 1938 Hornby - Good, especially running
Railcar   1940 Heljan -  
Railcar   1940 Hornby Lima Fair
Ex-LBSC/ WC&PR Terrier 0-6-0T 1940 Hornby Dapol Good
Railcar (Express Parcels)   1941 Heljan -  
Railcar (Express Parcels)   1941 Lima - Fair
Railcar
(Express Parcels)
  1941 Hornby Lima Fair
Modified Hall 4-6-0 1944 Bachmann previous version originally made by Replica retooled 2021 – good, especially running
County 10xx 4-6-0 1945 Hornby Dapol  
County 10xx 4-6-0 1945 Dapol Originally planned but never released by Airfix Single- and double-chimney versions produced. No longer available, loco body used subsequently by Hornby.
94xx 0-6-0PT 1947 Bachmann -  
94xx 0-6-0PT 1947 Lima - Poor, especially chassis
15xx
(Hawksworth)
0-6-0PT 1949 Rapido - (This is not a GWR loco in the strict sense.)
16xx 0-6-0PT 1949 Model Rail/Rapido - (This is not a GWR loco in the strict sense.)