Both Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd and the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway (GWSR) have received significant donations from British model railway manufacturer Dapol following its release of a model of GWR Manor Class No. 7820 Dinmore Manor.

Last Wednesday, 19th January, at Toddington station, Joel Bright, managing director and Richard Webster, head of product development of Dapol Model Railway Company, presented a cheque for £12,500 to Kenneth Sims, Chairman of Dinmore Manor Locomotive Ltd, and a cheque for £10,000 to to Richard Winstanley, Finance Director of Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway Plc.

Dapol has limited production to just 500 examples of a magnificent ‘00′ gauge limited-edition model of Dinmore Manor, and is finished in British Railways lined black, the same livery it carried when built at Swindon in 1950. The model comes in a number of options, including one with a sound card that reproduces the sounds made by the real locomotive and was recorded on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway of the sounds made by the real locomotive, DCC ready, and DCC fitted without sound.

Only a few of the models are left and can be purchased from the Dapol online shop at https://www.dapol.co.uk/collections/steam-locomotives-2?q=Dinmore+Manor/ or by telephone 01691 774 455.

Dinmore Manor arrived at Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway in 2014 and has been a popular and reliable member of the locomotive fleet ever since. Manor Class locomotives were associated with the challenging Cambrian coast route from Shrewsbury hauling express trains such as the Cambrian Coast Express to Welsh resorts. Since being rescued from a scrapyard and restored to service, Dinmore Manor has also visited a number of other heritage railways across the UK.

Joel Bright, managing director of Dapol said: “Dapol has been proud to be involved with this exciting project and we have enjoyed working closely with the GWSR to produce this outstanding model.

“I hope that our donations will contribute to the success of both the locomotive group and the railway.

“The reputation of our company has certainly been enhanced by this project and I hope that we can cooperate in other projects in future.”

Kenneth Sims, in thanking Dapol for their generosity, added: “I’m thrilled that this cooperation has been a commercial success for Dapol and that so many people share our enthusiasm for Dinmore Manor by buying examples of this quite superbly detailed model.

“This generous contribution is likely to go towards completing the restoration of our other locomotive, heavy freight 2-8-0 no. 3850, work on which has been progressing well,” he added.

Richard Winstanley added: “I am thrilled to receive this wonderful contribution towards the continuing development of our railway. Dinmore Manor is a wonderful locomotive and I’m deeply grateful for the fruitful way that this imaginative relationship has benefited Dapol, Dinmore Manor, and the GWSR.”

Kenneth Sims added: “That popularity has now been cemented by Dapol’s magnificent model which will enhance model railway layouts across the UK.”

This year’s services on the Gloucestershire Warwickshire Steam Railway resume on Saturday, 4th March.