Dapol

Dapol is a model railway manufacturer based in Chirk, Wales, producing British-outline railway models and related hobby products. The name combines the first names of founders David and Pauline Boyle. The business emerged from the Boyle family's earlier involvement with Highfield Birds & Models and entered the model railway market during a period of substantial change in the British toy and hobby sector. The Dapol brand first appeared in a Railway Modeller advertisement in September 1983. Its initial railway products were OO-gauge wagons, announced for release in November of that year. From March 1984, the company also made former Airfix railway kits available, giving the new brand an established range of plastic railway models alongside its own products. Dapol expanded rapidly through acquisitions and reissues. It obtained stocks of Matchbox's Powertrack slot-car system after Matchbox left that market and reissued the products through a subsidiary called CounterLane Limited. In 1985, Dapol acquired the Mainline model railway ranges from Palitoy, including the former Airfix railway interests. It subsequently acquired the former Trix and British Liliput range in the late 1980s and also took on the Model-Land building range. Dapol's own OO-gauge locomotive development included the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Pug 0-4-0ST, the Austerity 0-6-0ST and the Great Western Railway County 4-6-0, developed during 1984 and 1985. The company later introduced a model of the LB&SCR Terrier, displayed in its 1988 catalogue after being announced at the 1987 Toy Fair. These products helped establish Dapol not merely as a reissue house but as a developer of original British railway models. The company has also produced O-gauge locomotives and rolling stock, including an Austerity J94 and a Great Western Railway Toad Brake Van. A major disruption occurred in 1994, when a fire destroyed Dapol's former Winsford, Cheshire site while the company was moving to Llangollen in North Wales. The fire destroyed substantial quantities of products and historical Wrenn material. In 1996, Dapol sold many of the inherited model railway lines to Hornby, narrowing the range of acquired products while continuing its own model railway activities. Dapol remains associated with the British model railway market and with detailed representations of historic British railway equipment. Its range spans locomotives, wagons, coaches, railway kits, buildings and accessories, with particular relevance to OO and O gauge layouts. In April 2025, the company announced that it would suspend orders from the United States until further notice, indicating a temporary restriction on one international sales channel. Publicly available reference material does not establish detailed current ownership, financial performance, executive leadership or a definitive official website address.

Dapol developed from David and Pauline Boyle's earlier involvement with Highfield Birds & Models. The founders created the Dapol name from their first names and introduced it to the model railway market in the early 1980s. The brand was first publicly used in a Railway Modeller advertisement in September 1983, followed by the announcement of its first OO-gauge wagons, scheduled to become available in November of the same year. The company's initial expansion was built partly on acquiring and reissuing existing hobby ranges. In 1982, after Matchbox exited the slot-car market, Dapol acquired stocks of the Powertrack system. It established CounterLane Limited as a subsidiary and marketed the Powertrack products in packaging visually related to its model railway products. In 1984, former Airfix railway kits became available through Dapol. The following year, Dapol successfully acquired the Mainline railway ranges from Palitoy, thereby obtaining the former Airfix model railway ranges as well. Dapol also began developing its own OO-gauge locomotives. Among its early original designs were models of the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Pug 0-4-0ST, the Austerity 0-6-0ST and the Great Western Railway County 4-6-0. These were developed during 1984 and 1985. A model of the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway Terrier was announced at the 1987 Toy Fair and appeared in the company's 1988 catalogue. This progression from inherited ranges to original models strengthened Dapol's identity as an independent manufacturer rather than solely a reissue business. In the late 1980s, Dapol continued to enlarge its portfolio. A February 1989 report in Railway Modeller stated that the company had acquired the former Trix and British Liliput range from Ernest Rosza. The 1989 Dapol catalogue also showed the acquisition of the Model-Land building range. These transactions gave Dapol a broad collection of locomotives, rolling stock, kits and buildings serving the British model railway hobby. The business experienced a serious setback in 1994. During its move to Llangollen in North Wales, a fire destroyed the former site at Winsford in Cheshire. The incident destroyed large quantities of products as well as historical Wrenn material. Dapol later sold many of its inherited model railway lines to Hornby in 1996. This reduced the amount of legacy inventory associated with the company, while Dapol continued to develop and sell model railway products under its own name. Dapol's range has included both OO and O gauge. In OO, its products have included British-outline locomotives, wagons and other rolling stock, while its O-gauge output has included an Austerity J94 and a Great Western Railway Toad Brake Van. The company is based in Chirk, Wales, and remains identified with the manufacture of detailed British railway models. In April 2025, it announced a temporary suspension of all orders from the United States. The available reference material does not provide verified details about current directors, ownership, financial results or the company's official web address.

1. 2025United States orders suspended

   Dapol announced that it would suspend all orders from the United States until further notice.

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2. 1996Inherited ranges sold to Hornby

   Dapol sold many of its inherited model railway lines to Hornby.

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3. 1994Winsford site destroyed by fire

   A fire destroyed Dapol's former Winsford site during the company's move to Llangollen, destroying products and historical Wrenn material.

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4. 1989Trix, British Liliput and Model-Land ranges added

   Dapol acquired the former Trix and British Liliput range, and its catalogue also recorded the acquisition of the Model-Land building range.

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5. 1987Terrier model announced

   Dapol announced an LB&SCR Terrier model at the 1987 Toy Fair.

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6. 1985Mainline and former Airfix ranges acquired

   Dapol acquired the Mainline model railway ranges from Palitoy, including the former Airfix railway interests.

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7. 1984Former Airfix railway kits become available

   Dapol began making former Airfix railway kits available from March, broadening its offering beyond newly announced wagons.

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8. 1983Dapol brand introduced

   The Dapol name first appeared in a Railway Modeller advertisement in September, and the company's first OO-gauge wagons were announced for release later that year.

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9. 1982Powertrack stock acquired

   After Matchbox left the slot-car market, Dapol acquired stocks of the Powertrack system and reissued them through CounterLane Limited.

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A specialist British model railway manufacturer focused on British-outline locomotives, rolling stock, kits and layout components, with an emphasis on historically recognisable railway subjects and established OO- and O-gauge formats.

• OO-gauge locomotivesModel railway locomotives1984

  Dapol's OO-gauge locomotive range represents British railway prototypes and includes both historically inherited subjects and designs originated by Dapol. Early original models included the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway Pug 0-4-0ST, Austerity 0-6-0ST, Great Western Railway County 4-6-0 and the LB&SCR Terrier.

• OO-gauge wagons and rolling stockModel railway rolling stock1983

  OO-gauge wagons were among the first products announced under the Dapol name in 1983. The broader rolling-stock range serves layouts based on British railway practice and forms a core part of the company's model railway offering.

• O-gauge locomotives and rolling stockModel railway locomotives and rolling stock

  Dapol has produced larger-scale O-gauge railway products, including an Austerity J94 locomotive and a Great Western Railway Toad Brake Van. These products extend the brand beyond its historically important OO-gauge range.

• Former Airfix railway kitsPlastic model railway kits1984

  Dapol made former Airfix railway kits available from 1984 after obtaining the relevant range. The kits complemented ready-to-run locomotives and rolling stock by allowing hobbyists to construct railway structures and related components.

• Model-Land building rangeModel railway buildings1989

  The Model-Land building range was recorded in Dapol's 1989 catalogue as an acquired product line, adding structures and scenic components to the company's wider model railway portfolio.

• 2025Suspension of United States ordersStrategy

  Dapol announced in April 2025 that it would stop accepting orders from the United States until further notice.

  What changed. The company temporarily suspended all orders from United States customers.

  Aftermath. The available reference material does not state when United States ordering would resume or identify the reason for the suspension.

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• 2025Dapol suspends orders from the United States

  Dapol announced in April 2025 that it would suspend all orders from the United States until further notice. The available reference does not specify the operational or commercial reasons for the decision.

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1. Dapol