Model Rail Magazine / Heljan to produce Class 12 (and Class 11) 350HP diesel 0-6-0 shunters

Model Rail Magazine have announced via their August 2019 issue, No. 263, that they have commissioned Danish manufacturer Heljan to produce the Class 12, 350hp diesel 0-6-0 shunters along the with the War Department, LMS / GWR Class 11 versions. Twenty six of the shunters, with English Electric 350hp engines, that became Class 12 were ordered by the Southern Railway before nationalisation but were first built at Ashford in 1949 and the order completed by 1952.

Numbered 15211-36, the Class 12 locomotives, looked very similar to the later numerous Class 08 and Class 09  and the earlier Class 11 350hp 0-6-0 shunters but had larger 4ft 6in diameter “Bulleid-Firth Brown” type wheels, the same size as used by Maunsell on his three 1937 shunters) as opposed to the 4ft 2in, normally spoked variety used on the others (Note not called ‘Boxpox’ as per the original North American style, as often incorrectly used for the Bulleid-Firth Brown type, including within the Model Rail magazine article announcing these models).

The Model Rail Class 12 version will include Bulleid-Firth Brown style wheels and the additional lamp irons / marker lights, however due to tooling limitations it may mean it will not be possible to include some of the smaller detail differences between the Class 11 and Class 12. All models will include a NEXT 18 DCC decoder socket, working head and tail lights, a stay alive capacitor and a factory fitted ‘sugar-cube’ speaker.

The Class 11s being produced first are not expected until Q1 2022 with 15 liveries available and the Class 12s the following year Q1 2023 with 5 versions available, all livery versions are limited to 300 pieces.

Class 11

• MR-501: WD green, 70271
• MR-502: Longmoor Military Railway blue, 878 Basra
• MR-503: LMS pre-war black, 7120
• MR-504: LMS post-war black, 7128
• MR-505: BR black, British Railways lettering, 12043
• MR-506: WR green, British Railways lettering, 15106
• MR-507: BR black, early emblem, 12049
• MR-508: BR black, early emblem (weathered), 12075
• MR-509: BR plain green, late crest, 12105
• MR-510: BR green, wasp stripes, 12100
• MR-511: BR green, wasp stripes, 15105
• MR-512: BR blue, D12062
• MR-513: BR blue (weathered), 12052
• MR-514: ICI grey/orange, Joule
• MR-515: NCB orange, 12099

Class 12 (with larger 4ft 6in diameter “Bulleid-Firth Brown” type wheels)

• MR-601: BR black, 15223
• MR-602: BR black, early emblem, 15235
• MR-603: BR green, wasp stripes, 15224
• MR-604: BR green, wasp stripes (weathered), 15221
• MR-605: BR blue, 15212

They will be eventually available to pre-ordered via the Model Rail webiste http://www.modelrailoffers.co.uk/ in due course.