Bachmann have released images of decorated samples for the much anticipated brand new range of Bulleid 64ft coaches. It is good to see further progress in the development of these coaches, I have spotted the lack of set numbers on some of the examples and this will be reported back to Bachmann. [update] The RRP will be £74.95 each.
The tooling suite allows for a multitude of correct variations to suit the not only the coaches as introduced but modifications throughout their lifetime.
- Window Ventilators: original 10 inch vents or later 15 inch vents (plus the corresponding toilet window ventilators – original horizontal-opening vents or later vertical-opening)
- Bodysides: As-built or with later reinforcing strips added
- Braking System: Original single vacuum cylinder or twin cylinder system
- Battery Boxes: Multiple positions and Bulleid or BR Mk1 type
- Dynamo: Bulleid or BR Mk1 type
- Footboards and bogie footsteps: Multiple lengths and positions
- Guard’s Handrails: Two or One / Short or Long
- Water tanks: Long and short and central tanks
- The correct style of end handrails / water tank filler pipes as appropriate
The four body toolings in the initial release will include: Semi Open Brake Third (BTK) to Diagram 2123, Corridor Composite (CK) to Diagram 2318, Brake Composite (BCK) to Diagram 2405 and Corridor Third (TK) to Diagram 2019.
This will allow number of possible correct set combinations and liveries, with the potential for after the initial releases, versions to be released in the future in different livery and era specific detailing options.
- 3 coach ‘L’ set 790 (BTK-CK-BTK) from range 770-793 with 10″ window vents in Southern Malachite introduced 1946
- 5 coach ‘H’ set (BTK-TK-CK-TK-BTK) 847 from range 830 -849 with 15″ window vents in BR Crimson and Cream introduced in 1950. These sets often also ran as 3 coach ‘L’ sets (often a winter formation) minus the two TKs’
- 2 coach ‘R’ set (BTK-BCK) 69 from range 63 – 75 with 10″ window vents in BR Green livery (a much better rendition of the colour by Bachmann, that I understand will become their new standard for their BR(s) green) with side strengthening ribs
The individual coach initial releases are as follows:
- 34-725 Bulleid Semi-Open Brake Third Dia 2123 (10″ Vents) in Southern Railway Malachite Green No. 4341
- 34-725A Bulleid Semi-Open Brake Third Dia 2123 (10″ Vents) in Southern Railway Malachite Green No. 4342
- 34-750 Bulleid Corridor Composite Dia 2318 (10″ Vents) in Southern Railway Malachite Green No. 5771
34-725/725A/750 will make set 790 - 34-775 Bulleid Corridor Third Dia 2019 (10″ Vents) in Malachite Green but with BR “S” prefixes as delivered in late 1948, this coach is a ‘loose’ coach that would be added to strengthen sets. No. s1935 [updated]
- 34-726 Bulleid Semi-Open Brake Third Dia 2123 (10″ Vents) in BR (SR) Green No. S4377S
- 34-800 Bulleid Brake Composite Dia 2405 (10″ Vents) in BR (SR) Green No.S6706S
34-726/800 will make set 69 - 34-727 Bulleid Semi-Open Brake Third Dia 2123 (15″ Vents) in BR Crimson & Cream No. S4005S
- 34-727A Bulleid Semi-Open Brake Third Dia 2123 (15″ Vents) in BR Crimson & Cream No. S4006S
- 34-751 Bulleid Corridor Composite Dia 2318 (15″ Vents) in BR Crimson & Cream No. S5865S
- 34-776 Bulleid Corridor Third Dia 2019 (15″ Vents) in BR Crimson & Cream No. S75S
- 34-776A Bulleid Corridor Third Dia 2019 (15″ Vents) in BR Crimson & Cream No. S76S
34-727/727A/751/776/776A will make set 847
Further information can be found on the Bachmann website here. The images are courtesy of Bachmann Europe plc.
I am certainly looking forward to these arriving with retailers, such as Kernow Model Rail Centre, later this year in the Autumn, having already had a chance to review in person the initial Engineering prototypes, I know it will be well worth the wait.
It would be ungrateful to say about time too! Glad they are coming over the horizon.
34-726/800 will make set 69
Will the models be appropriately numbered on the ends?
Hi Mike,
As per my opening paragraph this has been reported back to Bachmann that that they appear missing on some of the brake ends, they should be there.
I have placed the histories of these coaching sets on BloodandCustard
https://www.bloodandcustard.com/SR-CoachingSets-BulleidLSets830_849.html
https://www.bloodandcustard.com/SR-CoachingSets-BulleidLSets770_793.html
https://www.bloodandcustard.com/SR-CoachingSets-WoERSets2Cor.html
Hi Colin,
Thank as always, I’ve included links within the post.
Graham,
Apologies – with my declining eyesight I missed the subtle links!
Orders already placed with TMC including a renumbered CLC set!
Kind regards, Colin
Hi Colin,
To be fair to your eye sight I had only just included your links in the post!
Graham,
I presume Bachmann haven’t yet released the coach number for 34-775 Bulleid Corridor Third Dia 2019 (10″ Vents) in Malachite Green?
Kind regards, Colin
Hi Colin,
My apologies I forgot to advise that the number will be s1935.
TK 1935 was new from Eastleigh in Malachite 22nd October 1948 and was outshopped in BR(S) Green from Lancing 27th April 1959. Like many of this particular build it did not receive CLC livery.
Regarding Bachmann’s first Bulleid coach models I’ve just recalled this informative webpage from 2004 written by a well-known modeller…
https://sremg.org.uk/model/bach-bull_01.html
It would great if Bachmann would box and sell them as a set as an option, as well as loose, so much easier than looking up running numbers and the SeMG coach list to ensure the model you buy is compatible with that set number
Hi Paul,
I can’t see Bachmann selling them as a boxed set due to the perceived cost, at least the individual coaches will be correctly numbered to make up accurate sets.
My post has detailed the correct set options for these in the same way have done in the past for the Hornby Bulleid coaches.
“Perceived cost” ? With the certainty of selling three or four at a time, they should be looking to ‘perceived profit’. One can buy almost anything individually, yet ‘train sets’ are still marketed. No ‘joined-up thinking’ maybe?
Loose coaches will sell anyway, especially if of appropriately different running numbers in [perhaps] limited numbers.
These things will ‘sell like hot cakes’ and can be priced accordingly.
I think [as an accountant] that somebody is missing a trick here . . . . and we have yet to talk about re-liveried stock transferred to other regions.
There will always be those moaning about price,
but set the price as vfm and all will sell . . .
I meant cost to the buyer, those that can will by all the individual coaches they want, but some would bulk at buying a 5 or even 3 coach set at once as a set due to the cost and be happy to run a couple of coaches to start with and perhaps add to them later. This was evident with the birdcage 3 coach sets and the buying patterns for individual coaches at the time.
I can see your argument, although “a couple of coaches to start with and perhaps add to them later” may prove to be an expensive error.
Can anyone find LMS diesels 10000/10001 in the shops now, let alone at discount prices, which KMRC will offer at the start for these coaches?
This stock ran all over the Southern Region; birdcage stock didn’t, and appealed to fewer, specialised modellers I suspect [although I have one].
From the manufacturer’s and retailers’ point of view, greater volume means more profits from specific production runs, quantity vs selling price.
One must presume that they know their trade-off numbers and will get it right on the night.
In time, if you haven’t already got what you want, you’ll probably never get it, at a reasonable price anyway. Sufficient disappointed modellers may provoke another production run, but only with a good prospect of enough sales to justify, at higher prices as well.
It will be interesting to see what happens; watch this space?
PS I’m a modeller, collector and accountant . . .
Hi Graham.
I notice Bachmann have persisted with their oversized rivets around the window tops / sliding vents, even the 10″ ones. Hardly noticeable on the prototype.
Regards, Frank.
They’re not rivets on the originals, but round headed screws. But yes, Frank, you are right they are hardly noticeable on the originals.
You can see them in Dave Clarke’s photo here:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/extension3363/40492384893/in/album-72157626601424746/
But not in my one here:
https://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/bulleid/5768_ras1381_27apr19h.jpg
(probably because Dave’s get a much better camera!)
Just noticed that Bachmann’s web site has rather strange numbers for the SR-liveried brakes:
https://www.bachmann.co.uk/product/category/154/sr-bulleid-brake-third-semi-open-10%27%27-vents-sr-malachite-green/34-725
https://www.bachmann.co.uk/product/category/154/sr-bulleid-brake-third-semi-open-10%27%27-vents-sr-malachite-green/34-725a
They claim on there that they’re numbered as 3993 and 3994, which were built in April 1950 and had deep vents!
However, their image does have Set “790” on the end which is correct for the numbers you have here (but not their illustration)!