Bachmann Europe have announced a change to their new product announcements and produced a new catalogue encompassing all their British Outline brands / scales including: Branchline, Graham Farish, Narrow Gauge, Scenecraft and other complimentary products; called “The Combined Volume” a term which I am sure will be familiar to those who were trainspotters in their younger days.
This new Combined Volume illustrates ongoing items that are available to purchase, or have been included within previous catalogues for delivery at a future date. It does not include any new re-liveries (announced today) or new tooling products.
We have come to expect new tooling announcements from a number of manufacturers during the first couple of months of each year with some having been criticised in the past for the length of time between announcements and the products being released. Some of you might have been expecting a post regarding new product tooling announcements today.
Bachmann’s Managing Director; David Haarhaus explains about their ‘new era’: “In response to customer and consumer feedback, we have taken steps to reduce the lead time between the announcement and release of new products. Working with our colleagues at Kadar, real progress has been made in the latter half of 2019 to release many of the outstanding items announced several years ago. Last year 13 new tooling products were released, plus more that 200 re-liveried or modified models.” David continued that in appreciating the support of and benefits to members of their Collectors Club: “Each issue of the club’s Bachmann Times magazine will feature a new product brochure, highlighting completely new items to be released during the following three months. New tooling announcements will no longer be illustrated by black and white photographs of the original prototype, replaced instead by pictures of our actual models.”
New livery items
As Bachmann continue to deliver the models previously announced it does mean that fewer items and no new tooling announcements are being being made at this moment in time, but that this will clear the path for new models to be revealed later in the year. However the SR related new 00 livery items, out of a total of 20, announced today and due to arrive this spring, within the next three months, are as follows:
31-464A – ex SECR C Class 0-6-0 No. 1573 in post 1931 SR Lined Black livery
39-600A – SECR 60ft Birdcage Brake Composite Lavatory No. 1157, Set 143 in SECR Dark Lake livery
39-610A – SECR 60ft Birdcage Composite Lavatory No. 1150, Set 143 in SECR Dark Lake livery
39-620A – SECR 60ft Birdcage Brake Third No. 1164, Set 143 in SECR Dark Lake livery,
Also announced within the Scenecraft range are the suite of Bluebell buildings in either Crimson and Cream or Green and Cream including: Booking office, station canopy, Waiting room and toilet, and office and store room.
Work in Progress Update
A total of 30 previously announced models are confirmed as being released this spring, however by way of an update of items with a Southern / Southern Region flavour I advise as follows:
Today Bachmann Europe Plc. announced their plans for the next 18 months, or so for both the Bachmann Branchlines (00) and Graham Farish (N) brands. They also provided updates on the current work in progress. I outline below the items of Southern / Southern Region interest.
The headline new tooling for Southern Railway and Southern Region modellers is the much requested Bulleid 64ft coaches. The original Bulleid 64ft coaching produced by Bachamnn are now a bit long in the tooth and these completely new toolled versions will be most welcome especially as the range will incorporate both the SR and later BR(s) built versions with both 10″ and 15″ window vents and also the later bodyside strengthening rib within tooling options.
Five body toolings will include: Semi Open Brake Third (BTK), Corridor Composite (CK), Brake Composite (BCK), Corridor Third (TK) and Open Third (T).
This will allow number of possible correct set combination and the initial releases are as follows:
Bulleid Corridor Composite image courtesy and copyright Bachmann / M King
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 with side strengthening ribs
Initial release 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 (10″ Vents) in Southern Railway Malachite Green No. 5771
New Tooling, 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. TBC from range s1932 to s1936
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
New Tooling, 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
New Tooling, 34-727/727A/751/776/776A will make set 847
LBSCR H1 Class Atlantic 4-4-2
The H1 in LBSC Livery Image courtesy and copyright Bachmann
Five H1 Class locomotives were built for the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway by Kitson & Co. between December 1905 and February 1906 to the design of D.E.Marsh. The first was withdrawn in January 1944 and the last in July 1951. This is new tooling specific to the H1 Class. Differences from the H2 Class currently in production include the curved running plate, early cab and boiler fittings. It has been developed alongside the H2 and will available for delivery later this year. Initially only the LBSC livery is being released but others will be in the pipeline for future years.
31-910 H1 Class Atlantic No. 39 ‘La France’ in LBSCR livery
Class 171 DMU
9 x two-car and 6 x four-car units were built between 2003 and 2005 for Porterbrook Leasing Company for use on Southern’s Uckfield branch which is not electrified. This model is based on new tooling also being developed for the Class 170 DMU.
35-580 Class 171 2-Car DMU No. 171722 in Southern livery
Class 159 DMU
22 x three-car units were originally built as Class 158 units by British Rail Engineering Ltd in 1992 for Regional Railways, by the time construction had been completed they were no longer required. Rosyth Dockyard converted them in 1992 and 1993 to a new specification for the Network SouthEast sector of British Rail. These units were to replace locomotive hauled trains on the London Waterloo – Salisbury – Exeter route. All saw service post privatisation with South West Trains and more recently with South Western Railway (since 20th August 2017).
31-520 Class 159 3-Car DMU No. 159013 in Network South East livery
New liveries from existing tooling
32-510 – BR Standard Class 5MT No. 73118 ‘King Leodegrance’ BR lined black early emblem and large tender
39-623 – SECR 60′ Birdcage Brake 3rd Southern Railway Malachite Green No.3455
Items 39-603/13/23 will correctly make set 622
38-083A – 12 Ton Southern 2+2 Planked Ventilated Van GWR Grey
38-080C – 12 Ton Southern 2+2 Planked Ventilated Van LMS Grey
Graham Farish N gauge
Graham Farish N Class with revised tooling and DCC speaker fitted
Southern steam modellers in N Gauge get revised tooling for the N class model that has seen revisions to the tender tooling to provide a Next 18 DCC decoder socket and space for Digital Sound to be fitted. This year sees the much requested southern livery fitted with smoke deflectors for the first time.
372-934DS N Class No. 1823 in Southern Railway Lined Maunsell Green (DCC Sound)
372-935 N Class No. 31810 in weathered BR Black (Late Crest) livery
The Class 450 is a member of the Siemens Desiro family for which Graham Farish already produce the Class 350 variants. The Class 450 EMUs were built by Siemens for South West Trains. A total of 127 four-car units are currently in traffic on South Western Railway long distance routes in and out of London Waterloo (since 20th August 2017).
371-725 Class 450 4-Car EMU No. 450073 in South West Trains livery
Work in Progress
From a work in progress perspective, in 00: the ex LBSC 4-4-2 H2 Class ‘Atlantics’ and the newly announced H1 are now at the artwork / livery samples stage. As reported from Warley the the 45 ton Ransomes and Rapier steam crane is now at the Engineering prototype stage. and both should along with the H1 be delivered during 2018. The Class 159 DMU is already in the tool room, whilst the Class 414 2HAP and 4 BEP are still in the drawing office.
In N: the Class 319 EMU is now in the drawing office. The SECR C Class 0-6-0 is at the Engineering Prototype stage and the Birdcage coaches are at the livery sample stage, both of which should be delivered during 2018
These 60ft three coach ‘birdcage’ sets were introduced by the South Eastern and Chatham Railway (SE&CR) between 1912 and 1915; and comprising of 62 sets were the most numerous sets compared to the previous 50ft examples. With the birdcage lookouts over each of the guards compartments these sets typify the standard SE&CR non-corridor coaching stock.
The sets comprised originally of: 2nd / 3rd class composite Brake Lavatory (later declassified to Brake Lavatory Third (SR Diagram 162), a 1st / 2nd (later declassified to 1st / 3rd) Lavatory Composite (SR Diagram 315/6) and the Brake Third (SR Diagram 160), The Composites were built in batches with two distinct body side variations, with the initial batch having two wide windows on each side for the saloon, whilst the later batch had one wide and one narrow window for the saloon; Bachmann have tooled for both versions. The Southern Railway renumbered both the individual coach and set numbers between 1923 and 1929.
39-602 ex SECR 60’ Birdcage Brake Lavatory, No. 5468 Set 595
The initial Bachmann releases are as follows:
39-600 SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Brake Composite SE&CR Dark Lake, No.1174 Set 138
39-610 SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Composite SE&CR Dark Lake, No. 1178 Set 138
39-620 SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Brake 3rd SE&CR Dark Lake, No. 1182 Set 138
39-611 ex SECR 60’ Birdcage Composite, No. 5423 Set 613
39-601 ex SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Brake Lavatory SR Olive Green, No. 3518 Set 613
39-611 ex SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Composite SR Olive Green, No. 5423 Set 613 (Two wide saloon window style)
39-621 ex SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Brake 3rd SR Olive Green, No. 3446 Set 613
39-622 ex SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Brake 3rd, No. 3428 Set 595
39-602 ex SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Brake Lavatory BR Crimson, No. 5468 Set 595
39-612 ex SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Composite BR Crimson, No. 5468 Set 595
39-622 ex SE&CR 60’ Birdcage Brake 3rd BR Crimson, No. 3428 Set 595
The SR versions are due to follow in October / November with the SE&CR versions November / December.
A view of the ends including separately applied lamp irons and brake control apparatus on the brake ends and showing the ‘birdcage’ lookouts
Separately applied fittings include the roof vents, vacuum pipes, handrails and grab handles. The brake ends also have separately applied lamp irons and brake control apparatus. The glazing is commendably flush and the window corner radii, especially in the drop lights are very nicely prototypically small. A representation of the internal window bars is included on the luggage compartment door window glazing.
The moulded interior and painted seating, and also showing the position of the body fixing clips.
The body is removed via easing the four clips located on each side to reveal a moulded interior with partitions, table in the saloon and even lavatories (where appropriate) and the seating painted in respective colours.
The fine underframe details with four sets of truss rods
The underframe detailing is exquisite with finely mounded brake details, 4 sets of very finely moulded queen post truss rodding and even the turnbuckles. The buffers are separate moulded items and not sprung.
Dynamos and battery boxes are fitted only to the the SE&CR composite, and on the SR / BR versions the Composite and the Brake Third as the electric lighting was through cabled to the other coaches in the set.
The separately fitted items and finely moulded 8ft Heavy Fox bogies can clearly be seen.
The all new well detailed 8ft Heavy Fox coil spring bolster bogies fitted with metal wheels sets and pin point axles running in metal bearings are very freewheeling. Detachable couplings in NEM pockets are mounted on the now standard close coupling mechanism.
The underside of the 8ft Heavy Fox bogies showing the electrical pickups incorporated
The resulting gap (4mm on the straight) between coaches could still benefit from being reduced slightly with perhaps an alternative to the supplied tension lock coupling (I test fitted Kadee No.18s, although of course the prototypes were not buckeye fitted, and this reduced the gap to 2mm) if your minimum radii allows. The coaches when test ran, run very smoothly both hauled and propelled though a complex range of pointwork.
No internal lighting is fitted but each bogie includes wiper pickups so this might be a potential option in the future.
Depending on the lighting that the coaches are viewed under the rendition of the crimson livery might appear to some to be slightly on the dark side, although it does match previous ready to crimson releases in that respect. The initial SE&CR Dark Lake livery sample as previously shown by Bachmann has been commented on as being too brown and Bachmann I believe are currently looking at revising this to give a deeper red colour.
Please note: all the images on this post are copyright and courtesy of A York and BRM Magazine.
The complete set 595
Bachmann have been given assistance in the research and preparation of these excellent models by friend Trevor Rapley the owner of, albeit one of the earlier 50ft version, birdcage Brake lavatory Composites preserved on the Bluebell Railway and the results speak for themselves (although I am sure someone will moan cryptically due to finding maybe a rivet slightly in the wrong place). The introduction of these sets with their distinct character, being of pre-grouping origin, that were long lived and little modified during their lifetime; along with recent and planned (check back on here after midday on Monday 11th for a further announcement) South Eastern & Chatham Railway / Eastern Section Southern Railway locomotives; will ensure that these excellent coaches prove popular.
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The model railway world and mainly Southern Railway meanderings of Graham 'Muz' Muspratt
