Tag Archives: Bachmann Europe Plc

General, Model News

Bachmann 2018/19 range announcements includes new tooled LBSC H1 and Bulleid 64ft Coaching stock in 00 [updated]

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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 full details of the Bachmann and Graham Farish ranges can be found on their  website here.

Bachmann 00 gauge

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
  • 39-603 – SECR 60′ Birdcage Brake Composite Southern Railway Malachite Green No. 3527
  • 39-613 – SECR 60′ Birdcage Composite Southern Railway Malachite Green No.5484
  • 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

Class 450 EMU

Graham Farish Class 450 EMU

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

The full details of the Bachmann and Graham Farish ranges can be found on their  website here.

Note: for both brands and scales I have not relisted above those items already announced last year as per their announcement here.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bachmann for their kind hospitality at their media event today.

General, Kernow Models, Model News

Bachmann 2017/18 range announcements includes a Class 410 4BEP EMU in 00 and ex SECR C Class in N (updated)

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Today Bachmann Europe Plc. having brought forward the timing from their traditional March slot, and hot on the heals of Hornby last week, announced their plans for the next 18 months, or so (as we have seen in the past progress on some of the previously announced models have certainly taken, or are taking longer longer than their intended 18 month timescales for a number of reasons),  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.

Following the last few years that have had to be a case of consolidation, to catch up with previously announced models due to resource and manufacturing capacity issues, the addition of new resources put into the areas of CAD and tooling has started to see an improvement in bringing existing projects to fruition, overall 12 new tooling products have been delivered to the market in 2016, such as the excellent USA tank on behalf of Model Rail magazine and also the progress now seen in the Engineering prototypes of the ex SECR Birdcage coaching stock and the ex LBSC 4-4-2 H2 Class ‘Atlantics’.

The overall theme for both brands this year is the 30th Anniversary of the launch of the RailFreight sector in 1987, the Railfreight brand was relaunched with a bold new colour scheme combining three-tone grey paintwork with colourful sector symbols and imaginative depot plaques.
Also included in both brands is a unique Vulcan collectors pack featuring Class 37 ‘Vulcan XH558’ locomotives in each respective scale and newly tooled 1:144 scale models of the Vulcan aircraft.

The full details of the Bachmann and Graham Farish ranges can be found on there website here.

Despite post Brexit exchange rates falls (up to 20%) Bachmann held pricing during 2016 and although rises will be seen during 2017 they tried to mitigate this and keep such rises to a minimum as much as possible. Just 28% of the 00 range (36% in N)  will see an increase with an average rise of approximately 6% (4% in N).

Bachmann 00 gauge

The headline new tooling is the Class 410 4BEP EMU.

The Class 410 4-BEP EMU Picture copyright and courtesy of Bachmann.
The Class 410 (or 4BEP) electrical multiple units (7003 to 7012) were delivered from Eastleigh works in 1958/59. The 4BEP was conceived alongside the existing 4CEP to provide buffet accommodation and were often to be found as the centre 4 coaches in a 12 car formation between two 4CEP units, but could also be found running singularly or paired with a single 4CEP.

The Class 410 4-BEP EMU in Blue and Grey Picture copyright and courtesy of Bachmann.
The models feature full underfloor equipment, dedicated coupling system, internal lighting and illuminated train head code boxes.

  • 31-490   4 BEP 4 Car EMU No. 7003in BR Green livery with Small Yellow Panel
  • 31-491   Class 410 4 Car EMU No. 7010 in BR Blue & Grey livery

Other items of SR / BR(s) interest being released as new items for 2017 are as follows:

  • 32-860 BR Standard Class 9F Numbr 92211 BR(s) Large Tender with late crest as allocated to Eastleigh 1961, then to Feltham 6/1963 before being transferred to ER 9/1963. Used on Fawley Oil traffic.
  • 31-236A Class 205 No. 1121 BR Green livery with Small Yellow Panel (Weathered)
  • 31-238 Class 205 No. 1122 in BR Blue livery with Full Yellow Ends – No Headlight (Weathered)
  • 38-526 Mk1 Horse Box in BR Green(S) livery

New tooling for 00 also includes: Midland Class 1532 (1P), Class 20/3, MK1 Carflats (to a different diagram to the Oxford Rail planned release), VEA Vanwide ventilated vans and BR ‘Prestwin’ Twin Silos wagons.

Not specifically SR / BR(s) related (although she visited Salisbury only last week)  I also feel it is worth mentioning their release of Class 37 ‘Merl Evans’
To honour their colleague:, who unfortunately passed away last year following his retirement from being head of Research and Development, Bachmann are producing a OO scale model of the Class 37 locomotive number 37099 in Colas Rail livery that was recently named ‘Merl Evans’.

The ‘Merl Evans’ Colas Class 37 No. 37099 Picture copyright and courtesy of Bachmann.
I had the pleasure of dealing with Merl during his time at Bachmann and this is a fine tribute to the work he put in to moving the hobby fowards as a whole. The locomotive has just been extensively overhauled and modified for the latest chapter in its working life with Colas working on the Main Line. As part of these works, a change had to be made to the headlight position on the nose (something that we will replicate on our tooling) and it was out-shopped in the latest Colas livery proudly carrying its unique tribute to Merl. A donation will be made from the sale of each model towards LOROS, the chosen charity of Merl’s family. LOROS provides hospice care in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland and further details can be found here.

  • 32-789   Class 37/0 No. 37099 “Merl Evans” in Colas livery with Split Headcode

Graham Farish N gauge

New tooling in N Gauge is the ex SECR C Class 0-6-0

The 00 ex SECR C Class is getting reduced to N gauge. Picture copyright and courtesy of Bachmann.
C Class (which is sound enabled) Designed primarily for goods duties, Harry Wainwright’s ‘C’ Class 0-6-0 also proved useful for local passenger and excursion trains. Built by Neilson, Reid & Co., Sharp Stewart and the South Eastern & Chatham Railway’s works at Longhedge and Ashford, they proved to be a successful and long-lived class with the last trio surviving in use until 1966. No. 592 is preserved at the Bluebell Railway.
This will be a perfect companion for the SECR ‘Birdcage’ coaches, also due to be released this year, as well as the many Southern Railway goods wagons in the range.
The model will feature a NEXT 18 DCC decoder socket, coreless motor, loco drive, fine cab detail and NEM couplers

  • 372-775 C Class 0-6-0 No. 271 in SECR plain green livery
  • 372-776 C Class 0-6-0 No. 1256 Southern Railway Black livery
  • 372-777 C Class 0-6-0 No. 31227 in BR Black livery with early emblem

Other items of SR / BR(s) interest being released as new items for 2017 are as follows:

  • 374-432 Bulleid 63ft Semi Open Brake Third in BR(s) Malachite Green livery,  number S4019 of Set 84
  • 374-432A Bulleid 63ft Semi Open Brake Third in BR(s) Malachite Green livery number S4020 of Set 84
  • 374-442 Bulleid 63ft Corridor Third in BR(s) Malachite Green livery, number S34 of Set 84
  • 374-462 Bulleid 63ft Corridor Composite in BR(s) Malachite Green livery, number S5831 of Set 84
  • 374-951 BR Mk2A FK Corridor First in BR(s) Green livery
  • 374-631A SR 50′ Bogie B Luggage Van in BR(s) Green livery
  • 374-683 BR Mk2 BSO in Network Rail livery
  • 374-633 SR 50′ Bogie B Luggage Van in BR Departmental livery
  • 377-850A SR 25 Ton ‘Pill Box’Brake Van in SR Brown livery with white Roof
  • 377-854A SR 25 Ton ‘Pill Box’ Brake Van in BR Bauxite early livery

Graham Farish 474-432 Bulleid Semi Open Brake Third number S4109 of Set 84
Note that the four versions of Bulleid coaches, although being sold separately,  will be numbered and branded to make a correct 4 coach Set Number 84, as introduced in May 1949 for the South Eastern Section, with set numbers on the ends of the two Semi Open Brake Thirds. Set 84 remained in this livery until gaining the darker BR(s) green in August 1956. 

New tooling for N also includes: Stanier 8F 2-8-0, Refurbished Class 31, Thompson coaches and retooled 100 T TEA tanker wagons.

Work in Progress

From a work  in progress perspective, in 00: the ex SECR Birdcage coaches and ex LBSC 4-4-2 H2 Class ‘Atlantics’ are as already seen at last year at the Engineering Prototype stage and are now at the artwork / livery samples stage. The 450 Desiro EMU should be available in June this year and the warflat wagons should also be in production this year. The Class 414  2HAP and the 45 ton Ransomes and Rapier steam crane are both still at the R & D stage.

The livery sample of the latest Engineering Prototype of the Kernow Model Rail Centre Commissioned 4-TC
The Class 438 / 491 4TC (exclusively for Kernow) is now at the artworl / livery stage.

In N: the Ckass 319 EMU is still at the R & D Stage whilst the SECR Birdcage coaches are in the drawing office.

The full details of the Bachmann and Graham Farish ranges can be found on their website here.

Note: for both brands and scales I have not relisted above those items already announced last year as per their announcement here.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bachmann for their kind hospitality at their media event today.

General, Model News

Bachmann 2016/17 range announcements celebrate 30 years of NSE with 2 HAP in 00 and Class 319 in N

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Today Bachmann Europe Plc. announced their plans for the next 18 months, or so (which I know some will find amusing as progress on some of the previously announced models have certainly taken, or are taking longer longer than their intended 18 month timescales for a number of reasons),  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 couple of items of Southern / Southern Region interest, much centered around the 30th anniversary of Network SouthEast including a Class 47, Class 166 Networker, and Class 08 in NSE liveries.

The Launch of Network South East took place on 10th June 1986 at Waterloo Station. Picture courtesy and copyright Brian Morrison

Bachmann also advised that 2016, like the last couple of years will also have to be a year of consolidation to catch up with previously announced models with addition of new resources being put into the areas of CAD and tooling, which is generally where the currently bottlenecks are occurring, as opposed to production . Overall in addition to the two new tooled EMUs over 300 new items (liveries) have been added to the two ranges.

A further development will be the addition of passengers to coaches and loads to wagons. Selected coaches in the Mk1 and Mk2 range and some of the EMUs will soon be available with factory fitted passengers.

Bachmann 00 gauge

The headline new tooling is the Class 414 (2 HAP) EMU that will be produced in Blue and Grey with NSE branding, BR Green, Blue and Grey and Network SouthEast livery.

2 HAP No. 6061 in BR Green. Picture courtesy and copyright Rodney Lissenden

The 2 HAP was introduced between 1957 and 1963, for outer suburban services, totaling 209 units the majority were of Mk1 design, numbered 6001-6173, whilst a batch of 36, numbers 5601-5636, were SR Style slam door bodies built on the underframes of older withdrawn units. The last of the class were withdrawn in 1995.
The N Class 2-6-0 will once again be available in BR lined black livery with early emblem as 31874, 1406 in SR black livery and as Number 1854 (again)  in ‘The Thanet Flyer’ train set pack with two Bulleid coaches (BTK & CK from exisiting tooling) in SR Malachite Green (albeit incorrectly SR branded as the coaches are based on the later post 1950 built versions).
The E4 0-6-2T will be released as 2517 in SR Green and 32494 in BR Lined Black with early emblem.

There will be further releases of the SR PLV in SR Livery, PMV in BR Green livery with black ends and the CCT in BR Blue (weathered) and in Departmental Green liveries.

31-380 Class 416 2 EPB EMU No. 6262 in blue & grey livery with NSE branding with Passenger figures
31-390 Class 414 2 HAP No. 6061 in BR green livery
31-391 Class 414 2 HAP No. 6062 in BR blue & grey livery
31-392 Class 414 2 HAP No. 4322 in Network SouthEast livery
31-654 Class 47 No. 47576 ‘Kings Lynn’ in Network SouthEast livery
32-109 Class 08 No. 08631 ‘Eagle’ in Network SouthEast livery
32-165 N Class No. 31874 in BR lined black livery with early emblem
32-166 N Class No. 1406 in SR black livery
32-290DS Class 101 2 car DMU in Network SouthEast livery with with Passenger figures and DCC SOUND
35-076A E4 No. 2517 in Southern green livery
35-079 E4 No. 32494 in BR lined black livery with early emblem

30-430 Capital Commuter Train Set Pack Class 416 in NSE with Art Deco low releif station building and track.
30-165 The Thanet Flyer Train Set Pack as desribed above.
39-525A SR PLV in Southern Railway green livery
39-528A SR CCT in BR blue livery (weathered)
39-529 SR CCT in Departmental green livery
39-530 SR PMV in BR green livery with black ends
39-003 BR Mark 1 coach pack (1 x SK and 1 x BSK) in BR blue & grey livery with NSE branding with Passenger figures
39-188 BR Mark 1 BG Full Brake in Network SouthEast livery
39-265 BR Mk1 RMB Restaurant Miniature Buffet in Network SouthEast livery
39-273 BR Mark 1 GUV General Utility Van in BR (S) green livery
33-831 Queen Mary Brake Van in SatLink livery (weathered)
33-832 Queen Mary Brake Van in EWS livery
38-075B 12T Southern ventilated van in Southern Railway brown livery (large letters)
38-076C 12T Southern ventilated van in BR bauxite livery
38-990 20T Brake Van and SR Pill Box Brake Van twin pack in Network SouthEast livery

Work in progress includes the SECR Birdcage Coaches and the LBSCR H2 Class 4-4-2 Atlantics which are now in the drawing office.  The USA tank for (Model Rail Magazine) is now about to move into production.

Graham Farish N gauge

New tooling in N Gauge is the Class 319 EMU in Network South East, Thameslink and ‘Northern Powerhouse’ Northern Rail liveries.

372-875 Class 319 No. 319004 in Network SouthEast (original dark grey) livery Picture courtesy and copyright of Dennis Lovett.

72 of these four car dual voltage units were built by BREL in York during 1987/8 for the launch of the Thameslink services between Bedford and Brighton.

Also announced are a couple of train packs: ‘The Capital Connection’ comprising of a Class 47/4 and 3 off Mk1 coaches in NSE livery and ‘A Day at the Races’ featuring a Class 3MT 2-6-2T number 82001 in BR Lined Breen livery with 3 off BR Mk1 Horseboxes in BR Green.

371-427A Class 170 No. 170308 3 car DMU in South West Trains livery
371-023 Class 08 No. 08600 ‘Ivor’ in Network SouthEast livery
372-875 Class 319 No. 319004 in Network SouthEast livery
372-876 Class 319 No. 319382 in Thameslink livery
372-877 Class 319 No. 319362 ‘Northern Powerhouse’ in Northern Rail livery
370-185 A day at the Races Train Pack
370-430 Capital Connection Train Pack
374-016 BR Mark 1 SO in Network SouthEast livery
374108A BR Mark 1 RMB in BR (S) green livery
374-131A BR Mark 1 GUV in BR green livery
374-166 BR Mark 1 FK in Network SouthEast livery
374-193 BR Mark 1 BSK in Network SouthEast livery

From a work  in progress perspective The SECR Birdcage coaches are still at the development stage whilst the SR 4 wheel utility vans have now been approved for production along with the BR standard 4MT (80xxx) 2-6-4Ts. The Queen Mary brake vans are in the process of being shipped.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank Bachmann for their kind hospitality at their media event today.