Tag Archives: Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway

Bachmann announce LSWR/SR Diagram 1410, 1406 and 1408 covered vans and LSWR / SR 56ft non corridor cross country four coach sets as part of their EFE Rail Range

As part of their quarterly British Railway Announcements for Autumn 2023 Bachmann have announced the ex London South Western Railway (LSWR) / Southern railway covered vans to Diagrams 1410, 1406 and 1408 and the ex LSWR / Southern railway 56ft non corridor cross country sets as early formation four coach sets, in 00 gauge. Those of you who watched the announcement video may have seen a familiar or strange face depending on you point of view,  as I developed these models in my role with Kernow Model Rail Centre on behalf of EFE Rail. Also appearing in the Bachmann Branchline range is the Refurbished 3-CEP and 4-TEP.

LSWR / Southern railway covered vans to Diagram 1410, 1406 and 1408

E87051 D1410 LSWR Livery

The numerous LSWR 10 ton covered vans were built between 1885 and 1922 to a few different diagrams as the design was developed. Different body styles were combined with either timber or steel chassis with two axle boxes types, Panter or Warner’s, and several different brake systems.
The low roof, sliding door Diagram 1410 covered vans were the most common vehicle with well over 1000 built. Brake gear varied from: single sided double block, ‘Morton Clutch’, the rarer for this diagram ‘Lift Link’ and most commonly what the SR called ‘Freighter’ that had independent brake gear on each side.

E87052 D1410 S&DJR Livery

Ten covered vans to the Diagram 1410 were built for the Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway (S&DJR) they differed from the LSWR versions as they did not have the end vents and only single sided brakes. They later were absorbed into SR stock and had end vents fitted, becoming identical to D1410 vans.
In early 1912 the roof level of covered goods vans was increased in height by 7 inches and 110 vans were built with sliding doors on either timber (D1407) or steel chassis as Diagram 1406. Lift link brake gear was fitted to all covered vans to this diagram.

E87053 D1410 SR Pre 1936 Livery

From late 1912 the sliding door design was superseded by a three-part hinged door design and used on covered wagons built from December 1912 until Grouping. The use of hinged rather than sliding doors allowed an increase in internal body width. Almost 400 were built on both timber (D1409) or steel chassis as Diagram 1408. Lift link brake gear was fitted to all covered vans to this diagram. The Diagram 1408 vans were originally built with roofs that finished flush with the sides, however, the SR modified the roofs to give an overhang at the eves.

E87054 D1406 in post 1936 SR livery

Although many were scrapped or entered departmental use before Grouping many passed into SR ownership at grouping with a number, many in departmental use surviving beyond nationalisation.

The KMRC / EFE Rail  tooling suite allows for four body types across the three diagrams, four brake types (single double block, Morton Clutch, Freighter and Lift Link), two steel chassis types (D1410/06 and D1408), two axle box types (Panter and Warner) and three buffer types (tapered, ribbed and fabricated).

E87055 D1406 in BR Grey livery

The initial six releases by EFE Rail, that will be with retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre  in the next two months or so, are as follows:

  • E87051 LSWR Diagram 1410 10 Ton covered van LSWR Brown livery – Morton Clutch brake, Panter axle boxes, plain tapered buffers.
  • E87052 SR Diagram 1410 10 Ton Covered van SDJR livery – no end vents, single sided brake, Panter axle boxes, plain tapered buffers.
E87056 D1408 with flush roof in pre 1936 SR livery
  • E87053 SR Diagram 1410 10 Ton Covered van SR Brown Pre 1936 livery – Freighter brakes, Warner axle boxes, plain tapered buffers.
  • E87054 SR Diagram 1406 10 Ton Covered van SR Brown Post 1936 livery – Lift Link brake, Panter axle boxes, plain tapered buffers.
  • E87055 BR(s) Diagram 1406 10 Ton Covered Van BR Grey livery – Lift Link brake, Panter axle boxes, plain tapered buffers.
  • E87056 SR Diagram 1408 10 Ton Covered van SR Brown Pre 1936 livery – Flush roof, Lift Link brake, Panter axle boxes, fabricated buffers, three hole disc wheels.

LSWR / Southern railway 56ft non corridor cross country sets

Following on from the three coach sets announced last November these four coach sets include the Diagram 17, 8 compartment Third and are released in LSWR Salmon and brown and also SR Lined Olive Green liveries.

EFE E86011 4 coach set 63 in LSWR

There were 36 sets formed wholly of 56ft vehicles and these sets were generically called ‘Cross County sets’. They were constructed between 1906 and 1910 being built originally as 4 coach sets. These sets comprised of the following:

  • Brake Thirds, four compartment to LSWR Drawing 1446, SR diagram 124, 2 per set
  • Composite (1st / 3rd class), seven compartment, to LSWR Drawing 1298, SR Diagram 274
  • Third LSWR Drawing 1302, SR Diagram 17, 8 compartment, (The all Thirds were originally introduced as 2nd / 3rd Composites but rebranded to all Thirds with no structural change by the end of 1919)

The set numbers were in the ranges 130-151, 253-263 and 311-314.  All sets were reduced to three coaches in the mid to late 1930s by the removal of the 8 compartment Third Diagram 17 coaches which became loose stock. At the same time the number of first class compartments in the Composite, Diagram 274 was reduced from 5 to 3 (not a physical alteration just reclassification and change in class banding on the outside of the compartments)

EFE E86012 4 coach set 134 in SR Lined Olive Green

Despite the longevity of these sets, apart from the reduction from 4 to 3 coaches and the reclassification of some of the composite compartments there was no real physical changes to any of the coaches.
In terms of use, they were seen all over the SW section of the Southern and their duties were pretty well interchangeable with any other 3/4 set. They did not generally run on Brighton or SE section lines, although photographic evidence exists of them running along the south coast to Brighton.

Withdrawal of these sets was completed during 1956/7 Brake Third number LSWR 1520 SR 2975 (ex set 63 / 146) survives and is operational service on the Bluebell Railway http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/1520.html and Composite number 5065 (ex set 134) survives on the Kent and East Sussex Railway awaiting restoration.

As was standard LSWR practice not all the coaches had full electrical equipment, i.e dynamo and battery boxes the others being through wired.

These addition two EFE Rail Releases, that follow on from the three coach book box sets announced last November, are as follows

  • E86011 ex LSWR Cross Country Set – 4 coach set 63  – LSWR Salmon Pink and Chocolate
  • E86012 Ex LSWR/SR Cross Country Set – 4 Coach set 134 – SR Lined Green

The coach sets are currently at Bachmann and should be with retailers such as Kernow Model Rail Centre  in the next week or so.

Note: All pictures above re courtesy and copyright KMRC.

3-Cep / 4-TEP EMUs – Refurbished

The Bachmann Branchline model has been refurbished with new bodyshells portraying the work undertaken when the real units were refurbished – most notably the fitting of hopper window ventilators and the relocation of the brake compartments from the two driving vehicles to a single trailer vehicle.

Bachmann Refurbished 4-CEP

The first release to utilise this new tooling depicts Class 411/9 3-CEP No. 1199 in South West Trains livery and this is joined by a Blue & Grey-liveried Class 422/7 4-TEP – a unit formed of three refurbished CEP vehicles and an un-refurbished buffet vehicle from a BEP unit. The TEPs were formed to provide catering capacity whilst 4-BIG units were being refurbished during the 1980s. Both models require a single DCC decoder for use on DCC systems or can be purchased in SOUND FITTED format with a decoder pre-installed.

  • 31-420 Class 411/9 3-CEP No. 1199 in South West Trains livery
  • 31-420SF Class 411/9 3-CEP No. 1199 in South West Trains livery SOUND FITTED
  • 31-424 Class 422/7 4-TEP Blue & Grey-liveried
  • 31-424SF Class 422/7 4-TEP Blue & Grey-liveried SOUND FITTED

The full Bachmann BRA Autumn announcements video can be viewed here.

Hornby announce their 2022 range, new liveries for SR/BR(s) items

Hornby have today announced their forthcoming range for 2022. Although no tooling from a Southern Railway perspective modellers, the highlights include new versions of the Class 423 4-VEP EMUs, a new Dublo version of the original Merchant Navy and new LSWR and Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway liveried ‘generic’ coaches.

New Tooling

Hornby’s new tooling for 2022 moves away from the SR this year with a brand new LMS Black 5, LMS Princess Royal Class ‘The Turbomotive’, a revised HST power car and Mk3 coaches, the larger Sentinel industrial 0-6-0 diesel, LNER Coronation coaches and ‘beaver tail’ observation car, Class 755/3 & 755/4 ‘Flirt’ electric and bi-mode units and the GWR Loriot Y machinery well truck.  A Limited Edition version of the LNER A4 also enters the Dublo range with a cast metal body.

Locomotives and EMUs

Although technically no new locomotive tooling for Southern modelers; however we see the re-introduction of the Class 423 4-VEP EMU, Hornby are listing this as new tooling, but it is  the original tooling with only minor corrections such as to the front cab area, the first class internal partitions now having windows, improved inter coach coupling and power transfer, 5 pole motor bogie and now is also 21 pin DCC ready.

  • R30106 – Southern Class 423/1 4-VEP EMU Train Pack – final condition as between 2003 and 2005 – Unit Number 3514 [Q4]
  • R30107 – South West Trains Class 423 4-VEP EMU Train Pack – post refurbished condition as between 1996 and 2004 – Unit number TBA [Q4]

  • R30122 – Departmental A1X ‘Terrier’ 0-6-0 D.S.680 in lLancing Works shunter livery as carried between March 1952 and withdrawal on 4th June 1962. [Q4]

  • R30140 –  BR M7 Class 0-4-4T 30244 in British Railways (Gills Sans) malachite green livery as carried between September 1948 and January 1952 and allocated to Nine Elms. [Q4]

  • R3434 – SR Merchant Navy Class 4-6-2 21C1 ‘Channel Packet’  a reintroduction as originally released in 2017 (delayed from 2016) in as when introduced condition with widows peak and horseshoe smokebox door plate as between in June1941 and August 1941. A limited run of 500 models.[Q4]

  • R30129 – BR Battle of Britain Class 4-6-2 34072 ‘257 Squadron’  in early BR malachite green livery with British railways in Sunshine lettering as carried between her introduction in April 1948 and April 1952 when she gained BR Green. [Q4]

  • R30114 – BR West Country Class 4-6-2 34046 ‘Braunton’ in BR Green livery and high rave tender with early emblem as she an between Jan 1954 and June 1957. [Q4]

  • R30112 – Hornby Dublo – Merchant Navy 4-6-2 Lamport & Holt’ BR Green livery with early emblem as carried between June 1952 and July 1955. Limited Edition of 500 models. [Q3]

  • R30153 – BR Class 50 Co-Co 50044 ‘Exeter’ in Network South East livery as carried from April 1982. New 21pin DCC socket [Q2]

  • R30154 – BR Class 50 Co-Co 50042 ‘Triumph’  in BR large logo livery as carried from May 1982. New 21pin DCC socket [Q3]

Other Train packs

  • R30123 – K&ESR Terrier 150th Anniversary Pack –  A1 No. 70 Poplar in LBSC ‘Improved engine Green as running prior to sale to K&ESR in 1901 and A1X 2678 in SR Sunshine black as currently preserved. A Limited Edition of 500 numbered train packs. [Q4]

  • R3961 – Isle of Wight Central Railway, Terrier Train Pack – Era 3 A1X No. 11 and three ‘Generic’ 4 wheel coaches (Composite, Brake Third and Full Brake) [Q4]

Coaching Stock

  • R40221 SR, Maunsell Dining Saloon Third [sic] (actually a Composite Dining Saloon), 7844 to Diagram 2658 in SR green as approximately between 18th November 1947 and mid 1949. She was outshopped Crimson and Cream livery4th February 1955, however the SR style lettering was likely to have been amend to BR style before the end of 1949 .[Q4]

  • R40222 BR, Maunsell Dining Saloon First [sic] (actually a Composite Dining Saloon), S7842S to  Diagram 2658 in Crimson and Cream livery as carried in between 7th December 1954 and being outshopped BR(S) Green 12th August 1957. [Q4]

  • R40289 LSWR, 6 Wheel Coach, 1st Class, 490, R40291 LSWR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 821, R40293 LSWR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 648, R40295 LSWR, 4 Wheel Coach, Passenger Brake, 82 (Generic) [Q3]

  • R40296 S&DJR, 6 Wheel Coach, 1st Class,  R40298 S&DJR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 109, R40300 S&DJR, 6 Wheel Coach, 3rd Class, 72, R40302 S&DJR, 4 Wheel Coach, Passenger Brake, 8 (Generic) [Q3]

  • R60090 – SR Gangwayed Bogie Luggage Van no. 2467 in SR Maunsell Olive Green livery to Diagram 3099. [Q4]

Skaledale – South Eastern buildings

A nice range of SER buildings is included in the Skaledale ready to plant resin buildings range due to be available Q4,

The range includes:

  • R7362 – SER Station
  • R7363 – SER Station Building
  • R7364 – SER Platform Shelter
  • R7365 – SER Signal Box
  • R7366 – SER Footbridge

The full Hornby 2022 range can be found on the Hornby website here of the RMweb forum here and of course all items can be pre-ordered / purchased from our friends at the Kernow Model Rail Centre.