Bachmann Class 70 (modified)
A re-tooling has brought the Class 70 back into the Model Rail office and Richard Foster has been seeing if it was worth the wait.
t’s strange to think that since the railways were privatised in the mid-1990s only four new diesel-electric locomotives have been introduced to the UK. English, Welsh & Scottish brought the Class 66 and 67 from General Motors EMD, Direct Rail Services took delivery of the Class 68 Bo-bo from Vossloh and Freightliner ordered the Class 70 ‘Powerhaul’ Co-co. ‘Powerhaul’ was a collaboration between Freightliner and General Electric of Erie, Pennsylvania, to produce a modern, powerful and environmentally friendly alternative to the EMD ‘JT42CWR’ (Class 66). The first in an order of 30 arrived in 2009 and their looks immediately divided enthusiast opinion, being a blend of angular North American ‘hood unit’ and British crashresistant cabs. That order for 30 was curtailed at 70020, but it didn’t stop Bachmann from working with both Freightliner and GE to produce a superb ‘OO’ gauge take on the subject. On its 2011 release it was lauded as Bachmann Branchline’s finest diesel outline model to date. Some seven years later, it still holds its own in terms of looks, detail and finish. So why are we looking at
The re-tooled ‘70’ has unfortunately been rather a long time coming. The wait, however, is now over
a seven-year-old model? Because another operator decided to take up the ‘Powerhaul’ option. Colas Rail ordered ten ‘Powerhauls’, including a Turkish-built demonstrator, and they arrived in the UK in 2014, followed by a further seven in 2017. Colas Rail’s Class 70s were numbered in the 708XX range and this has led to them being described as Class 70/8, but the whole class is officially still Class 70/0. RETOOLED It was great news for Bachmann because it means that its excellent model could be offered in Colas’ distinctive yellow/ orange/black livery. But it caused a problem because these new locomotives had a modified air intake arrangement. As this arrangement was retro-fitted to Freightliner machines, Bachmann decided to re-tool its ‘70’.