Review: Network SouthEast Class 159
Brand new ‘OO’ gaugemodels of the Class 158 and 159 by Bachmann replace the original 1990s tooling famous for its protruding LED running lights. Three Class 158s were released in late 2019 after a very long period of development. A single model of the Cla
Bachmann’s brand new three-car Class 159 DMU in 'OO' gauge, with its new underfloor drive, is thoroughly put through its paces.
ALONGSIDE the three new Class 158s announced a number of years ago was a single model of a Class 159/0 finished in the original Network SouthEast condition.
Unlike Regional Railways
No. 158849 (31-517), East Midlands Trains No. 158773 (31-518) and GWR No. 158766 (31-519), the model of Network SouthEast (NSE) No. 159013 (31-520) includes a centre car moulding that will enable Bachmann to offer Regional Railways, Northern Spirit and Trans-Pennine three-car sets in the future, alongside the South West Trains (SWT) and South West Railways (SWR) Class 159/1 sets.
The featured Class 159/0 model represents one of the 22 full-size trains as delivered to NSE for its
West of England area, including the core Waterloo-Exeter route (19921996). While the units were upgraded from as-built Class 158s to a higher standard, including a First Class saloon and improved sound insulations, they resembled Class 158s in both shape and design. Bachmann has utilised its new tooling for the Class 158 to produce the Class 159 in early condition, with the original window and emergency ventilation format and without the prominent roof aerial pod.
Bodyshells
When Bachmann first released a Class 158 back in the 1990s, it was a very good tooling for the time that captured the features of the full-size trains, despite some shortcomings in detail and a bulky drive in one car instead of interior detail.
The newmodel is a vast improvement, encapsulating the character of the Class 158 family but with considerably more finesse.
Working BSI couplings with close coupling cams are fitted to the cab ends of the DMSL and DMCL vehicles. They are a push fit and uncouple by gently pulling the cars apart.
Features closely examined in this review included the taper at the cab sides and inner ends and the cross section profile of the bodyshells, particularly the cab fronts that have the correct angles as the sides slope inwards towards the cantrail level. The roof taper at the cabs is also correctly represented, alongside the change in the sides at the crease near the cab-side windows.
The bodyshell, excluding the cabs, is correct overall including the length and width and has the correct window style, with openings properly spaced and passenger doors neatly moulded with raised door seals. All three bodyshells were checked for faults, including bowing along their length and signs of dimpling in the smooth roof. None were detected in any of the three bodyshells making up the Class 159/0.
Fine detailing
The flush nature of the Class 158/159 leaves little room for fine detailing.
The long centre seam line, window frames, door lines and air conditioning ventilators are all well tooled and fine in appearance. The use of a moulded seam to pick out the crease in the body panels and across the roof where the cab joins the body is a little too prominent and many Class 158s and 159s barely show any detail in this area of the body.
Cab fronts are neatly fitted out with flush glazing and separately moulded gangways. The fairing at the base of the cab is adjusted for the working BSI coupling, and the air horns behind the fairing are distinctly undernourished. The small hinged access panel in the fairing is raised on the model where it should be flush. Furthermore, the gangway support recesses are a tad too shallow.
Flush glazing, coloured with a subtle tint, is applied to the sides of the model with the correct format of plain and opening ventilator glazing for an NSE Class 159/0. Additional opening windows were fitted after transfer to SWT. Internally, the seats and tables have been correctly coloured and two-plus-two seating of the same layout appears to be fitted to all three cars, including the DMCL. Cab front glazing is very refined with correctly blacked out sections, including the windows in the front gangway doors. No transparent fly-screens are fitted to the model.
Underframe and bogies
A large number of separate fittings make up the underframes of all three vehicles with engine, transmission, fuel tank, braking and radiator detail all present. None of the detail is represented as a detailed ‘box’ concealing internal workings or
■ Powered bogies match the prototype.
■ Under-floor mechanism.
■ Twin coreless motors.
■ Close coupling system.
■ Working BSI coupling at the outer ends.
■ Illuminated passenger door lights.
■ Illuminated interior.
■ Correct glazing format.
■ Underframe access to the PLuX22 decoder socket.