Model News
Preserved locomotives and railcars aplenty in Bachmann's latest releases – including BR Standard 4MTs Nos. 75029 and 75014.
BACHMANN Europe Plc's announcement of its new releases for this spring includes several models depicting preserved prototypes at some stage of their lives in OO-scale. Some are well known, others perhaps less so – but regardless, they are sure to be of interest to supporters and volunteers of the respective heritage owning groups.
Particularly welcome is the reintroduction of two popular 4-6-0 steam locomotives –the BR Standard Class 4MT and the WR ‘Modified Hall' – the latter having received modifications to its tooling to more accurately depict the front end of the prototype.
BR 4MT No. 75029 is modelled in BR lined green with late crest – in its pre-preservation identity before it was named The Green Knight.
The locomotive is currently under overhaul at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway's Grosmont works.
Variety
The second BR 4MT 4-6-0, No. 75014, carries BR lined black with early emblem. Now named Braveheart, the locomotive is operational at the Dartmouth Steam Railway (see picture on page 3, last issue).
Both the WR ‘Modified Halls' depict preserved prototypes – No. 6990 Witherslack Hall in BR lined green with early emblem – and No. 6998 Burton Agnes Hall in BR lined green with late crest. No. 6998 is on static display, awaiting overhaul at the Great
Western Society's Didcot Railway Centre, having last operated in 1996, while No. 6990 is operational at the Great Central Railway.
On the diesel front, of most interest is the all-new tooling on the Class 20/0 – a subject which is explored in greater detail on page 80.
Interestingly however, the variant modelled in BR Railfreight red stripe livery, No. 20227 survives in preservation at the North Norfolk Railway by the Class 20 Association, where it operates in London Transport livery and is named Sherlock Holmes. The BR blue model, No. 20057, is based at the Churnet Valley Railway.
Another main line diesel release is BR blue split headcode Class 45/0 ‘Peak' No. 45060 Sherwood Forester. The prototype is preserved as part of the Pioneer Diesel Locomotive Group's fleet and based at Barrow Hill.
Bachmann's Class 121 ‘Bubblecar' DMUs have been released as sound fitted versions, all three of which depict examples surviving in preservation.
Sound
Modelled in the revised version of BR's Network SouthEast livery, No. 55024 has been restored to operational condition at the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway.
The BR green with speed whiskers model, No. 55027 is located the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway, where it requires extensive restoration.
No. W55025, the BR blue and grey model, is owned by the North Somerset Railway and stored at
Long Marston, where it is being restored to passenger use.
Sound fitted models are also being offered for OO9 narrow gauge modellers, with five Baldwin 4-6-0Ts now offered with this popular feature.
Also, development work is ongoing on Bachmann's previouslyannounced new additions to its range of OO9 rolling stock.
The eagerly anticipated Quarry Hunslet 0-4-0ST model is now ‘in tooling' – the next stage will be to produce engineering prototype samples. The Ashover Light Railway coach model has reached the same phase.
Further behind – at the design stage – are the Baguley-Drewry 70hp diesel and four types of Royal Naval Armaments Depot wagons.