Branchline 2018 New Releases

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With a new year comes the announcement of our new releases for 2018. Over the following weeks, we will show you all the items our 2018 ranges will offer. We start our roundup this year with our Bachmann Branchline OO range of Locomotives, a range which this year will see many exciting new tooling variations added!

BRANCHLINE STEAM LOCOMOTIVES

NEW TOOLING – NER Class E1 (J72) Tank

The 113 NER class E1 locomotives (later LNER J72) were built, in nine batches, between 1898 and 1951. Our model represents the locomotives in 7 batches (93 locos) built from 1914 onwards. The locomotives survived in mainline service until 1964. One locomotive is preserved.

Initial releases cover LNER and BR variants, A number of variations are being modelled including the fitting of vacuum brakes and alternative smoke-box doors amongst other features.

  • All-new model covering NER, LNER and BR variants.
  • Realistic fire-box flicker.
  • Pre-fitted speaker for ease of Digital Sound installation.

31-910 No. 39 ‘La France’ LBSCR

NEW TOOLING – H1 Class Atlantic

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 The first was withdrawn in January 1944 and the last in July 1951.

New Tooling has been created specifically for the H1 Class. Differences from the H2 Class currently in production include the curved running plate, early cab and boiler fittings.

  • Hinged tender fall-plate.
  • Adjustable tender draw-bar length.
  • Opening fire-box door.
  • Fully detailed and decorated cab interior.
  • Accessory pack includes route indicator discs.
  • Representation of the inside valve gear.

NEW TOOLING – LNER Class V2 

A total of 184 V2s were built, in eleven batches, between 1936 and 1944. The V2s were allocated to all regions of the LNER and they remained in service until 1966. One locomotive is preserved as part of the national collection. Our all-new model covers detail variations carried during their working lives including different tenders and cylinders.

  • Adjustable tender draw-bar length.
  • Pre-fitted speaker for ease of Digital Sound installation.
  • Realistic fire-box flicker.

REVISED TOOLING – WD ROD 

521 locomotives were ordered in 1917 by the Railway Operating Division during World War 1 and the design was a variation on the Great Central Railway’s Robinson 8K 2-8-0 (later LNER Class O4). 311 of them saw service in France and following the cessation of hostilities the locomotives returned to the UK. They found use with several railway companies including the SE&CR, Caledonian, GWR and L&NWR amongst others. 

  • Adjustable tender draw-bar length.
  • Fully detailed and decorated cab interior.
  • Representation of the inside valve gear.
  • Hinged tender fall-plate.
  • Westinghouse pump modelled.

31-762 No. 4421 LNER Green

NEW FOR MAIN BRANCHLINE RANGE – Class C1 Atlantic

94 locomotives were built for the Great Northern Railway to the designs of Henry A. Ivatt between 1902 and 1910. The first was withdrawn in February 1944 and the last in November 1950. One locomotive has been preserved.

  • Hinged tender fall-plate.
  • Adjustable tender draw-bar length.
  • Fully detailed and decorated cab interior.
  • Opening fire-box door.
  • Opening smoke-box door.
  • Removable coal loads with coal space modelled beneath.

BRANCHLINE DIESEL & ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVES

NEW TOOLING – Class 25/1 & 25/2 Diesel Locomotives

323 locomotives were built between 1961 and 1967 by British Railways’ workshops at Darlington & Derby and by Beyer Peacock in Manchester. The first was withdrawn in December 1975 and the last in 1987. 20 locomotives have been preserved.

  • All new model featuring full directional and cab lighting.
  • Sprung buffers.
  • Pre-fitted speaker for ease of Digital Sound installation.

30-420 Western Pullman 6-Car Ultima Digital Sound Train Set

REFINED TOOLING – Western Pullman Ultima Digital Sound Train Set

We have revised our existing Pullman tooling to allow the later Western Region version of the 6-car former Blue Pullman unit to be modelled, as working on the Western Region of British Rail (1966 to 1973).

Our NEW Western Pullman Ultima Digital Sound Set features the iconic 6-car Pullman in its stylish grey and blue livery as it ran in the Western Region from 1967. 

Keep an eye on this site for more information on this and our other new Train sets for 2018 over the next few days!


BRANCHLINE SECOND GENERATION DMUs

A new range of second generation diesel multiple units is being developed to replace models previously available. These use all-new tooling and feature a low-level drive mechanism with DCC provision (previous models did not have any DCC provision).

NEW TOOLING COMBINATION – 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). 

Our new tooling combination which adds a centre car to the previously announced Class 158 models.

NEW TOOLING – Class 168/3 DMU

9 x two-car Class 170 units were obtained by Chiltern from First TransPennine Express which were subsequently converted to operate with the existing Class 168 fleet and re-designated as Class 168/3.

NEW TOOLING – Class 170 DMU

44 x two-car and 89 x three-car units were built between 1998 and 2005 for Porterbrook Leasing Company and HSBC Rail. The units have seen service with a considerable number of operators both past and present. Current operators are Cross Country, Greater Anglia, ScotRail and West Midlands Trains.

NEW TOOLING – Class 171 DMU

9 x 2-car and 6 x 4-car units were built between 2003 and 2005 for Porterbrook Leasing Company for use on Southern’s Uckfield branch which is not electrified.

All of our second generation DMUs listed above have the following features:

  • Switchable day and night modes.
  • Illuminated destination blinds.
  • Functional BSI couplings on outer ends.
  • Conductive coupling meaning only one decoder is required for DCC operation.
  • Easy access DCC decoder fitting. 

Keep an eye out at your local Bachmann stockist for the new 2018 Branchline catalogue which includes details of all of these exciting new products and much, much more!

Further highlights from the 2018 range will appear on our website in the coming weeks.

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