British Railway Announcements | Summer 2023
The start of May means that it’s time for our Summer British Railway Announcements and all was revealed on Wednesday 3rd May 2023. The largest offering of new products via a single British Railway Announcements to date, the Summer collection showcases new models in N, OO and O scale, all of which are scheduled for release in the coming months.
Graham Farish Steals the Headlines with new Locomotives, Coaches and Wagons
It is N scale and the Graham Farish range that dominates the Summer British Railway Announcements. Starting with motive power and whilst it is well known that the BR Standard 5MT Steam Locomotive has been undergoing SOUND FITTED upgrades, Bachmann today confirmed that the Ivatt 2MT locomotive has undergone similar upgrades and new models of the Ivatt 2MT, including SOUND FITTED versions, will be produced this Summer. Further identities for the Standard 5MT were also revealed, along with SOUND FITTED versions of the previously announced locomotives.
New Tooling for Graham Farish this quarter comes by way of the MXA ‘Lobster’ Bogie Open Wagon, following the launch of the OO scale version in the Spring announcements. Like its larger counterpart, two versions of the N scale ‘Lobster’ will be available, one will feature traditional brake blocks and levers, whilst the second will depict a wagon fitted with disc brakes.
Continuing the additions to the Graham Farish range of rolling stock which began in Spring with the unveiling of various new wagons, it is coaches that take centre stage this time. Both the BR Mark 1 and BR Mark 2F coach ranges see a substantial number of new additions this Summer, with numerous vehicle types catering for many of the most popular liveries across the eras, and in many cases with two different running numbers available per model.
The wagon fleet is not forgotten altogether though, and new liveries for both the TTA Tank Wagon and OBA Open Wagon appear, each produced with a choice of two running numbers, plus new versions of the classic 16 Ton Steel Mineral Wagon, and the type that replaced them, the HAA Hopper Wagon.
Diesels through the Decades for OO by Bachmann Branchline
In OO scale it’s an all-diesel affair for Bachmann Branchline this Summer and the BR Class 20/0, the first All New Tooling project to be unveiled in a British Railway Announcements when it broke cover in 2021, is back in BR Green, BR Blue and BR Railfreight Red Stripe liveries. The Class 37 is next and the extensive suite of tooling for the new Branchline Class 37 continues to be showcased with two further examples joining the range. The popular Class 40 has been upgraded to feature a new twin speaker setup, Plux22 DCC decoder interface and new lighting control for DCC, and four new versions join the previously announced modern-day locomotive, ‘Andania’. Like ‘Andania’, with its new nose tooling that incorporates its modern adornments, new tooling has also been produced to depict the locomotives that had their headcode discs replaced with headcode boxes by the Scottish Region.
Finally, the much-requested Class 70 returns to the range as No. 70811 in Colas Rail Freight livery. Each of the Class 20s, 40s and 70 will be available with or without SOUND FITTED, whilst the Class 37s are offered in standard, SOUND FITTED or SOUND FITTED DELUXE format.
Great (Central) Buildings lead the Scenecraft lineup this Summer!
Bachmann Scenecraft continues to be one of the largest property developers in the world of OO scale, and new to the market today is a range of Low Relief Bay-Fronted Terrace Houses. These versatile models are available with both left- and right-hand bay windows, each with two choices of front door colour, plus a courtyard entrance that can be positioned between any of the houses. The popular range of Great Central buildings continues to grow with the new GCR Mess Room and Timber Signal Box, each available in their as-preserved, original GCR colour schemes, or in BR Midland Region colours. Alongside other new buildings and structures come further wagon loads; sand for the 13 Ton Tippler Wagons, and Steel Plate loads and Tarpaulin-covered loads that are suitable for various wagons – all in OO scale.
Three Scales of Delight for EFE Rail
The EFE Rail range once again provides an eclectic mix of Great British Model Railways and today new tooling is unveiled for EFE Rail, with the PBA Tiger Wagons being offered in N Scale for the first time. Previously released in OO scale under the EFE Rail brand, these impressive Bogie China Clay Wagons will be produced in both the white and blue liveries of English China Clays, with weathered and pristine renditions of each livery on offer.
For OO Scale, the popular ‘Pacer’ Diesel Multiple Units return in two more colour schemes, whilst the PRA four-wheel China Clay Wagons continue the China Clay theme into OO, six models are available in both early and late liveries.
The final new EFE Rail model unveiled today sees the brand dip its toe in the O Scale market for the first time with the Class 15 Diesel Locomotive. One of British Rail’s Pilot Scheme designs, 44 of these Type 1 Diesels were built by the Yorkshire Engine Company and the Clayton Equipment company to a British Thompson-Houston design. Eight models will be available from EFE Rail, all wearing BR Green livery like the prototypes, but with variations including all over green with or without numbers on the nose ends, with the addition of small yellow warning panels, or with full yellow ends.
With a bumper crop of new products set for release over the coming months, the first new items will be arriving with retailers later this month so find your nearest retailer and let them know which items are on your shopping list!.
A Rhapsody in Red from the Bachmann Collectors Club with new Trio of Limited Edition Models
To coincide with Bachmann Europe’s Summer British Railway Announcements, the Bachmann Collectors Club today unveiled its next trio of Limited Edition models.
In N scale, the London Transport Class 20 pairing of No. 20142 ‘Sir John Betjeman’ and No. 20227 ‘Sherlock Holmes’ has been produced following the success of the recent OO scale models of this iconic double act. Using the award-winning Graham Farish Class 20 as a starting point, the unmistakable London Transport livery has been applied beautifully to each locomotive, capturing the unique variations that are applied to each of the real locomotives – from the original crests worn by ‘Sir John Betjeman’ to the roundel logos that adorn ‘Sherlock Holmes’. Both Class 20s are priced at £159.95 each and just 504 have been made of each. With the models currently in transit and on course to arrive during May – orders can be placed now for fulfilment upon delivery.
In OO scale the Bachmann Collectors Club has teamed up with the Bahamas Locomotive Society to produce a model of the support coach used with their Jubilee Class locomotive – Bahamas. The Mk2A Brake First Corridor coach is finished in BR Maroon livery as number M14060 and again, only 504 examples have been made. Priced at £69.95, this model is in stock now and ready to purchase.
Bachmann Collectors Club members can place their orders online via www.bachmanncollectorsclub.co.uk. New members can also join online and purchase from the growing range of Club exclusive models straight away. Orders and membership enquiries can also be made by telephone on 01455 245565.
