Product Highlight: OO Scale Class 117s
The Bachmann Branchline range of OO Scale models is due to welcome the return of the British Rail Class 117 3-Car Diesel Multiple Unit.
These models feature a high level of detail, with the outside of the car decorated with authentic liveries that are applied to all vehicles using BR and corporate specification colours, along with a number of separately applied metal detail parts, such as lamp irons, cab end handrails and roof filler pipes. This attention to detailing has also been applied to the interior of the models, which are fully decorated and feature seating, partitions and driver’s chair and control desk in each cab.
Beneath the solebar, the cars are equipped with several separately fitted underframe components including the engines, exhaust systems, electrical gear and auxiliary equipment. These are surrounded on either side by bogies that feature brake and suspension detail as well as steps where prototypically appropriate, and on the leading bogies of the DMBS and DMS vehicles there are speedometers with flexible connections to the solebar. The models also all share the following features:
- Two motorised vehicles (DMBS and DMS) each fitted with three pole motors and a flywheel providing drive to the inner bogie
- Four axle drive (two driven axles in each of the DMBS and DMS vehicles) with separate metal bearings fitted to each driven axle
- Trailing axles run in metal pinpoint bearings
- Electrical pickup from all wheels
- Equipped with a PLUX 22 DCC Decoder Socket – recommended Decoder item No. 36-570B
- Two speakers fitted to every model as standard, one in each of the DMBS and DMS vehicles, for optimum sound reproduction
- Directional lighting, including illuminated headcode panels* and high intensity headlights*, switchable on/off independently at either end via the chassis-mounted switches or via dedicated DCC functions (*where applicable to the prototype being modelled)
- Separately illuminated destination panels, passenger saloon lighting and cab interior lighting – switchable on/off via the chassis-mounted switches or via a dedicated DCC function
- Detachable coupling pockets to NEM362 standards fitted to each outer bogie on the DMBS and DMS vehicles, with conductive couplings with integral close coupling mechanisms fitted between vehicles
- Sprung metal buffers
- Each model is supplied with a full set of decorated bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts including a coupling tool
All models are also available as SOUND FITTED versions, which have a Zimo MS450P22 DCC Sound Decoder that has been programmed using an exclusive sound project that contains over 25 sound and lighting functions using recordings from real locomotives. The SOUND FITTED models may also be used on most Analogue (DC) layouts, where they will play normal load running sounds and many other automatic or randomised sounds.
The BR Class 117 DMUs were built between 1959 and 1961 by the Pressed Steel Company. Thirty-nine sets were built and they were all initially allocated to BR’s Western Region to work passenger routes from London Paddington station. The cars were initially built as 3-car units that did not have gangways between the cars, although these started to be added during the latter half of the 1960s. The class was refurbished in the late 1970s, and during the 1980s they started to be reallocated to other regions and could be seen working routes as far as Scotland. They were eventually withdrawn towards the end of the 20th century, with the last one being taken out of service only a few months before the turn of the millennium.
35-503(SF) – Class 117 3-Car DMU R334 BR Green (Small Yellow Panels)
Our first Class 117 3-Car DMU is Set No. R334 in BR Green with Small Yellow Panels with destination blinds for Reading and Paddington. This set consists of DBMS car No. W51334, TCL car No. W59486 and DMS car No. W51376, which run on the original type of bogie.
The cab ends on the DBMS and DMS cars are the original style, with cut buffers, full height handrails and glazed headcode boxes that display the codes 2A25 and 2A60. The DBMS and DMS cars also feature a one-piece exhaust at the inner end.
35-504(SF) – Class 117 3-Car DMU L412 BR Blue
Our next Class 117 3-Car DMU is Set No. L412 in BR Blue with destination blinds for Paddington and Reading. This set consists of DBMS car No. W51353, TCL car No. W59505 and DMS car No. WF1395, which run on the modified type of bogie with heavier bolsters and side control buffers.
The DBMS and DMS car cab ends are the later style which feature round buffers, shortened handrails and glazed headcode boxes that display the codes 2A29 and 2A31. The DBMS and DMS cars also feature a twin exhausts with silencers and corridor connectors fitted at the corridor ends.
35-505(SF) – Class 117 3-Car DMU 117308 BR Regional Railways
Our final new Class 117 3-Car DMU model is Set No. 117308 in BR’s Regional Railways livery, with destination blinds for Hereford and Birmingham. This set is made up of DBMS car No. 51371, TCL car No. 59509 and DMS car No. 51413, which also run on the modified type of bogie with heavier bolsters and side control buffers.
This model’s DBMS and DMS car cab ends are the later style which have also had high-intensity headlights and marker/tail lights added, along with the round buffers and shortened handrails. However, the headcode boxes do not display a code as they have been plated over. These cars also feature a twin exhausts with silencers and corridor connectors fitted at the corridor ends.
These models will start to arrive with Bachmann stockists from September, so head to the Bachmann Europe website where you can find more information about the full range. Once you’ve selected your models, get in touch with your nearest retailer to order yours!
Your nearest retailer can be found by using the Retailers page on our website, which can be accessed either from the menu at the top of the page or by clicking on the button below.
