British Rail Icons Lead the Way in Bachmann Europe’s Summer 2025 British Railway Announcements
British Rail Icons Lead the Way in Bachmann Europe’s Summer 2025 British Railway Announcements
Wednesday 7th May 2025 saw Bachmann Europe reveal the latest additions to its British model railway ranges with the launch of the Summer British Railway Announcements. In the build-up three high profile new tooling projects have already been unveiled and today, further new models were added to the Bachmann Branchline, Graham Farish and Scenecraft ranges.
The company’s flagship N Scale brand, Graham Farish, has added a quartet of Class 47s to the range, depicting a pair of original British Railways (BR) Green locomotives and two later examples in BR Blue, both of which are Electric Train Heating-fitted Class 47/4s. All models take advantage of the recently upgraded Class 47 from Graham Farish to offer a full suite of lighting and with the option of SOUND FITTED. New wagon releases include the BRA/BYA Steel Carrier and JGA Bogie Hoppers, each appearing in liveries never before replicated on these wagons in N Scale, whilst the most significant development on the rolling stock front is the return of the BR 10T Meat Vans, 12T Fruit Vans and 12T Ventilated Vans which are fitted with NEM Couplings Pockets for the first time. The Scenecraft range of hand painted, fully finished buildings and accessories welcomes the Great Central Railway (GCR) Wooden Signal Box, based on the structure found at Rothley Station on the preserved GCR, and a pair of Low Relief Terraced Houses.
The first new tooling to be revealed ahead of the summer announcements was from EFE Rail and the OO Scale Isle of Wight Coaches. These former London, Brighton & South Coast Railway (LBSCR) coaches were heavily rebuilt in the late-1930s before their transfer to the Island where they operated first under the Southern Railway (BR) and in later years with British Railways. Two four-coach packs will be produced in SR Maunsell Green and SR Malachite Green, whilst a further pair of four-coach packs are finished in BR Crimson and BR (SR) Green liveries.
Announced at the same time as the Isle of Wight Coaches were the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS) 20 Ton Brake Vans in OO Scale by Bachmann Branchline and today, the livery samples for these highly detailed models were displayed for the first time. Five vehicles will be available initially, covering the vans in their first years of LMS service, through BR operations and ending with one example depicted during its second life in Departmental use.
The third new tooling and the most significant this Summer is the all-new Bachmann Branchline Class 66 Diesel Locomotive and images of the livery samples for these stunning new models were published today. The first release includes ten locomotives in a choice of five liveries – each of which will be available in standard, SOUND FITTED or SOUND FITTED DELUXE format, with both sound versions featuring the new Dual Fitted XL speaker system whilst all models benefit from a Bach-Up Stay Alive system and Bachmann’s revolutionary Auto-Release Couplings are present on the SOUND FITTED DELUXE models. A further pair of models carry the Freightliner 60th anniversary liveries, one with an orange and black colour scheme and the other with green and yellow paintwork.
To coincide with the 60th anniversary of Freightliner, the highly acclaimed FFA and FGA Freightliner Flats make their much requested return to the Branchline range and prototypical 5-wagon sets can be easily assembled using the new models which will be offered as a twin-pack of FGA outer wagons and three single FFA inners, with a choice of original Freightliner containers or contemporary ISO containers and tank containers in a selection of period liveries. The five wagons required to assemble a complete, authentic train can also be purchased as part of a special value pack from participating retailers.
Another series of models making their long-awaited return to the Branchline range are the BR Mk2F coaches and new models will be released in BR Blue & Grey and InterCity Swallow liveries. The popular Driving Brake Second Open (DBSO) also returns in a choice of BR Blue & Grey or BR ScotRail pant schemes. Meanwhile, following the release of the Refurbished DBSO in the same colours, standard coaches including the Restaurant First Buffet (RFB) will be produced in the teal green of Anglia and the unmistakable yellow of Network Rail. Each Mk2F is available in standard format or with DCC On Board – the latter being pre-fitted with a full suite of lighting including saloon lights, tail lights with interchangeable lamps or blanks as required, and where applicable, door interlock lights, all of which is controlled via the integrated DCC decoder. The DBSO vehicles come with DCC On Board as standard and include directional lights and in all cases, most lights fitted to DCC On Board models will operate on analogue control too.
A new variant of the RNAD Flat Wagon joins the Bachmann Narrow Gauge OO9 Scale range this Summer, with the new wagon based on one operating at the RNAD’s Dean Hill site and sporting three-planked ends. Otherwise, new accessories are the order of the day for Bachmann Narrow Gauge as the Hook and Loop Couplings supplied with the brand’s Dinorwic Wagons are now available separately for OO9 scale, whilst the same couplings but with screw-on NEM Coupling Pockets are added to the NG7 range. For NG7 the popular ‘Chopper’ Couplings will also be made available as an accessory, and there are several new NG7 structures from Scenecraft, most of which depict slate-built structures along with the corrugated station.
Every model revealed today is featured in full in the Summer 2025 British Railway Announcements Catalogue which is published in the Bachmann Times, the official magazine of the Bachmann Collectors Club. The first of these new models will begin arriving in the coming weeks and orders for the full range can be placed now via any Bachmann retailer.
Your nearest retailer can be found using the Retailers page on our website, so get in touch with your local retailer and place your pre-orders today!
