It’s Turbo Time! Brand New ‘Turbostar’ DMUs revealed by Bachmann Branchline ahead of Model World LIVE 2026
To coincide with Model World LIVE which takes place at the NEC, Birmingham this weekend, we are delighted to unveiled brand new OO Scale models of the Class 168, Class 170 and Class 171 ‘Turbostar’ DMUs for its Bachmann Branchline range.
The ‘Turbostar’ Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) were built at the historic Derby Litchurch Lane Works to a modular design, much of which was derived from the earlier ‘Networker’ Class 165s and 166s. Construction of the first ‘Turbostars’ began in 1997 when Chiltern Railways placed an opening order for new units that would go on to be known as the Class 168 ‘Clubmans’.
The first units to be outshopped were designated Class 168/0 as they featured ‘Networker’ style cabs, but as more units were built and a ‘Turbostar’ cab was introduced, the sub-classes 168/1 and 168/2 were used. The Class 168s were fitted with BSI couplings at the outer ends, with electrical connections that were compatible with the Class 165s and 166s that Chiltern had inherited from Network SouthEast.
The first Class 170 units were ordered by Midland Mainline and these began entering traffic in May 1999. Like the 168s, the Class 170s were fitted with BSI couplings but with standard electrical connections, allowing them to work in multiple with a wider range of existing units like the Class 150s and 158s. Construction took place over a seven year period, at the end of which more than 120 units had been delivered in either 2-car or 3-car formations and to multiple operators around the UK.
During the Class 170 build programme, Southern placed an order for Class 171s that were delivered as 4-car Class 171/8s in 2004. These differed from the 170s by having Dellner couplings instead of the BSI type at the outer ends, along with electronic destination panels on the bodysides. Southern also had a fleet of 2-car Class 171/7s, some were built as such from new but most were built as Class 170s before being converted to 171s soon after.
After more than two decades of continual use, the ‘Turbostars’ look set to be part of the British rail scene for the foreseeable future and these popular units remain in daily frontline service across the UK, working on both regional and long-distance services for which they are well suited thanks to their 100mph top speed. Class 168s and 171s are still operated by Chiltern and Southern respectively, whilst current operators of the Class 170 fleet include Cross Country, East Midlands Railway, Northern and ScotRail.
OO scale models of the ‘Turbostars’ were first produced by Bachmann Branchline when the real units were still being built, and in 2018 a brand new model was first muted, but this was later taken out of the public eye. Fast forward to 2026 and the state of the art models revealed today have now reached an advanced stage of development. Designed from the rails up, the new ‘Turbostars’ share the same high level of detail and technology as the Branchline Class 158s that went before them, and more.
The Branchline tooling suite encompasses three major classes, the Class 168s (/1 and /2 sub-classes), the Class 170s and the 171s, and models can be produced in 2-, 3- or 4- car formations to accurately portray the variety seen amongst the real fleet.
Each vehicle employs a precision moulded bodyshell, with accurate engraving of key features like the door openings, panel lines and ventilators. The ribbon glazing is reproduced on each bodyside, and flush glazing is added separately to the doors and cab windscreens, with etched metal windscreen wipers completing the look along with etched metal roof grilles. Look within and a detailed interior is fitted which includes tables, chairs, toilet compartments and, at each cab end, a driver’s desk, chair and cab bulkhead.
Below the bodyside, each chassis is adorned with a full completement of separately fitted parts, depicting the engines, fuel tanks, batteries, brake systems and auxiliary gear, complete with intricate pipework and cabling reproduced for full effect. Sand boxes are added too, and these are finished with metal wire sandpipes.
Every Driving Vehicle is motorised, using the low-level drive train that has proven so successful in the Class 158 to provide invisible drive to the inner bogie of each car via a diecast metal gearbox which drives both axles on the bogie.
These axles run in separate metal bearings, while the trailing axles run in metal pinpoint bearings and all wheels are equipped with electrical pickups. The wheels themselves are reproduced true to prototype, with the characteristic hole patterns and these fit into high fidelity bogies which are complete with brake and suspension details. Trailer vehicles are unpowered, meaning that every unit features two motorised vehicles regardless of the formation.
The primary Driving vehicle houses the Plux22 DCC Decoder socket and again like the Branchline 158 this is accessed through a removable panel in the underframe negating any need to remove the bodyshell. The primary vehicle couples to the secondary driving car and any trailer vehicles using conductive couplings with integral close coupling mechanisms, so a single DCC decoder operates the entire train whilst retaining full functionality and close coupling.
The Bach-Up Stay Alive System is also found in the primary car and this provides uninterrupted power to prevent stalling, light flicker and sound cut-outs on DCC, meanwhile every driving vehicle is pre-fitted with a speaker giving the Branchline Turbostars a twin-speaker setup. SOUND FITTED models will be available which come pre-fitted with a ESU Loksound V5DCC sound decoder.
A full and comprehensive suite of lighting includes directional lights which can be switched between day and night mode, and the lights can be turned off at either end for when the units are working in multiple.
Passenger saloon lighting is included along with illuminated destination panels at either end – the Class 171s have these centrally on the bodysides of each car just like the prototype, and these also illuminate. DCC users can go further and operate the cab lights – each cab light is controlled by a separate function – and the door interlock lights for prototypical operations during station stops.
The cab ends are fitted with working miniature BSI couplings that allow multiple units to be joined together and allow the 168s and 170s to couple to other units like the Branchline 158s for example, something that the real units were capable of too. The Class 171s on the other hand were fitted with Dellner couplings and a miniature working Dellner for the new Branchline 171s is also in development.
Subtle detail differences across the fleet have been incorporated into the tooling suite, the most noticeable being the fitting or not of cab air conditioning, the NRN aerial pods, and the roof vents which are found on the shoulders of the roof, with vehicles having either 2 or 5 vents.
Two styles of headlight cluster are modelled, with either 3 lights per cluster with separate tail lights, or with combined tail lights so just 2 lights per cluster. Three types of valance are also depicted and with them come different horn positions accordingly.
The Class 168 bogies are fitted with Tripcocks, as per the real units, which were necessary to allow them to work on the Metropolitan line.
Development of the new Branchline models is now at an advanced stage and further enhancements and refinements have been made since the first assembled engineering prototypes were produced. New bodyshells incorporating these changes have been produced giving a flavour of how the final models will look.
The new Branchline ‘Turbostar’ range kicks off with four Class 170s including a two-car unit in original Midland Mainline livery, whilst the colours of current operator Cross Country are applied to a second two-car set. Three-car units were ordered for use in Scotland and the latest ScotRail scheme adorns the new Branchline model. For the final Class 170, another three-car set that formerly operated north of the border has been selected, however this unit is now used by East Midlands Railway and is finished in their purple ‘EMR Regional’ livery. Completing the line-up for now is a two-car Class 171 in Southern livery.
The first models are currently scheduled to arrive by the end of 2026, and pricing starts at £349.95 for a two-car unit. As ever, these models are available only from Bachmann retailers so contact your local retailer to order your model now.
