The Railway Magazine Guide to Modelling - October 2018 - Preview

October 2018

EDITORIAL

From the editor

GUIDE TO

Modelling

F

Staff

Editor Pete Kelly RMModellingeditor@mortons.co.uk Contributors Nigel Burkin, Ian Lamb, Jon Longman Production editor Pauline Hawkins Designer Holly Furness Picture desk Paul Fincham, Jonathan Schofield Advertising manager Sue Keily Publisher Tim Hartley Publishing director Dan Savage Commercial director Nigel Hole Subscription manager Paul Deacon Circulation manager Steve O'Hara Marketing manager Charlotte Park

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Next edition

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www.railwaymagazinemodelling.co.uk.

November issue of RMM is out on Friday, October 26, 2018.

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Pete Kelly Editor

or the past umpteen years, a filing cabinet drawer in my small bedroom office has been filled with a dozen or so OO-scale locomotive models, and when I finally took them out to re-examine them recently, it seemed like looking back over a long-vanished era.

At the time, I was collecting Great Western and LNER models, and hidden away and all but forgotten were a GWR 5700 (or as some would say 57XX) 0-6-0 pannier tank, two 5600 0-6-2 tanks, a 6100 class 2-6-2 (Prairie) tank, a ‘Manor’ 4-6-0, a 4300 2-6-0 (Mogul) and a 5700 0-6-0 pannier tank.

The LNER models consisted of two 0-6-2 condensing tanks, two J72 0-6-0 tanks, a D49 ‘Shire’ 4-4-0 and a B17 ‘Footballer’ 4-6-0.

Looking underneath, I rediscovered that all the GWR models and four of the LNER examples had been made by Mainline in Hong Kong (the N2s were actually branded Airfix) and that the D49 and B17 had been made by Hornby in Great Britain.

Between them, they marked a gradual progression from basic to better, by far the best of the bunch being the impressively heavy little J72s, one in plain black and the other in white-lined apple green; the 5700, which boasted brake rodding and wire hand rails, but still relied on body moulding for the rest of the detail; and Hornby’s tenderdrive B17 and D49.

Over time, plastic parts such as coal loads and cab roofs had become unstuck from the Mainline/Airfix models and the gold-painted safety-valve bonnets had faded – and the very basic tender attachments looked positively toy-like.

The driving wheels also looked heavy and clumsy compared with the finely crafted components we take for granted on today’s ever more sophisticated models, but I would still be proud to run my old locos on another OO-scale layout.

The best of the Mainline bunch were the beautiful little J72s and the 5700, but I must admit that the Hornby models still seemed to have far more presence and majesty about them.

How things have changed! Miniaturised electronics technology has revolutionised the world of model railways, and this was only too apparent when Bachmann took over Staffordshire’s delightful Churnet Valley Railway on August 31 and September 1 for their Summer Press Day, followed by a special day for the Bachmann Collectors’ Club, which now boasts an impressive membership of 6000.

With features like DCC sound systems, 21-pin decoder sockets, cab, coach and directional lighting, conductive coupling, all-wheel pick-up, firebox flickers, sprung buffers and more livery/class variant options than ever before, model railways have entered a world of sophistication that could only have been dreamed of a few years ago.

Although pre-orders among enthusiasts have resulted in many new models being virtually bought up before they arrive in this country (the N-gauge Graham Farish GWR diesel railcars, a BR green example of which I have just been lucky enough to acquire for my ‘Meadowsweet’ layout from my local model shop, being one example) there is no denying that all this advancement comes at a cost that many, but certainly not all, can obviously afford.

Perhaps the future will also see new ranges of more affordable models coming along – and if they only compared with my Mainline

We're on the train! RMM advertising sales executive Lynsey Young and editor Pete Kelly enjoy the ride along the Churnet Valley Railway during the Bachmann Press Day on August 31.

J72s and Hornby D49 and B17, they would remain perfectly acceptable to many modellers, including myself.

Putting aside the subject of model locomotives and rolling stock, laser-cutting techniques have also brought higher standards than ever before to cardboard/ compressed hardboard kit buildings and other structures, as evidenced by Metcalfe’s ever more finely crafted range of buildings and lineside structures, Scale Model Scenery’s war memorials, catenary spans and uprights and the solid laser-cut buildings by Petite Properties.

Talk about never having it so good – but as ever, we welcome your views for our readers’ letters pages.

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News

Have you got a story for us? Email: RMModellingeditor@mortons.co.uk

Hornby NBR J36 0-6-0 No. 65311 Haig could arrive just in time for Christmas Memories of the gallant journey under her own steam by 1891-built former North British Railway Class C (LNER J36) 0-6-0 No. 673 Maude from the Scottish Railway Preservation Society’s base at Falkirk to Rainhill and back in 1980 will be evoked

by Hornby’s expected December release in OO scale of sister locomotive No. 65311 Haig.

Maude made the long round trip to represent Scottish railways in the unforgettable cavalcade of historic locomotives celebrating 150 years since the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway, and the pageant even included working replicas of original Rainhill Trials contenders Rocket, Sans Pareil and Novelty.

The painted nameplate on Hornby’s new-tooling model replicates the style of the rest of the First World War-related nameplates that were applied to a small number of the substantial Matthew Holmes-designed class – 65216 Byng, 65217 French, 65222 Somme, 65224 Mons, 65233 Plumer, 65235 Gough, 65243 Maude, 65253 Joffre, 65268 Allenby and, of course, 65311 Haig.

Maude was named after General Sir Frederick Stanley Maude, the most successful commander to serve on the Mesopotamian Front in the First World War, who died in 1917, and Haig after Field Marshal Douglas Haig, who commanded the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front from late 1915 until the end of the war.

In 1887 Matthew Holmes, locomotive superintendent of the North British Railway, decided to stop building goods locomotives with 17in cylinders and instead introduce a larger class.

Although the new engines retained the same wheelbase and firebox of their predecessors,

From this view can be seen clearly the many fine details applied to Hornby’s forthcoming release in OO gauge of J36 0-6-0 No 65311. Note the betweenframes detail, hand rails and bright fittings, and the well-modelled tender.

This three-quarters frontal view emphasises the snowplough, finely-moulded chimney and dome, safety valves and other details.

This three-quarters rear view gives a glimpse of the inside cab detail.

they had 18¼ x 26in cylinders and new standard boilers.

The first six such Class C locomotives were built in 1888, and by 1900 no fewer than 168 had entered service.

After being built by the North British Railway at Cowlairs in March 1899, No. 65311 was rebuilt with the new standard boiler in April 1921.

Numbered 753, it was not part of the First World War Railway Operating Division contingent, but when the original Haig, No. 650, was withdrawn

in April 1951, No. 753 (now numbered 65311) was unofficially named Haig in its place while at Craigentinny in the summer of 1953.

Now available to pre-order at £139.99, Haig looks beautifully detailed from the images supplied by Hornby, in which it is seen in plain black livery with early crests, snowplough, bright fittings, works plates, very crisply applied numbering and lettering, a detailed cab interior and a finely sculpted tender. We can’t wait for a review example to arrive!

Lest we forget – commemorative headboards in N, OO and O scales Fox Transfers of Kibworth, Leicestershire, has produced a range of exclusive commemorative N, OO and O-scale etched headboards with all profits from their sale going to the British Legion Poppy Appeal charity (No 219279).

Fox Transfers’ commemorative Poppy Appeal charity headboards are seen fitted to the editor’s well-weathered N-scale rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ 4-6-0 and OO-scale O4 2-8-0 model locomotives.

New model shop opens A new shop run by model railway enthusiasts and called A2B opened recently in Matlock Bath. See the advertisement in this issue or go to www.a2bmodelrailways.co.uk for more information.

Richard joins the YouChoos team

After 10 years trading as the husband and wife team of John and Sam Gymer, Wiltshire-based YouChoos has announced that a new team member, Richard Simmons, has joined them to work initially from Wednesdays to Fridays.

Richard has spent more than three decades on the club and exhibition circuit, and brings a wealth of modelling and railway knowledge, having constructed several layouts including the stunning Westinghouse MRC P4 layout ‘Simmington’.

He also has a particular interest in DCC, which is the core business of YouChoos.

RMM was kindly sent one example each of the N and OO-scale headboards, and the pleasing result can be seen on the accompanying photograph featuring an OO-scale O4 2-8-0 and rebuilt ‘Royal Scot’ 4-6-0. A line-up of some of the designs is also shown as not all of them are available in all three gauges.

Once the headboards have been released from their brightly etched square frames, they are extremely small and light to handle, especially in N, so a pair of tweezers and the

tiniest blob of gel-type adhesive are advised.

Once they are approximately in position, it’s worth taking some time to get them exactly right, because nothing looks worse than a headboard that’s either leaning or positioned too far left or right of centre.

Regardless of design, the headboards each cost £5.80 in N, £8.10 in 00 and £10.80 in O. Fox Transfers Ltd, Unit 5, Priory Business Park, Wistow Road, Kibworth, Leicestershire LE8 0RX (sales@fox-transfers.co.uk, www.foxtransfers.co.uk or 0116 319 4950).

There are subtle differences between all of Fox Transfers’ special Poppy Appeal commemorative headboards, and the size differences are seen in this line-up.

Numbers well up at Corris model railway show

The Corris Railway Society’s annual Model Railway Exhibition at Y Plas, Machynlleth, over the August bank holiday weekend attracted the biggest number of visitors since 2014, with a 33% increase in attendance over last year alone.

Encouragingly, in light of concerns about the increasingly older demographic of railway modellers, almost 130 of the visitors were children, which might reflect the fact that the Corris event usually features one or two layouts aimed to appeal to younger visitors and sometimes give them the opportunity to ‘drive the trains’.

During the event, trains running between Corris station and Maespoeth Junction were also busy, making it a very satisfactory weekend for the railway.

Dorothy collects her knitted engine from Phil Sheard, of the Cleethorpes model shop, for guessing its correct name of Jim.

Knitted engine for Dorothy The name ‘Jim’ won one young visitor to the Grimsby and Cleethorpes Model Engineering Society’s August 25-27 Gala Weekend an unusual prize in the shape of a knitted locomotive.

Eight-year-old Dorothy Hayes from Grimsby picked the correct name in a competition run by Cleethorpes’ Classic Model Shop in support of the East Coast Fundraisers group, which raises cash for local cancer sufferers.

The popular GCMES weekend is held each year at Waltham Windmill in a three-day extravaganza featuring everything from fly-pasts to model railways, steam rollers, train rides, classic cars, trade stands, live music and entertainment.

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News

Have you got a story for us? Email: RMModellingeditor@mortons.co.uk

Oxford Rail's WWI Dean Goods and rail-mounted gun revealed

DCC Concepts launches friendly Focus Forum

The first livery samples of Oxford Rail’s First World War Gladiator rail gun and Railway Operating Division GWR Dean Goods 0-6-0 have been issued to reveal the massive and well-detailed 30-wheel behemoth in both wartime green and camouflaged paintwork.

Now available to pre-order either from Gaugemaster.com or from Oxford Rail direct, the pricess are £112.95 for the Dean Goods locomotive alone (OR76DG009), a price still to be announced for the Dean Goods with DCC-sound (OR76DG009XS); £169.95 for the age locomotive p plus camouflaged WW1 Boche Buster rail gun (OR76BOOM01); £279.95 for f the rail gun plus DCC-sound-fitted locomotive (OR76BOOM01XS) or £49.95 for f the Gladiator rail gun.

An interactive Focus Forum with the aim of sharing advice and encouraging all who love railway modelling in an environment free of pop-ups, advertising and cost has been launched by DCC Concepts Ltd of Unit E, The Sidings, Settle BD24 9RP. A high priority has been to establish a site with lots of talent, but less acid comment and attitude problems than on some sites they have visited. The idea is to make the Forum a place of inspiration without distraction, positive support and – yes – hard discussion.

It will look for equal and respectful treatment of all, irrespective of modelling skills or experience, with easy image upload to threads and galleries, and almost unlimited image space for those who need it (without charge, of course).

Proactively managed in accordance with simple rules, it’s a place where talent can be shared and advice given freely – so why not visit https://www. dccconceptsforum.com and see what’s in store?

The GWR Dean Goods looks amazing in the sandy-coloured ROD livery with huge tender-side numbers.

Talk about the Big Bang theory! The ‘BOOM’ in the model number for the ‘Boche Buster’ is no coincidence…

…and here's the Dean Goods and gun together.

Bachmann Europe takes over the Churnet Valley Railway Bachmann Europe plc chose the Churnet Valley Railway in Staffordshire for its Summer Press Day on Friday, August 31, followed by a special day for members of the thriving Bachmann Collectors’ Club on the Saturday.

The presentation included a detailed update by public relations manager Dennis Lovett on all sectors of the company, including Bachmann Branchline, Graham Farish, Liliput, Scenecraft, EFE die-cast models, Pocketbond construction kits, Wm Britain military figures, Woodland Scenics and Proses model railway accessories.

There was also a video presentation about progress on forthcoming Bachmann Branchline and Graham Farish models, and a searching questionand-answer session with Bachmann Europe’s managing director David Haarhaus before a buffet lunch and return journey along the line and back behind Class 33 No. 33 102 Sophie, and a chance to see the much-anticipated OO-gauge ‘Western Pullman’ in action around a short circular track in one of the Kingsley & Froghall Station buildings.

Review samples of some of the latest Bachmann Branchline products included Great Northern Railway Class C1 Atlantic No. 272 in GNR lined green (31-761, 21-pin, £199.95) which is fully described in full by Nigel Burkin in this issue; 50ft ex-LMS Full Brake No. M31080M in BR Blue and Grey livery (34-332, £34.95); a BR Mk 1 Horse Box in SR green livery as No. S96367 and marked ‘Not to run between Tonbridge and Battle’ (38-526, £36.95); two FGA Freightliner Wagons in BR Blue pre-TOPS livery, Nos. B601394 and B601383 with

Modelling press representatives mingle with Bachmann executives for this group shot beside the line. Pete, with rescue dog Elsa (facing the wrong way as usual) is standing to the right of Railway Modeller editor Steve Flint, and Bachmann Europe MD David Haarhaus is on the left.

A sample of Bachmann Branchline’s delightful J72 0-6-0T is seen in LNER lined black.

Robinson’s Great Central 2-8-0s, which became O4s under the LNER classification, played a vital part during the First World War, and the latest Bachmann Branchline example looks well in its plain black ROD livery. Note the superb footplate detail.

The much-anticipated Graham Farish N-gauge South Eastern & Chatham Railway Wainwright Class C 0-6-0 is seen in SE&CR lined green. Southern plain black and early-crest BR plain black guises are also available.

Freightliner 30ft ISO containers (38-625, £99.95 per pair); an FFA Freightliner Wagon in BR Blue pre-TOPS livery as No. B602126 with 30ft Freightliner ISO containers (38-626, £49.95 single) and a BR Mk 2F FO First Open in BR Intercity livery as No. 3334, with DCC on board (39-652DC, £79.95).

These will all be reviewed over the next two issues of RMM, and there is much more about the press day on pages 40 and 41.

One of Bachmann’s sales area exclusive models, this Class 37/7 Co-Co diesel-electric turned out as EW&S No. 37704 will be available with or without DCC sound fitted.

Built at Vulcan Foundry in 1961, the real-life locomotive was cut up at T J Thompson’s, Stockton, in June 2009.

Beautiful! Bachmann Branchline OO-gauge 4-4-2s pose side-by-side, with London Brighton & South Coast Railway H2 ‘Brighton Atlantic’, in Southern Railway livery as No. 2421 South Foreland, standing to the left of Great Northern Railway C1 No. 272 in apple green. Photo by Nigel Burkin.

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News

Have you got a story for us? Email: RMModellingeditor@mortons.co.uk

3D resin water cranes from Peedie Models The single or multiple (at large locomotive sheds) use of water cranes will add detailed authenticity to any layout, and Peedie Models have just released a set of N-scale water cranes in the styles of London & South Western, Midland and Great Western Railways.

They are 3D printed, using high-end liquid resin printers allowing Peedie to capture the fine detail of these models.

Each water crane comes as a complete kit, and takes only a few moments to construct, and all these models can be found on the www.peediemodels.com website.

Go also to https://.peediemodels. com/products.php?cat=1 .

LSWRA set of two L water style N-scale w crane installations is available ffor £5.65, fire (£6.55 with fi devil included).

This N-scale Midland Region egion water crane from Peedie edie Models costs just £4.95.

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These N-scale GWR water cranes with fire devil cost £4.95.

Limited-edition wagon from Crafty Hobbies Crafty Hobbies of Barrow-in-Furness is to release an exclusive limited-edition OO-scale wagon in the livery of North Lonsdale Tar Macadam Ltd of Ulverston at the Barrow Model Railway Exhibition on Saturday,

October 13. The price is yet to be confirmed.

For more details, contact Crafty Hobbies, 54 Cavendish Street, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria LA14 1PZ (01229 820759).

Crafty Hobbies will re-create the livery of this original North Lonsdale Tar Macadam Ltd on its limited-edition OO model to be launched at the Barrow Model Railway Exhibition.

Winter opening in Mevagissey The World of Model Railways in Meadow Street, Mevagissey, St Austell, Cornwall PL26 6UL, which also boasts a first-class model shop (No 10 on the map in September’s RMM) will go into winter opening times from October 1.

The attraction will be open on Saturdays and Sundays from midday until 4pm, but will be closed during the rest of the week.

Rebuilt ‘Patriot’ No. 45534 arrives from Hornby The latest OO-scale Hornby model to arrive at RMM is that of rebuilt ‘Patriot’ 4-6-0 No. 45534 E Tootal Broadhurst, which will be reviewed by Nigel Burkin in next month’s issue.

It was in August 1945 that the LMS authorised the rebuilding of 18 ‘Patriots’ to 6P classification (later 7P) to meet the postwar needs of accelerated passenger services, and this was achieved by the fitting of 2A taper boilers, the replacement of the original 3500-gallon Fowler tenders with a 4000-gallon type, and replacing the rather narrow original ‘Patriot’ cabs with a wider Stanier type.

The first of the original ‘Patriots’ to be withdrawn, in September 1960, was the third member of the class, No. 45502 Royal Naval Division, and

the last to go was the rebuilt No. 45530 Sir Frank Ree in December 1965.

Many modellers might ask: “Who was E Tootal Broadhurst?” The clue lies in the fact that many of the ‘Patriot’ names had their origins in the First World War. Edward Tootal Broadhurst was a director of Tootal Broadhurst Lee, one of the biggest cotton manufacturers in Manchester, who later became its chairman, and was also a director of the London & North Western Railway. His First World War connection was that he joined the organising committee for the recruitment of the WW1 Manchester Pals’ Battalion, raising funds towards the cost of uniforms and equipment.

The cost of the new Hornby model (R3633), in Era 4 lined green BR livery with early crest, will be £169.99.

Hornby’s OO-scale model of rebuilt ‘Patriot’ No. 45534 E Tootal Broadhurst captures the lines of these powerful and hard-working three-cylinder 4-6-0s well, and will be reviewed next month.

Modelfair venue settled Although there had been some uncertainty over recent months about the use of Elgin Town Hall for this year’s Modelfair, all is now settled and the prestigious North of

Scotland event will now take place at the venue over the weekend of November 3-4. Opening times will be 10am until 5pm on the Saturday, and 10am until 4pm on the Sunday.

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in What's the shops

Southampton dockside shunters from Heljan The short-wheelbase Ruston & Hornsby Class 07 diesel-electric shunters were produced specifically for Southampton’s tight dockside rail complex – and the Danish firm Heljan has made a terrific job of modelling them in OO, writes Nigel Burkin.

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ourteen Ruston & Hornsby 275hp Class 07 0-6-0 diesel electric locomotives were ordered

by British Railways for a very specific application compared to Class 08 and 09 shunters that were also used on the Southern Region – the cramped Southampton Docks complex for which the latter two types were generally unsuited.

Despite the 07s being six-coupled, their short 8ft 7½in wheelbase made them ideal for the sharp curves found around the docks, and their tall centre cabs with large windows offered excellent visibility for shunting operations.

Numbered D2985-D2998 (07 001014), they were introduced in 1962 and finished originally in BR (SR) Lancing coaching stock green (not BR loco green) with yellow and black stripes on the bonnet ends.

BR blue livery was applied to all the shunters in the late 1960s with TOPS numbering being applied from 1973, except for the first four locomotives to be withdrawn from service.

Air brakes were fitted to several members of the class in the late 1960s, making them dual-braked to meet the

increase in modern air-braked freight wagon use. They were also fitted with waist-height air hoses that duplicate those on the buffer beam, which enabled them to shunt SR multiple-unit stock around Eastleigh.

In 1975, four Class 07 locomotives were transferred to Bournemouth for around a year and used on EMU shunting duties before returning to Eastleigh, with the exception of No. 07 006, which was withdrawn. The class is very much associated with Eastleigh – even today, with the survival of Eastleigh Works shunter No. D2991, which retains its vacuum brake and was one of the first to be withdrawn from service.

Class 07 shunters served BR on the main line for a mere 15 years. The decline in docks traffic, together with a surplus of shunting locomotives of all kinds, saw Class 07 withdrawals beginning with the vacuum-braked examples in 1973. Some were sold to industrial users while others were scrapped. The remainder finally received their TOPS numbers and continued to work in the Eastleigh area, except those sent to Bournemouth for a year. The second batch of withdrawals occurred in

No. D2991 was withdrawn from BR service as early as May 1973 because it was not equipped with vacuum brakes, but strangely enough it was retained as an ‘internal-user’ works shunter at Eastleigh, where it survived railway privatisation to see the Eastleigh Centenary open days in May 2009. It is pictured at one of these, and remains at Eastleigh under the ownership of Arlington Fleet Services, which applied the TOPS number it never carried in BR ownership.

October 1976, to be followed by the last of the class in July 1977.

Seven Class 07 shunters survive today, with five secured for preservation, in addition to No. 07 007 and 07 011 that remain in ‘industrial’ use. Peak Rail hosts No. 07 001 while No. 07 005 can be found on the Great Central Railway.

No. 07 010 calls the Avon Valley Railway home, and No. 07 012 is documented as being located on the Appleby Frodingham Railway at Scunthorpe. Finally, No. 07 013 is located on the East Lancashire Railway, where it awaits restoration.

First impressions Heljan announced an OO-gauge model of the Class 07 in January 2016, filling an important gap in BR main line diesel shunter models. Although allocated to the Eastleigh and Southampton Docks area for most of their BR days, the class ended up in industrial service in many parts of the UK, offering modelling potential beyond 1977, and certainly there is no reason why prototype freelancing cannot be applied to the model.

The review model is of No. 07 005, finished in post-1973 condition with air and vacuum brakes, and offers

There are many fittings on the exterior of a Class 07 shunter, and all have been well modelled with fine tooling, together with stand-alone parts including metal fittings.

Heljan has taken the plunge with another small locomotive class, this time the Southampton Docks shunter, or Class 07, of which only 14 were built.

potential for renumbering and detailing to represent the locomotive currently operated by St Leonards Engineering Ltd, for example.

First impressions are of a highly detailed model with a high level of refinement and exceptionally high quality flush glazing, a feature which Heljan is particularly good at producing and is important in diesel shunting locomotives.

Bonnet and cab assembly The cab moulding is a separate subassembly fitted to the underframe between two separate bonnet sections, which has allowed the cab to be fully detailed and fitted with the aforementioned flush glazing as a single sub-assembly. The body sections are neat and tight to the underframe, with no obvious seam lines or securing clips.

MODEL DETAILS

Ruston & Hornsby Class 07 0-6-0 dock shunter Manufacturer: Heljan A/S Scale: 4mm (1:76) scale, OO gauge Era: 1962-1977 in BR service Web: www.heljan.dk Suggested retail price: £139.95

This photo of the short bonnet end shows marker lights and one of the neat Ruston plates that were applied to each end of the model. Supplied in the box of add-on details to the model are those characteristic number plates that identified which duty a particular locomotive was engaged upon.

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Tooling of the finer details is crisp and sharp, enhanced by a wealth of small detail on all individually fitted parts.

These include the exhaust pipe, grab rails, pipework associated with the air brakes, and side cabinets. The high level of detail is apparent on the bonnet fronts, with air pipes leading from the buffer beam to the waist-level air-brake hoses and the fitting of the marker light details. Assembly is solid and durable, with no glue marks or other signs of less-than-careful assembly of the detailing components.

Chassis and wheels The solid-looking chassis of the class is apparent in the model with the buffer beams, foot steps and running plate well represented. Long tanks and associated pipework are fitted to the underside of the running plate as separate components alongside brake hangers and sanding gear.

The full-sized Class 07s had little in the way of detail below the running plate, making this area of the locomotive appear much less busy than the body sections.

A comparison of side-on pictures of the prototype with the model suggests that the bottom edge of the chassis frames is a tad too high, resulting in greater clearance

under the chassis – a minor point, and one that ensures the model has sufficient clearance for track details and uncouplers.

Electrical Current collection from the wheels is through wiper pick-ups acting on the rear of the wheels, with current collection being made through all six wheels. They are neatly concealed at the top of the chassis and not visible when the model is viewed from the side. Internally, an NEM-651 DCC interface socket is located on the circuit board which distributes power to the motor and the marker lights. A dummy plug is fitted for use on conventional 12v DC analogue power.

Drive mechanism The drive is a simple but effective arrangement, with a three-pole motor driving a single drive gear on the middle axle of the model. The coupling rods transmit power to the outer axles, resulting in a powerful model which has good hauling power with its 200g of weight.

Testing showed it to be a smooth and controllable model, but with a scale top speed in excess of 20mph,

Another active Class 07 is No. 07 011, based at St Leonards Railway Engineering (Hastings Diesels) since 1996 after being sold by ICI following a number of years as an industrial shunter. This locomotive, unlike No. D2991, was fitted with air brakes in the late 1960s and survived in service until July 1977. It boasts waist-height air hoses on the long bonnet end for shunting EMU and DEMU vehicles, and also has the additional equipment cabinet located on the bonnet side.

which is the top speed of the full-sized shunters. DCC users can programme the decoder to reduce the top speed of the locomotive and make adjustments to the mid-speed and starting voltages to bring performance more in line with the real thing!

Hand rails are found all over the locomotive, and many have been modelled with hand rail knobs and fine wire. The cab interior is easily visible through the very clear glazing.

This side view of the model shows its very short wheelbase and neat assembly of the body, which is composed of three main sub-assemblies.

Livery The review model is finished very pleasingly in BR rail blue with yellow, black bonnet fronts and white details. The colour is a very good shade of pristine BR blue (which faded quickly on the fullsized locomotives) and the yellow applied to the bonnet fronts appears to be spot-on for the 1970s version of the colour. Stripes and printed details are sharp, straight and opaque, while many of the individually fitted components, such as hand rails and pipework, are very neatly painted white.

The cab interior is also well finished, with the control desk being picked out with dials and controls, and again the colours are being neatly applied.

Several models offered by Heljan are finished in the original green livery that was applied to the locomotives when new – a variant of BR (SR) green quoted in records as Lancing coaching stock green. If you think your 1960s version of the model appears too light compared with BR loco green, the colour is correct, and the model has this well replicated, along with the simple lining applied to the bonnets.

Overall It is amazing how much detail there is on a small shunting locomotive, and the Class 07s are no exception, particularly those fitted with air brakes. All of the external details are finely executed, which together with accurate livery application has made for a refined and attractive model that captures perfectly the busy character of this small fleet of shunters, and will be much sought-after by modellers and collectors alike.

The front radiator grille is a fine etched metal component, while hand rails are of metal wire. Brake pipework is composed of moulded plastic.

FEATURES OF THE MODEL

Manufacturer plates applied to the bonnet fronts.

Sprung buffers with metal heads.

NEM coupling pockets built into the buffer beams and blanking covers.

Three powered axles.

Three-pole motor.

6-pin DCC interface.

Loco-specific details to represent various points in the locomotive’s history.

Numerous wire hand and grab rails fitted to the cab and body.

Separately applied cabinets and pipework details.

Detailed bufferbeam, including couplings and brake hoses.

Etched front radiator grille.

Flush glazed cab windows.

Detailed and painted cab interior including brake stand.

Model represents an air-braked version with waist-height air brake hoses.

Livery of the review model is consistent with the post-1973 time period.

The green version is the correct shade of Lancing coaching stock green.

Length over buffers: 107mm.

Weight: 200g.

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October 2018

in What's the shops The handsome Ivatt Class C1 Atlantic makes a welcome return to the Bachmann range in the form of GNR No. 272 (31-761) and LNER No. 4421 (31-762).

Class C1 locomotives were built for express passenger services, working the southern half of the East Coast Main Line until displaced by A1 Pacific locomotives in the early 1920s.

Return of the Ivatt C1 Atlantic Nigel Burkin appraises Bachmann’s reissue of its highly detailed and popular OO-gauge model of a Great Northern Railway Class C1 4-4-2 in the guise of No. 272.

L

arge-boiler Class C1 Atlantic (4-4-2) express passenger locomotives were designed by Henry Ivatt for the Great Northern Railway as a development of his successful ‘Klondyke’ locomotive.

Introduced in 1902 with prototype No. 251, a batch of 20 Atlantics was built in 1904, followed by 60 more between 1905 and 1908, and a further 10, with different superheaters and an increased cylinder size, were constructed in 1910. All C1 locomotives were constructed at Doncaster works, and by the time the last 10 were introduced, numerous changes had been made to many of the existing C1s.

The handsome-looking locomotives had long boilers and pleasing proportions, including the large, closely spaced driving wheels and raised running plate over the driving wheels.

Poor performance of the first examples resulted in numerous design changes, including rebuilds during the construction period in an attempt to improve this. The technical development of the C1 Class was long, and resulted in four different superheater arrangements and no fewer than five cylinder configurations – far from a standardised design.

After the appointment of Gresley, the building of C1s was discontinued, but improvements to the fleet continued to be sought.

The locomotives worked principal GNR express passenger trains, and were allocated to Doncaster, Grantham, New England and Kings Cross.

When the A1 Pacifics were introduced, the C1s were relegated to lighter duties, but did acquire the new LNER ‘Harrogate Pullman’ service.

Documentation shows that they struggled with the heavier trains being introduced by the London & North Eastern Railway, which eventually saw allocations to Sheffield to work lighter trans-Pennine express trains, together with services to Leicester and York. Some locomotives were allocated to Cambridge for use on express passenger services, thus offering the modeller a great deal of scope to use the LNER version of model on any layout with some semblance of LNER main line operations.

The first locomotive was withdrawn in 1943, and the rate of withdrawals was pushed by the introduction of Thompson B1 4-6-0s, but the Class C1 did edge into BR ownership with 17 examples surviving to see Nationalisation. The last to be withdrawn was BR No. 62882, which was taken out of traffic in late 1950.

Only one Class C1 survives today – GNR No. 251, the first of the class and now part of the National Collection as a static exhibit. For more technical information on the class, together

MODEL FEATURES

The model is beautifully proportioned and has all the character of the full-sized locomotives. The smokebox door can be opened when creating depot scenes.

with details of the various rebuilds and compounds, visit the C1 Atlantic page on the LNER Encyclopaedia website at https://www.lner.info/locos/C/c1.php .

Bachmann very kindly provided GNR No. 272 finished in lined green for review (31-761) and a fine-looking model it is too, with a beautifully applied livery, including its complex underframe lining, and a wealth of detail applied to both tender and locomotive.

Body and tender The Bachmann OO gauge Class C1 Atlantic was widely welcomed when first released in 2015, and won acclaim for its accurate dimensions and proportions which match published data very well. Comparison with

photographs of the real locomotives show that the body shell proportions faithfully capture their character: it certainly looks like a scale model of a Class C1.

The body assembly, with the complex running plate and front frame assembly, is faithfully captured in the complex splasher shape. There is daylight to be seen between the frames and boiler at the front, including a representation of the inside valve gear. Overall, the complex character is there to be seen and enjoyed, including the interesting cab, which is a separate tooling – and just in case you missed it, the smokebox door does open to reveal pipe detail, a feature that motive power depot modellers will really appreciate.

Finely tooled body shell assembly enhanced with individually applied fittings.

Motor and flywheel mounted on the engine chassis.

21-pin DCC interface located in the tender with provision for digital sound.

Current collection in the tender and locomotive with electrical linkage between the two.

NEM coupling pockets to tender and leading bogie.

Representation of valve gear between the frames at the front of the model.

Correct amount of daylight between the frames and boiler at the front of the model.

Screw couplings, cab tools and brake pipes supplied as add-on details.

Brake linkages supplied as separate details for the modeller to fit if desired.

Separate whistle and safety valve detail.

Detailed cab and backhead, with fall plate and separate regulator detail.

Flush glazing applied to the cab front.

Adjustable tender draw bar.

Brake details fitted in line with the driving wheels on the engine, but not the tender.

Length: 240mm over the buffers with tender draw bar in maximum extension.

Weight including tender: 365g.

The tender is a very neat model with numerous details and a removable coal load.

The brake blocks are moulded as part of the underframe and not in line with the wheels.

The GNR livery is complex, particularly on the underframe of the tender and engine. The paint colours and lining are beautifully applied.

October 2018

The tender is also a fine-looking model with a removable cast metal coal load that reveals the tender chute detail underneath. Decorated with the same level of fine detail as the engine, the tender also contains the decoder socket and speaker mount. Its chassis has some well cut-in detail, particularly in the springs and axleboxes. Brake blocks are moulded as part of the chassis detail and not in line with the wheels. The draw bar is adjustable for length, using a screw located on the underside of the model, and also to be found are current collection pick-ups with connecting wires between the locomotive and tender.

Stand-alone details Noteworthy are the separately applied details including the safety valves, whistle, smokebox darts and lamp irons. Hand rails are composed of unpainted polished wire in metal hand rail knobs, while the cab interior is a work of art, with the regulator and other fittings applied as small

MODEL DETAILS

GNR Class C1 ‘Ivatt Atlantic’ 4-4-2 locomotive (long boiler).

Manufacturer: Bachmann Europe Plc. Scale: 4mm (1:76) scale, OO gauge.

Era: 1902-1910 to 1950.

Web: www.bachmann.co.uk Suggested retail price: £199.95

WHAT'S IN THE SHOPS

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mouldings, all neatly finished with metallic paint colours for brass and copper. Note also the opening fire shield over the firebox door in the cab, and hinged footplate drop plate.

Wheels, couplings and bogies The Class C1 Atlantic shares the same driving wheel arrangement challenge described in the review of the London Brighton & South Coast Railway Class H2 ‘Brighton Atlantic’. The closely set driving wheels have very little clearance between them, making the use of the usual OO-gauge wheel flanges tricky.

This is further complicated by the position of the cylinders in relation to the front bogie. A small cut-out is apparent in the end of the cylinders which provides clearance for the leading bogie wheels, while the driving wheels are very slightly undersized, but fitted at the correct wheelbase to provide sufficient clearance between them for trouble-free operation.

Add-on parts A small pack of add-on parts is supplied with the model, some of them intended for use only if the C1 is to become a display model. Some of the fittings will interfere with the operation of the model, particularly on sharp curves, so read the instructions carefully to see which ones are likely to cause a problem with normal layout running. Those parts that can be safely fitted for layout operations include the brake rodding, lamps and cab details which include shovels, rakes and cab doors. Brake pipe details can also be fitted, although there might be some clearance issues with the front bogie if the screw coupling is fitted alongside the tension lock coupling.

Performance Noteworthy in both this and the ‘Brighton Atlantic’ model is their superb performance and ability to run smoothly through complex track. The motion operates without any catching of the valve-gear elements, and it’s enjoyable to watch the large driving wheels, with their fine spokes, rotate at low speeds without hesitation. The pick-ups fitted to both tender and engine also help to avoid stalling. One small compromise for clearance is the cranked nature of the connecting rod, which is shaped to avoid fouling the foot steps and the coupling rod pin on the leading axle.

Livery Smooth and without blemish, the lined green GNR livery has a pleasing satin finish of a recently cleaned locomotive.

Particularly impressive is the mass of fine and consistent lining applied to the chassis of both the engine and tender, together with the neat printing of numbers and lettering to the cab and tender sides. Colours are crisp and opaque, including the shaded lettering and fine lining. Look closely at the finish and lining applied to the leading bogie and around the front of the locomotive’s frames, including the printed works plate. Lovely!

Above and below: Neat lining and lettering is applied to the tender, and the livery appears surprisingly complex when examined in detail. Lining is crisp and the shaded lettering is a delight to see.

Overall The delightful C1 Atlantic is probably one of the best ready-to-run models in the Bachmann catalogue today, and it was impossible to resist the temptation to photograph the Class C1 and LBSCR H2 ‘Brighton Atlantic’ models together (see page 6). They have been a delight to photograph and review.

Although there are compromises in both models, including the size of the driving wheels, the connecting rods and other tiny features, the two models capture the spirit and character of the full-size locomotives well.

ENDOFPREVI EW

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