LMS 4-6-0 major OO upgrade programme announced (Bachmann) Ju l06

Bachmann to introduce new breed of Class 66 locomotive (Bachmann) Jul 06

Austrian HOe Uh 0-6-2T locomotive released (Liliput) 26 July 2006

Bachman release Evening Star 9F Aug 06

 BACHMANN

LMS 4-6-0 major OO upgrade programme announced

Bachmann Europe Plc today announced at its Annual Trade Open Day that it is to upgrade its range of LMS 4-6-0 locomotives over the next year by introducing new body tooling and a new chassis to accommodate DCC sockets. The range which currently includes members of the Jubilee, Patriot and Royal Scot classes were originally inherited from the former Mainline range which had been produced by Bachmann’s parent company, Kader. The tooling for these locomotives is between 25 and 30 years old and these old favourites can be retired gracefully.

Graham Hubbard, Managing Director said “when we introduced these locomotives they were fitted with a split chassis which does not lend itself for easy conversion to DCC operation. We have started a programme of upgrading chassis to ensure that these models are DCC ready in future. In addition to providing new chassis, we will also produce new tooling for the bodywork which will enable us to take advantage of the many advances that have been made since the original models were produced. These will in effect be brand new models which will be to the same high standards as our other Blue Riband releases. We can utilise the Fowler tender from our Crab Class locomotive to produce long and short firebox Jubilees, original and rebuilt Patriots and original and rebuilt Royal Scots”.



Work on the upgrade has now begun with the drawing work underway and the new models will gradually be introduced into the range.

Further details regarding these models will be released at the London Toy Fair in January 2007

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Bachmann Europe Plc today announced at its Annual Trade Open Day that it is to produce the new generation of environmentally friendly Class 66 locomotives into the Branchline OO range. These locomotives are now being introduced by British and European rail freight operators.

The sub class was built in order to comply with the latest low sulphur emissions introduced in recent times by the EEC (European Economic Community). Freightliner took delivery of two new Class 66/9 locomotives in during 2004 which were used initially on Channel Tunnel Rail Link construction trains as they were not then passed for operation on Network Rail owned tracks. They have since entered service with Freightliner Heavy Haul.

The new locomotives have smaller fuel tanks, and extra door on one side of the locomotive body and different grille layouts to the earlier locomotives.

GBRf took delivery of 5 locomotives (No’s. 66718-66722) recently for use on the Metronet London Underground infrastructure contracts. These carry Metronet livery. A further 5 (No’s. 66723-66727) are on order.

DRS have recently taken delivery of 3 locomotives (No’s. 66411-66413 and have a further 7 locomotives (No’s. 66414-66422) on order. One of these will carry Eddie Stobart livery following the recently awarded Tesco contract to provide rail haulage between Grangemouth, Carlisle and Daventry depots.

Freightliner have a further 16 locomotives on order for delivery during 2006/7.

The new Bachmann Blue Riband model will feature working lights and will be DCC compatible. The model will incorporate a new body shell with the option to switch off the rear lights when running.

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LILIPUT

Austrian HOe Uh 0-6-2T locomotive released


Bachmann Europe Plc have released the new Liliput Austrian Uh 0-6-2T narrow gauge HOe locomotive.

A total of 9 of these 0-6-2T locomotives were built in between 1928 and 1931 by Locomotivfabrik Krauss & Co, Linz and Floridsdorf, Wienerlokomotivfabrik, Wien for the 760 mm gauge network of the Austrian Federal Railways and the Zillertalbahn. Eight of the locomotives began their lives as BBÖ Uh (Bundesbahnen Österreich) and from 1953 were renumbered ÖBB 498 (Österreichische Bundesbahnen) to be withdrawn from service in the 1970s. The locomotives had a maximum speed of 40 km/h, weighed 28.1 tonnes and had a power output of 250 Kw.

Several of this narrow gauge locomotive type Uh are currently in existence. For example 498.04 is currently owned by the Österreichische Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte (Austrian Society for Railway History) as a museum exhibit currently under restoration. The locomotive is currently located on the preserved line in Upper Austria, the Steyrtalbahn, at Grunburg. Locomotive Uh 5 works on the Zillertalbahn line in the Tirol and Uh 102 works on the Bregenzerwaldbahn in the Vorarlberg.

The new Liliput model is available in five versions. These are;

L141490Class 498 in OBB (Austrian Railways) livery (Epoch lll)
L141491No. 5 “Gerlos” of the Zillertalbahn Railway (Epoch V)
L141492Uh locomotive 102 of the Bauart Uh der  Bregenzer Waldbahn (Epoch 1V – V)
L141493No. 99 828 in DR livery (Epoch ll)
L141494No. 498.04 as preserved by Österreichische Gesellschaft für Eisenbahngeschichte / Austrian Society for Railway History (Epoch V)

Each locomotive has a recommended retail price of £95.00. HOe locomotives run on 9mm track and can be used in conjunction with OO9 (British narrow gauge) scale.
 

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Bachmann ‘Evening Star’ launched at National Railway Museum

Bachmann Europe Plc today launched its 9F Class 2-10-0 locomotive ‘Evening Star’ alongside the real locomotive at the National Railway Museum at York.

Graham Hubbard, Managing Director of Bachmann Europe Plc handed over the first 9F off the production line to The National Railway Museum during a short ceremony.

Graham Hubbard said “the 9Fs were amazing locomotives, with 251 being built. ‘Evening Star’ was the last locomotive to be built for British Railways and as a result has become an important part of British Railways history. Named at Swindon Works in March 1960, it was the only member of the Class to be painted in lined green livery and as it was the last steam locomotive built, Swindon works completed it in true Great Western tradition. We were delighted to work with the National Railway Museum on this project and the locomotive forms part of our NRM Heritage Range. A donation will be made on every locomotive sold which will be used towards the restoration of ‘Flying Scotsman’ now in the care of the National Railway Museum”.

(Photo published with kind permission from Bachmann PLC)

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