Brand new LMS Black 5 from Graham Farish

As part of its major upgrading of the Graham Farish range, Bachmann Europe Plc today announced the replacement of its existing Black 5 Class 4-6-0 locomotives with a brand new version of this popular locomotive. Tooling has now been completed and the previously unannounced was displayed for the first time at the N Gauge International Exhibition at Leamington Spa earlier today (12 September 2009).

Designed by Sir William Stanier for the London, Midland & Scottish Railway (LMS), 842 locomotives were built between August 1934 and May 1951. Nineteen separate batches were built at the company’s Crewe or Horwich works with some being built by outside contractors Armstrong Whitworth and Vulcan Foundry.

A true mixed traffic locomotive they were seen on all types of trains the length and breadth of the LMS (later British Railways London Midland Region) network from Bournemouth (Somerset & Dorset Joint Railway) to Thurso. They always carried a black livery in service days and this gave them their nicknames of Black 5, the 5 referring to the power classification.

The locomotives were withdrawn between November 1961 and August 1968, with over 150 remaining in traffic in January 1968 before the final locomotives saw out the end of steam traction on the national rail network. 18 members of the class have been preserved.

Three versions will be released early next year as part of the expanding Blue Riband range. They are No. 5020 in LMS Black (372-135), No. 45216 in BR Lined Black with early emblem (372-136) and No. 45110 in BR Lined Black with late crest (372-137). The current tooling represents the first 250 locomotives to be constructed which are referred to as domeless. Tooling options available in future allow for both long or short fireboxes, smokebox with or without steps and plain or riveted tenders.

The new Black 5 will retail at £108.95 and is fitted with a 6PIN DCC decoder socket and NEM coupling pockets.

BF 2009-25

12 September 2009

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For further information please contact :

Dennis Lovett, Public Relations Manager,

Bachmann Europe PLC, Moat Way, Barwell, Leicestershire, LE9 8EY

Telephone:+44 (0) 1455 847097