Farish announce Class 14 at Warley

Bachmann Europe Plc today (21 November 2009) announced that it is to produce a Class 14 diesel locomotive as part of the rapidly expanding Graham Farish N scale range. Samples produced from the completed tooling were on show on the Bachmann stand at the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition held at the National Exhibition Centre, Birmingham.

Affectionately known by enthusiasts as ‘Teddy Bears’ the name was derived from the comment made by a foreman at Swindon Works who having been involved with the only GWR pacific ‘The Great Bear’ decreed that they were now reduced to building Teddy Bears!

British Rail’s Swindon Works between 1964 and 1965 built 56 locomotives. However, they were not a great success and were allocated to only six depots Bristol Bath Road, Cardiff Canton, Hull Dairycoates, Old Oak Common, Swansea East Dock (later Swansea Llandore) and Worcester. The first was withdrawn in December 1967 and the last in April 1969. 48 were sold for industrial use seeing service in collieries, oil refineries, steel works and cement works, some seeing service in Belgium and Spain. 19 of the Class have been preserved following industrial use.

Three versions of the model will be released during 2010 as part of the expanding Blue Riband range. They are No. D9555 in BR green (372-950), No. D9523 in BR green (weathered) (372-951) and No.14029* in BR blue (372-952) as originally carried on the Bo’ness & Kinneil Railway and as used on the construction of the High Speed 1 route from London St. Pancras to the Channel Tunnel. NEM coupling pockets are provided.

The Model weighs over 50 Grammes to enhance the tractive effort. There is a detailing pack that allows the complete buffer beam to be correctly modelled by removing the coupling. Details include alternative buffer beam detail, vacuum and air pipes and shunters pole.

The model is available with the original bonnets fitted with twin character headcode boxes or replacement end doors plus cab and bonnet details.

*Although the Class were given TOPS (Total Operating Processing System) class designation none of them carried TOPS 5 digit numbers in British Rail service. 14029 is the number that would have been carried by D9529 had it remained in service with BR long enough to carry the TOPS numbers. No. 14029 was initially carried by this locomotive at the Nene Valley Railway and subsequently when hired to the Channel Tunnel High Speed Line 1 project (now completed).

BE 2009-32

21 November 2009

-ends-

 

For further information please contact :

Dennis Lovett, Public Relations Manager,

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

Telephone:+44 (0) 1455 847097