BREAKING NEWS - Graham Farish Class 04 arrives

Bachmann has delivered the first samples of its new Graham Farish ‘N’ gauge Class 04 diesel shunter for review. The models will be released shortly in both British Railways green livery as D2246 (catalogue number 371-050) and in the later corporate blue as D2258 (371-051 ). Retailing at £45.50 the model has a slow running chassis, is the first British ‘N’ gauge model with see through spoked wheels, NEM ‘N’ gauge couplings, super-detailed body with separate handrails and vacuum pipes and a protoypical rotating crank with coupling rods coupled to a six wheel chassis. As well as ‘N’ gauge use, this chassis should also appeal to 009 narrow gauge modellers. A full review of this model will appear in August issue of Model Rail magazine, on sale July 19.
A total of 140 locomotives to a Drewry design were built by the Vulcan Foundry and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn between 1952 and 1962. Widespread closure of lines and the move away from wagonload working to block trains for freight resulted in much of the work being lost. The first locomotive was withdrawn in 1968, the last in 1972. Many went on to be sold to industrial users at home and in Italy. Eighteen examples have been preserved for use on heritage railways.