Nearly 5 years after announcement...... the Bachmann Class 90 is here!

Yes folks, if you can be bothered to scroll back through my blog, you will see that in July 2014 I posted celebrating the announcement of a Class 90 electric by Bachmann. Well after 5 long, frustrating, at times just plain annoying years, the model is here!

My local model shop has called to say mine will be landing this afternoon so I can then collect.

3 versions are currently on offer;

Bachmann have provided an excellent video guiding through the basic features of the model. My review will follow in due course.

Bachmann announce Class 90 Electric!

Bachmann announces Class 90 Electric locomotive! - will this spark a revival for modern image electric modelling?

This morning I awoke to the news that as part of Bachmann's 2014/15 catalogue, the Barwell based firm are to produce a Class 90 electric locomotive. This is a significant announcement to me personally, as a fan of Class 90's and electric locomotives in general. The last electric locomotive produced by Bachmann was the Class 85 'AL5' which was released some 3 years ago now. In general this locomotive sold well, although it does depend on who you speak to. Indeed the electric blue version sold out not long after release, and the TOPS BR Blue version has been a steady seller without any significant discount from retailers.

Model Electric Locomotives

The problem with electric locomotives is generally seen as being the lack of a good overhead line/catenary system. Indeed it does look somewhat silly to have a locomotive with a pantograph running with no wires (unless it's a Class 92!). With the way the hobby has gone in the past decade or so, with the improved quality and specifications of models it is perhaps a glaring omission. But then again, perhaps a bigger question, have we been spoilt in the past few years? With expectations ever increasing, are we just too demanding? Indeed working lights, etched parts, opening cab doors have all been well received, and generally now are to be seen as the 'standard' or bare minimum expected from new releases - but they have to come at a price. Ever increasing RRP's and production delays, not just down to the higher specifications but the ever increasing problems in China. Are the older models that bad?

Hornby 86 + 90 Models

To answer this question, I refer to the Hornby Model Railways Class 86 and 90 models. Now the tooling of these models are well over 20 years old, but how do they fare up today? Well let's start with the 86. Generally the shape of the 86 is well executed, it sure looks like an 86! Areas that don't scrub up so well are the pantograph and the crude painting of details on the front ends such as lights and cables. In the case of the Pantograph, it is operational so the emphasis when designing would have been something that worked as well as looked passable. It's shown up however, when placed next to a Bachmann Class 85 and it's fine detailed pantograph.
The 90 is a similar story with the same pantograph and a generally good overall shape. The thing we have to remember is the age of the tooling, expectations and technology were much different 20 years ago. These models can be picked up quite cheaply on the second hand market and an advantage of the age of these models is the vast amount of liveries available. Hornby have re-motored both models in recent years, including a DCC socket and a NEM coupling socket to bring them closer to today's standards. The price of these models now is also reasonable when bought new, and reflects their age and specifications. I've recently added a pair of Hornby 86's (soon to be joined by another) and a Hornby 90 to my fleet. The models are what I would consider fine and passable representations. They certainly wont be getting retired when the Bachmann 90 eventually is released.

A Danish attempt

The Heljan 86 is another electric model released in recent years. Announced back in 2008, it offered promise of being the 'Definitive' Class 86. When released it received mixed reviews. My own opinion is that it is a good looking model of an 86. There are some people who say the Hornby model is still better, but this is simply not true. While there are undoubtedly some errors with the model, the model is finely detailed and oozes quality. A good spec from new with DCC and working lights, and a detailed underframe the model is already ahead. Some people have criticized the cab windows, which they are fully entitled to do. This for me, is not a problem with the model, it looks like an 86 to me and that's the main thing. The pantograph is the issue with this model, being horribly oversized and thus taking away from the overall good feel to the model. However unlikely it is, I'm sure that with a half decent re-designed pantograph the 86 could make money for Heljan. I can dream anyway....

The Class 90's 

So the subject of the new Bachmann model is the British Rail Class 90. A truly mixed traffic locomotive, a 90 is as at home at the head of a train of car carriers as it is a top a rake of Mark 3 coaches. I've always liked the Class 90's, perhaps its because they were being built as I was being born. I'm 27 years old this year meaning that the oldest example of 90 will also be. 50 locomotives were built, and 50 locomotives remain today, although many are stored. DB Schenker is the largest operator of 90's with 25 on it's books, Abellio Greater Anglia with 15, and Freightliner 10.
Growing up in South Liverpool, I've been subject to West Coast 90's all my life, through Intercity West Coast/Virgin, RFD/EWS at Allerton and the Garston FLT which today see's daily 90 action. My main interest at the moment is around the Freightliner operations involving the Class 90 and also 86 electrics.
So producing a 90 seems a smart move for Bachmann. Seen all over the country 'Under the wires' (and sometimes with no wires - 90039 Llandudno Junction in 2005 anyone?). There are plenty of liveries to choose from from a nearly 30 year career.

Coats of many colours

I truly hope that the 90 turns out to be a successful model for Bachmann. I believe it will be, and the first three liveries to be produced are,

90023 Intercity

90137 Railfreight Distribution

90042 Freightliner Powerhaul

Three good choices in my opinion, although I perhaps would have gone with either 90045/9 for the Powerhaul one seeing as 90042 has only just this week been released to normal traffic from LNWR in this livery.
On my own personal wishlist, in the future I hope to see releases in DB Schenker 'Traffic Red', Freightliner original Green/Yellow, EWS Maroon/Gold and RES (a simple classic that suited the profile of the 90's).
I will most likely create a Freighliner grey loco from the RFD offering but one must not get too carried away at this early stage!

The price and delivery dates are still to be confirmed, but this is sure to be the best 90 ever produced and the specification will have at the minimum of working lights and DCC. 'Silly gimmicks' such as opening cab doors and working pantographs thankfully done away with. Now while the price is likely to be higher than the veteran Hornby offering, so too undoubtedly is the quality bound to be. If like me, you like electrics, support this project and who knows what we'll see next. A top spec '92' or how about the unique 89....

Thank you Bachmann.

All views on this blog are those of myself and do not necessarily represent the views of my family, friends, dog or employers.

Project 'Create Allerton TMD in 1:76' - What was Allerton TMD?

I've been interested in railways for as long as I can remember. Growing up, my bedroom window looked out on to Allerton TMD. Allerton TMD is a depot based in South Liverpool and was built as part of the electrification of the West Coast Mainline (WCML). Over the years it has played host to AC electrics, DMU's and most types of British Rail diesels. It is perhaps though, most remembered for its fleets of Class 08 and 09 shunters. A shunter specialist, Allerton boasted a large allocation of shunters that were not only used around the Liverpool area, but all ove

r the North West. Indeed under EWS ownership, the WSNW pool was allocated to Allerton but had examples based as far north as Carlisle! Generally the locos would receive basic maintenance locally whilst 'on the road' (A + B exams) and return to base for heavier work.

The view from my bedroom looked out at the wheel lathe and in front of that, just behind the garden fence were 2 sidings that over the years were used for arrivals by road transport and more famously for storing scrap locomotives. One of my earliest memories of this was in the early 90's during the BR/RFD days looking out the window at a long line of 'scrap' BR blue 08's. When railway people talk about 'iconic locomotives' they talk about Deltics, Westerns, Class 47's (and rightly so). But what about the humble Class 08? For me, when I think of British Rail, the iconic wasp stripes of the Class 08 shunter are at the forefront of my mind. These purposeful machines, now with 60 years service in some cases, were once everywhere. No matter where you travelled on the network, every depot, yard and even large station had at least one 08 or 09. Granted nowadays, their use is not as widespread and their numbers much reduced due to changes in operations, but they are still around, still useful.
I can remember looking out at that scrap line a few weeks or months later and seeing scrap men dispose of them on site and feeling sad, even angry. This window was to provide this view several times. I've seen plenty of locos arrive over the years on the back of road transport and be unloaded at Allerton. Normally once unloaded the shunter would be moved on to the shed area and another loco brought round to depart on that same trailer.

It was 2001 when I became more interested in the subject. Deep in to the EWS era, the scrap line now was quite impressive. Led by BR grey 08837, 08739, 08894, 08926, 08815 and 08940 in BR blue formed line one. RFD 08661 and Intercity 08673 were sat next to them on the arrival/departure road. 08817 in BR blue with red solebar and 08601 in LMS black were further back and 08666/08880/08902 tucked around the back of the shed. The depot pilot at the time was BR blue 08925 which was officially 'stored' after a derailment in Garston yard however was being used on a regular basis. This duty was shared around this time with 08909 in non standard blue and RFD 08946 in between maintenance visits.

I was fortunate enough to secure two weeks work experience with EWS in May 2003 whilst in my penultimate year of school. During my time there, one of my main duties was to help out with the ongoing D exam on EWS liveried 08632. This required the changing of some components and the topping of levels etc as well as testing. Over in Garston yard, 09021 was the pilot in use and this would see use with auto traffic in the area. This visited one morning for a B exam and moved over when granted permission by the signal box.

Shunting around Allerton at this time was being handled by RES liveried 08701. 08946 was at this time stabled around the back and had some electrics robbed from its cab. This wasn't the end though and at some point later it was repaired and it did indeed return to pilot duties (still stored on paper) when 08701 moved on. During this two week placement I was also fortunate enough to travel to Trafford Park Euro terminal to service the two outbased 0-6-0's there. At the time one pilot was in use daily forming the intermodal trains that would be forwarded on through Europe, and the other was a spare. 09020, fresh from a major overhaul at Ferrybridge, was the pilot and long term North West resident 08737 was on hand as the spare. After servicing 737 we moved on to the mess room to await permission to take 09020 for it's turn. We moved the 09 up to the arrival road behind 737 and did the same.

Allerton in the coming years would continue to play host to regular shunter arrivals and departures. The depot won a contract to service Virgin voyagers and had some lanes at the shed specially modified for this use. I think at its peak, 3 voyagers a night would run in to Allerton for cleaning, servicing, fuelling and stabling till early the next morning. Other interesting jobs including the fitting of a number of class 37/4 locomotives with new signalling/radio equipment. 08737, was given a full overhaul including a repaint between 2005 and early 2006. This shunter came out in a version of the EWS 'more yellow' scheme which was initially introduced for a contract won at Ketton cement works. 08737 had a darker yellow band when released but was a credit to the team. It was stored in 2004 by EWS in the great shunter cull for having an oil leak. It languished at Allerton spending some time stored in the open and being used as depot pilot!

Work started to then thin down, with regular rumours of the depot closing down. Eventually with its role diminished to basically being a wagon repair depot the decision was made to finally close the TMD. Shunter repairs were now being concentrated at Doncaster Carr TMD as well as Toton and later Crewe IEMD.

The wheel lathe continued to see regular work and in the end, was the last part of the depot operational when closed down by EWS/DB Schenker. Merseyrail 507/508 units had their tyres turned here for many years, but with the opening of their own lathe at Kirkdale in 2006 this contract came to an end. 09007 has to my knowledge the honour of being the last operational gronk at Allerton. The faded mainline blue loco was used to shunt wagons in and around the wheel lathe. Demics 08397 and 08954 were stored inside the depot once it was closed along with 'celebrity' 37425, which also saw brief use as the lathe super shunter prior to 09007's arrival. 09007 left Allerton in early December 2009 bringing to an end many many years of active 08/09 use.

Northern Rail re-opened the depot in 2011 and it is now home to its fleet of Class 156 units. Class 142's/150's are also regularly stabled at the depot.