Warley 2016 updates from a Southern Perspective [updated 30/11/16]

Well the annual event that is the Warley National Model Railway show at the NEC has now been and gone and by all accounts it appears that it was a good show, not that I was able to see as much of it as I might have liked. I had a good weekend on the Hornby Magazine stand operating friend and Editor Mike Wild’s latest layout Grosvenor Square, despite it being Western Region and DCC, but I think I just about coped. I apologise to anyone whom overheard and didn’t like my complaints (usually timed to gained maximum effect depending on whom was in earshot…especially that nice Mr Pete Waterman on the stand opposite…) that all Western region locomotives look the same, it was in jest… honest!

As is becoming more usual now a number of suppliers and manufacturers time announcements, product development updates and availability of new product around the time of / during the show and this year was no exception. This post attempts to round up some of those items of interest seen at the show from a Southern perspective, although this was slightly more limited than it has been in the past.

Hornby

Like last year, Hornby used the Warley show to give a presentation on some of their plans for 2017 and make some new product announcements, including a  Hitachi IEP Bi-Mode Class 800/0, which can be found via their website on their Engine Shed Blog. The full 2017 range including all the liveries variations from existing rather than new tooling is planned to be launched in January 2017.

Further to the ex SECR H lass 0-4-4T announced in September  they have also now clarified the planned initial releases as being as follows, which differs slightly from the initial information I was given at the time:

R3538 number 308 SECR lined green.  No.308 was built at Ashford Works in June 1906, entering traffic at Slades Green and was repainted to Maunsell Dark Green in 1925, when also renumbered as A308. Moving to Gillingham in July 1931, her last shed was Tunbridge Wells West, from where she was withdrawn in December 1962.

R3539 number 31518 BR late crest (with Overhead Electric warning flashes) lined black and pull push fitted. No. 31518 was built in July 1909 at Ashford and entered traffic at Orpington, numbered 518, Being dual braked, 518 mainly worked Chatham section trains. In December 1923 she became A518, then 1518 in July 1931. Post Nationalisation she was renumbered 31518 and later  pull push fitted in March 1952, Withdrawal took place from Three Bridges shed in January 1964.

R3549 number 1324 SR Maunsell Olive Green. No.1324 was built at Ashford Works in May 1907, entering traffic as No.324 at Ashford. In 1924, based Tonbridge, she often operated services between the Eastern and Central sections of the Southern Railway. Renumbered as No.31324 under British Railways, withdrawal from Three Bridges shed occurred in July 1962.

It therefore appears that the previously advised release of the BR early emblem version will not materialise as part of the first releases.

The running samples of the new original style Bulleid Merchant Navy pacifics were on display,  the malachite green versions of 21c1 and 21C3 can be seen left, and they represent the condition that these locomotives first ran between introduction in 1941 and early 1943.

There is one correction to be made to the livery to 21C3 which will be reflected on the production models in that the side numbers and Southern lettering on the tender will be correctly shaded in black not green. The four releases of these models are due first quarter next year (delayed from 2016) and are as follows:

R3434 – SR 4-6-2 ‘Channel Packet’ ’21C1′ Merchant Navy Class (Original Air Smoothed) in as introduced 1941 condition with widows peak

R3435 – SR 4-6-2 ‘Royal Mail’ ’21C3′ Merchant Navy Class (Original Air Smoothed) in as introduced 1941 condition with widows peak

R3436 – BR 4-6-2 ‘Clan Line’ ‘35028’ Merchant Navy Class (Original Air Smoothed) – BR Brunswick Green. early crest ,

R3382TTS- BR 4-6-2 ‘Holland-Afrika Line’ ‘35023’ Merchant Navy (Original Air Smoothed) – BR Brunswick Green, early crest with TTS Sound

Look out for a post likely to be published next week detailing the exact condition and dates applicable to all these four versions which I hope will assist those wishing to purchase the correct version for their time period or those potentially wanting to renumber to other members of the class.

Hornby also announced a brand new ‘King Arthur’ tooling!  Although this is in the form a Class 87 AC electric number 87010 ‘King Arthur’ in BR Intercity ‘Swallow’ logo, (I can now remove my tongue from my cheek!)

The SR cattle trucks announced last year have this week also arrived in the shops, once my versions arrive I will post a picture review.  Just to clear up some misunderstanding on what versions have been released in this batch, as information on some retailers websites has been inconsistent due to changes in the information originally supplied / described by Hornby, the following versions are available:

• R6735 – late SR livery, Bulleid designed version to SR diagram 1530 as introduced in 1947
• R6735A – late SR livery , Bulleid designed version to SR diagram 1530 as introduced in 1947
  (although it would not doubt have been a while before these ended up in BR livery)
• R6737 – BR livery  ex SR Maunsell designed version to SR Diagram 1529
• R6737A – BR livery ex SR Maunsell designed version to SR Diagram 1529

It is still hoped that further livery versions, perhaps the inverse of the above, will be part of the 2017 range, although it should not be beyond the skills of many to re-livery the diagram 1529 version to the SR period.

I also remind readers that the 2016 livery versions of the excellent S15 4-6-0 model have also arrived at retailers namely

• R3411 – SR 4-6-0 ‘827’ Maunsell S15 Class, Urie style tender – Post war Bulleid black with ‘Sunshine’ lettering
• R3412 – BR 4-6-0 ‘30842’ Maunsell S15 Class, flat sided tender – BR Black early crest
• R3413 – BR 4-6-0 ‘30831’ Maunsell S15 Class, Urie style tender – BR Black late emblem

Peco

Following on the recent announcement of their intention to produce 00 bullhead plain track with a more prototypical sleep spacing (bearing in mind that 00 being 16.5mm gauge rather the prototypical 18.83 it is still a compromise that the majority of us modellers accept) Peco also had on display an early mock up / EP of a large radius turnout which certainly looked good. It is my understanding that the geometry will match their existing code 75 streamline turnouts.

Bachmann

No new announcements from Bachmann, as is often the case at Warley, as their 2017 range is planned to be announced on January 8th next year, slightly earlier than their usual March date.

In their usual display cases at the show were a number of Engineering Prototypes of current work in progress this included the first views of the ex London, Brighton and South Coast (LBSC) Brighton H2 Class Atlantic  Engineering Prototype  as seen pictured left. The planned initial releases, although it looks like tooling will allow for future further variations, for the H2 class are as follows:

31-920 H2 Class Atlantic 4-4-2 No. 2426 ‘St. Alban’s Head’ in Southern Railway olive green livery

31-921 H2 Class Atlantic 4-4-2 No. 32424 ‘Beachy Head’ in BR black livery with early emblem.

Also on display were the EPs of the ex SECR Birdcage Stock that have been seen for a while now.

Trafford Model Centre (TMC)

TMC announced a number of wagon commissions, via Bachmann one of which being one of the 14 Cycle branded PMVs which were introduced in 1952, primarily for use on boat trains, being essentially a modification of ex SR Parcels and Miscellaneous Vans to incorporate hooks inside to hang cycles.

Numbers  so converted were 1055,1103,1208,1728, these had 60 hooks presumably for up to 30 cycles, whilst 1057, 1113, 1175, 1282, 1293, 1305, 1314, 1317, 1454, 1882 had 24 hooks each. Number 1317 in addition to the bike symbols on the outside was additionally stenciled, until 1966, for use between Ashford and Cannon Street to convey cycles by manufacturer Normans of Ashford. These vans, except numbers 1175 & 1208 withdrawn in December 1962, had all returned to the general pool by 1969. The version being issued by TMC is number S1282S correctly in BR crimson livery with yellow lettering and the white cycle stencil.

TMC have also commissioned Bachmann to produce the ex LNER /BR 22T double bolster wagon and this is at EP stage

Dapol

There were no new announcements made by Dapol at the show in either 00 or N, as they are looking to get to market all outstanding products currently under development before making any new announcements. The ex London and South Western (LSWR ) B4 0-4-0T announced back in March 2014 is still at the CAD stage. They did have on show some of the results of the alignment of the Dapol and Lionheart ranges in 0 Gauge but none of these were SR related.

Kernow Model Rail Centre

Likewise no new announcements but the Kernow Model Rail Centre has on disaply their EP samples of the PBA/JIA clay tigers, the ex LSWR Gatestock as featured last week on my post here, and also, although GWR origin, the delightful diminutive 1361 class 0-06-0T saddle tanks with all the correct detail variations that they are producing.

Heljan

Back in January this year Heljan announced their intention to release an 07 Class 0-6-0 Ruston & Hornsby Diesel Shunter numbers D2985-D2998 (TOPS numbers 07001-07014).

Introduced in 1962 this class of 14 locomotives was designed specifically for use in the Southampton Docks complex on trip and shunting duties. With the decline of traffic within the docks the class was re-assigned to duties in the Eastleigh area before withdrawal and finding further work with a number of industrial companies.
Heljan advise that initially two versions will be produced reflecting ‘as-built’ condition and later modified locos with waist height air brake connections as follows:

Version 1 non-air braked

2900  D2985 BR Green
2901  D2990 BR Green
2902  D2992 BR Blue
2903  07010  BR Blue

Version 2 air-braked (extra cabinet, air receiver compartment and air pipes (high level)
2910  2993  BR Blue
2911  07005 BR Blue
2912 (07001) Peakstone yellow
2913 (07003) British Industrial Sand white

Proposed for release in 2017, Heljan had a early 3D print mock ups of this model on display.

Note: that the images of Engineering Protptypes sometimes show combinations of components that are mixed and matched and do not necessarily correctly represent the combinations for model variations announced (but can be a hint at possible future variations as well!)