Bachmann announces Class 74 locomotive range

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Bachmann announces Class 74 locomotive range

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Picture of Roger Smith

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Class 74 electro diesel. // Credit: Bachman
Class 74 electro diesel. // Credit: Bachman

Europe has announced the addition of an OO scale model of a Class 74 Electro-Diesel Locomotive for its EFE Rail range.

Class 74 electro-diesel locomotives were originally as built as Class 71 electric locomotives at British Railways’ Doncaster Works between 1958 and 1960.

Built for use on the electrified lines of the Southern Region, they were used on both mixed traffic services and prestige trains such as the ‘Night Ferry’ and ‘Golden Arrow’.

Class 74 electro diesels. // Credit: Bachman
Class 74 electro diesels. // Credit: Bachman

They were fitted with collector shoes for collecting power from third rail supplies and roof-mounted pantographs for working in yards with overhead lines.

They were soon displaced by Class 73 electro-diesels which could be used on non-electrified lines or when the electric supply was interrupted. By the mid-1960s, ten of the original 24 locomotives had been placed in store.

Following the success of the Class 73 electro-diesels, it was decided to rebuild the stored Class 71 electric locomotives and convert them into Class 74 electro-diesels.

Fitted with a diesel engine, they would be able to work away from electrified lines, but their bogie pickups were retained to collect power from third rails, although their pantographs were removed.

To facilitate working with stock fitted with electro-pneumatic brakes, they were fitted with buckeye couplings, buffing plates, and high-level control and brake pipes.

They returned to service between November 1967 and May 1968 in BR Blue livery with full yellow ends and numbered E6101 to E6110, becoming 74001 to 74010 after being renumbered under TOPS.

Class 74 electro diesels. // Credit: Bachman
Class 74 electro diesels. // Credit: Bachman

None of the original locomotives survived, so extensive research using original plans, drawings, and photographs was used to produce the new EFE Rail Class 74.

It has a highly detailed, injection moulded bodyshell adorned with many separate components, including etched metal grilles, metal handrails, lamp irons, windscreen wipers, and cab-end jumper cables.

It incorporates spring buffers and a full set of bufferbeam pipework, and the interior of the cab includes seats, control desks, controls, and dials, all depicted and decorated authentically.

A diecast metal chassis block is fitted with a high-quality coreless motor providing drive to both bogies and each axle.

Wheels are to NEM310 and NEM311 standards, and each wheel is fitted with electrical pickup. A 21-pin decoder socket allows the addition of DCC control and there is also space for a speaker to be fitted.

Both analogue and DCC users have access to cab lighting, and at each end, there are illuminated blinds with a selection of interchangeable route blinds.

DCC users can switch lighting features on/off, whilst analogue users can turn the cab lights on/off from a chassis-mounted switch; a second switch at the trailing end turns the illuminated blinds on/off.

Class 74 electro diesel. // Credit: Bachman
Class 74 electro diesel. // Credit: Bachman

The new models are expected to be available in mid-2025, but details of their liveries will be made in the Spring 2025 British Railway Announcement on the Bachmann Europe YouTube Channel at 09.30 on Wednesday 5th February.

Last August, Bachmann announced nearly 200 new products in its autumn range, and in November it announced 168 new items as part of its Winter 2024 British Railways range.

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