Table of contents for August 2025 in Model Rail

www.facebook.com/modelrail www.twitter.com/modelrailuk www.instagram.com/modelrailmag The Class 50 had been dominating my thoughts as this issue was being completed, thanks to the arrival of Accurascale’s new ‘OO’ gauge model, which landed just in time for a full review (see page 82). Funnily enough, the Accurascale model was delivered just as I put the finishing touches to a Hornby ‘50’, which has been given a slightly shabby appearance and a modicum of customisation. You can read about the how and why of my Hornby upgrade on page 48, but the project reminded me that I only managed to see a single Class 50 in the British Rail era, in the form of withdrawn 50011, during its tenure as a testbed at Crewe Works in 1987. I became slightly obsessed with the ‘50s’ after…

Dapol’s newest batch of its popular ‘OO’ gauge HIA limestone hoppers is expected to hit stores by the end of July. Finished in Freightliner Heavy Haul green and white, there are four differently numbered versions of the former and two of the latter, representing early build examples of the 122-strong fleet. The 14-metre, 90-ton capacity wagons have become a common sight throughout England after being introduced from 2005 onwards. Due at retailers the following month are the latest set of Dapol’s ‘OO’ and ‘O’ box wagons, this time celebrating classic British toy manufacturers. Matchbox, Meccano, Mamod and Dinky come in for the treatment this time, with all versions available in pristine and weathered form. Based on ventilated vans (with the ‘O’ gauge ones representing Southern Railway 12-ton examples), the smaller…

Rapido is to produce its first-ever tank wagon in ‘OO’ gauge, with the announcement of a series of early 20th-century tankers initially used to transport dangerous ammonium nitrate during the First World War. The wagons are based on 100 10-ton prototypes ordered by the Ministry of Munitions in 1916, to bring the chemical to the National Shell Fillings Factory (NSFF) at Chilwell near Nottingham so it could be combined with TNT to create explosive shells. Despite looking similar to typical liquid-carrying tankers, the wagons carried their cargo in powder form. After the end of the war, the nearly new wagons were converted to hold fluids and sold into private hands. The War Department also retained some for employment on the Longmoor Military Railway. Many survived through to the 1960s, most…

The latest exclusive locomotive commission from Kernow Model Rail Centre is Class 31, 31309 Cricklewood, in its distinctive BR blue livery with white stripes. Based on Bachmann’s highly detailed tooling, the model depicts the ‘31’ after its naming in May 1987, which occurred as a tribute to the staff at Cricklewood depot, just before its closure. Indeed, 31309 was the last locomotive to receive maintenance at the north London depot. The name was carried by 31309 until 1990, with the Type 2 being withdrawn the following year. As per Bachmann’s general releases, the ‘31’ will feature an impressive level of prototype-specific detail, full lighting suite, PluX22 DCC interface and is available in DCC-ready, DCC sound and DCC sound deluxe formats, the latter with windscreen tinting, powered roof fan and Bachmann’s…

Twickenham & District MRC’s Annual Open Day takes place on July 26, featuring seven working layouts in a variety of gauges, with pride of place going to the club’s award-winning 7mm scale layout, ‘Addison Road’. The team behind this layout will also be showing their latest work in progress, ‘West Brompton’, which will be much smaller and, consequently, easier to transport to exhibitions. The group hope that ‘West Brompton’ will be fully finished and running by next year’s open day. When is it? July 26, 1000-1600 Where is it? Kerswell Hall, 125, Wills Cres, Hounslow TW3 2JF Admission: Free Web: www.tdmrc.icu…

C-Rail Intermodal has released a range of newly tooled 20ft ISO tank containers, representing the type of vessel built in huge numbers over the past 15 years. The tank and cradle are formed from injection-moulded plastic parts, enhanced greatly by the addition of etched stainless steel walkways. We received three different versions from C-Rail for assessment, featuring the well-known Den Hartogh and Suttons branding for bulk liquid traffic, the latter labelled as carrying dimethyl carbonate. Additionally, a Chinese-built CIMC tank is also replicated, decorated in the blue and white livery of leasing firm Exsif Worldwide. The tooling caters for both the exposed and later covered style outlet valves and, like all C-Rail ISO containers, they’re supplied fully finished to a very high standard. Fully compatible with ‘OO’ gauge inter-modal wagons…

July 5 EASTBOURNE, EAST SUSSEX. Pevensey Bay MRC Exhibition 2025. Pevensey Bay MRC Exhibition 2025. Victoria Baptist Church Hall, Eldon Road, Eastbourne, East Sussex BN21 1UE. Time: 1000-1600. Admission: Adults £6, Over-5s £1, Families (2+2) £12. Web: www.pevenseybaymodelrailwayclub.com SCARBOROUGH, NORTH YORKS. Scarborough Model Railway Show. Newby Scalby Community Hall, Scalby Road, Scarborough YO13 0RA. Time: 1000-1700. Admission: Adults £5. Tel: 01723 870166. July 6 FARNHAM, SURREY. Farnham and District MRC OO9 Group Open Day. Wrecclesham Community Centre, Greenfield Road, Wrecclesham, Farnham, Surrey GU9 8TJ. Time: 1000-1600. Admission: Adults £5, Children (5-16) £1. Email: oo9@farnhammrc.org.uk Web: www.farnhammrc.org.uk July 12 TONBRIDGE, KENT. Hildenborough Summer Fair and Barbecue Committee 3rd Model Railway Show in conjunction with Southwark & District Model Railway Club and Tonbridge MRC. St John’s Church Hall, 194 Tonbridge Road, Hildenborough, Tonbridge…

♦ GAUGE ‘OO’ ♦ MODEL Bachmann Branchline 35-915 Class 08 08617 Steve Purser, BR blue ♦ PRICE £209.95 ♦ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk I’m already a proud owner of a handful of Bachmann Class 08s, one of which dates back to the very first releases in the early 2000s. Having laboured to try and improve the look and performance of Lima’s version, it felt like an epochal moment when Bachmann’s model arrived, offering super-smooth running and far more detail finesse. My old ‘08s’ still perform faultlessly today, but the arrival of Bachmann’s all-new model – received just a few days before this issue was completed – felt like another important milestone in the hobby. Announced exactly a year ago, the new Class 08 has been redesigned from the rails…

Keep up to date with Model Rail News online. Dapol is following up its high quality ‘OO’ gauge Black Label ‘A4’ with another ‘Pacific’ express locomotive design. This time though, its focus is shifting to the south, with models of the Southern Railway’s ‘Battle of Britain’ and ‘West Country’ classes in their original streamlined form. The engines will be exclusively available through Rails of Sheffield. The specification for the Bulleids is impressive, with Rails describing it as “the ultimate version of this locomotive”. The chassis, body and tender will all be finished in die-cast metal rather than plastic, encasing a five-pole, skew-wound motor with flywheel drive and pick-up from both the driving and tender wheels. A Zimo PluX22 DCC decoder will be factory-fitted with sounds transmitted via two speakers –…

Keep up to date with Model Rail News online. Hornby’s DCC-controlled steam generator-fitted models have proven popular over the past couple of years. Rolled out initially on the Gresley ‘A3’ and all-new LMS ‘Black Five’, the range is gradually expanding with the ‘W1’ and ‘P2’ arriving earlier this year (see our review in MR338). The next subject for the steam treatment will be the un-rebuilt Bulleid ‘Merchant Navy’, with No. 21C1 Channel Packet the chosen 4-6-2, which will be offered in lined Southern green livery. As per previous releases, the steam generator unit is linked to the 21pin DCC interface and pre-loaded with Hornby’s HM7000 Bluetooth-enabled TXS sound decoder and a set of speakers, thus allowing the audible ‘chuffs’ and smoke emissions to be synchronised seamlessly with the movement of…

Initially released last year, Kernow Model Rail Centre’s LBSC/SR 10ton ‘Open A’ five-plank open wagons proved a real hit, prompting the retailer to commission another production run. Six new LBSCR-liveried versions, featuring curved ends and poseable sheet rails, have been announced and are due to arrive over the summer months, complementing the SR versions that are already in stock from the initial batch. Price: £32.99 each Web: www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com…

The latest addition to the Pennine Wagons range of limited edition ready-to-run ‘N’ gauge wagons is a special edition of Peco’s peak-roofed lime wagon, decorated in the distinctive private-owner livery of John Delaney of Horton-in-Ribblesdale, making it ideal for anyone with an interest in the Settle-Carlisle railway. Price: £22.00 Web: www.penninewagons.co.uk CALL FOR CORNISH MODELLERS Great news for all modellers in Cornwall – following 12 months refurbishing and automating the historic layout at the Bodmin Heritage Railway, the Bosvenegh Model Railway Group (BMRG) are delighted to announce they have now relocated to new premises near St Austell. The new premises will allow the group to press on with plans for a new layout and recruit new members. BMRG meet every Friday evening at 7pm where a warm welcome awaits both…

JOINT EFFORTS Pre-Grouping railways could be ultra-competitive when it came to protecting their own ‘turf’, but many joint routes did emerge, ranging from fully independent operations to shorter, jointly maintained connecting routes. Over 70 such lines existed in Britain at one point, and this latest book in an ongoing series concentrates on Eastern and Southern England. Well known examples include the Midland & Great Northern route, but I was especially interested in the Axholme Joint line (L&Y/NER) as well as several lines serving Greater London, such as the Metropolitan & Great Central. Featuring many rare and previously unpublished images, this is a highly informative read that is bound to spark layout ideas. Book: Joint Railways-Eastern and Southern England by Patrick Bennett Price: £15.99 Availability: www.amberley-books.com RIBBLE ROUSING Preston joined the railway…

Like the real Class 56 re-engineering programme, Dave Lowery’s mission to recreate a host of GB Railfreight’s Class 69 locomotives is still ongoing, with 69014 EMD Longport the latest to enter traffic. Wearing a livery inspired by the erstwhile Hawker-Siddeley HS4000 locomotive Kestrel, 69014 joins the ranks of ‘O’ gauge models that Dave has converted from Heljan ‘56s’ using various 3D-printed components. Dave explained how it was done in Model Rail issue 289 (August 2021). Another two examples are currently on Dave’s workbench, with 69004 about to receive its RTC-inspired red/blue livery, while 69009 will gain the BR maroon livery worn by its full-size counterpart.…

Meet the Model Rail Expert modellers Project difficulty ranges from easy one screwdriver, to very hard: five screwdrivers.…

In my Steam World editorial capacity I recently received an envelope of photographs from one of my colleagues. They were black and white prints of the Talyllyn and Vale of Rheidol railways taken by her grandad in the very early 1950s. The immediate post-war period was something of a narrow gauge watershed. The Lynton & Barnstaple and Leek & Manifold had closed before the Second World War. The Ffestiniog had eventually closed in 1946 and was yet to re-open. The newly created BR had closed the Corris Railway and the Talyllyn had been acquired by a bunch of enthusiasts, to become the first preserved railway. In that envelope of pictures there’s a ‘shot’ of VoR 2‑6‑2T No. 7, un-named, in unlined green livery with the early BR crest, crossing a…

Bachmann is extending its range of ‘OO’ gauge Class 69s with a special model that not only boasts a distinctive one-off livery but will also help raise money for a very worthy cause. Hot on the heels of GB Railfreight’s (GBRf) April 2025 repaint of its converted Class 56 No. 69013 into striking black with ‘Andy’s Man Club’ mental charity health branding, Bachmann has announced its own Branchline version. Proceeds from each sale will be donated to Andy’s Man Club, which aims to get men talking about their problems. With 69013 being the 13th member of the Class 69 fleet, Bachmann’s target is to raise £13,000. The model will feature a five-pole, twin-shaft motor with two flywheels providing drive to both bogies, independently driven roof fans, the newly introduced Auto-Release…

Rails of Sheffield has teamed up with Rapido Trains for an exclusive ‘OO’ gauge adaptation of its Caledonian Railway celebrity 4-2-2 ‘Single’ No. 123. The model will be finished in its original pre-Grouping lined dark blue livery and will also include some physical variations when compared to Rapido’s general release railtour condition light blue version. The elegant No. 123 was constructed for display at 1886’s International Exhibition of Industry, Science and Art in Edinburgh and was something of an anachronism even when new; single wheelers then being regarded as having limited grip and poor acceleration. However, No. 123 proved its worth during the 1888 Race to the North when it worked expresses over the Caledonian section of the West Coast Main Line. The standard Rapido model portrays No. 123 in…

A much-anticipated new release arrived at Hornby dealers as this issue was being prepared, in the form of BR Class 423 ‘4-VEP’ SR EMUs in BR-era liveries. First launched in 2011, Hornby took on board customer feedback and made several alterations to the tooling to improve the exterior and interior appearance, while also upgrading DCC provision to include a 21pin decoder socket within the power car. The new versions provide four-car packs in Network SouthEast and Rail blue liveries, and we’ll have a full review in the next issue. Also newly arrived is the latest iteration of the ubiquitous Class 66, which has now moved into the RailRoad Plus range. GB Railfreight’s 66711 Sence is the subject, in the striking silver, turquoise and blue house colours of Aggregate Industries, and…

Tickets are now on sale for The International N Gauge Show, which takes place in September at the Warwickshire Event Centre. The premier annual show for anyone with an interest in model railways – and 2mm scale in particular – features an impressive line-up of layouts across various eras and themes, including Continental and North American subjects. Meanwhile, extensive trade support is provided, with the likes of Bachmann Europe, Dapol, Kato and Revolution Trains in attendance, plus a host of retailers. When is it? September 13-14 2025 Where is it? Warwickshire Event Centre, near Leamington Spa CV31 1FE Admission: Adult £14.50, Senior £13.50, Child (5-14) £6.00 Web: www.ngaugeshow.co.uk…

BRILLIANT BRUSH Regular readers will have seen the dry-brushing method employed many times in the Workbench pages, as it’s a fabulously simple technique for highlighting surface relief and adding streaking effects to all manner of subjects. Only a trace of paint is required, with most of the pigment being wiped off the brush’s bristles before working on the model, but the type of brush is important, as different shapes, sizes and stiffness of bristle can dictate the type of effect created. This stubby new brush from the AK range is designed expressly for dry-brushing, featuring a 14mm diameter head and equipped with short, soft bristles, it is perfect for painting and weathering model buildings, scenic features and larger scale rolling stock. I used it to great effect recently on an…

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“For modellers aged 50-60, a blue locomotive with a rake of blue-grey coaches depicts trains remembered from childhood” The second railway age… It is exactly 60 years since British Railways became British Rail, and BR’s seminal corporate identity manual was published. The guide formally introduced the new corporate image comprising a colour palette of blue, flame red and pearl grey, the Rail Alphabet typeface designed by Margaret Calvert and Jock Kinnear and, of course, the apparently timeless double-arrow icon designed by Gerry Barney of the Design Research Unit. The bold new livery, combined with the withdrawal of steam in 1968, was designed to turn the railways of Britain into a modern, fast and clean network. Although some green locomotives and maroon coaches hung on into the early 1970s the new…

Clean track, wheels and power contacts are essential, so taking the time to clean away any stray paint, dirt and grease from these areas will keep your trains running smoothly. This is especially important following a weathering job and, while the task can be a little tedious, anything that speeds up the process is welcome. Track Magic, from Deluxe Materials, is the perfect aid for the job, as it dissolves all kinds of paint and grime quickly from the metal wheels and pickups, yet will not damage the paint on the body and underframe (if the finish has dried fully). The thin fluid is easy to apply with small brushes and cotton swabs, and it leaves behind no oily residues, unlike thinners or some alcohol-based cleaners. Indeed, Track Magic contains…

Our reviewers George Dent Model Rail’s modern image expert also has a passion for steam. Richard Gunn A keen modeller in ‘N’ gauge with an interest in steam and diesel. How we test At Model Rail, we pride ourselves on the quality, thoroughness and unbiased nature of our reviews. We assess models on their looks, performance, features and value for money. We also run them on our own test tracks, which feature various gradients and numerous challenging track configurations.…