I have spent some time these last few days searching unsuccessfully through boxes for an old calendar. I have in mind a Dalesman Publishing Company calendar from the late 1990s. It had a picture of the then recently proposed 60163 ‘Tornado’ in BR green livery with Late Crest heading a rake of maroon Mk1s on the Skipton Carlisle line. Sadly I think I can remember parting with the calendar during a recent decluttering exercise. Never mind, it is the memory that counts. Whilst the picture was not particularly outstanding it acted as a catalyst and encouraged me to seek out and purchase one of Bachmann’s original models of Tornado (32-550), produced in support of the A1 Steam Locomotive Trust 2001.

Bachmann 60158 ‘Aberdonian’, the first member of the Class to arrive on the layout

Coming from the north east of England I think Thompson’s A1 Pacifics are one of the best locomotives to run on British Railways. I am also of the opinion that the Bachmann model captures their image to near perfection. In an earlier Post I suggested how the already impressive haulage power of the Bachmann model could be further improved by removing bogie springs and adding lead ballast.

Bachmann ’Tornados’, Proposed left, Preserved right

Now that 60163 is a reality Bachmann have produced a number of model variants in different liveries. Recently there appears to have been a surfeit of models and I have taken the opportunity to acquire a keenly priced 60163. I purchased a model of the engine in its preserved BR green livery with Early Emblem. I had in mind a plan to use the chassis under Aberdonian which was one of the first Bachmann models and which was manufactured with a tiny motor. There were issues with this engine and Bachmann had to replace motors on some models. Whilst I have not had any problems with the motor in my Aberdonian the engine has struggled to cope on the layout with seven coach trains.

Tiny Bachmann Motor – ‘Aberdonian’ Bachmann 32-551

Big Bachmann Motor – ‘Tornado’ (Preserved) Bachmann 32-550B

And for completeness

Big Mashima Motor – ‘Tornado’ (Proposed) Bachmann 32-550 (and Kestral)

Bachmann’s model of the preserved Tornado is quite impressive and for the moment body and chassis will be staying firmly together. I am almost too embarrassed to say but Aberdonian still with its tiny motor is actually performing very well now that I have un-seized the tender wheels!

Bachmann ‘Tornados’, Proposed left, Preserved right

There are a number of detail differences between Bachmann’s models of Tornado, as proposed and as preserved. Most of these differences reflect changes and compromises that had to be made to the prototype to fit with manufacture and operation some fifty years after the other members of the A1 Class were withdrawn.

Bachmann ‘Tornado’; Tenders, Proposed top, Preserved bottom

Most obviously there have been changes to the tender to increase the water capacity to cater for the absence of water cranes and water troughs on the modern rail network.

Underside Tornado Tender - (Proposed) Bachmann 32-550 top, (Preserved) 32-550B bottom

The tender differences continue on the underside, without water troughs there is no need for a water scoop.
As an aside whilst un-seizing the wheels on Aberdonian’s tender I could remove the two sets at either end but I was reluctant to force the tender frames sufficiently apart for the middle pairs which seemed to me to be trapped by the water scoop moulding.

Bachmann ’Tornados’, Proposed top, Preserved bottom

Viewed from above, the Proposed model shows a riveted cab roof in contrast to the all welded version of the Preserved Prototype. The cab whistle (if that is what it is) also seems to have changed sides and the nameplates on the Preserved model correctly follow the prototype with different crests displayed on either side.

Bachmann ‘Tornados’, Proposed left, Preserved right

The Preserved model sports lot of shiny metal with burnished coupling and connecting rods, shiny buffers and smoke box handrail and silver covers to the outside cylinders.

Bachmann A1 ‘Tornado’ – as purchased

My keenly priced Tornado was not without problems. The top of the chimney was loose in the box when it arrived and the cab was not properly attached to the boiler. I had a similar problem five years previous with ‘Great Eastern’ – so maybe Bachmann have a ‘production issue’.

Bachmann A1 ‘Great Eastern’ – as purchased

Great Eastern was returned to the retailer. This time with Tornado I would attempt a repair.

Screws beneath cab

With the body shell removed from the chassis the two screws holding the boiler back plate can be undone and the boiler backplate and tender fallplate released.

Backplate and fall plate separated from cab

Undoing the screw beneath the smoke box will release the front of the boiler.

Smoke deflectors clip onto boiler handrails

The smoke deflectors are a clip fit onto the ends of the boiler handrails. The boiler assembly can be lifted clear of the footplate after gently easing the smoke deflectors, one side at a time, from the boiler handrails.

Boiler and cab separated from footplate. NB Steam Pipes

With everything in pieces so to speak the cab can now be glued back onto the boiler. Firstly line up and slide the cab over the various control pipes and linkages. Only after the cab has been positioned should the adhesive be applied. I used Butanone sparingly applied by a tiny paint brush into the joint inside the cab.

Recess for steam pipes

When the cab is firmly attached to the firebox the boiler and cab assembly can be refitted to the chassis. As with dismantling, the smoke deflectors have to be gently eased apart to allow the smoke box to drop down and for the clips on the deflectors to re-engage with the boiler handrails. There is then the small matter of the outside steam pipes. These may or may not have been glued to the footplate. In my case they were not firmly attached and it made sense to remove them before replacing the boiler/smokebox assembly.

Hornby style ‘Bluetac’ to position steam pipes

I positioned the boiler/cab assembly onto the footplate and started to tighten the fixing screws. I then used Hornby’s version of ‘Bluetac’ to position the steam pipes (one side at a time) into the slots in the sides of the smokebox. It is then relatively easy to slide the lower end of the steam pipe towards the boiler and to push the fixing spigot into the hole in the footplate. Fingers and thumbs can be awfully big and I found it useful to use the edge of a cocktail stick to press the stem pipe ‘home’. Then with everything in position the fixing screws beneath the smoke box and into the backplate beneath the cab can be fully tightened (not forgetting to reattach the tender fall plate).

Bachmann 60130 ‘Kestral’, the latest member of the Class to arrive on the layout

Finally a view of another Bachmann A1. This time ‘Kestral’, another older model which was recently acquired from a second hand model railway dealer. This arrived in perfect condition without the need to re-glue any bits together. Might there be a moral there?