RevolutioN Trains looking for EOI for a BR Class 89 in N gauge

[MGR Hooper!]

RevolutioN Trains are looking for an expressions of interest to see if a British Rail Class 89 in N gauge. There's a form on their website to register your EOI.

 

http://www.revolutiontrains.com/badger-us-for-a-badger/

 

Quote

 

Revolution Trains is asking for expressions of interest in a new N gauge model of the pioneering Class 89 electric locomotive 89001. Built by Brush Traction in 1986, the locomotive has had something of a chequered history – operating for periods on the ECML for both BR (when it was named Avocet) and GNER, but also laid up for extended intervals due to failures.


89001 at Barrow Hill in 2011. Image courtesy Les Chatfield used under Creative Commons Licence.

 

It is now owned by the AC Locomotive Group and the possibility of a return to mainline use has bot been ruled out.


89001 at Doncaster in 2003. Image courtesy Phillip Scott used under Creative Commons Licence.

 

In service, 89001 was primarily partnered with Mk3 coaches in BR blue-grey, Inter-City or GNER blue liveries, all of which have been released fairly recently.
 

If it goes ahead this model will be produced by Accurascale, using research generated for a similar 4mm model, and would be expected to retail at roughly £175.

An expression of interest does not mean a firm commitment to buy, but does give us an indication of whether there is sufficient demand for this model for us to proceed.

 

 

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FORM:

http://www.revolutiontrains.com/class-89-in-n-expressions-of-interest/

Edited May 27, 2020 by MGR Hooper!

[TomE]

One order here! Remember seeing this at Doncaster way back in 1988 (I was 7!) along with the brand spanking new Class 91 for the Mallard 88 event and always thought it was an impressive beast!

 

Tom. 

[TomE]

https://www.revolutiontrains.com/badger-us-for-a-badger/?fbclid=IwAR0Xk0gZOo2bU15z2EbTwup35n3i4V2j1Ix_mUH7wXcCUwwFyIZDDfhSmXE

 

Form now available for expressions of interest!

 

Tom. 

 

[Stuart A]

Sent my EoI in for a Swallow liveried version.  I'd love to afford an executive one too, but just can't stretch to both!

[Bomag]

I have a GNER CJM loco which is as sweet as anything but quite frankly one badger is not enough. Do I go for original ICE or Swallow?

 

The Revolution page says they ran with B/G, IC and GNER Mk3s. While it ran on test with Mk3a B/G sleepers I never travelled behind it on anything other than Mk1, Mk2 and later Mk4 (I did a lot of travelling on the ECML in the period as I with the RCE). When they converted the HSTs to work with Cl91 it was to gain running experience for Cl 91s and not the Cl89. It may have been seen on them given how unreliable the Cl91 were (particularly as they leaked like a sieve going through the carriage washer) but I never saw it on a DVT rake in service. Later on it ran with Mk4s but not with GNER Mk3 HSTs.

[MGR Hooper!]

EOI for an N gauge Class 89 placed. I hope this project succeeds and I encourage anyone who wants one to place an EOI. It isn't a firm order, so you can cancel it at any given time.

[47475]

EoI placed for an InterCity Executive version in N gauge.

[Revolution Ben]

 

Hello all,

 

Thanks to anyone who’s expressed an interest so far.  To say we are surprised at the uptake is an understatement - but it’s early days!
 

cheers

 

Ben A.

[RichardT]

3 hours ago, Ben A said:

Thanks to anyone who’s expressed an interest so far.  To say we are surprised at the uptake is an understatement - but it’s early days!
 

cheers

 

Ben A.

 

That's partly answered the question I was just about to ask, but I'll ask it anyway....

 

Ben and Mike: I was just wondering about your thinking in going for items of which there is only a single real prototype?  Surely you are immediately putting a needless constraint on sales when the development costs for one of these items will be about the same as for a loco or item of rolling stock which exists/existed in larger numbers?  Obviously the latter are more likely to be picked up by the mainstream manufacturers  (although "when" is anyone's guess!), and I suppose that the joy of being a niche manufacturer is that you get to snap up niche prototypes.  But even so, aren't you unduly throttling your sales potential?

 

(Prejudices: I have no interest in a class 89, or in "Caroline", of which I confess I had never heard until today. I did sign up for two Pendolino carriages back in the day to help that project succeed, and made a healthy profit on them on eBay, so thanks.  But what I really want to hear is how Sonic are going to re-purpose their work in designing a decent 0-6-2 steam chassis for producing other 0-6-0, 0-6-2 and 2-6-2 classes!  I know you say that Revolution doesn't do steam, but if you fancied shrinking the NER autocar to N, or doing one of the NER Shildon electrics, or even a Sentinel railcar/Sentinel shunter, these might play to your design strengths...)

 

Anyway, best wishes,

Richard

 

<rant> I'm very surprised to read that "Caroline" has been designated for preservation, where there are already far too many one-offs and oddities consuming resources at the expense of more representative types.  If I was still a member of the Railway Heritage Committee I would have been arguing strongly against that decision, which I suspect was taken for bootlicking reasons on the basis of the insignificant royal connections. Those mentions in the honours list don't just appear out of nowhere you know!  </rant over>  

[Revolution Mike]

Please bear in mind that we are not Sonic and so Sonic's design choices do not impact us (and vice versa). Having said which I think it is unlikely that unless the 56xx chassis exactly matches a.n. other 0-6-2 that the chassis would be re-used for a different loco. Sonic has a lot of experience of designing N gauge steam locos.

 

The other thing to bear in mind is that these announcements would have been timed for DEMU's Showcase exhibition and may indeed have been different if we weren't in lockdown.

 

If we were making decisions solely on a pure commercial return basis then you are right that there are probably other better uses of our time, but on that basis I doubt that we would have produced a Pendolino or be in the process of producing 92s/321s etc. Perhaps that will change but I hope there is always room for oddities like the 89 or Caroline.  In N we're asking people to express interest (if any!) so until the numbers match what we would need to make the model financially viable it is an unknown.

 

Cheers Mike

 

 

[ash39]

Can't help but agree with RichardT's sentiments.  Would be ironic if a Class 89 made it to market before a modern standard 90 or 91 which are surely more of an 'open goal' in terms of investment return.

 

Also what are people intending to run with their 89's? A top-drawer loco is going to make Farish mk4's look like Brio toys.

[Revolution Mike]

No one is forced to express interest (or buy it ultimately!) - as I said if we went on best commercial return there are quite a few models that we wouldn't have done...

 

A new 90 makes a lot of sense but looming in the background is what are Farish's plans...

 

Similarly Cavalex have offered people a high class 91 and Mk4s in N - I'd strongly recommend that if people want a new N gauge 91 and Mk4s that they contact the guys at Cavalex offering support.

 

If we don't get enough interest then it doesn't happen - we've lost a bit of our time in preparing press releases and creating things for our website but not the end of the world. 

 

Fortunately things are looking pretty positive - we got a third of the expressions of interest we'd need for it to go ahead in 24 hours and that is without any real opportunity to get it fully out to as wide an audience as possible!

 

Cheers Mike

[Bomag]

2 hours ago, ash39 said:

Also what are people intending to run with their 89's? A top-drawer loco is going to make Farish mk4's look like Brio toys.

 

Cl89 in ICE - rake of Dapol Mk3a SLE/SLEPS with optional test coach.

                    - rake of of Farish MK2 Aircons in ICE livery

Cl89 in ICS  - rake of Farish Charter Mk1 FOs

                     - rake of Mixed IC Charter Mk2d FKs

 

Tarted up the Farish 90 and 91 are perfectly fine and can keep a bit longer.  For those not lucky to afford a CJM Cl89 - which I only did as I got two years London weighting in one go - there has not been anything. Also the Cl89 is the typical ECML one off - W1 and DP2 for instance - which is appealing as a might of been. For those that managed to get a run behind it it made you wonder why they bothered with the Cl91 (it was because the 89 couldn't do 140mph) as the acceleration from the max 7860hp on 6 axles  vs max 6300hp on 4 axles was brisk. With a lower continuous rating it did run out of go a little bit faster than the 91s above 100mph.

 

If the badger is this popular what about a W1 or DP2!

Edited May 28, 2020 by Bomag

[MGR Hooper!]

4 hours ago, red death said:

 

Fortunately things are looking pretty positive - we got a third of the expressions of interest we'd need for it to go ahead in 24 hours and that is without any real opportunity to get it fully out to as wide an audience as possible!

 

Cheers Mike

 

I'm absolutely thrilled to hear that. Hope it succeeds.

[eatus-maximus]

On ‎27‎/‎05‎/‎2020 at 00:14, Bomag said:

The Revolution page says they ran with B/G, IC and GNER Mk3s. While it ran on test with Mk3a B/G sleepers I never travelled behind it on anything other than Mk1, Mk2 and later Mk4 (I did a lot of travelling on the ECML in the period as I with the RCE). When they converted the HSTs to work with Cl91 it was to gain running experience for Cl 91s and not the Cl89. It may have been seen on them given how unreliable the Cl91 were (particularly as they leaked like a sieve going through the carriage washer) but I never saw it on a DVT rake in service. Later on it ran with Mk4s but not with GNER Mk3 HSTs.

 

In GNER days it was with Mk4s, not mk3s, as GNER didn't have any loco-hauled mk3s or TDM fitted power cars. The idea at the time was to supplement the 91 fleet (which they later did with class 90s).

 

There are some pictures, on the traintesting/old-dalby website, with HST coaches (and presumably a HST DVT conversion at the London end) but these seem to be restricted to a 1735 Kings Cross-Peterborough service. Flickr also seems to have some pictures of it coupled to a Mk3 TGS, but the computer I am using doesn't allow access to Flickr so I can't check them.

[Stuart A]

3 hours ago, eatus-maximus said:

 

There are some pictures, on the traintesting/old-dalby website, with HST coaches (and presumably a HST DVT conversion at the London end) but these seem to be restricted to a 1735 Kings Cross-Peterborough service. Flickr also seems to have some pictures of it coupled to a Mk3 TGS, but the computer I am using doesn't allow access to Flickr so I can't check them.

 

I noticed the pic with it on Mk3s,looks to be a BG at the opposite end.  Rake looks to be TGS-FO-TRFB?-TSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-BG  Description says its on the 12:00 Leeds -Kings Cross 6th Feb 1989

 

Also photo showing it on the ex SLOA Pullmans https://flic.kr/p/fzx3Ct

Edited May 28, 2020 by Stuey

[Padishar Creel]

55 minutes ago, Stuey said:

 

I noticed the pic with it on Mk3s,looks to be a BG at the opposite end.  Rake looks to be TGS-FO-TRFB?-TSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-TSO-BG  Description says its on the 12:00 Leeds -Kings Cross 6th Feb 1989

 

Also photo showing it on the ex SLOA Pullmans https://flic.kr/p/fzx3Ct

Hallo,

The BG is possibly a generator coach. In the clip below the I/C liveried BG certainly is. Cannot find similar in Executive livery, only a clip with no BG

 

es grüßt

pc

 

 

[TomE]

Quite a combination of stock it's running with there. Looks like those Farish mk.2fs might come in handy!

 

Tom.  

[Stuart A]

At 2:54,the rake there features 2x TGS, nice mix of B/G and IC.

 

Keep my eyes open for more Dapol bargains in the coming months.

 

 

[Ed-farms]

My expression of interest was submitted straight away and I went for both intercity and the GNER. My next planned layout should allow for all 3 to be used in different era's with a bit of modellers licence so hopefully I can get all 3. Might be pushing it to get all 3 with sound though

[montyburns56]

3 hours ago, Padishar Creel said:

Hallo,

The BG is possibly a generator coach. In the clip below the I/C liveried BG certainly is. Cannot find similar in Executive livery, only a clip with no BG

 

es grüßt

pc

 

 

 

So is the 89 hauling HST stock in that video as the MK3s seem to be marked as Intercity 125?

[Steven B]

There's no doubt that a class 90 or 91 would have more potential to sell more models over a longer period of time. However, Farish have released two (three?) batches (2000-3000 models) of Deltic, a loco that ran for a shorter length of time and in fewer liveries than the class 89 and sold out so there is a precedent.

 

As much as I want a new class 90 I'd much rather it come from Farish so I don't need to buy all the versions I want up front! I hope the class 89 proves to be a popular choice for Revolution. It certainly fits in their niche better than a 90 would. It's actually of more use to me than a class 92 as it was a regular in Leeds.

 

The loco has a drop-down buckeye coupling and so can couple directly to HST stock if needed

 

Plenty of options to run it:

Dragging an HST

More HST dragging

Yet more HST dragging

Rake of >10 Intercity Mk1

Mk3s - BG behind loco so unsure if loco hauled or HST version

Mk3s and a class 20

Mk2 and class 47

 

 

Steven B.

 

 

[Bomag]

2 hours ago, montyburns56 said:

 

So is the 89 hauling HST stock in that video as the MK3s seem to be marked as Intercity 125?

 

For some reason my edit to my previous  post is missing. The 89 was tested with set BN29  44098 41114 40718 42231 42341 42232 42233 42234 44074 + 975325 (6310) (44098 in ICS and 42341 in ICE) but was not used in 'normal' service with HST DVTs.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Bomag

[njee20]

5 hours ago, Steven B said:

As much as I want a new class 90 I'd much rather it come from Farish so I don't need to buy all the versions I want up front! I hope the class 89 proves to be a popular choice for Revolution. It certainly fits in their niche better than a 90 would. It's actually of more use to me than a class 92 as it was a regular in Leeds.

 

That's a really good point - plus the sheer diversity of liveries; it definitely lends itself to multiple batches over several years, which isn't really Revolution's MO. My concern is that Farish simply won't do it! I'm planning to take one for the team and get Ian at Mercig to do me an old Farish one, that should mean Farish immediately announce one. We digress though, sorry!

[MatP]

Brilliant news - I remember seeing this loco at Crewe and Stafford in the 80's, though never at my 'home' station, Lichfield TV. I've expressed an interest in the 'original' liveried version.

 

I hope somebody with deep pockets (i.e. not me) and sufficient courage to renumber a RevolutioN 89 builds a layout set on the WCML (or ECML) c.1990 or later, set in an alternative universe where the Class 89 had been approved and a whole fleet of them built. 

 

89022 with a 12-coach Up train would pass 89017 in the loop at LTV with the morning direct service to London (picking up a mutinous-looking party from Lichfield Cathedral School), and then, shortly afterwards, 89031 would be seen heading north with a Speedlink trunk freight...

 

Time to take out a second mortgage on the cat?

 

Mat P