New Bachmann BR MK1 BSO, FO & RB

[AY Mod]

NEW BR MK1 COACHES BREAK COVER

 

Bachmann today announced three brand new BR Mark 1 Coaches for its Bachmann Branchline OO Scale range. The three models depict the Brake Second Open (BSO), First Open (FO) and Restaurant Buffet (RB) vehicles which have not previously been produced as part of the flagship Branchline Mark 1 Coach range. 

 

The Diagram 183 Brake Second Opens were built from 1955, and by 1960 a total of 163 vehicles had been completed. A further 18 BSOs were built in 1963 which had an internal door splitting the seating bays in two to create a non-smoking area. Seats were provided at tables for 31 passengers, along with a toilet, guard’s compartment and an area for luggage. 

Between 1980 and 1981, BR converted 18 BSOs into BSOT Micro-Buffets – the T standing for Trolley. The conversion saw the toilet turned into a store and the first bay of seating removed to make room for a counter into which a trolley could be slotted, allowing the option for customers to be served at the counter, or at their seats throughout the train from the trolley. This variant is also modelled as part of the new tooling. 

 

 

Diagram 73 First Open coaches were built by Doncaster, York, Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon, Wolverton and Swindon, with no fewer than 128 FOs built between 1953 and 1963. Delivered to all regions except the Southern, the first vehicles were painted in BR’s Crimson & Cream colour scheme but later builds went straight into BR Maroon and to a lesser extent, Chocolate & Cream. Each coach provided 42 first class seats with a toilet at both ends of the vehicle. 

 

 

The Diagram 24 Restaurant Buffet was the most numerous of BR’s many catering vehicles, with the RB providing both a kitchen and pantry along with a service bar and seats for 23 passengers. Construction was shared between Pressed Steel and Birmingham RC&W and again, 128 vehicles were built, these being outshopped between 1960 and 1962. Entering traffic in BR Maroon, some RBs were delivered to the Western Region in Chocolate & Cream and others to the Southern in BR (SR) Green. In later years some vehicles would be refurbished, and liveries such as BR Blue & Grey and InterCity were carried. 

These brand new models feature all the hallmarks of the Branchline Mk1, which capture the distinct shape and profile of the BR Mk1 coach with flush glazing, extensive detail and separately fitted parts including various handrails and pipework, and a full complement of underframe equipment. Era-appropriate details, such as the presence of end steps and, on the BSO, the inclusion of roof periscopes, are all catered for. The new tooling extends to the bogies fitted beneath each vehicle, with new BR1, Commonwealth, B4 and B5 bogies being developed. In addition, the BR2 bogie has been added to the pool of options and all bogies feature integrated metal wheel bearings and electrical pickups to aid those wishing to add features to their models which may require power. Profiled metal wheelsets are fitted, as are standard tension lock couplings, fitted into NEM coupling pockets which are attached to chassis-mounted close-coupling mechanisms. 

 

Details of the first batch of models to be made from this new tooling, including livery variants, prices and availability will be included in the Summer 2024 British Railway Announcements on Wednesday 1st May.

 

 

 

[John M Upton]

That BSO (even better as a BSO(T)) would be nice if added to the N scale range too.

[Mallard60022]

Thanks Andy. D24... a welcome addition to the SR range. There goes my Comet Sides and or Southern Pride 'Conversions'

P

[adb968008]

FO + BCK = Intercity Swallow white roof stock….would be timely for a class 89 ?

FO is the gap in wcrc stock too..

 

RB… I guess were close to a REP now.

 

nice

Edited April 27 by adb968008

[farren]

They do look very nice, has the DCC fitted range been dropped 

[nickb4141]

Did Bachmann ever offer a DCC fitted range of Mk1’s? I don’t remember them - how long ago were they produced?

[farren]

They didn’t has you know but, I would have thought it would have been logical to release new coaches with dcc fitted as standard to bring the whole rage of coaches up to the same standards, with the older coaches they already produced being upgraded when the tooling becomes worn. 

[robertcwp]

These are the three most numerous gangwayed Mark 1 types not hitherto covered by Bachmann. All have been done by Hornby at a more basic level but these will be higher-quality and higher-specification models, probably with better liveries than Hornby has done.

 

As for liveries, there was a chocolate and cream BSO+RB pair in the Cathedrals Express in the early 1960s, with the BSO being used for dining.

 

7031_Cathedrals_Shipton-under-Wychwood by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

[45568]

Coaches S3063-3070 from Doncaster batch 30169 were allocated from new to the Southern region, and received SR green post 1956. Often used on Southampton liner trains where 1st class accommodation was usual.

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

23 minutes ago, farren said:

They do look very nice, has the DCC fitted range been dropped 

Not been aware of any DCC fitted mk1s from Bachmann. What these have is the pick up system on the axle pinpoints, which I think was first seen on the mk1 based Met-Camm Pullman cars, and MU carriages, and performs well both in respect of pick up and free rolling performance; at last displacing the Trix Commonwealth bogie from its position as the most free running RTR OO item.

 

Welcome additions to the mk1 range which further increases the lead of the reigning champion in number of vehicle variations covered from a standard format design. 

[robertcwp]

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

 

Diagram 71 First Open coaches were built by Doncaster, York, Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon, Wolverton and Swindon, with no fewer than 128 FOs built between 1953 and 1963. Delivered to all regions except the Southern, the first vehicles were painted in BR’s Crimson & Cream colour scheme but later builds went straight into BR Maroon and to a 
lesser extent, Chocolate & Cream. Each coach provided 42 first class seats with a toilet at both ends of the vehicle. 

 

 

The model they are doing is a Diagram 73, by far the most numerous type of Mark 1 FO.

 

Diag 71 applied to the first three, with no middle doors, which Bachmann has done. Diag 72 had a door into the middle seating bay.

[Markwj]

Oooooh nice may pick some up at some point, am beginning to wonder if Bachmann will have anything new to announce on Wednesday?

[dj_crisp]

Revisiting the MK1 is definitely welcome. I can't really see the photos properly on my mobile but looks the FO is an original build and the RB/BFO more suitable for modern stock as has lost end steps and do they have window frames?

[steve1023]

Blimey. About time. Phew. 

 

I know Hornby have done these, but it does look odd mixing and matching the coaches, especially in blue/grey so I will absolutely be getting some of these. As mentioned above, the press release is wrong isn’t it regarding the SR coaches. I thought these were delivered to SR in green or would they have been crimson/cream?

 

Now Bachmann, please put me and others out of our misery and shrink the BSO & RBR down, please, please, please. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

6 minutes ago, dj_crisp said:

...do they have window frames?

No external added frames visible on  my PC screen. original condition in this respect.

[dj_crisp]

And I think they're re-releasing the TSO using the old tooling? 

 

I do like the sound of some new bogies though.... would be magic if they fit the Mk2f chassis ;) 

[steve1023]

Just zooming in on my tablet, I think I can see window frames on the RBR but not the BSO or FO.

Edited April 27 by steve1023
Mistake

[adb968008]

29 minutes ago, 45568 said:

Coaches S3063-3070 from Doncaster batch 30169 were allocated from new to the Southern region, and received SR green post 1956. Often used on Southampton liner trains where 1st class accommodation was usual.

Cheers from Oz,

Peter C.

And they all still exist….indeed there is only 1 bck missing from recreating the exact train.

Edited April 27 by adb968008

[Phil Bullock]

Excellent news! Thanks Bachmann, good to see the interest in the Mk1 coaches is still there…. 

[robertcwp]

From the BR Diagram Book Index:

 

BSO-Diagram-book-index by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

FO-73-Diagram-book-index by Robert Carroll, on Flickr

 

BSOs up to E9321 were crimson and cream when new. I found a photo of E9321 in that livery a while back. Several were repainted maroon in 1956 for the Talisman.

 

FO were crimson and cream when new up to E3080. Note that E3076-80 had the trial batch of Commonwealth bogies but this is not shown in the index. As they were built in 1955, S3063-70 will have been crimson and cream when new. 

 

The FO listing also includes the various other diagrams. E3081-84 were 1957 experimental prototypes. Two of the WR batch of FOs were painted umber and cream to match Pullman cars in the Blue Pullman substitute set in the early 1960s.

[brushman47544]

Since it’s Bachmann no doubt we are guaranteed E (eastern) numbered vehicles in the first run as usual…

[wombatofludham]

Excellent news, and if in blue/grey to match the new announcement of Mk1 seconds that'll give me the chance to build up a complete 1968 west coast rake for the new layout (I don't worry about the virtually invisible carriage numbers) to go alongside the Mk2a rake, and allow me to retire my Replica FOs.

The 1975 Accurascale passengers will also not starve after dark if the RB coaches also have the pick-up fitted bogies mentioned in the re-issued second class Mk1 announcement last quarter.  Having wired up an Oxford Mk3 rake with lights (destroying every coupling in the process) having bogies with pick-ups is a big help when you want to fit after market lighting and even for a solder-phobic like me not too difficult.

Good bread-and-butter announcement that will potentially be more worthwhile than some big flashy loco announcement.

[dj_crisp]

I've found my older Bachmann mk1s tend to be too high... And its a bit of a fight to get them to run a bit lower. Anyhow I wonder if these ones match the older tooling.... or are more aligned to their MK2fs.

[Clive Mortimore]

I am sure it must be my eyesight but the new bogie designs appear to suffer the same as the old ones. Have a butchers at the brake and wheel interface.

[Phil Bullock]

3 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

I am sure it must be my eyesight but the new bogie designs appear to suffer the same as the old ones. Have a butchers at the brake and wheel interface.

Can see what you mean Mr M! Would be a shame if that was perpetuated in newly designed bogies…. Wonder if these EPs are sat on old ones?