No. 141 Click, Click, Click, - Bachmann’s 15th Anniversary Set revisited
Continuing with my north east themed running sessions I have unboxed Bachmann’s 15th Anniversary Set.
Bachmann D396 and 60143
Bachmann marketed the set in 2004 to celebrate the first 15
years of Bachmann Branchline (1989 to 2004). The set comprises two Gateshead
shedded locomotives, A1 Pacific 60143 Sir Walter Scott and D396 Type 4 English
Electric Diesel (later Class 40). Both locomotives are of types that would have
hauled the Tees-Tyne Pullman around 1960.
Bachmann 15th Anniversary Edition Set
Interestingly the Limited Edition Certificate contained in
the set and shown below details the Type 4 locomotive as being D369 in contrast
to D396 which was actually provided in the set.
Bachmann 15th Anniversary Edition Set – close up of
certificate
Coming from the north east of England I am well pleased with
Bachmann’s choice of models. However I have not found any obvious link between
the Tees-Tyne Pullman and Bachmann Branchline’s first 15 years. Perhaps the
choice of the Elizabethan for Bachmann’s 5th Anniversary and the Gateshead duo
for their 15th Anniversary simply confirms Bachmann’s appreciation of the north
east of England.
There is a useful history ofthe Tees-Tyne Pullman provided by SeMG.(Southern E-Group). I thoroughly
approve of their mottos “Information is for sharing and not for gathering
dust.” “It costs nothing to share knowledge”.
.
Despite being predominantly ‘Southern’, SeMG have collected an immense amount ofinformation detailing the particular locomotives hauling ‘East Coast’
Pullmans on individual days. Both Gateshead A1 Pacifics and English Electric
Type 4s feature on the Tees-Tyne Pullman in my time frame of the late 1950s,
early 1960s.
Courtesy of the David Hey Collection - English Electric
Type 4 D354 on the Tees-Tyne Pullman south of Darlington
Whilst unfortunately not an A1, SeMG have an almost
identical view with A4 Pacific 60019 ‘Bittern’ in charge. I have guessed the
date around 1961 because the majority of the train is composed of the ‘new’
Metro-Cammell BR Mk1 Pullman coaches which were manufactured during 1960/61.
Much later and steam would have given way to a Type 4.
Courtesy of SEmG / J.Wat Collection/Richard Barber - A4
Pacific 60019 Bittern on the Tees-Tyne Pullman south of Darlington
What about my Bachmann models?
D396, English Electric Type 4 heads up a rake of BR Mk1
Pullmans
The Bachmann Type 4 is a superb layout engine, super smooth
running with loads of power. The rivet counters however are not happy with the
body side shape and details such as the front handrails on these early models.
I would say a far better runner than its re-engineered replacement which
arrived ten years later at the beginning of 2014.
D369, English Electric Type 4 – Bachmann re-engineered
model
Did Bachmann have their own little joke when they numbered
the re-engineered model D369 as detailed on the Limited Edition Certificate
with the Anniversary Set?
I have pictured models D396 and D369 heading a rake of
Bachmann BR Mk1 Pullmans. The prototype coaches were built by Metro-Cammell in
the period 1960 to 1961 as part of the modernisation programme for the East
Coast Mainline. I like the Bachmann Mk1 Pullmans which I think are up with the
best model coaches produced to date.
Bachmann A1 Pacific 60143 Sir Walter Scott on a rake of
Hornby ‘K’ type Pullmans
For completeness I have pictured Bachmann Sir Walter Scott
at the head of a rake of the earlier Hornby ‘K’ type steel sided Pullmans and
then again below at the head of a rake of Bachmann Mk1s
Bachmann A1 Pacific 60143 Sir Walter Scott on a rake of
Bachmann Mk1 Pullmans
I think Bachmann’s A1s are my all time favourite locomotive
model and I was deeply concerned by a constant ‘click, click, click’ sound when
I started to run Sir Walter Scott. My suspicions were correct and it was soon
evident that the main drive gear had split.
Click Click Click, main drive gear and axle from Sir
Walter Scott
The obvious solution is a new set of wheels from Bachmann.
In my case a cheaper solution was to take the gear (and axle) from a duff wheel
set that I had left over from Blue Peter. I noted that the Blue Peter wheel
set, in common with all more recent Bachmann models, utilised a white nylon
gear in contrast to the failed black plastic gear of Sir Walter Scott. As if I
needed further confirmation of what appears to be an inherent weakness of 60143
what should I see on eBay:
EBay advertisement for Bachmann 60143 Sir Walter
Scott
The driving wheels on the A1 have 20 spokes so quartering is
straightforward, rotating one wheel five spokes relative to the other. Sir
Walter Scott is back together and runs superbly. I still need to get some of
this scenery finished.
A1 Pacific 60143 Sir Walter Scott
Addendum 27.10.17
It seems impolite to ignore the running problems of D369
(Bachmann 32-481) I had previously corrected the 'lack of pickups' on Bachmann
32-480DS (D211 Mauritania) with the addition of extra phosphor bronze contacts
left over from some improvements to Duke of Glooucester. Since posting the
current Blog I have carried out a similar modification to the bogies of D369.
This time I cut the required bits of phosphor bronze from the old pickups off a
Dapol Castle.
Additional Pickups
Additional Pickups
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