Bachmann 35-778

Bachmann's Description & Specifications

The real Class 69 Diesel Locomotives have been created for GBRf through the conversion of redundant Class 56s and we are delighted to present this Bachmann Branchline OO scale model of Britain’s newest mainline diesel.

Produced under an exclusive agreement with GBRf, the Branchline model has been painstakingly developed hand-in-hand with the introduction of the GBRf fleet. With the Class 69s being built from donor locomotives that were first built by three different works and have themselves seen almost fifty years of use and modification, Bachmann has worked closely with GBRf to accommodate any detail differences that were present on the donors and have remained apparent on the rebuilt machines, along with any changes made to the final design of the Class 69 during the ongoing build programme.

This diligent approach has resulted in a truly magnificent model which befits the Branchline name, capturing the Class 56 shape to a tee alongside the modern adornments and many changes made to the locomotives to create the 69s.

The bodyshell features crisp, accurate mouldings to depict the main features along with separately fitted parts, including etched bodyside and roof fan grilles, metal windscreen wipers and separately fitted driver’s door handrails. Inside the cab there is interior detailing which will be decorated appropriately whilst machine room detailing is visible through the bodyside grilles. The underframe equipment is all present and correct, composed of many separate parts along with sandboxes and sandpipes and sprung metal buffers, but it is the bogies that really bring this model to life. It’s hard to describe these as anything but a work of art, using countless separate components to model every aspect of the bogie in full relief, from the brakes to the suspension, even down to the separately fitted bogie-body securing chains.

All of this detail, both inside and out, will be brought to life with an exquisite livery application using true-to-prototype colours, fonts and logos and with the help of GBRf official livery diagrams.

Under the body, the Branchline Class 69 features our proven drive system using a 5 pole motor with twin flywheels driving all axles on each bogie. Electrical pick-up comes from all wheels whilst DCC provision comes in the form of a Plux22 interface. Directional lighting is of course provided, along with cab and machine room lighting when used on DCC. Whilst every model comes with a pre-fitted speaker, for those looking for sound then our SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE variants with their Dual Fitted XL Speaker System is the obvious choice. Talking of SOUND FITTED DELUXE, opt for our top of the range model and you can enjoy the additional features of motorised radiator fans and DCC-uncoupling – thanks to the Bachmann Auto-release Coupling System!

• Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
• Era 9
• Pristine GBRf livery
• Running No. 69003
• Named 'The Railway Observer'
• Etched Nameplates included
• Equipped with a Plux22 DCC Decoder Socket - recommended Decoder item No. 36-570B
• Length 254mm

MECHANISM:

• Five pole, twin shaft motor with two flywheels providing drive to both bogies
• All axle drive
• Electrical pickup from all wheels
• Separate metal bearings fitted to each axle
• Diecast metal chassis block and bogie towers
• Diecast metal gearboxes, with gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
• 5mm (OO gauge) wheels to NEM310 & NEM311 standards with authentic profile and detailing
• Close coupling mechanism fitted at each end, each of which is fitted with coupling pockets to NEM362 standards
• Auto-Release Couplings fitted at both ends - DCC operated, hands-free uncoupling with the press of a function button (SOUND FITTED DELUXE models only)
• Designed to operate on curves of second radius (438mm) or greater

DETAILING:

• Bogies constructed from multiple components featuring full relief detail
• Rotating radiator fans, driven by an independent motor and gearbox, operated as part of the sound project on DCC and Analogue control (SOUND FITTED DELUXE models only)
• Separately applied metal detail parts, including lifting eyes, windscreen wipers and etched bodyside and fan grilles
• Sprung metal buffers
• Each model supplied with a full set of decorated, model-specific bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts

LIGHTING:

• Directional lighting, switchable on/off at either end on DCC or Analogue control
• Cab lighting*, assigned to two DCC functions for separate switching of each
• Separately switched Machine Room lighting* (*when used on DCC)
• Authentic light colours and temperatures selected for each model based on era and application

DCC:

• Plux22 DCC decoder interface
• Bach-Up Stay Alive System providing uninterrupted power to prevent stalling, light flicker and sound cut-outs (operates on DCC only)

SOUND:

• Speaker Fitted - a pre-fitted speaker is included with every model as standard
• Dual Fitted XL - SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE models feature two speakers, including our new speaker with enhanced bass reproduction for optimum sound performance
• ESU Loksound V5DCC Sound Decoder fitted to SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE versions
• Sound files produced specifically for the Bachmann Branchline Class 69 using recordings from real locomotives
• SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE models operate on DCC and Analogue control as supplied. On Analogue, an authentic engine start up sequence and running sounds are produced when power is applied

LIVERY APPLICATION:

• Authentic liveries applied to all models
• Multiple paint applications employed on each model using BR & GBRf specification colours
• Logos, numerals and text added as appropriate using multi-stage tampo printing using authentic typefaces, logos and colours

Class & Prototype

The BR Class 69 represents one of modern railway engineering's most successful conversion stories. Developed by GB Railfreight and Progress Rail from 2018-2024, these locomotives are comprehensively rebuilt Class 56s featuring EMD 710 engines, Class 66-derived control systems, and modernised cabs. Eleven locomotives have been converted, delivering 3,300hp performance with dramatically improved reliability compared to their Ruston-Paxman-powered predecessors. The class is renowned for its exceptional variety of heritage liveries celebrating British railway history, from authentic period schemes to commemorative designs. Operating throughout GBRf's freight network since 2022, Class 69s demonstrate how strategic re-engineering can create contemporary locomotives whilst honouring railway traditions. Bachmann holds exclusive manufacturing rights for OO and N gauge models, scheduled for release in 2025 with comprehensive detail and sound capabilities.

No prototype found.

Operator & Livery

GB Railfreight (GBRf) is the UK's third-largest rail freight operator, established in 1999 and currently owned by Infracapital (M&G plc subsidiary). Operating over 2,000 trainloads weekly with an exceptional 99% reliability rate, the company moves approximately 23% of Britain's rail freight using a fleet of 170 locomotives and 1,800 wagons. GBRf serves major ports including Felixstowe, Southampton, and London Gateway with 54 daily intermodal services nationally, whilst also providing vital infrastructure services for Network Rail, London Underground, and major construction projects like HS2.

The company is renowned for pioneering the innovative Class 69 conversion programme, transforming redundant Class 56 locomotives with modern EMD 710 engines, and for operating diverse heritage livery schemes that celebrate British railway history. With headquarters and control centre in Peterborough and maintenance facilities at Tonbridge, GB Railfreight employs over 1,400 people and has committed to achieving net-zero operations by 2050, positioning itself as a leader in sustainable freight transport whilst maintaining strong partnerships with customers including Network Rail, Drax, Aggregate Industries, and major shipping lines.

The GBRf Blue & Orange Whiskers livery represents one of the most distinctive and historically-conscious paint schemes applied to GB Railfreight's Class 69 locomotives, featuring what enthusiasts often refer to as a "Grid reworking" - a deliberate tribute to the original Class 56 locomotives from which the Class 69s were converted. This livery combines GB Railfreight's corporate blue base colour with striking "speed whiskers" - distinctive angular streaks that extend from the cab fronts along the locomotive sides, recreating the visual dynamic effect that was popular on British Rail diesel locomotives during the 1960s and early 1970s. The design pays homage to the original Class 56 "Gridirons" (nicknamed "Grids" by enthusiasts) whilst incorporating modern GBRf corporate identity elements including the orange company logo.

Applied to locomotives including 69001 'Mayflower' (alongside its UK & US flags), 69003 'The Railway Observer', 69006 'Pathfinder Railtours', 69008 'Richard Howe', and others, this livery scheme creates a visual bridge between the locomotives' heritage as Class 56s and their modern incarnation as Class 69s. The "speed whiskers" element specifically references the aerodynamic styling treatments that British Rail applied to various locomotive classes to create a sense of modernity and forward motion, making this livery particularly appropriate for locomotives that have been completely rebuilt with modern EMD powerplants whilst retaining their classic British outline. This "Grid reworking" demonstrates GB Railfreight's commitment to celebrating both the engineering heritage of the original Class 56 locomotives and the innovative conversion programme that has given these machines a new lease of life in contemporary freight operations, creating a unique visual identity that acknowledges the past whilst embracing technological advancement.