Bachmann 31-408

Tooling

Bachmann Branchline introduced its OO gauge model of the Southern Railway Lord Nelson Class in 1992 as part of its Blue Riband range. This represented Maunsell’s 4-cylinder 4-6-0 express passenger locomotive, designed for heavy Continental boat trains and later express services. The tooling remained in production until 2002, with reissues in 2005 and 2008. It was considered highly detailed for its time but has since been surpassed by modern standards.

Tooling Features

• Scale: OO gauge (1:76).
• Construction: Die-cast split chassis with plastic body and tender.
• Detailing: Separately fitted chimney (two styles: Maunsell and Bulleid Lemaitre), moulded lamp irons, handrails, and rivet detail. Tender steps supplied for user fitting.
• Couplings: Originally tension-lock; later releases adopted slimline couplings (not NEM pockets).

Mechanical & Electrical

• Motor & Drive: Large 3-pole can motor mounted in split chassis, driving main axles.
• Pickups: On driving axles only; no tender pickups.
• Minimum Radius: 2nd radius (approx. 438 mm), though rear tender steps may foul curves if fitted.
• Lighting: None.
• Weighting: Die-cast chassis provided good traction and smooth running.

DCC Capability

The model was DCC incompatible as supplied. Conversion requires full motor isolation and rewiring due to split chassis design. Enthusiasts have successfully fitted decoders and even sound, but it is considered a challenging upgrade.

Liveries Produced

The tooling covered Southern Railway and British Railways periods, including:

• SR Malachite Green (e.g., No. 850 “Lord Nelson”, limited edition).
• SR Maunsell Green (post-1931 style).
• BR Brunswick Green with early emblem.
• BR Brunswick Green with late crest.

Variations included different chimneys and lining styles. All models used the high-sided tender design.

Reviews & Commentary

At launch, the model was praised for accuracy and smooth running. Over time, shortcomings became apparent: tender length slightly underscale, lack of fine details such as cylinder drain pipes, and prominent pony truck wheel rims. Despite this, reliability and performance were generally rated highly, with many examples still running well decades later. Later releases improved paint finish and lining quality.

Media & Community Feedback

Collectors value early limited editions, particularly the 850 “Lord Nelson” in presentation boxes. Online forums note the split chassis as robust but requiring care for long-term maintenance. Conversion to DCC remains a popular topic among enthusiasts.

Interesting Notes

• The tooling never received a full retool; only minor updates like couplings and finish were applied.
• Two chimney styles were offered, reflecting prototype modifications.

Class & Prototype

No prototype found.

Operator & Livery

British Railways transformed Britain's fragmented rail network into a unified national system following nationalisation on 1st January 1948. Created from the "Big Four" companies under the Transport Act 1947, BR operated most of Great Britain's railways until rebranding as British Rail in 1965, managing over 20,000 route miles and inheriting nearly 20,000 locomotives of diverse designs.

The organisation pioneered standardisation through its revolutionary BR Standard locomotive programme (1951-1960), producing 999 advanced steam engines under Robert Riddles' direction. These included the versatile Britannia Pacifics, mighty 9F freight engines, and mixed-traffic classes that incorporated the best features from all predecessor companies. The 1955 Modernisation Plan accelerated diesel and electric traction development, creating fascinating mixed-traction operations.

Notable achievements included establishing unified locomotive classification systems, introducing distinctive corporate liveries, and managing the complex transition from steam to modern traction. BR's six regional structure preserved operational diversity whilst enabling standardisation of practices, signalling, and rolling stock that had eluded private enterprise for over a century.

The BR era represents steam traction's final flowering alongside emerging diesel technology, creating unparalleled locomotive variety. Today, this heritage remains highly popular with railway enthusiasts through extensive preserved fleets, heritage railway operations, and comprehensive model ranges from manufacturers like Hornby, Bachmann, and Dapol, making BR subjects essential for authentic post-war British railway modelling across all scales.

British Railways' lined green livery was designated for express passenger locomotives from 1949, painted in BS224 Deep Bronze Green (also known as Land Rover Deep Bronze Green) with orange and black lining, contrary to popular misconceptions about it being GWR Brunswick Green. Official BR documentation described this as "Dark Green lined Black and Orange" for selected express passenger steam locomotives, with the lining following GWR-style patterns but with distinct BR specifications. The "Lion and Wheel" emblem (nicknamed the "Cycling Lion") adorned these prestigious locomotives from early 1949, showing a lion standing over a spoked wheel with "British Railways" lettering across the centre.

Only the most powerful passenger classes received this elaborate livery—on the Western Region, this included Kings, Castles, and Stars, whilst other regions applied it to their premier express types like Coronations, A4s, A3s, A1s, and Merchant Navy Pacifics. Initially, the most prestigious locomotives of each region were actually painted in Sky Blue with black and white lining, but this proved unpopular and was quickly superseded by the green scheme. The emblem was positioned centrally on tender sides above the middle axle box, with regional variations in size preference—the Western Region favoured larger emblems whilst other regions typically used smaller versions. Lettering and numbering appeared in golden yellow Gill Sans Medium, normally outlined in black where the background wasn't black. This prestigious livery represented BR's finest locomotives until the corporate identity changed in 1956, making it essential for authentic early BR express passenger operations in model form.