Graham Farish 371-829BSF

Graham Farish's Description & Specifications

The Class 47 was British Railways’ most prolific class of main-line diesel locomotive and so it’s no surprise that high fidelity models of these ever-popular machines are available in N Scale as part of the flagship Graham Farish range.

Such were the variations that appeared across the fleet, whether from new or following modifications or refurbishment, that various sub-classes were used to highlight particular features and the Class 47/4s were those locomotives fitted with Electric Train Heating such as No. 47556.

This model takes full advantage to the recent upgrades that have benefited the Graham Farish Class 47, namely the technical advancements which see the model boasting a Next18 DCC decoder interface, pre-fitted speaker, cab lighting (when used on DCC) and independent control of the directional lights at each end. With the Next18 interface and pre-fitted speaker, SOUND FITTED models can now be offered for the first time.

• Graham Farish N Scale
• Era 8
• Pristine BR Blue livery
• Running No. 47556
• SOUND FITTED – Fitted with a ESU Loksound V5DCC Sound Decoder
• Length 139mm (over couplings)

DETAIL VARIATIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL

• Plated Headcode Panels with Sealed Beam Marker Lights at No. 2 End
• Cab-Front Mounted ETH Equipment
• Single Arm Windscreen Wipers
• High Intensity Headlight
• Round Buffers
• Full Cab Roof Vents
• Serck Radiator Grilles
• Smooth Exhaust Panels
• Plated Spanner Mk3 Roof Boiler Port
• 1,250 Gallon Water Tanks with Water Filler Valves
• NRN Aerials
• Plated Bogie-mounted Cab Steps

GRAHAM FARISH CLASS 47 SPECIFICATION

MECHANISM:

• Coreless, twin shaft motor with two flywheels providing drive to both bogies
• All axle drive
• Electrical pickup from eight wheels
• Diecast metal chassis block
• Gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
• 9mm (N gauge) wheels to NEM310 standards with authentic profile and detailing
• Bogie-mounted coupling pockets to NEM355 standards at each end
• Designed to operate on curves of second radius (263.5mm) or greater

DETAILING:

• Bogies constructed from multiple components featuring full relief detail
• Separately applied detail parts, including lamp irons, cab handrails and roof aerial (where applicable)
• Separately fitted battery box/water/fuel tank assembly
• Cab Interior Detailing
• Each model supplied with a full set of model-specific bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts

LIGHTING:

• Directional lighting, switchable on/off at either end on DCC or Analogue control
• Cab lighting, switchable on/off (when used on DCC only)
• Authentic light colours and temperatures selected for each model based on era and application

DCC:

• Next18 DCC decoder interface

SOUND:

• Speaker installed in all models for optimum sound reproduction
• ESU Loksound V5DCC Sound Decoder fitted to SOUND FITTED versions
• Sound files produced specifically for the Graham Farish Class 47 using recordings from real locomotives
• SOUND FITTED models operate on DCC and Analogue control as supplied

LIVERY APPLICATION:

• Authentic liveries applied to all models
• Multiple paint applications employed on each model using BR/TOC 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 47 or Brush Type 4 was Britain's most numerous mainline diesel locomotive, with 512 examples built between 1962-1968 by Brush Traction and BR Crewe Works. Powered by the reliable Sulzer 12LDA28C engine producing 2,580hp, these versatile Co-Co locomotives became the backbone of British Railways' mixed-traffic operations, equally capable of hauling InterCity expresses or heavy freight trains. Their distinctive angular bodywork and universal route availability made them ubiquitous across the entire BR network for over five decades. The class pioneered the TOPS sub-classification system with variants including 47/0 (steam heating), 47/3 (no heating), and 47/4 (electric heating). Despite modernisation, 76 locomotives still exist today with 32 preserved, while their success led to 33 being rebuilt as Class 57s. The Class 47 represents the ultimate achievement of pragmatic British diesel engineering - proving that reliability and versatility often triumph over complexity.

No prototype found.

Operator & Livery

British Rail (1965-1997) transformed Britain's railways through revolutionary modernisation, introducing the iconic double arrow logo, Rail Blue livery, and business sectorisation. BR pioneered high-speed rail with the InterCity 125 and Advanced Passenger Train, electrified major routes, and created profitable divisions like InterCity and Network SouthEast. From steam succession through diesel and electric development to privatisation preparation, British Rail's diverse locomotive fleet, multiple livery schemes, and operational scenarios provide unparalleled variety for railway modellers across all scales and periods.

BR Blue, also known as Rail Blue or Monastral Blue, was introduced in 1965 as part of British Rail's comprehensive corporate identity overhaul that accompanied the rebranding from British Railways to British Rail. The colour was officially defined by British Standards BR28/6001 (airless spray finish) and BR28/5321 (brush finish), representing a dark, greyish blue tone specifically chosen to hide dirt and weathering effects well.

The livery was prototyped on the experimental XP64 train in 1964 before becoming the standard scheme from 1 January 1965. Rail Blue was applied to all diesel and electric locomotives with yellow warning panels (initially small, then extending to full yellow ends from 1966). The standardised application included the iconic double arrow logo and Rail Alphabet typeface, creating one of the most successful transport corporate identities of the 20th century.

The livery dominated British Rail operations for over two decades until sectorisation in the 1980s began fragmenting the unified appearance. Despite initial colour fading problems in early applications, these were resolved by the late 1970s when the Large Logo variant was introduced featuring extended yellow areas and full-height double arrow symbols. Rail Blue's enduring appeal among railway enthusiasts reflects its role as the definitive British Rail image during the organisation's most unified period.