Bachmann 32-279B

Bachmann's Description & Specifications

The K3 was one of the LNER’s most successful designs, quickly becoming a Group Standard design following Grouping in 1923, and we are delighted to present this Bachmann Branchline model of the LNER stalwart which returns to the range as No. 61985 in BR Lined Black livery.

The Branchline model of Gresley’s 2-6-0 mogul employs a diecast running plate and locomotive chassis to provide an impressive weight, ensuring that the model’s strength and versatility is true to prototype. Meanwhile, those components produced in plastic are precision moulded, with details such as rivets and boiler bands crisply reproduced. Separate parts are then added to enhance the authenticity of the model further, from the metal handrails and lamp irons to the safety valves and sprung buffers, each of which are turned brass. Within the cab, controls, dials and pipework are all moulded authentically and decorated accordingly. Multiple parts are added to the locomotive’s chassis, with brake blocks and brake rigging, footsteps and metal wire sandpipes all fitted separately.

Moving to the tender and the locomotive to tender drawbar is adjustable to suit different layout conditions whilst the tender itself is finely moulded, with several separately applied details including the lamp irons, handrails, handwheels and sprung metal buffers. A realistic coal load is included, with the empty coal space modelled below, whilst the tender chassis includes brake rigging and the water scoop.

The livery application is what really brings this new K3 to life, with a rich application of black paintwork augmented by the lining which is applied with pinpoint precision. Numbering, lettering and the BR Early Emblem is reproduced in high definition, resulting in a model fit for any collection.

MODEL FEATURES:

• Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
• Era 3
• Pristine LNER Lined Black livery
• Running No. 203
• Flared Tender
• Adjustable Tender Drawbar
• Powerful 3 Pole Motor
• NEM Coupling Pockets
• Sprung Buffers
• Accessory Pack
• Equipped with a 8 Pin DCC Decoder Socket – Recommend Decoder item No. 36-566A
• Length 250mm (over couplings)
• Part of our Railway Celebrations range

Class & Prototype

The GNR Class H4, later LNER Class K3, was Nigel Gresley's ground-breaking 1920 design that revolutionized British mixed-traffic locomotive operation. These distinctive 2-6-0 "Jazzers" featured unprecedented 6-foot diameter boilers, innovative three-cylinder layout with conjugated valve gear, and exceptional versatility handling both express passenger and heavy freight services. Built between 1920-1937 with 193 examples constructed, they proved capable of hauling 20-bogie passenger trains during the 1921 coal strike while maintaining economical operation. The syncopated exhaust beat from their three-cylinder arrangement earned the affectionate "Jazzers" nickname, reflecting the jazz music era of their introduction. Tragically, the entire fleet was scrapped 1959-1962 with no survivors, though a new-build project announced in 2018 promises their return to steam. These historically significant locomotives influenced all subsequent Gresley designs and remain popular subjects for OO gauge modelling through excellent Bachmann reproductions.

No prototype found.

Operator & Livery

The London & North Eastern Railway emerged in 1923 as Britain's second-largest railway company, combining seven major railways including the Great Northern, North Eastern, and Great Eastern into a 6,590-mile network stretching from London's four terminals to the Scottish Highlands. Despite serving economically challenged industrial regions, the LNER achieved worldwide recognition for engineering excellence and speed records that remain unbroken today.

Under Chief Mechanical Engineers Sir Nigel Gresley, Edward Thompson, and Arthur Peppercorn, the LNER developed revolutionary locomotive designs characterised by three-cylinder layouts and streamlined aesthetics. Gresley's masterpieces included the A1 Pacifics featuring Flying Scotsman and the legendary A4 class, culminating in Mallard's world steam speed record of 126 mph in 1938.

The company pioneered luxury express services including the Silver Jubilee and Coronation streamliners, whilst investing in forward-thinking electrification schemes and massive marshalling yards. Notable achievements included operating the complete East Coast Main Line, introducing Britain's first regular 400-mile non-stop service, and commissioning Eric Gill's iconic typography that influenced railway design for decades.

Nationalised in 1948, LNER locomotives continued serving British Railways until the 1960s, with some A4 Pacifics working Scottish expresses until 1966. Today, the LNER's engineering legacy thrives through extensive preservation, new-build projects like Tornado, and comprehensive model ranges covering every major class in all popular scales, making LNER subjects essential for discerning railway modellers seeking authentic British steam-age atmosphere.

The LNER lined black livery represented the company's commitment to aesthetic excellence across all locomotive types during the early period of its existence. Introduced from 1923, this elegant scheme adorned freight engines and secondary passenger locomotives with distinctive red lining that transformed utilitarian workhorses into smart, professionally finished machines. The red lines were carefully applied to running plates, boiler bands, and cab panels, following the locomotive's mechanical contours and emphasising engineering features whilst maintaining the practical benefits of a dark base colour for heavy-duty operations.

Distinctive features of this livery included yellow lettering and numbering with red shading (contrasting with the gold used on prestigious green passenger locomotives), and "L N E R" applied in full to tenders. The lined black scheme demonstrated the LNER's philosophy that even freight locomotives deserved visual dignity and corporate identity. However, economic pressures forced changes to this refined approach: red lining was removed from goods engines as an economy measure in 1928, though secondary passenger locomotives retained their lined finish until 1941. For model railway enthusiasts, this livery perfectly captures the LNER's early optimism and attention to detail, making it ideal for depicting 1920s freight operations, mixed-traffic locomotives, and the period when the newly-formed company took pride in presenting a cohesive, quality image across its entire 6,300-locomotive fleet.