Bachmann 35-080

London, Brighton & South Coast Railway E4 Class 2487 Southern Railway (Black Sunshine)

Bachmann's Description & Specifications

The E4 Class 0-6-2 Radial Tank was one of the most successful and versatile tank locomotives that the Southern Railway inherited upon Grouping in 1923, with all 75 locomotives that the London, Brighton & South Coast Railway had constructed around the turn of the century passing to the SR, and all but one would make it to BR ownership as well. The Bachmann Branchline model of the E4 is just as versatile, featuring diecast metal construction supplemented with high-fidelity injection moulded parts to create a model as strong and capable as its prototype. What’s more, the Branchline E4 has been upgraded for 2025 and now features a Next18 DCC decoder socket and provision for a speaker, allowing SOUND FITTED models to be offered for the first time.

• Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
• Era 3
• Pristine SR Black (Sunshine) Livery
• Running No. 2487
• Equipped with a Next18 DCC Decoder Socket – Recommend Decoder item No. 36-567A
• Length 149mm (over couplings)

DETAIL VARIATIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL

• Dished Smokebox Door
• Westinghouse Brakes and Vacuum Brakes
• Lever Reverser
• Cab Roof Mounted Whistle
• Enclosed Coal Rails
• Raised Smokebox Rivets
• Countersunk Bufferbeam Rivets
• Steam Injector and Pipes
• Boiler Clack Valves

BACHMANN BRANCHLINE LB&SCR E4 CLASS SPECIFICATION

MECHANISM:

• 3-Pole motor
• Electrical pickup from all driving wheels
• Separate metal bearings fitted to each driving axle
• Diecast metal chassis block
• Diecast metal gearbox, with gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
• 5mm (OO gauge) wheels to NEM310 & NEM311 standards with authentic profile and detailing
• Sprung rear radial truck
• Detachable coupling pockets to NEM362 standards fitted at each end
• Designed to operate on curves of second radius (438mm) or greater

DETAILING:

• Diecast metal boiler and side tanks, and running plate
• Precision moulded plastic cab and bunker, and smokebox
• Separately applied details including Westinghouse pump and pipework, front splashers, tank filler hatches, safety valves, dome and chimney, smokebox handles, clack valves* and vacuum pipes* (*where applicable)
• Individual metal detail components including handrails, handrail knobs, guard irons, lamp irons and turned metal whistle
• Highly detailed and decorated cab interior including controls, dials, gauges and tool cabinets with separately fitted regulator, reverser and valve wheels
• Running gear detailing includes springs, brakes, sandboxes and sandpipes which are made from metal wire
• Glazed cab front spectacles
• Metal buffers
• Each model supplied with an accessory pack including brake rigging, additional bufferbeam pipework, headcode discs and screwlink couplings

DCC:

• Next18 DCC decoder interface

SOUND:

• Space is provided for a speaker to be fitted along with connection points on the PCB
• SOUND FITTED models include a pre-fitted speaker
• Zimo MS590N18 DCC Sound Decoder fitted to SOUND FITTED versions
• Sound files produced specifically for the Bachmann Branchline E4 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
• Logos, numerals and text added as appropriate using multi-stage tampo printing incorporating authentic typefaces, logos and colours

Class & Prototype

Class: London, Brighton & South Coast Railway E4 Class

• Traction: Steam
• Built: 1897-1903
• Total Built: 75

The London, Brighton and South Coast Railway E4 Class were versatile 0-6-2 radial tank locomotives designed by Robert Billinton and built between 1897-1903. These 75 mixed-traffic engines featured 5ft driving wheels and 170 psi boilers, making them ideal for both suburban passenger services and freight duties across the challenging South Coast network. Famous for working the 'Lancing Belle' service and serving as station pilots at London Waterloo, the E4s demonstrated exceptional longevity with some serving over 60 years until 1963. Only one survives in preservation - No. 32473 Birch Grove operates on the Bluebell Railway. Available as ready-to-run models from Bachmann Branchline in multiple authentic liveries including LB&SCR umber, Southern Railway olive green, and British Railways black, the E4 Class offers modellers authentic representation of Southern Railway mixed-traffic operations with excellent operational versatility for layouts featuring suburban passenger services, freight workings, and station pilot duties.

Prototype: 2487

• Ordered By: London, Brighton & South Coast Railway
• Built By: London, Brighton & South Coast Railway
• Built At: Brighton
• Built: 06/1899
• Withdrawn: 12/1962
• Length of Service: 63.5 years
• Running Numbers: LB&SCR 487, SR 2487, BR 32487
• Names: Fishergate

Locomotive No. 487 was built by Brighton Works in June 1899 and holds a special place in E4 Class history as the first locomotive to be painted in Stroudley's distinctive "Improved Engine Green" - the famous yellow livery that became synonymous with LB&SCR passenger locomotives. Historical records specifically note that "from locomotive 487 onwards they were turned out painted in Stroudley's Improved Engine Green, a yellow colour," making No. 487 the pioneering example of this iconic livery scheme within the E4 Class. Earlier locomotives in the class had been painted in the more utilitarian Stroudley Goods Green, but No. 487 marked the transition to the railway's prestigious passenger livery.

Following the 1923 Grouping, No. 487 became Southern Railway 2487 and later British Railways 32487 from 1948. Like its classmates, it adapted successfully through the changing railway landscape, transitioning from suburban passenger duties to freight and shunting work as electrification displaced steam services. After 63 years and 6 months of service, No. 32487 was withdrawn in December 1962, making it one of the last E4 locomotives to be retired.

Operator & Livery

Operator: Southern Railway

The Southern Railway (SR), formed in 1923 through the amalgamation of numerous railway companies, became Britain's most passenger-focused railway company. The three principal constituents were the LSWR, LB&SCR, and SE&CR, alongside several smaller railways including the Plymouth, Devonport and South Western Junction Railway and various light railways. Operating 2,186 miles across southern England, the SR pioneered extensive third-rail electrification and developed distinctive locomotive classes under Chief Mechanical Engineers Maunsell and Bulleid. The company's malachite green and olive green liveries, Art Deco architecture, and premium passenger services like the Golden Arrow established new British railway standards. Nationalised in 1948, the SR's innovations in electric traction and passenger comfort influenced modern railway practice. Today, SR locomotives remain highly popular with railway modellers for their elegant designs, varied operational roles, and distinctive Southern Railway heritage that connected London with the Channel ports and southern resorts.

Livery: Black Sunshine

The SR Black Sunshine livery was a wartime austerity scheme introduced during World War II (1940-1950) as a labour-saving economy measure. This unlined matt black livery replaced the expensive-to-maintain olive green and malachite green schemes when locomotives underwent overhaul during the war years. The distinctive feature was the bright "Sunshine Yellow" lettering and numbering applied to locomotive sides, cabs, and tenders, creating a striking contrast against the black paintwork. The yellow used was notably brighter than the earlier primrose yellow, earning its "sunshine" designation. During the war, some locomotives received green-shaded sunshine yellow lettering as paint supplies varied. This practical livery eliminated the time-consuming lining work required on peacetime schemes, allowing workshops to focus on essential repairs and new construction for the war effort. The black livery continued to be applied until around 1950, with many locomotives carrying it into early British Railways ownership. For modellers, the black sunshine livery represents an authentic wartime appearance and offers a dramatic alternative to the more familiar green Southern Railway schemes, particularly effective on freight locomotives and mixed-traffic classes that saw heavy wartime service.