Bachmann 35-076

Class & Prototype

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.

Locomotive No. 473 "Birch Grove" was built by Brighton Works in June 1898 at a cost of £2,000, and holds the distinction of being the only preserved locomotive designed by Robert Billinton. Named after a small hamlet north of Horsted Keynes, this locomotive became one of the most historically significant E4 Class examples. In 1911, it received an I1 type boiler from D.E. Marsh, and remarkably still retains its original boiler number 891 from July 1898, which had been passed between various Brighton tank locomotives before being refitted in 1960.

During British Railways ownership, No. 32473 was based at Norwood Junction until October 1959, then transferred to Bricklayers Arms until June 1960, and finally moved to Nine Elms where it worked yard shunting duties and empty stock movements between Clapham Yard and Waterloo. After 64 years of service, it was withdrawn in October 1962 and purchased directly from British Railways by preservation enthusiasts, becoming the Bluebell Railway's first operational locomotive in 1963. Following various overhauls and livery changes—including LB&SCR umber, BR black, and currently Southern Railway olive green—"Birch Grove" returned to service in 1997 for its centenary year. The locomotive operated successfully until May 2016 when inner firebox issues required major attention, and it currently awaits overhaul while on static display, representing the sole survivor of the 75-strong E4 Class.

Operator & Livery

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.