Southern Region BR Standard 5MT |
Produced by: Bachmann £92.65
Europe plc, Moat Way, Barwell,
Leics LE9 8EY.
Website: www.bachmann.co.uk
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Just released is the latest version of Bachmann’s popular BR Standard 5MT 4-6-0, this one coupled to one of the impressive BR 1F high-capacity tenders. The model represents 73110, in later BR mixed-traffic livery and comes complete with etched nameplates for The Red Knight.
The prototype was built in October 1955 and allocated to the Southern Region of BR, its original depot being Nine Elms. From February to April 1956 it went to the Western Region at Old Oak Common, thence back to 70A until August 1964. It then went to Eastleigh, and finally to Guildford, being sold for scrap in South Wales at the beginning of 1967. It was named The Red Knight at the beginning of 1960, having inherited the name (though not the actual plates) from Urie ‘King Arthur’ No. 30755 (withdrawn May 1957).
The model represents the first of a series of ten Standard Fives (73110-119) to be equipped with the largest of the BR Standard tenders, the 1F. The only other Standard locos to be initially allocated this type were the 9Fs for the Eastern Region. With a working-order weight of 55 1 / 4 tons, coal capacity of 7 tons and water capacity of 5,625 gallons, these vehicles were the most impressive of all the various Standard tenders.
There being no water troughs on the Southern, these ten tenders (serial numbers 1292-1301) were not equipped with water scoop apparatus. The Bachmann Standard 5MT was first reviewed in the December 2002 issue of BRM, and I ‘fiddled’ with one in the May 2003 issue. All those same positive comments can be applied to this new one. In all main dimensions the model is spot on, the attention to detail incredible (something we expect now from all RTR products), the application of livery excellent, and the performance quiet, powerful, smooth and responsive. The chassis is fully DCC enabled.
The tender is a brand new body, capturing the appearance of these massive vehicles quite well.
Unfortunately, having (presumably) inherited its underframe from the other tenders in the range, it comes equipped with a superfluous water scoop. Since this appears easy to remove, it shouldn’t present a problem to the pedants! Though difficult to fully be sure, in comparison with prototype photographs (most usefully P. 99 of A Detailed History of British Railways Standard Steam Locomotives, Volume 2: The 4-6-0 and 2-6-0 Classes. the RCTS, 2003), it would appear the angle at the top of the tank sides is a little too sharp - starting further up than it should. In end elevation the curve should begin below the tender top and the rear. In fairness this discrepancy might be dictated by moulding expediencies. Whatever, the effect is to give a sharp edge to the curve at the top of the tanksides, rather than a more uniform radius, exacerbated by the fact that the top horizontal lining should lie immediately below the base of this curve, not, as it does on the model, about 2mm below it. Strictly speaking, for a Southern
Region-allocated locomotive, more in the way of lamp/destination disc brackets should be fitted on the loco front and tender rear. Because the Southern indicated its trains by routes rather than status, six brackets were carried rather than
the usual four. Thus, for true realism, two more brackets are required on the smokebox (at ‘9 o’clock’ and ‘3 o’clock’) and two more on the tender rear. For the real detail ‘nuts’, 73110, being one of the Doncaster-built examples, should have its two front top footsteps placed higher than the top of the frames. Such is the excellence of current RTR locomotives that one is ‘forced’ to find such minutiae of detail ‘anomalies’ to comment on! All in all then, yet another exceptional model. Though I’ve already reported on how to ‘improve’ the Bachmann Standard Five, I’ll do a bit to this one too -perhaps taking this a stage further by incorporating lifting holes and strengthening rings in the front framing.
As usual with most current locomotives, the extra details have to be added by the purchaser - front footsteps, nameplates, etc., though this isn’t difficult. All that done, this model is a most useful addition to Bachmann’s range, should prove
immensely popular and represents outstanding value for money.
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