Heavyweight ‘Crompton'

Heljan releases more classic traction in ‘O’ gauge in the form of 10 versions of the ever-popular Class 33/0, spanning its life from 1962 to the present day. The late condition model, post 1992, is the subject of this review.

CLASS 33s remain part of the railway scene today with three members of the class in service with West Coast Railways, including two Class 33/0s.

Built between 1960 and 1961, the then standard Class 33 was numbered as D6500-D6585. Conversion for push-pull working created the Class 33/1 sub-class leaving 65 Class 33/0s, the type embodied by the V.2/3 of the Heljan ‘O’ gauge model.

Spanning the life of the class from introduction to the current scene requires certain detail differences to be incorporated in the model, including high intensity headlights (square frame) and roof aerials for those models representing locomotives working after 1992-93. It is in this condition that the review model, EWS No. 33030, is modelled and can be regarded as a late condition locomotive.

Application of EWS livery further ties this model down to the August 1998 to 2001 time-frame during which it spent most of its time in Scotland prior to withdrawal from EWS service.

The full-size No. 33030 was released to traffic in April 1961 as No. D6548 and lead a largely uneventful life, being swapped between Stewarts Lane and Eastleigh depots several times until first being withdrawn in 1998. The locomotive was repainted in EWS livery in time for the August 1998 Toton open day before being stored for a time.

It’s most notable period of operation came after transfer to Motherwell depot in 1999 alongside No. 33025 to work in Scotland, particularly freight traffic in the Aberdeen area.

It disgraced itself by catching fire near Huntley when working a freight train in 2001. Withdrawal soon followed, alongside No. 33025, which was unserviceable at the time.