ALONGSIDE the three new Class 158s announced a number of years ago was a single model of a Class 159/0 finished in the original Network SouthEast condition.
Unlike Regional Railways No. 158849 (31-517), East Midlands Trains No. 158773 (31-518) and GWR No. 158766 (31-519), the model of Network SouthEast (NSE) No. 159013 (31-520) includes a centre car moulding that will enable Bachmann to offer Regional Railways, Northern Spirit and Trans-Pennine three-car sets in the future, alongside the South West Trains (SWT) and South West Railways (SWR) Class 159/1 sets.
The featured Class 159/0 model represents one of the 22 full-size trains as delivered to NSE for its West of England area, including the core Waterloo-Exeter route (19921996). While the units were upgraded from as-built Class 158s to a higher standard, including a First Class saloon and improved sound insulations, they resembled Class 158s in both shape and design. Bachmann has utilised its new tooling for the Class 158 to produce the Class 159 in early condition, with the original window and emergency ventilation format and without the prominent roof aerial pod.
Bodyshells
When Bachmann first released a Class 158 back in the 1990s, it was a very good tooling for the time that captured the features of the full-size trains, despite some shortcomings in detail and a bulky drive in one car instead of interior detail.
The new model is a vast improvement, encapsulating the character of the Class 158 family but with considerably more finesse.
This story is from the April 2020 edition of Rail Express.
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This story is from the April 2020 edition of Rail Express.
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