The London & North Western Railway (LNWR) was known as the Premier Line and one of its premier freight locomotives, in terms of power and ability at least, was the G2 Class. This Bachmann Branchline model brings the G2 to OO Scale with a high fidelity rendition of the early-twentieth century powerhouse.
With an impressive level of detail and a high performance mechanism, the Branchline G2 is the complete package and now for the first time, this model is available with the option of SOUND FITTED (see item No. 31-482SF).
The model employs a diecast running plate, along with further metal components to provide an impressive weight ensuring the model’s strength and power match its prototype’s. Meanwhile, those components produced in plastic are precision moulded, with details such as rivets and boiler bands crisply reproduced. Separate parts are then added to enhance the authenticity of the model further, from the metal handrails to the whistle and safety valves, each of which are turned brass. The smokebox door is hinged and can be posed open or closed, whilst within the cab, controls, dials and pipework are all moulded authentically and decorated accordingly.
The locomotive’s diecast chassis is enhanced with brake blocks, brake rigging and sandboxes with separate wire sandpipes. Driving wheels are cast to the correct LNWR pattern, whilst the third pair of driving wheels are flangeless, as on the real locomotives. Moving to the tender and the locomotive to tender drawbar is adjustable to suit individual layout conditions, whilst electrical connections are incorporated into the drawbar and a poseable fallplate is fitted to the tender – not only is this a prototypical feature but it serves to reduce the visual impact of any gap in this area which may be necessitated by operating conditions. The tender itself is finely moulded, with several separately applied details including the lamp irons, tank vents, fire tool holder and handwheels. A realistic coal load is included whilst the tender chassis includes brake rigging and metal wheelsets are employed.
Whilst there is little to complicate the black livery of this freight locomotive, the paintwork is applied to a high standard throughout, with the printed details, including the numberplate and cab dials, all reproduced and fully legible thanks to the specialist printing techniques implemented in the production of Bachmann models.