Class 37 - BR Green w/full yellow ends - D6956

One of the hits of our first Class 37 production run was D6704 in BR green with full yellow ends, which quickly established itself among the fastest selling versions and suprised us by outstripping liveries that we expected to be more popular. Thus we'd be remiss in not including a centre headcode version in the second run and our chosen subject is D6956, another stalwart South Wales freight machine. New to 86A Cardiff Canton in January 1965 and then to Swansea Landore in 1972, it was renumbered 37256 two years later and remained on the WR at Bristol Bath Road from 1983 until rebuilt by Crewe as 37678 in 1987. Another non-boiler loco, while this release shares the same nose configuration as D6600 it correctly rides on Deltic-style cast bogies.

Common Features:

• Highly detailed OO scale model, 1:76.2
• Heavy die-cast metal chassis
• Accurate tumbleholme, nose, cab roof and cantrail curves taken from 3D Laser scan and extensive surveys
• Timeframe specific details, including but not limited to;
• Bogies (Fabricated and three variations of Cast)
• Fuel tanks (As built and with later smooth-sided long range fuel tank)
• Early Class 37/0 features frost grille, boiler filler panel and access steps
• Early Class 37/0 features illuminated split headcode displays with a selection of different four-character headcodes
• Class 37/6 have operational WIPAC light clusters and top headlight and numerous different nose slides all including multiple working socket
• Three styles of buffer: large round Oleo, oval and squared oval
• Three styles of nose grilles: as built, refurbished ‘split’ and refurbished ‘single piece’
• Boiler exhaust, and two styles of plated boiler panel
• With or without bufferbeam skirts
• With or without cab roof vents and bodyside windows
• Nose and roof aerials and antennas (where applicable)
• Three styles of windscreen: standard, centre toughened and all toughened
• Three styles of cab interior: as built, refurbished and modern DRS locos
• Four bufferbeam variations with different piping configurations
• Door kickplates where applicable

Multiple body and nose slides to accurately represent almost every member of the class, including three variations of cantrail grille: early EE (for D6700-D6704), later EE and RSH

Four roof styles: Original double riveted, single riveted, welded and welded with antennas

Separately applied etched metal and high fidelity plastic detail parts, including grab handles, aerials, steps, wipers, nameplates, crests and more.

Etched metal door kickplates (where applicable), ‘frost’ grille (where applicable) & super fine etched metal roof grille

Scale width wire handrails

Turned brass roof-mounted horns on centre headcode examples

Full underbody tank detail with brackets and pipework

Bogies feature separate footsteps, etched footsteps, brake cylinders, speed recorder, end brake rigging and very fine brake chain

Brake blocks on trucks (bogies) in line with wheels (can be moved for EM/P4 gauges)

Numerous other locomotive-specific details yet to be revealed!

RP25-110 profile OO gauge wheels with fine scale ‘drop in’ EM (18.2mm gauge) and P4 (18.83mm gauge) wheels available separately

Accurate high-fidelity miniature snowploughs

Fully sprung metal buffers, extra-fine factory-installed pipework and screw couplings

Correct height mini-tension-lock couplers with NEM socket as well as a fully detailed bufferbeam

Without doubt the most successful diesel design of the BR era and a strong contender to be called the greatest locomotive in British railway history, the definitive model of the English Electric Type 3 / Class 37 has been a long time coming. 309 examples of this mixed-traffic 1,750hp Co-Co class were built by English Electric and Robert Stephenson & Hawthorn between 1960 and 1965 to two basic designs, split and centre headcode. They could be found systemwide leading all kinds of freight and passenger services. 135 were rebuilt in the mid 1980s giving the class a further lease of life, while further major rebuilds have taken place since privatisation. Many are still hard at work today painted in the colours of a wide range of different operators including Network Rail and a plethora of private freight and passenger companies, such as Colas Rail, Direct Rail Services, Europhoenix, HN Rail and WCRC.