With our Class 66 now arriving with customers, and the first batch of our Class 31 on the high seas and nearing their destination, it's time to announce our next Diesel locomotive in OO/4mm to join our range; the Class 60.
Our Class 60 signals the return to the products of Loughborough and take on their biggest and most powerful production diesel locomotives (sidestepping Kestrel nicely there!)
But Why The Class 60???
Quite simply, we need one for our range. We needed to take on a locomotive that suits our growing range of modern air braked wagons.
Can't be bothered to read to the end? Then watch our launch video, as Class 60 Project Manager Steve Purves explains a lot of the below, with added donuts.
The "Tugs" perfectly complement the later members of our "Powering Britain" coal wagons, biomass wagons and of course our aggregate and steel wagons too. They were the logical choice when we put plans into action to begin working on our then first Type 5 locomotive just over three years ago.
How Are You Going To Do It Then??
So now we have the why, we must now answer the "how"? How will we make it better than what has gone before?
Despite the Class 60 looking pretty much the same as it did when the first one rolled out of BEM Traction Division in Loughborough all those years ago, they have in fact received plenty of subtle modifications and changes over their careers in front line service. It is our mission to correctly capture these and bring you the most extensively researched Class 60 on the market. This included invaluable cooperation with the staff of UKRL Loughborough, including team members who were originally involved with the initial commissioning and building of the locos. DB Cargo and DC Rail have also contributed massively to our model to help us beat the best and bring you the greatest Class 60 model you can get.
Elements such as the original twin exit exhaust silencer and replacement single exit alternative, the roof panel without vents or scavenger fans, differing lamp brackets depending on locomotives (which will be yellow, not black on the models you receive), two piece windows on the drivers side and updated three piece replacements, early fibreglass snow plough and their steel replacements, T piece metal plates in the radiator room to prevent the locos being counted as a wagon on MGR trains by scanners, air receiver in original and modified positions, extended long range and standard fuel tanks, exposed and covered buffer beams, radio aerial brackets, air ventilation scoops on the cab fronts, modified multiple working socket covers, original and modern LED style lighting clusters and more!
When you add that in with the usual Accurascale goodies; full lighting package of independently controlled head, tail, marker lights and bi colour LEDS where relevant with various day, night and depot configurations, cab lights, control desk light, radiator room lighting, magnetic roof hatch to access your DCC decoder and DC light mode switches, helical gearing, space for EM and P4 wheels with drop in replacement wheels available separately, hall sensor to automatically detect curves and activate flange squeal on DCC sound locos, stay alive capacitor bank for uninterrupted running, our now famous large Accurathrash speaker set up with ESU Loksound 5, and of course weighty die cast chassis (over 800g!) with all axle drive to move those miniature mountains, you can see it features unbeatable specification too.
When then?
So, that's the "how". What about the "when"?
Well, we are glad you asked. We have been as guilty as anyone for setting delivery dates, working hard as we can, yet missing them completely. So, with that in mind, we have adopted a policy of announcing later in the models' gestation to cut down on waiting times. This is why we've been a bit quiet this year when it comes to new announcements!
With the Class 60, we have received and signed off with feedback the decorated samples and the purchase order is with the factory. These fixes include (but are not limited to!);
- Lamp irons to be painted yellow
- Cab Deco missing
- Rad room deco missing
- Lower edge of roof grille paint/cantrail missing on some
- Gap in bogie parking brake pipe (brown). Moulding slightly too heavy
- Cantrail slightly wobbly near cab ends
- Filter inlets/plate not painted behind clean air grille
- Triple grey models missing silver paint cab side grilles
- Silencer too silver. Will be toned down
- Transrail logo greys are wrong
- Double arrow on Transrail loco too big
- Wheel faces not painted
- Wheels should not have holes
- End numbers damaged/removed in some cases
- Orange above cantrail on cab end of 60021 should be blue
That means quantities are set and our 60 is production approved, so availability will be strictly limited between our direct sales and quantities that retailers will receive. By leaving our announcement to this time, we can accurately gauge a Q1 2025 delivery date to our warehouse.
So, all that sounds pretty awesome, and you may even have stopped howling "DUPLICATON" at the top of your voice and understood the project timeline and why we build our range as we do.
Go On, How Much?
But! How much for this slab of British Brush bruisers?
Just £169.99 for our DC/DCC ready versions, and £269.99 for DCC sound fitted variants. Once again, we lead the way in realistic models at realistic prices. Don't forget our flexible terms of up to 6 months too to spread your payments at no extra cost.
With 7 different Tugs to choose from in our initial launch range, with another four more exclusive locomotives to come soon (watch out for news in the coming weeks, but you've seen some above!) between our own exclusives, charity fundraiser and a retailer exclusive, there is something for everyone within our launch range.
Browse the range below and pre-order via your preferred one of over 100 Accurascale stockists, or direct via the link below.
