photograph © Lord and Butler Cardiff

A picture is worth a thousand words. A preview - in this case of a pre-production model - of Lord and Butler's limited edition 2EPB 5759 from Bachmann. This represenets the unit in its mid 1960s form, not in its current preserved incarnation. Hopefully Bachmann's 2EPBs, plus this limited edition as well as an early blue version from Modelzone, are not that long away now. From this and other pictures we have seen, we cannot wait... !

(above left) 3052 passing through Haywards Heath, copyright Foxley Slide available from SEG Sales and
(above right) Gatwick Express 73202 "Dave Berry" at Clapham Junction on 16th December 2010 on a Stewarts Lane to Gatwick Airport working, photograph by Colin Duff.

One minute past midnight on Christmas Day saw Hornby release details of their intended 2011 programme of new models onto their website. The BIG news for Southern and EMU modellers is two versions of the Brighton Belle. It will be on sale as train packs consisting of the two motor brake Pullman thirds/seconds (discount price £150, to the nearest £10) with the three trailer Pullmans available separately (discount price £40 per car, to the nearest £10). The two versions are:

Brighton Belle 1934 - R2987/X Driving Motor Pullman third train pack, R4512 3rd Parlour, R4513 1st Kitchen, R4514 1st Kitchen

Brighton Belle 1969 - R2988/X Driving Motor Pullman third train pack, R4527 3rd Parlour, R4528 1st Kitchen, R4529 1st Kitchen

DCC versions are those with their product codes being suffixed by an X. We suspect that 1934 means a unit numbered 2051-3 but at a date it can be called the Brighton rather than the Southern Belle, and 1969 is a unit in its final BR blue & grey livery. At the time of writing Hornby had yet to decide which unit numbers they are going to produce.

A new model of the Brighton Belle will be popular with non Southern modellers and collectors as well, and for its appearance many will be grateful. However, many Southern modellers are perplexed that the versions chosen for the first production batch only have a validity of 3-4 years each, whereas longer lifespans of 1938 (excluding the war years) to 1955 (1955 is when the heavy overhaul took place) or 1955 to 1968, the latter being the steam-diesel transition period that many model, would satisfy far more modellers. We live in hope that these versions will follow in future years. However, the blue and grey version will complement (in a chalk and cheese fashion) a blue Vep, especially as Hornby are reproducing the later batches of blue Vep that ran on the Brighton main line.

The Christmas Day release also indicated that the Vep models, announced Christmas Day 2009, should now be available in April 2011. It is confirmed that the late Network SouthEast version will be a refurbished unit and (as above) the blue version will be from one of the later, without lifting rings, batches.

Also new for 2011 for Southern Electric modellers is R3045/X Gatwick Express Electro-Diesel 73202 "Dave Berry". Finally, R4452 and R4453 will be the fourth and fifth cars for the R2972/X Hitachi 395003 "Sir Steve Redgrave" four car train pack which became available just before Christmas.

More modelling news for 2011

Latest predictions for the delivery of the Bachmann 2EPBs are 31-375 blue March/April, 31-376 green April/May and 31-377 blue & grey May/June. I have seen a picture of the latter as a unit in a red striped 2COM incarnation. Kernow Model Railway Centre's first versions of their 2H models are due to appear later in 2011. A recent newsletter from Kernow indicated they are considering two new "electric" projects, presumably for release from 2012 onwards. Of course "electric" does not have to mean an EMU nor Southern Electric stock!