It’s an HB in 4mm scale from EFE

On Friday 31st January Bachmann Europe made an early announcement, ahead of their Spring 2025 announcement next Wednesday, of tooling for a new 4mm scale locomotive to be part of their EFE Rail range. It is good news for Southern Electric modellers as it is an HB (class 74) “large” EDL. Such a model was proposed quite a few years ago by Kernow Model Rail, to be produced by the then DJ Models, to follow on from their HA (class 71) model. So it is great to see one finally on its way (and the Modelling Officer will no longer need to build the two kits he has had for many years!). For more information, please read Bachmann’s press release. The above image is of an engineering prototype. For those who do not know about this type of locomotive, it is not expected there will be many, if any, variants other than different loco numbers as they only ever appeared in BR blue livery with full yellow cab fronts.
Colin Duff. Modelling Officer. 31st January 2025