EFE to produce OO scale PEP series units
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In installments on November 3rd and 5th Bachmann Europe unveiled a range of all-new tooling for Class 313 and Class 314 Electric Multiple Units. They will be produced under their EFE Rail brand; the first time that any such “PEP” family EMUs have been produced ready-to-run in OO Scale. |
 Engineering Prototypes of the models. |
| Although Classes 313 and 314 not “native” Southern types, the PEP prototypes were extensively tested on the Southern Electric system (the SEG Modelling Officer remembers travelling into Waterloo on one) and the closely related 4 car Class 508s were natives to the SR, until replaced by the Southern-compatible Class 455s. Latterly Southern Railway ran a small fleet of refurbished DC only 313/2s on “Coastway” services (where they were not popular), which during the end-game for the class gave rise to a retro (but amended) BR blue & grey unit, 313201. |
 E81005, 313211 Southern Coastway Livery with blank destination blinds. |
| The initial range comprises 13 units in various liveries and detail differences. As the Southern Electric Group we are only featuring here those related to the Southern Electric system, which the group also includes where other DC lines run alongside “our patch” such as the North London Line. |
 E81006, 313114 Silverlink Metro, destinations Richmond and North Woolwich. |
| The EFE Rail Class 313/314 is comprised of three highly detailed vehicles featuring precision moulded bodyshells adorned with separate detailing parts and an extensive collection of underfloor equipment and separately fitted pipework.
Drive is provided through the centre car, with a coreless motor powering each bogie and mounted within a diecast metal chassis to give a strong drive mechanism and low centre of gravity. This vehicle also houses a Plux22 DCC decoder socket and the close fitting electrically conductive couplings mean that just one decoder controls both motors and the lighting in all three vehicles. MECHANISM:
DETAILING:
LIGHTING:
DCC:
LIVERY APPLICATION:
The Recommended Retail Price is £349.99 but they are already being advertised for pre-order in the £298 region. Delivery is due in the second quarter of 2026. |
 E 81008, 313201, Southern’s “celebrity” amended BR blue & grey unit, blank destination blinds. |
| All images used in this article, and much of the description, are the copyright of Bachmann Europe PLC, used with permission for publicity purposes.
Albeit not strongly Southern this a welcome development and we look forward to seeing the models for real. Will there also be tooling for a TSO to be able to make a 4 car Class 508 in a Southern Electric (only the original BR blue & grey) incarnation? We do hope so.
Colin Duff. Modelling Officer. 5th November 2025. |
