'Special edition' Class 31s for 'OO'

Accurascale today has shared plans for two Class 31 special editions for its 'Accurascale Exclusives' range, featuring a pair in privatisation era condition. The locomotives will represent 31407 in Mainline freight aircraft blue livery, and 31466 in EWS livery.

Both locomotives capture the mid-1990s era – one of great change for Britain's railways as privatisation commenced, with a plethora of colourful liveries adoring heritage stock as new companies made themselves known. The two locomotives will enter production after Accurascale’s main range and arrive in stock in Q1, 2024. Models will be priced at £169.99 DC/DCC ready and £269.99 DCC sound-fitted.

Revealed in February 1996 at an event at Toton TMD, 31407 was possibly the most surprising locomotive to be outshopped in the colours of Mainline Freight, one of the three shadow privatised freight operators spun off from the Trainload freight business in 1994.

While the Class 31 fleet was in the process of being run down, this locomotive was selected because its electric train supply capability and vacuum braking made it an ideal partner for observation saloon DB999504. Despite this, it mostly saw employment on infrastructure duties, East Anglian passenger moves and railtours, before being withdrawn in September 1998.

Ahead of the landmark Toton open day in August 1998 there was furious activity behind the scenes at English Welsh & Scottish Railway as the company went hell for leather to show off a more enthusiast-friendly outlook with range of exhibits wearing the Wisconsin Central-inspired maroon and gold paint scheme. One of the highlights of the event was Bescot's 31466, that wore its new EWS livery well, despite being built in 1959!

A regular on freight and infrastructure work, it moved to Old Oak Common in May 1999 before finally being stored at the start of 2001. It was acquired for preservation in 2007 by the Dean Forest Diesel Association and soon put back into service, the group gaining permission to retain the locomotive in EWS colours. The locomotive is based at the Severn Valley Railway where it sees regular use.

Both locomotives are only available direct via the Accurascale website and pre-ordering is now open.

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