Heljan: CCT/PMV van, updated 'Peak' and more 'Westerns' for 'O'

Heljan has shared plans to manufacture 7mm:1ft scale models of the Southern Railway CCT/PMV Utility Van. The news broke today ahead of the Gauge O Guild's 'Guildex 2022' event, taking place this weekend on September 3/4 at Stafford. 

Coinciding with the new model announcement, and also for 7mm:1ft scale, Heljan is to update its Class 45 'Peak', while a new run of Class 52 'Westerns' is to join its ranks.

CCT/PMV Utility Van

Its new two-axle van has been revealed ahead of the Guildex 2022 trade show which returns following a three-year break. Heljan is to attend with a stand displaying latest engineering prototypes and production sample models. The project is currently at the CAD stage, but is reportedly progressing quickly, with first samples due early-2023 with production towards the end of next year.

Its announcement for O gauge expands its rolling stock range, with two classic Southern Railway vehicles that enjoyed eight decades of service. The closely related SR Parcels & Miscellaneous Van (PMV) – also known as a Passenger Luggage Van or PLV, and Covered Carriage Truck (CCT) can trace their origins back to the South Eastern & Chatham Railway, but construction continued until the early-1950s with BR.

The prototype was built across numerous batches with even planked bodies and doors, uneven planked bodies and doors and plywood body panels. Heljan's model is being designed to depict a range of variations across the fleet, and will appeal to Southern and BR-era modellers with a timespan reaching from the 1920s to the 2000s. With the prototypes reaching almost every corner of the BR network, many layouts will be able to find a home for the versatile and distinctive vans. Suggested Retail Price will be £249 (£269 weathered editions), available in the following guises:

• (9150) Southern Railway PMV No. 1171 (even planks) era 3
• (9151) BR crimson PMV unnumbered (uneven planks) era 4
• (9152) BR(S) green PMV S1626S (plywood body) era 5
• (9153) BR blue PMV S1574 (plywood body) era 6/7
• (9154) BR blue PMV S1865 (uneven planks) weathered era 6/7
• (9155) BR Gulf red PMV ADS4 (even planks) era 6/7/8
• (9170) Southern Railway CCT No 2372 (even planks) era 3
• (9171) BR crimson CCT S1765S (even planks) weathered era 4/5
• (9172) BR(S) green CCT unnumbered (even planks) era 5
• (9173) BR blue NOV (CCT) S2017 (plywood body) era 7/8
• (9174) BR departmental olive ADB975276 (uneven planks) era 7/8
• (9175) BR blue CCT S1733 (uneven planks) era 6/7

New run of Class 52s

The manufacturer's popular Class 52 ‘Western’ diesel-hydraulic is to return in response to customer demand. Artwork for the forthcoming models has been approved and decorated samples are expected from its factory shortly. Models are expected to arrive with customers early-2023, carrying an RRP of £619 (£639 factory weathered) and are to be produced in the following guises:

• (5291) BR blue Class 52 Unnumbered (full yellow ends) era 6/7
• (5292) BR maroon Class 52 D1001 Western Pathfinder (yellow bufferbeams) era 5
• (5293) BR green Class 52 D1038 Western Sovereign (small yellow panels) era 5
• (5294) BR blue Class 52 D1031 Western Rifleman (full yellow ends) weathered era 7

• (5295) BR golden ochre Class 52 D1015 Western Champion (small yellow panels) era 9

• (5296) BR desert sand Class 52 D1000Western Enterprise (small yellow panels) era 5

Revised and upgraded Class 45

Meanwhile, a revised and updated Class 45 ‘Peak’ with sealed beam nose ends, plug-and-play DCC interface and improved lighting features is to be released in the scale. Models will be available as steam heat Class 45/0 and electric heat Class 45/1 variants, the latter with the option of high-intensity headlights for late-1980s modellers. Models proposed are as follows:

• (4520) BR blue Class 45/0 unnumbered era 7/8
• (4521) BR blue Class 45/0 45004 Royal Irish Fusilier era 7/8
• (4522) BR blue Class 45/0 45033 Sirius weathered era 8
• (4525) BR blue Class 45/1 unnumbered era 7/8
• (4526) BR blue 45144 Royal Signals era 7/8
• (4527) BR blue Class 45/1 unnumbered with high-intensity headlight era 8
• (4528) BR blue 45110 Medusa with high-intensity headlight WEATHERED era 8
• (4529) Railtour Green 45106 with high-intensity headlight era 8

Standard features include an XL decoder interface, space for a large speaker and smoke unit, twin motors with flywheels, independently switchable cab, tail and headlights and fine detail throughout. RRP for models is set at £629 (£649 weathered editions).

Further variants of its O gauge Class 45/0 and 45/1s are underway, too, with models expected to be released in Q3, 2023. To pre-order models, see your local stockist.