Bachmann Branchlines announce all new Class 66 diesels in 00 gauge

Contributed by: Graham Muspratt

23 Apr 2025 00:00am

Bachmann Branchlines have announced an all new Class 66 diesels in 00 gauge.

Commonly referred to as ‘Sheds’ due to their appearance, today the Class 66 is the mainstay of British rail freight, so much so that by 2020 the type was providing the traction for 87% of daily freight services. There is no doubt that the Class 66 will continue to be a major part of the UK rail landscape for many, many years to come.
Such is its ubiquity across the UK that the Class 66 is a vital component for anyone modelling the late-1990s to the present day, and Bachmann has produced OO scale Sheds to high acclaim since 2005. Two decades later however, and Bachmann has gone back to the drawing board to design brand new models of the Class 66, starting again from the rails up and incorporating the latest technology and award-winning features that are now becoming standard across new models developed for the company’s flagship Branchline range.
The extensive tooling suite caters for both the original, 4-door locomotives and the ‘lowemission’ 5-door machines that were built from 2004 onwards, alongside a plethora of detail differences to accurately depict individual Class 66s at various points in their ongoing careers.

These include the original three-piece cab-side windows with separate quarter light or later two-piece double-glazed, aluminium-framed versions and with the option for wing mirrors.

Four variations of headlight cluster can be modelled along with another four options for the top light depicting different depths of light box and different light fittings. Naturally the new models sport a full complement of working lights, with analogue users able to enjoy directional lights, independently controlled at either end, and a choice of day or night mode lights. On DCC, individual cab lighting and machine room lights complete the lighting options on the new Branchline Shed.
The distinctive front handrail can have five or seven mounting points, locomotives can be modelled with NRN roof pods, with these removed, or with Wi-Fi fitted, and multiple versions of sand box and sand pipe brackets are available

Bachmann’s seminal Auto-Release Coupling System that debuted on the Branchline Class 30/31 diesels is fitted to SOUND FITTED DELUXE models as standard, whilst these top of the range variants also boast tinted windscreen glazing, replicating the effect seen on the windscreens of the real locomotives.
Like the upcoming Branchline Class 69s, SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE versions of the new Class 66 come complete with the Dual Fitted XL Speaker System, which combines two speakers for optimum sound reproduction – including the new enhanced bass reproduction speaker, a patented component which incorporates a passive radiator design for sound effects like you’ve never experienced before. The sound decoder used in these models is ESU’s premium Loksound V5DCC, loaded with sound projects produced exclusively for the Bachmann models. For those fitting their own decoder, the Plux22 DCC decoder socket is easily accessed thanks to a removeable magnetic roof panel, whilst this panel also gives analogue users access to the switches that control the light functions.

A dozen locomotives form the launch range for the new Bachmann Branchline OO Scale Class
66 and the first of these are due to arrive in the UK before the end of 2025. Each model will be available in standard, SOUND FITTED with the following models available to pre-order now:
50-000 (SF/SFX) Class 66/0 66015 EWS
50-000A (SF/SFX) Class 66/0 66096 EWS
50-001 (SF/SFX) Class 66/5 66515 Freightliner Green
50-002 (SF/SFX) Class 66/6 66606 Freightliner Green
50-003 (SF/SFX) Class 66/7 66761 'Wensleydale Railway Association' GBRf Europorte
50-003A (SF/SFX) Class 66/7 66777 'Annette' GBRf Europorte
50-004 (SF/SFX) Class 66/8 66847 'Terry Baker' Colas Rail Freight
50-004A (SF/SFX) Class 66/8 66850 'David Maidment OBE' Colas Rail Freight
50-009 (SF/SFX) Class 66/3 66304 DRS Compass (Small Logo)
50-010 (SF/SFX) Class 66/4 66422 'Max Joule 1958-1999' DRS Compass (Small Logo)
50-011 (SF/SFX) Class 66/5 66501 Freightliner 60 1965-2025 Freightliner Orange
50-012 (SF/SFX) Class 66/6 66601 Freightliner 60 1965-2025 Freightliner Green
To pre-order click here

Subject to alteration.

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