35-805Z Bachmann Class 31/1 Diesel 31 309 'Cricklewood' BR Blue

New release - pre-orders invited - expected 1st Quarter 2026. preauthkernow

Exclusive to Kernow Model Rail Centre

The Brush Type two, later Class 31 locomotive, was built at the Brush Traction Works in Loughborough introduced in May 1962 as D5843, renumbered to 31309 in October 1973. First withdrawn in May 1981 and stored at Tinsley until September 1982 when it was reinstated.

31 309 carried the name ‘Cricklewood’ from 14^th May 1987, 38 years ago this month,  to signify the last loco to receive maintenance at the Cricklewood depot before its closure, at the same time the loco received the white stripe as which was applied when the class was new, as depicted by this KMRC Exclusive model.

31 309 carried the name until in January 1990 when it moved from Tinsley to Stratford. Stored unserviceable at Immingham in May 1990 requiring engine repairs, withdrawal finally coming in April 1991.

Chris Trerise, Managing Director, said: “While 31 309 was the favourite of Cricklewood Depot it was very well travelled, often working well away from the MML base, including Bristol to Cardiff, Scarborough to York, Blackpool to Nottingham, Liverpool to Nottingham, and that is just the passenger workings! Freight workings include locations such as Preston and Healey Mills - most layouts will surely find a home for 31 309.”

Features

• Era 8
• Pristine BR Blue (White Stripe) livery
• Running No. 31309
• Named ‘Cricklewood’
• Etched nameplate Included
• Equipped with a Plux22 DCC Decoder Socket – recommended Decoder item No. 36-570B
• Length 228mm

DETAIL VARIATIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL

• Original Body
• Gangway Doors Plated
• Glazed Headcode Panels – displaying ‘Dominos’
• Windscreen Washer Jets with Covers
• Modified Bufferbeam Cowling
• Original Windscreen
• Original Main Fan Grilles with Horizontal Fins
• English Electric Engine Exhaust Ports
• English Electric Engine Block Detail
• Plated Boiler Port
• Plated Water Filler Hatch
• Plated Bodyside Steps
• Battery Boxes with Additional Safety Clips

BACHMANN BRANCHLINE CLASS 30/31 SPECIFICATION

MECHANISM:

• Five pole, twin shaft motor with two flywheels providing drive to both bogies
• All axle drive
• Electrical pickup from all wheels
• Separate metal bearings fitted to each axle
• Diecast metal chassis block and bogie towers
• Diecast metal gearboxes, with gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
• 5mm (OO gauge) wheels to NEM310 & NEM311 standards with authentic profile and detailing
• Detachable coupling pockets to NEM362 standards fitted to each bogie
• Designed to operate on curves of second radius (438mm) or greater

DETAILING:

• Bogies constructed from multiple components featuring full relief detail
• Separately applied metal detail parts, including grab handles, windscreen wipers and etched fan grilles
• Sprung metal buffers
• Each model supplied with a full set of decorated, model-specific bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts including three-piece, body-mounted snow ploughs

LIGHTING:

• Directional lighting, including illuminated headcode panels and high intensity headlights where applicable, switchable on/off at either end on DCC or Analogue control
• Cab lighting*, assigned to two DCC functions for separate switching of each
• Separately switched Engine Room lighting*
• Single or twin red taillights (*when used on DCC)
• Authentic light colours and temperatures selected for each model based on era and application

DCC:

• Plux22 DCC decoder interface
• Bach-Up Stay Alive System providing uninterrupted power to prevent stalling, light flicker and sound cut-outs (operates on DCC only)

SOUND:

• Two quality speakers employed for optimum sound reproduction, fitted to every model as standard.

LIVERY APPLICATION:

• Authentic liveries applied to all models
• Multiple paint applications employed on each model using BR and corporate specification colours
• Logos, numerals and text added as appropriate using multi-stage tampo printing using authentic typefaces, logos and colours