371-781SF Graham Farish Class 90 90037 BR Railfreight

by Graham Farish

371-781SF Bachmann Class 90/0 Electric Locomotive number 90 037 in BR Railfreight Distribution Sector livery

The new Class 90 is a revelation for the Graham Farish range, marking the dawn of a new era for N scale Electric Locomotives. Combining a highly accurate and detailed body shell with an authentic chassis and bogies, plus a fine reproduction of the Brecknell Willis high-speed Pantograph – the Graham Farish Class 90 captures the distinctive shape and character of the real locomotives to a tee. Add to this the impressive technical specification which includes a coreless motor with twin flywheels, all wheel drive and all wheel pickup, plus directional lights and, when used on DCC, cab lights too, and it’s easy to see why this model is the complete package. Suitable for use on DCC or analogue control straight out of the box, this SOUND FITTED model will take your enjoyment to the next level with its authentic sound effects which only enhance the model’s good looks!

 MODEL FEATURES: 

• Graham Farish N Scale
• Era 8
• Pristine BR Railfreight Distribution Sector livery
• Running No. 90037
• SOUND FITTED - Fitted with a ESU Loksound V5DDC Sound Decoder – See below for the function list
• Length 126mm

 

DETAIL VARIATIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL

• Original ‘Clipped’ Buffers
• Rubbing Plates
• Screw Link Couplings
• TDM Cables fitted to the Buffer Sides
• Small Battery Charger
• Battery Boxes and Switch with Hinged Access Panels which are Ribbed

 

GRAHAM FARISH CLASS 90 SPECIFICATION

MECHANISM:

• Coreless, 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
• Gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
• 9mm (N gauge) wheels to NEM310 standards with authentic profile and detailing
• Close coupling mechanism fitted at each end, each of which is fitted with coupling pockets to NEM355 standards
• Designed to operate on curves of second radius (263.5mm) or greater

DETAILING:

• Finely detailed Pantograph which is poseable
• Bogies constructed from multiple components featuring full relief detail
• Separately applied underframe and roof detail components
• Detailed Cab Interior
• Each model supplied with a full set of model-specific bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts

LIGHTING:

• Directional lighting, switchable on/off at either end on DCC or Analogue control
• Cab lighting, switchable on/off (when used on DCC only)
• Authentic light colours and temperatures selected for each model based on era and application

DCC:

• Next18 DCC decoder interface

SOUND:

• Speaker installed in all models for optimum sound reproduction
• ESU Loksound V5DCC Sound Decoder fitted to SOUND FITTED versions
• Sound files produced specifically for the Graham Farish Class 90 using recordings from real locomotives
• SOUND FITTED models operate on DCC and Analogue control as supplied

LIVERY APPLICATION:

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

 

SOUNDS

F0 - Directional Lights - On/Off (plus Light Switch Sound)

F1 - Sound - On/Off (plus Battery Switch and Compressor Sounds)

F2 - Brake

F3 - Low Horn (Playable)

F4 - Two-Tone Horn

F5 - Parking Brake On/Off (Loco won’t move with Parking Brake On)

F6 - On - Pantograph Up / Off - Pantograph Down (Sounds only)

F7 - Flange Squeal (Speed Related)

F8 - Windscreen Wipers

F9 - Air Dump

F10 - On - Guard’s Whistle / Off - Driver’s Response

F11 - Spirax Valve

F12 - Station Announcement

F13 - AWS

F14 - Cab Light (non-Pantograph End) On/Off (plus Light Switch Sound)

F15 - Cab Light (Pantograph End) On/Off (plus Light Switch Sound)

F16 - Coupling Up

F17 - Uncoupling

F18 - On - Cab Door Open / Off - Cab Door Shut

F19 - Uncoupling Movement Cycle

F20 - Directional Lights Off (Non-Pantograph End) (plus Light Switch Sound)

F21 - Directional Lights Off (Pantograph End) (plus Light Switch Sound)

F22 - Fire Alarm Test

F23 - Volume Control (6 levels)

Analogue Users: Please note that any automated drive sounds will be played when this model is used on analogue control (DC) straight from the box!

 

CLASS 90 HISTORY

Fifty Class 90 locomotives were ordered by British Rail in 1986 to replace the ageing Class 85 fleet on West Coast Main Line duties, whilst also allowing BR to cascade a number of Class 86s to East Anglia. Constructed at British Rail Engineering Limited, Crewe, the new locomotives were initially classified as 87/2s however this was soon changed to Class 90 as the design featured a completely new body-shell – although much of the technology within was shared with the Class 87s.

Construction of the 110mph rated locomotives was completed in 1990 and the fleet was split between different sectors of British Rail – 15 were allocated to InterCity services, five for Rail Express Systems (mail and parcels traffic) and the remaining 30 for Railfreight Distribution. Most of those allocated to Railfreight Distribution would later be downgraded to 75mph and reclassified as 90/1s numbered in the 901xx series following work to isolate the Electric Train Heating and push-pull equipment making them dedicated freight locos.

Upon privatisation the Class 90 fleet was split between Virgin Trains, EWS and Freightliner. By 1999 all of the Class 90/1s acquired by EWS had been converted back to 90/0s due to an increased requirement for passenger locomotives to work contracted ScotRail sleeper trains and for hire to GNER for East Coast Main Line services. Further renumbering by EWS occurred when nine locos were fitted with different brake blocks and these became Class 90/2s numbered in the 902xx series. The Freightliner locos were also converted back to their original specification in the early 2000s.

The Class 90s have carried numerous liveries including three decorated in European liveries for the Freightconnection event in 1992 which coincided with the opening of the Channel Tunnel to freight services. No. 90128 was decorated in SNCB turquoise (Belgium), No. 90129 in DB red (Germany) and No. 90130 in SNCF orange and grey (France) and each carried the name Freightconnection in their respective languages, alongside No. 90022 which was named ‘Freightconnection’ and carried Railfreight Distribution livery.

The majority of the Class have carried names whilst in service and the 90s have appeared a variety of other post-Privatisation liveries such as GNER, DB Schenker, First ScotRail, One (Anglia), Greater Anglia, National Express, DRS and Malcolm Logistics. Today, Class 90s remain in operation with Freightliner, DB Cargo UK (ex-EWS/DB Schenker) and most recently Locomotive Services which has acquired Nos. 90001 and 90002 and repainted them into InterCity Swallow livery for use on charters and excursions.