32-883 WSL Bachmann LMS Fairburn Tank 42107 BR Lined Black

MODEL FEATURES:

• Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
• Era 4
• Pristine BR Lined Black (British Railways) livery
• Running No. 42107
• Accessory Pack
• NEM Coupling Pockets
• Sprung Buffers
• Powerful 3 Pole Motor
• Equipped with a 8 Pin Decoder Socket – recommended Decoder item No.36-566
• Length 190mm

FAIRBURN TANK HISTORY

The London Midland and Scottish Railway (LMS) ‘Fairburn’ 2-6-4 Tank locomotives were designed by Charles E. Fairburn, Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LMS, 1944-1945. The locomotive was based on the ‘Stanier’ 2-6-4T, designed by Fairburn’s predecessor Sir William Stanier, which itself was derived from the earlier ‘Fowler’ 2-6-4T engine – designed by Henry Fowler. Construction began at Derby in 1945 and by the time building ceased in 1951, 236 locomotives had been built for use on the London Midland region. A further 41 examples were constructed at Brighton Works for use on the non-electrified lines of the British Railways Southern Region. The Fairburn Tank would go on to form the basis of the BR Standard 4MT tank, which too utilised the 2-6-4 wheel configuration.  

The Fairburn Tanks were ideal for powering secondary, stopping and suburban passenger services and were popular with crews and enthusiasts alike. In British Railways service, the tanks were spread far and wide with examples working on suburban services around London, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle and Manchester. Classified 4P by the LMS, BR assigned them to mixed traffic duties at 4MTs.

The introduction of diesels, diesel multiple units and the widespread closure of lines saw the first withdrawals in 1961, although the last examples remained in traffic until 1967, the penultimate year of steam operation by British Railways. Two locomotives, Nos. 42073 and 42085, survive in preservation on the Lakeside & Haverthwaite Railway in Cumbria.