Detailed cab interior

21pin socket

Sprung buffers

NEM couplers

◆ GAUGE ‘OO ’

◆ MODEL Bachmann Branchline LNER Class V2 2‐6‐2, BR lined black

◆ PRICE RRP £229.95

◆ AVAILABILITY Bachmann stockists Web www.bachmann.co.uk

For such an important prototype, it’s surprising that there have been relatively few RTR ‘OO’ renditions of Gresley’s ‘V2’ over the years. Hornby-Dublo’s projected 2-6-2 never made it off the drawing board in the 1960s and it took until 1991 before Bachmann introduced its first version. Can you imagine having to wait until the 1990s for a Stanier ‘Black Five’?

A much-upgraded Bachmann ‘V2’ appeared in 2012, but there remained some limitations in the tooling, especially regarding potential detail variations. The decision to produce a completely re-tooled ‘V2’ was, therefore, welcome news and the first raft of models has now arrived. Three livery versions are on offer:

No. 4791 in stunning original LNER Apple green, No. 60845 in BR mixed traffic lined black and early emblem (as reviewed here), while BR green No. 60847 shows off the greater range that Bachmann’s new tooling brings to the table, by incorporating outside steam pipes and a modified tender.

Some exclusive versions are also on offer. Two versions of Green Arrow will be available from Locomotion Models in preservation guise, in LNER or BR green (www.locomotionmodels. com). Additionally, Rails of Sheffield has commissioned models of No. 4843 King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry in LNER green and No. 60964 Durham Light Infantry in BR green (www. railsofsheffield.com).

Having worked on – and owned – quite a few ‘V2s’ over the years, it only took a quick glance at this new version to appreciate how different it is to previous iterations. Not that Bachmann’s last attempt at the ‘V2’ was poor, but this version exudes a far greater degree of finesse across the board.

HOW GOOD IS IT?

Gresley’s elegant lines have been captured to a tee, with the long, sleek boiler and wide firebox merging seamlessly with the cab. The convex profile of the smokebox door looks spot on and there’s a wonderfully fine seam along the top of the boiler, complete with delicate fastener detail for the cladding sheets. The streamlined dome and chimney look right, the latter featuring a deep opening into the smokebox for greater realism.