Bachmann Branchline is a British OO gauge model railway brand manufactured by Bachmann Europe PLC, a subsidiary of Bachmann Industries, and is used for British outline OO scale model railways.
Bachmann, a US company founded in 1835, was purchased by Kader Industries in 1987. Kader had previously produced models for Palitoy under the Mainline brand. Palitoy required its manufacturers to produce and retain ownership of the toolings and Kader had used the toolings and added new ones for models commissioned by Replica Railways following the demise of Mainline.
Kader formed Bachmann Europe PLC in 1989 with its main UK headquarters in Moat Way, Barwell, and the following year launched the Bachmann Branchline range for the British market with the moulds that had previously been used for Mainline Railways and Replica. From this starting point Bachmann has developed the range further and now produce a large range of models competing in particular with Hornby.
In 2000, Bachmann Europe PLC bought Graham Farish, an N gauge manufacturer, and since then many of its models have been made available in both gauges.
Items
Bachmann is known for its consistent quality of model trains . Many of its trains include NEM pockets, making it possible to replace standard tension lock coupling with close couplings such as Kadees or screw link couplings.
Models produced
The following locomotive models have been produced, or announced by Bachmann Branchline:
Diesel locomotives Class Liveries Notes 03 BR/Gardener Shunter BR Plain Green, BR Green & Wasp Stripes, BR Blue, NCB Black Special Edition models in Network SouthEast and WAGN liveries. DCC Ready (18 Pin) 08 BR/English Electric Shunter BR Black, BR Green, BR Blue, EWS, Freightliner, First Great Western (limited edition of 512) Later models Digital Command Control (DCC) ready. Formerly available in LMR blue. New tooling releasing 2025. 20 English Electric Type 2 BR Green, BR Blue, DRS, Harry Needle Railroad Company, Waterman Railways (collectors club limited edition), GB Railfreight DCC Sound version available 24 Sulzer Type 2 BR Green, BR Blue DCC ready. DCC Sound version available. Post 2008 versions features directional lighting and 21 pin DCC socket. 25 Sulzer Type 2 BR Green, BR Two Tone Green, BR Blue DCC ready. Post 2008 version features directional lighting and 21 pin DCC socket. DCC Sound version available.30 Brush type 2BR two tone green.DCC Ready, Released 2024.31 Brush type 2BR green, BR blue, BR railfreight, petroleum sector grey, mainline freight blue.DCC ready, Released 2024. 37 English Electric Type 3 BR Blue Large Logo, BR Green (collectors club limited edition), Civil Engineers, Coal Sector, Intercity Mainline, Transrail, EWS, Direct Rail Services (commissioned limited editions), DB Schenker (limited edition of 504). New revised version released summer 2007; all versions now DCC ready. First DCC Sound versions released spring 2008 as "Coed Bach" in Coal sector livery and "Viking" in BR Large Logo Blue. 40 English Electric Type 4 BR Green, BR Blue Post 2015 models DCC Ready. DCC Sound versions available 42 Warship Class BR Maroon, BR Blue, BR Green (As of Jan 2020) Old Mainline Model replaced in 2015 with brand new tooling 44 BR/Sulzer Type 4 BR Green Post 2015 models DCC Ready. DCC Sound versions available 45 BR/Sulzer Type 4 BR Green, BR Blue With White Roof DCC Ready 46 BR/Sulzer Type 4 BR Blue Post 2015 models DCC Ready. DCC Sound versions available 47 Brush Type 4 Two Tone Green, BR Blue, InterCity Swallow - Windsor Castle (limited edition of 500), BR Great Western 150 Green - G J Churchward (limited edition), First Great Western Heritage two-tone Green - Abertawe Landore (limited edition) Released 2021 - DCC Sound version available 66 Electro-Motive Diesel Type 6 EWS, Direct Rail Services, Freightliner, GB Railfreight, Belmond Royal Scotsman, Stobart Rail, DB Schenker, Fastline (limited edition of 504). DCC Sound and DCC onboard versions available, others DCC ready (recent models are fitted with a 21-pin socket rather than the 8-pin one found in earlier models). 66/9 variant released in Direct Rail Services and Freightliner liveries. New tooling Announced April 2025. 69 electro-motive diesel GBRF blue, BR large logo blue, BR green.DCC Ready, released in 2025. Made under an exclusive agreement with GBRF. 70 General Electric Type 5 Freightliner PowerHaul DCC ready, fitted with a 21-pin socket. D16/1 English Electric Type 3 BR Black (Early Emblem) DCC ready, New Model for 2020
Electric locomotives Class Liveries Notes 85 "AL 5" BR Electric Blue With White Roof, BR Blue DCC ready, fitted with a 21-pin socket. 90 BR Intercity Swallow, BR Railfreight Grey, Freightliner Green "Powerhaul". DCC ready, fitted with a 21-pin socket.
Diesel multiple units Class Liveries Notes101 BR White and Blue, Network SouthEast DCC Ready (Network SouthEast model fitted with DCC Sound from factory) At present only 2 car units available.105 BR Green with Speed Whiskers, BR Green Yellow Warning Panels, BR Blue/Grey Announced 2008, released Autumn 2010. DCC Ready (8 pin socket, two decoders required). 108 BR Green with Speed Whiskers, BR Green Yellow Warning Panels, BR Blue/Grey, BR Blue (limited edition of 504), Network SouthEast, BR Greater Manchester PTE White/Blue, Strathclyde PTE Orange (limited edition of 510) DCC Ready (8 pin socket, two decoders required). Two and three car variants available.117 BR Green with Speed Whiskers, BR Blue/Grey, Network SouthEast DCC Ready. 121 BR Green with Speed Whiskers, BR Blue/Grey, Network SouthEast DCC Ready. 150 - "Sprinter" First North Western, Centro, Arriva Trains Wales, Regional Railways, Provincial 'Sprinter' (bundled only with Dynamis Starter Set), Merseyrail (limited edition of 504), Silverlink (Bachmann Collectors Club limited edition of 504), Provincial revised livery (limited edition of 504), ScotRail 'swoosh' (limited edition of 500). Released around May 2009. DCC ready (21 pin socket, one decoder required).158 - "Express Sprinter" Regional Railways, Regional Railways EXPRESS, West Yorkshire PTE, Alphaline Wales & West, Central Trains, First North Western, Northern Spirit, Alphaline Wessex Trains, ScotRail, Northern Rail, First TransPennine Express, First ScotRail former ScotRail 'swoosh' livery, First ScotRail 'Barbie' livery (limited edition of 504, full production version due 2009), Arriva Trains Wales, Iarnród Éireann as an Irish Rail Class 2700 DMU (exclusive to train set) Two and Three car units available159 - "South Western Turbo" Network SouthEast, Stagecoach South West Trains NSE variant, South West Trains Network SouthEast is only livery currently available new.166 - "Network Express Turbo" Network SouthEast, Thames Trains, First Great Western Link, First Great Western 2006 'neon' 168 - "Clubman" Chiltern Railways Utilises the Class 170 tooling. No alterations have been made to portray the differences between a Class 170 and 168.170 - "Turbostar" Central Trains, Midland Mainline, South West Trains, ScotRail, First ScotRail, One, CrossCountry, London Midland, ScotRail Saltire Two and three car units available. The models cab fronts are based on original style Turbostars with smaller light clusters. A First TransPennine Express model was advertised in the 2008 range and was to have been the first 170 to come with a DCC chip pre-fitted, however it has been dropped from the range.171 - "Turbostar" Southern (2 x limited editions of 504) Utilises the Class 170 tooling. Second weathered limited edition was advertised as a 170 portraying the unit before it was reclassified to class 171 but was delivered as 171724. No alterations have been made to portray the differences between a Class 170 and 171 except the side destinations displays. This was exclusive to Modelzone.205 - "Thumper" BR Green with small yellow panels, BR Blue, Network South East, (Kernow Model Centre editions included: Connex South Eastern, BR Blue & Grey and BR Green (With warning V) liveries) Originally released in 2012 exclusive to Kernow Model Centre but as of 2020 part of main range.220 - "Voyager" Virgin CrossCountry, CrossCountry 221 - "Super Voyager" Virgin CrossCountry, CrossCountry Tilting train.MPV Railtrack, Network Rail Announced 2008, released 2011. DCC on board and DCC Ready (21 pin socket, one decoder required).251/261 - "Blue Pullman" Midland Pullman, Nanking Blue and Grey Western Pullman, Reverse Grey and Blue Announced mid-2010. DCC on board. DCC Sound version available. Western region modified sets were subsequently available from 2020.British Rail Derby Lightweight BR Green with Speed Whiskers, BR Green with Yellow Warning Panels, BR Blue. Announced 2010, released November 2011. DCC Ready (8 pin socket, two decoders required).
Electric multiple units Class Liveries Notes350 "Desiro" Silverlink unbranded blue/grey (Apollo), London Midland Announced at 2010 Model Rail Scotland; officially announced for 2010. Unbranded blue/grey model released November 2011. DCC Ready (21-pin socket). London Midland models delayed by half a year.411 "4-CEP" BR Green, BR Green with yellow warning panels, BR Blue/Grey Announced at 2006 Bachmann trade show; officially announced for 2007; released early December 2009. DCC Ready (21 pin socket, one decoder required). Model is of the units in their unrefurbished form.412 "4-BEP" BR Green, BR Blue/Grey Released 2020; DCC Ready (21 pin socket), Model is of the units in unrefurbished form.414 "2-HAP" BR Green, Network South East Released 2020; DCC Ready (21 pin socket)416 "2-EPB" BR Green, BR Green with yellow warning panels, BR Blue/Grey Announced at 2009 Warley show; officially announced for 2009; released 2011. DCC Ready (21 pin socket, one decoder required).London Underground S7 and S8 Stock Available in 4 models. 4 car motorised train pack and 4 individual unpowered cars. Bonus features include addition of lights and realistic train door sounds Exclusive to London Transport Museum announced for release in 2015.
Steam Locomotives