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Bachmann 31-361B

Class 03 D2028 BR Green (Wasp Stripes)

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Era
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest

Manufacturer description

Class 03 D2028 BR Green with Wasp Stripes

Built: 1957 - 1962

Constructed by: BR Doncaster & Swindon Works

Duties: shunting & station pilot

Highlights

• New chassis with ‘Next18’ DCC decoder interface

• Optional buffer-beam in-fill plate to cover the NEM coupling pocket when not in use

• Conical chimney

• Sprung buffers

• Driver figure fitted

History

The Class 03 diesel shunters were introduced in 1957 and were one of BR's most successful smaller 0-6-0 diesel-mechanical shunters. The 230 shunters were built by British Railways' Swindon and Doncaster works between 1957-1962. Initially, allocation was spread around all regions except Scottish. Like other shunters of this size, the Class 03 was built for light duties where a larger locomotive was not needed, especially for shunting at locomotive and carriage depots and as station pilots.

The Class 03 locomotives survived to work over some lines with limited weight restrictions. The locomotives weighed 30 tonnes, as opposed to the 48 tons of Class 08. They were progressively withdrawn from 1968 onwards, with two examples on the Isle of Wight lasting until 1993. In 1998, one of the Isle of Wight locos, No. 03 179, was re-instated into service by the West Anglia Great Northern Railway Company (WAGN) for service at their Hornsey depot. This remains the last operational Class 03 locomotive on the network. Over 50 locomotives have been preserved.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

^* Class names often change over the lifespan of a locomotive, so this is not necessarily the class name used by the operator in the period modelled.

Bachmann 00‑scale model of British Rail Class 03 diesel shunter, number D2028, depicts the locomotive in BR green with late‑crest livery and the distinctive “wasp stripes”. The model is finished in pristine condition, measures 108 mm in length and is DCC‑ready with a Next18 socket. It runs on a minimum 371 mm (first) radius curve, has a maximum speed of 28.5 mph and is supplied as manufacturer part number 31‑361B. The represented period is the British Railways late‑crest era (built 1957‑1961, total production 230 units).

Key features include a new chassis incorporating the Next18 DCC decoder interface, an optional buffer‑beam in‑fill plate to cover the NEM coupling pocket, a conical chimney, sprung buffers and a fitted driver figure. The locomotive is modelled in the 0‑6‑0 wheel arrangement, powered by diesel, and carries the running number D2028.

The real Class 03 shunters were introduced between 1957 and 1962 by BR Doncaster and Swindon works. They were employed for light shunting and station‑pilot duties, weighing 30 tonnes compared with 48 tonnes for the larger Class 08. Withdrawals began in 1968, with the last operational example retiring in 1998; more than 50 have been preserved.