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Heljan 5708

Class 57 603 'Tintagel Castle' FGW Fag Packet Green

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

Prototype Eras
Era 9 (1995 to 2004) Initial Privatisation
Era 10 (2005 to 2015) Rebuilding of the Railways

Manufacturer description

The Class 57 is a re-engineered locomotive, rebuilt by Brush Traction, Loughborough, from redundant Class 47 locomotives. The locomotives are fitted with a refurbished EMD engine and a re-conditioned alternator, improving reliability and performance. Three variants exist, one for freight (57/0) and two for passenger operations. Each cost £300,000, about one-third that of a new-build locomotive.

The class has its origins in 1997 when Freightliner ordered an initial six locomotives. A further six were ordered in 1999, making a total of twelve class 57/0 freight locomotives; five class 57/6 variants were built between 2000 and 2003, and twelve class 57/3 locomotives were ordered in 2002 (extended by four in 2003) making a total of twenty-one passenger units. One prototype class 57/0 was converted with electric train heatng in 2001, with a view to obtaining orders from passenger companies.

In 2000, Porterbrook placed an order for a prototype passenger locomotive fitted with electric train heating. This locomotive, 57601, was leased to First Great Western in June 2001, First Great Western were looking for a replacement for its elderly Class 47 locomotives. It hauled Mark 2 stock on day services from London Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance - until these ceased in September 2002 - and on the Night Riviera sleeper service. After an evaluation period, First Great Western agreed to lease three production Class 57/6s from Porterbrook in May 2002, with the first delivered in November 2003.

As the prototype locomotive was non-standard, it was decided to order a fourth Class 57/6 in 2003 and return 57601 to Porterbrook. This occurred in December 2003 after the first production Class 57/6 was delivered, with 57601 sold to West Coast Railways. Eventually, our Class 57/6s ended up in the hands of First Great Western. The First Great Western fleet were originally painted green with a gold bodyside band to match the Night Riviera stock, with cast name and numberplates. All four locomotives were named after castles in Devon and Cornwall, and operate mainly on the Night Riviera sleeper service, with the occasional stock move.

From March 2008, the fleet started to receive First Great Western blue livery, with 57605 the first repainted. In June 2010, 57604 received a repaint into lined Brunswick green livery, to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the Great Western Railway.

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.

The Heljan OO gauge Class 57 model locomotive, number 57 603, Tintagel Castle, is a Fag Packet green diesel locomotive representing First Great Western's fleet of Class 57 locomotives. Built between 1998 and 2004, the Class 57 is a re-engineered locomotive, rebuilt from redundant Class 47 locomotives, with a refurbished EMD engine and re-conditioned alternator.

The Class 57 has its origins in 1997, with an initial order of six locomotives for Freightliner, followed by further orders for passenger operations. The locomotives were used by First Great Western on the Night Riviera sleeper service and other passenger duties.

This model features a 21-pin DCC decoder interface, LED lighting, and a heavy die-cast chassis for smooth running and pulling power. It also includes NEM couplings, sprung buffers, and interior lighting. The model is designed to be sound-ready and features all-wheel pickup and an upgraded chassis.