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Heljan 5710

Class 57 605 'Totnes Castle' GWR Green

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

Prototype Eras
Era 10 (2005 to 2015) Rebuilding of the Railways
Era 11 (2016 to 2026) The Last Days of Privatisation

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.

Heljan's OO scale model of the Class 57 locomotive is available in GWR green livery, representing the 'Totnes Castle' locomotive. The model is DCC ready, featuring a 21-pin socket. The recommended minimum radius curve for this model is 2.

The Class 57 locomotive is a re-engineered version of the redundant Class 47, rebuilt by Brush Traction between 1998 and 2004. Three variants of the Class 57 exist, one for freight and two for passenger operations. The locomotives were rebuilt at a cost of £300,000, approximately one-third of the cost of a new-build locomotive.

The Class 57 was first introduced in 1997, when Freightliner ordered six locomotives. A further six were ordered in 1999, with five passenger variants built between 2000 and 2003. The locomotives were leased to First Great Western, which operated them on services from London Paddington to Plymouth and Penzance.

The 'Totnes Castle' model features a highly detailed body and chassis design, with a heavy die-cast chassis for smooth running and a four-axle drive system. The model also includes NEM couplings, sprung buffers, and an interior lighting system. The locomotive is sound ready, with a DCC sound speaker available for installation.

The model has been designed with a range of features, including working lights, finely printed livery details, and all-wheel pickup. The upgraded chassis provides a smooth running motor and allows for a DCC sound speaker to be fitted.