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Heljan 8714

WM Railbus DB999507 BR Brown/Yellow Track Recording Car

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

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

Manufacturer description

These German-built railbuses were delivered in April 1958 and initially operated on the Maldon, Braintree, and Saffron Walden lines. The last working example was withdrawn from service in August 1967 and four survived into preservation. This model is an improvement on the previous version first produced by Heljan in 2012.

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.

This Heljan model is of a Waggon & Maschinenbau (W&M) Diesel Railbus, representing the 'Track Recording Lab' version in a yellow and brown livery, with the specific running number DB999507. The model is DCC ready, with a 21-pin socket, and features a 0-6-0 wheel arrangement.

The real-life railbuses were built by Waggon-und-Maschinenbau GmbH Donauwörth in 1958, and initially operated on lines in the UK, including the Maldon, Braintree, and Saffron Walden lines. They were eventually withdrawn from service in August 1967, with four examples surviving into preservation.

The model boasts a range of features, including a 21-pin DCC interface, all-wheel drive, a heavy-duty chassis, working interior lights, NEM couplings, and sprung buffers. The model is a revised version of a previous release by Heljan, first produced in 2012.