Bachmann Quarry Hunslets
Having been a 7mm scale narrow gauge modeller for over thirty years, (or should that be NG7 now?) it’s safe to say that 2024 is turning out to be quite a year for my scale and gauge combo. Saturday morning at Statfold saw Bachmann announce that they will be entering the NG7 market in little over a couple of months time with a range of Quarry Hunslet locos, wagons and quarry loco shed buildings.
On Sunday we headed over to Statfold and I was able to see the engineering prototypes up close.
A short video of the two opened cabbed locos double heading, I was mesmerised.
As you would expect at Statfold, there was also some full size Hunslet inspiration.
Hopefully, Bachmann are successful in this venture. It is an rtr offering more suited to the majority of existing O-16.5/NG7 modellers with their smaller layouts and sharp corners than the larger Lionheart L&B Models. Just think how many Bachmann On30 Porters that are seen on layouts? I can see the Bachmann Quarry Hunslet taking their place and hopefully seeing the back of the Smokey Joe with replacement cab and chimney as de-facto starter model.
Whilst I was impressed by the Lionheart L&B models, they left certain questions to be answered in that they’re too big for my current layout and there’s no easy way to change the couplings to be compatible or to change my existing stock. Bachmann on the other hand have introduced loco that I could find a purpose for a Quarry Hunslet straight away on my ‘Wheal Ponder’ cameo layout. Through their use of NEM pockets, Bachmann have also made it possible to change the couplings so I can straight away consider make it work with my existing stock. Brilliant.
The Quarry Hunslet is not much larger than your average OO loco and is of a size and attractiveness that could bring more OO standard gauge modellers over to narrow gauge modelling when they see what can be achieved in the same amount of space. The comments I overheard on Sunday at Statfold would suggest that many are tempted.
Like any other rtr announcement these days, there have been online detractors, a trend that has sadly filtered across from the oo box opening world. For some, this loco will never be enough for them. Inevitably, there will always be compromises when a model is produced en mass for durability if nothing else. There is also the fact that these are diminutive machines that were built for a gauge of 1ft 10 3/4in running in a model track gauge that scales out at 2ft 4in. It’s a case of horses for courses, not being an expert in brass origami, Bachmann will produce something better than I could confidently achieve. For those who so desire, or if conversion to 14mm gauge proves infeasible, there is still the Agenoria kit for these locos if they so desire. As in the OO market, often there is a choice of rtr or kits depending on which route you prefer for your chosen prototype. If a manufacturer like Fourdees expands into NG7, repeating what they do in 009 producing 3D bodies to fit these chassis, a 14mm gauge chassis kit combined with someone’s unwanted body could be one solution.
Some have been niggling about the NG7 branding. I like it, short and punchy, we should be open to change. We also need to be open to attracting new modellers in to our chosen scale and gauge. NG7 is straight forward and identifies 7mm scale narrow gauge modelling in a simple way for the outsider. Once in, as Paul Martin has suggested on his blog, you just add the gauge eg NG7-16.5 to differentiate as we do now. Maybe it will aid inclusivity amongst the followers of the different gauges?
Having manned many 7mm Narrow Gauge Association stands over the years, I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve had the “yes it’s O gauge, running on OO gauge track, because it’s narrow gauge”. “No that’s not 009” conversation. So anything that helps get people’s heads around the concept of narrow gauge the better.
Bachmann have released photos of engineering prototypes of four variants. Though being engineering prototypes, it is possible that all the parts are there but not necessarily in the right order as Morecambe and Wise might say. We will discover in Bachmann’s Summer Announcement on 1st May just exactly which Quarry Hunslet models will be produced.
There are two cabbed variants, with the Pen-yr-Orsedd toolbox and without. With Dinorwic rounded cornered buffer beams and with Pen-yr-Orsedd square cornered buffer beams, giving the options of the Pen-yr-Orsedd trio or Dinorwic’s ‘Irish Mail’. The presence of vacuum brake pipes would suggest ‘Britomart’, but these were also carried by ‘Irish Mail’ on its last visit to the Ffestiniog Railway. Then there are two open cabbed variants to Penrhyn Small Quarry and Dinorwic Alice class patterns.
One omission from those available in 009 is that of ‘Dorothea’, whose Hunslet works lined green was the most attractive to my eyes. But the choices made does cut down the costs of tooling a second cab style and it won’t stop me from choosing one to have.
Bachmann are also producing slate, coal and flat waggons, plus a Dinorwic style loco shed. All these were on display at Statfold and it doesn’t take a genius to take them all, add in an oval of track, plus siding and a controller and you’ve got the perfect beginners train set in NG7 that will fit on your dining table.
Personally, I hope this is a success for Bachmann and for NG7 modelling. If it is, hopefully other manufacturers will jump on board as they have in 009.
Quarry Hunslets formed part of my upbringing, riding behind them on holidays in Wales and seeing ‘Rough Pup’ in the museum in Tywyn. My daughter has grown a fondness for “Alice’s” as she calls them after her grandparents took her to Bala a couple of years ago and they rode behind ‘Alice’ so will be adding one to my model collection this summer. The only questions are which one and how will I customise it when I’ve got it. Time for some research….
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