Heljan Announce Class 26 / 27 & 73 in O

Heljan have announced the development of the British Rail Class 27 and 73/1 for their forth coming 2021/22 O Gauge range, as well as the return of the popular Class 26. The announcement was made during the MIOG Live Virtual O Gauge show over the weekend, with the reveal of model specifactions, CAD's (Class 26 & 27) and a first EP sample (Class 26 only).

BRCW Type 2/Class 26

The Class 26 has previously featured in the Heljan O gauge range, however this fully retooled version of the Class has been designed to offer a wide range of detail variations including three different bodyshells depicting locomotives with or without a tablet catcher recess and for the first time in ‘O’, refurbished ends without headcode discs. However, perhaps the most exciting development is the first ever ready-to-run model (in any scale) of the legendary Inverness Class 26s with twin headlights, as used in the Far North of Scotland in the 1970s and 1980s.

Alongside a selection of CAD featuring a number of variants of the preposed model, an image of the first EP was also revealed, showcasing the advanced stage of development.

Livery List;

2675: BR Green unnumbered (tablet catcher recess)
2676: BR Green unnumbered with small yellow panel (tablet catcher recess)
2677: BR Blue 5338 (early version)
2678: BR Blue unnumbered (Inverness headlights)
2679: BR Blue 26027 WEATHERED
2680: BR Blue unnumbered (dual braked)
2681: Railfreight Red Stripe unnumbered (white cantrail stripe)
2682: BR Civil Engineers ‘Dutch’ grey/yellow unnumbered
2683: Railfreight Red Stripe 26025 (orange cantrail stripe) with Eastfield dog logo WEATHERED

Excepted for release date for the Class 26 is late-2021, with a suggested Retail Price will be £599.00 for DCC Ready models.

BRCW Type 2/Class 27

Following alongside the development of the Class 26, the Class 27 has been designed to offer a wide range of detail variations including boiler-fitted and non-boilered locomotives, two different designs of bogie footsteps, boiler roof grilles or plates, air tanks in the cab roof for dual-braked locos, sandbox/sandpipe variations and original or modified battery boxes. Other detail options will include three-piece miniature snowploughs and bufferbeam pipes/hoses appropriate for each version. One neat feature will be the addition of one removable engine room window on each side, as often seen on the prototype to aid extra ventilation.

Livery List;

2770: BR Green unnumbered (small yellow panel)
2771: BR plain green 5370 (full yellow ends) WEATHERED
2772: BR Green unnumbered (cream lining/full yellow ends)
2773: BR Blue unnumbered (non-boilered)
2774: BR Blue unnumbered (boiler fitted)
2775: BR two-tone green D5382 (small yellow panels)
2776: BR early blue D5389 (small yellow panels)
2777: BR Blue 27032 with Highland Rail stag emblems WEATHERED

Like the 26 development is also at an advanced stage, with the first engineering samples due to arrive in the UK very soon. Expected release date is once again late-2021, with a suggested Retail Price of £599.00 for DCC Ready models.

English Electric Class 73/1

The final announcement from Heljan over the weekend was the development of the British Rail Class 73/1 for planned released in 2022. The all-new model will be designed to offer a range of authentic detail variations covering the entire career of the production batch built in 1965-67, many of which are still active on the main line network and heritage railways. These will include locomotives with or without high intensity headlights and NRN radio aerials, radio pods and optional fibreglass arc shields fitted to the bogies from the mid-1980s onwards.