Minerva Model Railways has announced that the subject of its next all-new locomotive model ready-tor-run in O gauge will cover the class of British Railways Class 14 0-6-0 diesel-hydraulic locomotives.
Development of the finescale, injection-moulded model represents Minerva’s first venture into mainline diesel traction and delivery is expected by Spring 2020.
The Class 14s were ordered in 1963 and designed for trip working movements between local yards and short-distance freight trains. 56 members of the class (numbered D9550-D9555) were built at BR’s Swindon Works with the first delivered in 1964. However, the anticipated work on BR quickly dried up and from 1968 the locomotives – some after a brief sojourn at Hull Dairycoates in 1967-68 – were either sold to industrial operators including the National Coal Board and the British Steel Corporation, or scrapped. Nicknamed 'Teddy Bears', 19 of the locomotives survive in preservation around the UK.
The Class 14 will be built to the same general specification as Minerva’s GWR 57XX/8750 0-6-0PT, Kerr Stuart Victory 0-6-0T, Manning Wardle K 0-6-0ST and Peckett 0-4-0ST locomotives.
The technical specification is set to include:
• An injection-moulded body
• Over 200 individual components
• Die cast metal chassis
• Fine scale wheels
• Six-wheel electrical pickup
• High-torque flywheel-equipped motor
• 40:1 precision gearbox for slow, smooth running
• Options include DC/DCC ready, DCC-fitted and DCC sound-fitted using Plux22 technology
• Detailed cab with illumination.
• Directionally illuminated four-character headcodes
• Sprung buffers and hook draw-gear with cosmetic screw couplings
• Finished in BR two-tone green livery with black and yellow wasp stripes and BR crest
• Includes a sheet of waterslide decals with BR running numbers and etched metal sheet with builder’s plates and BR shedcode plates.
A bespoke DCC sound project is being developed. Design work is almost complete and the Class 14 is expected to be delivered in early 2020. The retail prices including UK VAT are expected to be: DC £290.00, DCC fitted £345.00 and DCC and sound fitted £415.00.
Advanced orders taken before the end of business on 30 November 2019 will qualify for a discount of £30.00. Minerva does not take deposits and payment is not taken until the models have been delivered, tested and are ready for dispatch. The models will only be available direct from Minerva Model Railways via mail and telephone order, the Minerva website and from the Minerva stand at selected model railway shows.
Further information is available from the Minerva Models website: www.minervamodelrailways.co.uk
