The first LSWR T3 Class locomotive was built in 1892 and 125 years later, the T3 was thrown into the spotlight when the National Railway Museum donated the sole preserved example, No. 563, to the Swanage Railway Trust. Ever since this controversial move there has been a desire to see a OO scale model of this Victorian masterpiece, and now, we are delighted to fulfil those wishes with this brand-new model developed for Bachmann’s EFE Rail range.

The elegant lines of William Adams’s original design have been captured faithfully in the new EFE Rail model, for which a comprehensive tooling suite has been developed allowing accurate models of the twenty-strong fleet to be produced across their working lives and, for No. 563 at least, during its time in preservation.

Employing a large number of diecast metal components to provide the optimal weight distribution needed for this 4-4-0 locomotive to perform at its best, the EFE Rail T3 is powered by a five pole motor and flywheel which is geared to the rear driving axle. DCC provision comes in the form of a Next18 decoder socket mounted in the tender, where a speaker is also fitted, meanwhile within the cab of the model a firebox lighting system has been installed which operates on both analogue and DCC.

An innovative loco-to-tender coupling design provides both integral electrical connections and a close coupling feature, whilst at either end of the model NEM coupling pockets are fitted and sprung metal buffers are mounted on each bufferbeam. Each model sports an array of locomotive- and era-specific detailing as appropriate, all of which is highlighted by the ornate livery application.

Read more about the EFE Rail LSWR T3 Class

• EFE Rail OO Scale
• Era 2
• Locomotive is Preserved
• Pristine LSWR Drummond Green livery
• Running No. 563
• Etched Numberplates included
• Equipped with a Next18 DCC Decoder Socket – Recommend Decoder item No. 36-567A
• Length 228mm (over couplings)

DETAIL VARIATIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS MODEL

• Adams Boiler
• Adams Chimney
• Adams Smokebox Door
• Flush Smokebox Saddle
• Equalising Beam Suspension
• Fluted Coupling Rods
• Splasher Beading
• Rear Bogie Wheel Splashers*
• Bufferbeam Side Chains
• Piston Tail Rods*
• Double Whistle
• Lamp Iron Sockets
• LSWR Discs and Diamond Head Signals*
• Tender Coal Rails
• Additional Tender Toolbox

*supplied separately for optional fitting

EFE RAIL LSWR T3 SPECIFICATION

MECHANISM:

• Five pole motor with flywheel mounted in the locomotive, driving the rear set of driving wheels
• Electrical pickup from all driving wheels and tender wheels
• Separate metal bearings fitted to each driving wheel axle and each bogie wheel axle
• Metal bearings fitted to each tender wheel axle
• Diecast metal chassis fitted to both the locomotive and tender
• Gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
• 5mm (OO gauge) wheels to NEM310 & NEM311 standards with authentic profile and detailing
• Valve gear of metal construction
• Discreet snap-together locomotive to tender drawbar with integral close coupling mechanism and electrical connections
• Sprung front bogie
• Front bogie features a clip-in front section with optional blank filler or coupling adapter with integral coupling pocket to NEM362 standards
• Tender features a close coupling mechanism which is fitted with a coupling pocket to NEM362 standards
• Designed to operate on curves of second radius (438mm) or greater

DETAILING:

• Diecat metal boiler, running plate, front splashers and locomotive footsteps
• Injection-moulded cab, tender body and frames
• Additional metal detail parts including etched step treads, handrails and handrail knobs
• Sprung metal buffers
• Separately fitted detail parts including lamp irons, injectors, whistle, vacuum pipes, brakes and brake rigging (on both the locomotive and tender)
• Representation of the inside valve gear
• Tender fitted with coal-effect load
• Cab interior detailing including boiler backhead controls and gauges, brake standard and tender sandboxes
• Hinged and posable metal fall plate between the locomotive and tender
• Each model supplied with a full set of decorated, model-specific accessories including bogie splashers, guard irons and etched engine head signals – LSWR-period models are supplied with LSWR-style discs and LSWR diamonds, SR-period models are supplied with SR-style discs
• Where appropriate, models will be supplied with a set of authentically decorated etched number plates

LIGHTING:

• Firebox lighting with twin LEDs operating on DC and DCC
• Textured filter in the firebox hole to simulate a burning coal fire

DCC:

• Next18 DCC decoder interface located in the tender

SOUND:

• Twin speakers installed in the tender of all models for optimum sound reproduction

LIVERY APPLICATION:

• Authentic liveries applied to all models
• Multiple paint applications employed on each model using LSWR/SR specification colours
• Logos, numerals and text added as appropriate using multi-stage tampo printing utilizing authentic typefaces, logos and colours

LSWR T3 HISTORY 

Part of a family of four 4-4-0 locomotives, the first T3 was built by the LSWR in 1892 and by the end of 1893, the twenty-strong fleet had been completed. The elegant appearance of the T3 carried many hallmarks of a locomotive designed by William Adams, with long frames extending beyond the smokebox and stovepipe chimneys. Intended for use on the undulating lines west of Salisbury, they worked from depots on the Bournemouth line as well as the West of England line. Whilst in service several changes and modifications were made to the locomotives including the replacement of the original equalising beam suspension with traditional springing. In addition, once Dugald Drummond took post as the LSWR’s Chief Mechanical Engineer he began to change the stovepipe chimney to one of his own design whilst some examples also received Drummond boilers.

All twenty locomotives were inherited by the Southern Railway (SR) at Grouping in 1923, however with the SR being an early adopter of electrification there soon became a locomotive surplus and within ten years, all but three T3s had been withdrawn. The final three were withdrawn in 1936, 1942 and 1945 – the last being No. 563 which was then stored before appearing at the centenary of Waterloo Station in 1948. No. 563 would go on to be saved as part of the national collection, appearing at the Museum of British Transport at Clapham and then the National Railway Museum (NRM) at York.

In 2017, having been loaned for use in theatre productions of The Railway Children in both Canada and London, the NRM transferred ownership of No. 563 to the Swanage Railway Trust 563 Locomotive Group, a move that drew much attention at the time but one that ultimately resulted in the locomotive being restored to full working order. No. 563 returned to steam in October 2023 at the Swanage Railway where it can be found running today.

The EFE Rail model has been developed with the help of the South Western Circle – the historical society for the London South Western Railway – who have provided archive drawings and photographs, and the Swanage Railway Trust 563 Locomotive Group who have provided access to the preserved locomotive throughout its restoration.