The Class 89 Badger

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The Class 89 Badger
It's happening......

Accurascale And Rails of Sheffield ‘Sett’ To It By Releasing Class 89 ‘Badger’ OO Locomotive Into The Wild.

Accurascale and Rails of Sheffield today announce an exclusive model of the BR Class 89 ‘Badger’ prototype electric locomotive in OO/4mm scale, to be sold exclusively direct from both Rails of Sheffield and Accurascale.

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Watch the launch video here:

Designed by Brush Traction and constructed by British Rail Engineering Ltd at Crewe Works in 1986, the unique Class 89 was the prototype for a planned fleet of locomotives that would take over from the HSTs on the electrified ECML and supplement existing motive power on the WCML. Unfortunately, British Rail changed its requirements before the locomotive was even completed, eventually ordering Class 90s and 91s instead. The Class 89 design was later considered for Channel Tunnel use, but was superseded by what eventually became the Brush Class 92.

Used as a test bed between 1986 and 1988 on both the East and West Coast routes, it eventually settled into service working between Kings Cross and Leeds. Delivered in the InterCity Executive scheme, it was repainted in the new Swallow livery in December 1988 and named ‘Avocet’ by the then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher the following month. It continued in this duty until July 1992 when it was side-lined following a failure. 

It was subsequently purchased for preservation and wore de-named Swallow livery until, in a shock move, it was acquired by privatised ECML operator GNER in 1997 to help with a drastic motive power shortage. Repainted into GNER dark blue, it returned to operation on Kings Cross to Leeds and Bradford trains. Withdrawn for a second time in 2001 it joined the AC Locomotive Group’s preserved fleet at the end of 2006 and repainted back into its original InterCity livery the following year.

The Class 89 story does not end there. The ACLG is currently restoring this locomotive back to operational condition with plans to fit it with the necessary equipment for a return to the national network. In December 2021 it announced a partnership with Locomotive Services Ltd to fund the final stages of 89001’s rebuild that will also see the unique machine join LSL’s stunning fleet of main line certified electric locomotives for a period of five years.

Accurascale and Rails of Sheffield first mooted this exclusive model in 2020 as an “expression of interest” among the public to see if there was sufficient interest in creating this unique locomotive in model form. Demand was healthy, but due to the COVID 19 pandemic, access to the real locomotive for surveying and scanning was impossible. However, following the easing of restrictions in 2021 and beyond, Accurascale were able to continue working on the model, including a full survey facilitated by Mervyn Alcock and the staff at Barrow Hill, while Wabtec Brush were able to provide copies of the original drawings. Accurascale would like to thank both parties in making this model come to fruition through their invaluable help.

To do this unique piece of modern British railway history justice, a museum quality model featuring a high level of detail and prototype fidelity and a range of operational features are required. Thankfully, taking the technological innovations and know-how from projects such as the Class 55 Deltic, Class 37 and Class 92, Accurascale have been able to pack the Class 89 with a whole host of features. Utilising the same sound set up as their existing diesel and electric locomotives, as well as the DCC operated rising and lowering pantograph, the 89 will also feature a powerful and silky smooth 5 pole skew wound motor with twin flywheels, helical cut gearing, flange squeal sensor, full lighting package including illuminated cab dials and more.

This project is the second such partnership between Accurascale and Rails of Sheffield, and builds on the successful cooperation with the Class 55 Deltic, which included a number of special editions commissioned by Rails in partnership with the Deltic Preservation Society and Locomotion Models. However, the Class 89 will feature five different livery variants, all of which can be bought from both Rails and Accurascale direct online.

CAD is now complete on the locomotive has entered the early stages of tooling. The first tooled sample is expected in time for the Warley show in November 2022, with decorated samples following in early 2023 and then delivery slated for Q3 2023. 

DCC Ready version priced at £229.99, and the DCC sound ESU Loksound 5 fitted models £329.99, reflecting the limited nature of this very special release. Pre-Order today with a £30.00 deposit.

Class 89 (89001) InterCity Executive Electric Locomotive

DCC Ready £229.99 / DCC Sound £329.99

Class 89 (89001) 'Avocet' InterCity Swallow (Original) Electric Locomotive

DCC Ready £229.99 / DCC Sound £329.99

Class 89 (89001) GNER (White Lettering) Electric Locomotive

DCC Ready £229.99 / DCC Sound £329.99

Class 89 (89001) GNER (Gold Lettering) Electric Locomotive

DCC Ready £229.99 / DCC Sound £329.99

Class 89 (89001) 'Avocet' InterCity Swallow (Present Day) Electric Locomotive

DCC Ready £229.99 / DCC Sound £329.99

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The Class 89 model will be based on Accurascale’s ground-breaking Class 92 platform, with all-wheel powered six-axle bogies and a pantograph that can be raised or lowered almost silently under DC or DCC control.
  • Highly-detailed OO scale model, 1:76.2 scale
  • Minimum Radius 438mm (2nd Radius Set-track)
  • Die-cast metal chassis
  • RP25-110 profile OO wheels
  • Separately-applied etched metal/plastic detail parts, including grab handles, steps, wipers, etc.
  • Scale width wire handrails
  • Etched metal pre-painted nameplates provided for customer to install
  • Full underframe tank detail with brackets and pipework
  • Fully sprung metal buffers and bufferplate, factory-fitted pipework and screw couplings (for display)
  • Dummy knuckle coupler provided in polybag
  • Kinetic NEM coupler mounts at correct height and mini-tension-lock couplers
  • DCC ready [21-Pin MTX Socket] or Factory-Fitted DCC Sound options
  • High Performance traction, to include;
  • Five-Pole motor with two flywheels
  • Metal Helical Gear box for maximum performance and slow speed running
  • Gearing arranged so locomotive can achieve minimum scale top speed of 125 mph (200 km/h)
  • DCC ready with PowerPack capacitor for uninterrupted power
  • All wheel drive (sprung centre axle) and all wheel pickup
  • Fully detailed Lighting Pack, including:
  • Directional lighting, DC and DCC
  • Switchable Red and white marker lights with day/night options
  • Separately switched cab lighting and illuminated, driver’s desk, auto/off on movement
  • Scale-sized Brecknall-Willis High Speed pantograph raised and lowered by DCC control (auto up and down operation in DC with power on/off)
  • Customised Dual-Speaker Technology with large ‘Accurathrash’ Style Bass Speaker and smaller 'iphone' style cube for higher frequencies (on DCC Sound-fitted models only)
  • Hall sensor for flange squeal effect (on DCC Sound-fitted models only)
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