Bachmann has partnered with Australian manufacturer Ixion Model Railways to bring their award-winning Hudswell Clarke 0-6-0 Tank Locomotives to the EFE Rail range, becoming the brand's first O Scale Steam Locomotive. Voted as model of the year by readers of Model Rail Magazine and RMweb, the Hudswell Clarke certainly packs a punch for such a small locomotive, with its high level of detailing, and smooth and powerful performance thanks to its impressive weight resulting from the high use of diecast components in its construction.

Boasting finescale wheels and with a sprung rear wheelset, the Hudswell Clarke will navigate O gauge track with ease, collecting power from each of the six wheels. Between the sprung metal buffers is a sprung drawgear which is fitted with three-link couplings. The powerful five pole motor is fitted with a large flywheel driving the centre wheelset via a precision 40:1 gearbox, meanwhile DCC provision comes in the form of a 8 Pin decoder socket and space and connections are provided for those wishing to fit a speaker and sound decoder.

The highly detailed bodyshell is adorned with numerous separate components, from the handrails and lamp irons to the whistle and safety valves, and the detailing continues inside the cab which includes controls and dials. The livery application is executed precisely, extending to the cab interior and the underframe too, where components like the wheels and sandboxes are decorated accordingly to give each model a neat, uniform appearance. For that little bit extra, each model is supplied with a set of loco tools, including shovels, picks, rakes and prickers, plus a bucket and oil cans to help you personalise your Hudswell Clarke Tank.

MODEL FEATURES:

• EFE Rail O Scale
• Era 3
• Pristine Lined Blue livery
• Model includes a selection of unpainted etched name, number and works plates
• Powerful 5 Pole Motor
• Sprung Buffers
• Accessory Pack
• Locomotive Ready to Accept a Speaker
• Equipped with a 8 Pin DCC Decoder Socket Recommend Decoder item No. 36-566A
• Length 164mm

HUDSWELL CLARKE 0-6-0T HISTORY

Hudswell Clarke was formed in Leeds in 1860 by William S Hudswell and John Clarke, initially building stationary steam engines before moving on to construct locomotives. The steam locomotives built by Hudswell Clarke were generally on the smaller side, for contractor and industrial use, and hundreds were produced; 1,807 examples had been outshopped when the final locomotive was completed in 1961.

The origins of the 0-6-0 Tank can be traced back to 1888 when the first of a new class of 24 Ton standard contractor's industrial tank locomotives rolled off the production line and construction of the type continued until 1946 by which time a total of 88 had been built. The design was tweaked over the years and the model represents the type as built from the late-1920s through to the mid-1930s.

The locomotives were built for contractors like Sir Robert McAlpine & Sons, who used them on the construction of Watford bypass amongst other projects. There were many other industrial users too, like the British Sugar Corporation and the Manchester Ship Canal. Many examples had long careers, often being sold to other concerns once large projects had been completed and several of the type survive in preservation where the provide economical steam power for light to medium duties.