PRESS RELEASE

GWR ROD announced

Bachmann Europe today announced that it is to produce a GWR 30xx ROD

2-8-0 locomotive in order to meet many requests from customer following on from the LNER Class 04 version released recently.

521 locomotives were built from 1917 for use during World War 1 by the Railway Operating Division of the Royal Engineers for use in mainland Europe. Cessation of hostilities rendered them surplus (only 325 were delivered before the end of the war in 1918) and some were loaned to British railway companies before being offered for sale. The Great Western Railway bought 20 initially in 1919, which were followed by a further 80 in 1925. They were numbered 3000 – 3099.

The GWR subsequently modified the basic locomotives fitting new chimneys, top feed, dome etc. The last GWR version was withdrawn from Carmarthen in 1958.

Three versions of the GWR version have been announced. These are:

31-127 in BR black with early emblem

31-128 in BR black with late crest

31-129 in GWR green

These locomotives are expected to retail at a similar price to the recently released LNER 04 2-8-0 locomotives.