Double diamonds for Jubilee year

With the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee and the 50th anniversary of the ‘Brush Type 4’ diesels falling in the same year, the opportunity to celebrate has proved simply too good to miss. To mark both events, we have teamed up with Italian model manufacturer ViTrains to bring you a special run of appropriately chosen Class 47s all with a ‘diamond’ theme.

YOU CANNOT FAIL TO NOTICE that 2012 is the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee but another (possibly more important) milestone is the one that arrives at the end of September when the ubiquitous Class 47 diesels will have notched up an incredible 50-year service life. The chance to celebrate is too good to miss, so to continue a rather obvious theme we’ve hit upon the idea of reproducing a selection of made-to-order 'OO' guage models displaying the ‘double diamonds’ of BR’s Railfreight Distribution sub-sector. These will be ‘once only’ production runs never to be repeated.

Somewhat incredibly, the Railfreight Distribution colour schemes (one of the most common on Class 47s during their latter years) have yet to feature on what could be termed ‘third generation’ models and so, following our previous incredibly successful Colas pairing which sold out even before it arrived, we have teamed up with ViTrains to give you not one, not two, not even three, but an incredible four locomotives! Even better news is that they are pitched at a price below that of discounted Bachmann 2012 items (not counting over £8.00 worth of complimentary etched fittings) and ViTrains have promised to ‘pull out all the stops’ to get them to us this year (now sheduled for late November delivery).

There’s more. Although the Italian-made model - wholly developed from scratch by the new company that was formed by ex-Lima employees - is already widely accepted as the best model of the type to date, it has often been derided for the number of components that were required to be fitted by the customer. Although a small penalty to pay for a decent Class 47 it was, nonetheless, a drawback and some retailers even offered to fit the parts for you for an extra £20. Well, this problem is no more as we’ve reached agreement for the first time to have handrails and the majority of the detail parts fitted at the factory.

And so on to the models chosen… We are offering the Class 47 in a number of variations, principally both versions of the RfD ‘double diamond’ livery. The original scheme as developed for BR Railfreight by Roundel Design in 1987 is replicated on No. 47365 Diamond Jubilee. The revised scheme, more commonly known as ‘RfD European’, with its blue roof and bodyside branding, will be represented by No. 47555 The Commonwealth Spirit.

In addition, two further un-numbered locomotives are on offer in each of the livery styles. Not only will these carry no names or running numbers (a transfer pack and a selection of photo-etched plates will be included free) but they have been selected with a different combination of features, such as ‘cut-away’ cabs and underframes to give maximum potential for personalisation and the ability to form double-headers such as those employed on the Channel Tunnel ‘feeders’ trains, key automotive services and on Felixstowe branch Freightliners.

Original Railfreight Distribution

Railfreight Distribution 'European'

Click on the relevant graphic to see the specification of each of the locomotives along with pricing.

All the models will be available singly and you can rely on us to ensure the liveries are accurately reproduced. As is now standard RAIL EXCLUSIVE practice, the models will be presented in special packaging and include certificates plus free stainless steel nameplates, kickplates, double arrows and Tinsley depot plaques.

Why not place your reservation now. As is normal, we can offer staged payment plans and, because we know so many people will want to purchase both pairs, we are including multiple purchase discounts for the first time.

Click here to download the RfD Class 47 PDF information sheet