Locomotives

Heljan 'O' Gauge Class 58.

This all-new model has been produced in response to strong demand from O gauge modellers and provides an appropriate follow up to our hugely popular Class 56. Six liveries will be available on general release. Tower Models are producing two numbered and named limited editions, one in Coal Sector livery and one in Railfreight Red Grey with a limited edition produced by Gaugemaster in Mainline Blue which we will also be stocking.

We have been pushing Heljan to produce the Class 58 for many years and commited to our two limited editions to give Heljan the incentive to give the project the go ahead.

Standard features will match the demanding requirements of today’s O gauge modeller, including a ‘plug-and-play’ DCC interface (ESU LokSound XL #58515 decoder required), powered roof fans (independently controlled in DCC mode) LED lighting with independently switchable headlight, cab interior and tail light functions, provision for a DCC-activated smoke unit and a large speaker, sprung buffers/couplings, detailed cab interior and bogies and much more.

Tooling covers both ‘Phase 1’ and ‘Phase 2’ locomotives with numerous authentic detail variations on the bogies and cabs, including sandboxes with transparent covers on ‘Phase 2’ locomotives. I have indicated next to each loco which ones are phase 1 and which are the phase 2 variants. All models will be supplied with three alternative sets of cab door handrails or etched metal baffle plates allowing locomotives to be tailored to specific liveries/timescales.

British Rail Engineering Ltd (BREL) built 50 Class 58s in 1983-87 to a modular design aimed at the export market. For much of their career they were based at Toton depot near Nottingham and deployed on merry-go-round coal trains between East Midlands collieries and power stations. In 1994, the fleet transferred to Mainline Freight and quickly expanded its range across the south-east of England and to a more diverse range of freight traffic. In 1996, the fleet was absorbed by EWS and although it was expected to form a key part of the company’s long-term plans, withdrawal took place between 1999 and 2002. EWS and its successors exported many ‘58s’ to France, Spain and the Netherlands for further use.

Also worth reminding people of the Dapol HAA's at the same time which are due for release before March 2023 and Tower Models are producing a limited number of the coal sector HAA's which are perfect companions for both the Class 58 and our limited edition Class 60 in Coal Sector livery. The Class 58 is the final piece in the puzzle in many of our limited edition models in the last few years.

Details of the Tower Models Coal Sector Class 60 can be found here

Details of the Dapol HAA's wagons and our limited edition coal sector examples can be found here

As always will will also offer our usual service of numbering the locomotives in our own workshop for an additional £25.00 or an additional £75.00 to number and weather.We can also fit nameplates as required at an additional £25.00. We have now received the production samples of the models and are happy with our sound fitting service for these and the workshop has confirmed a price of £280.00 for the ESU v5 XL chip taking into account the fact the locomotive is DCC ready.

As always will will also offer our usual service of weathering the locomotives in our own workshop for an additional £40.00 for the factory clean examples or numbering, naming and weathering for the un-numbered examples.