Bachmann Europe Plc has chosen this year’s Bygones Weekend at the Ffestiniog Railway to announce new OO9 gauge models in its Bachmann Narrow Gauge range.

The first models are of the Ffestiniog Railway‘s ‘Tin Car’ coaches, which were built in the late 1970s to provide contemporary rolling stock for passenger trains.

They have finely detailed, injection-moulded bodyshells, with an integral roof complete with roof panel ribs and toilet ventilator where applicable, and an integral solebar with rivet detailing and footsteps.

Above each droplight window and at the toilet compartment end are ventilator grilles.

Each door has a doorknob grab handle and carriage reservation board clips, and both sides and each end have separate flush glazing.

Inside is a decorated interior with tables and chairs, and a toilet and basin in the toilet cubicle.

The underframe replicates the metal frames of the prototype and has a separately fitted brake cylinder and linkage, whilst the bogies have separate brake shoes and profiled metal wheelsets.

Each bogie has an NEM coupling pocket fitted with a standard OO9 scale coupling.

Models of Tin Cars Nos. 119 and 120 will be available in both the original Maroon and the later Crimson and Cream livery.

No. 120 in Crimson & Cream livery is fitted with an interior that has four extra seats instead of a toilet compartment and without the roof-mounted toilet ventilator, as the original No. 120 had its toilet removed when it was overhauled in 2010.

Authentic Ffestiniog Railway colours, logos, and typefaces have been used, including on the No Smoking signs on each of the large, panoramic windows.

Some models have replicas of the Ffestiniog’s unique no smoking signs in the shape of a Double Fairlie locomotive, whilst others have the more common no smoking triangles in both English and Welsh language replicating those carried by the real vehicles.

Each model costs £64.95 and can be purchased from the Ffestiniog Railway shops at Porthmadog Harbour and Caernarfon stations, or online at www.festrail.co.uk/shop

Complementing the Tin Cars‘ are three bogie luggage vans known as ‘Turtle Roof Vans’ because of their uniquely shaped roofs.

Built by Brown, Marshall & Co. they were fitted with bogies and brake gear at the Ffestiniog’s Boston Lodge works and entered traffic on the Ffestiniog Railway in the 1870s.

Further details of the Turtle Roof Vans will be revealed in the Winter 2024 British Railway Announcements on 6th November 2024, and should be available by the end of this year.

These latest models supplement the N gauge V2 steam locomotive announced in July and nearly 200 new models announced in Bachmann’s autumn range.