Graham Farish N 371-986C GWR 64XX Pannier Tank 6413 BR Black Early Emblem Weathered
The ‘Pannier Tank’ is undoubtedly one of the most iconic tank locomotives to have operated in Great Britain, with the real locomotives being built by the Great Western Railway (GWR) over a period of more than fifty years and to evolving designs. The Class 64XX was just one of those designs, and these locomotives were introduced for a specific purpose – push-pull operations – which you can now recreate by combining this new 64XX with one of the Hawksworth Auto-Trailers which are already available from Graham Farish. N Scale Pannier Tanks don’t come much better than this, with a precision moulded bodyshell boasting details like the dome, safety valve bonnet and running plate steps, enhanced by fine rivet detailing, panel engraving and more. Added to this are separate metal handrails fitted into turned metal knobs, metal buffers at the front and rear, and a turned metal chimney, whilst the cab windows are glazed and a coal load is fitted in the bunker. Below the running plate, the wheels feature fine spoke detailing and these are flanked by the brakes and brake gear, sandboxes with separate metal sandpipes, and guard irons to the front. Drive comes from a powerful coreless motor, whilst the use of a metal chassis and metal body weights ensure that this small package can still deliver a punch when it comes to haulage capabilities. Within the restricted confines of the chassis, a space is provided for our 6 Pin Right Angle DCC Decoder which simply plugs into the decoder socket; meanwhile, NEM coupling pockets are employed at the front and rear to provide easy removal of the standard N scale couplings when required. The livery is applied to the usual high standard that you would expect from a Graham Farish model, with rich paintwork adorned with finely printed lining, lettering and numbering to produce a model that is fit for those modelling the Western Region.
First introduced into service with the Great Western Railway in 1932, the Class 64XX is an evolution of the classic GWR Pannier Tank family with its basic design dating back almost 60 years previous. The 64XX was designed by Charles Collett who reworked the classic Pannier Tank concept into a locomotive fit for the twentieth century. The Class was built for a specific purpose, the working of Push-pull passenger trains – these were also referred to as auto trains. This method of operation was more efficient, as it avoided the need for the locomotive to be uncoupled at the end of each train journey, saving time and money. The GWR pioneered the use of the auto train principle as many of their routes were branch lines. The steeply graded lines of the South Wales valleys were particularly associated with the 64XXs for over 30 years and the entire class was fitted with equipment to operate with the auto trailers. Their operation was not confined to South Wales however, and examples were well known for working in Devon, Gloucestershire and on other parts of the GWR network. The 64XXs were a relatively small batch of locomotives, built from 1932 until 1937, the class eventually totalled 40 examples (Nos. 6400 – 6439). All passed into BR-ownership but with the introduction of DMUs in the 1950s, withdrawals soon began towards the end of the decade, and all were withdrawn from BR use by 1964. Three 64XX locomotives were saved from scrapping and these can now be found operating on heritage lines in the UK.