The Bachmann Branchline Class 350 ‘Desiro’ Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) was developed in conjunction with the builders of the real trains, Siemens, and now for the first time this impressive four-car unit is available in the striking livery of current operator London Northwestern Railway.
The four vehicles that make up the Class 350 are each modelled to a high level of fidelity and the set includes a Driving Motor Open Second (DMOS) at either end. Here we find the driver’s cab, inside which is a seat and moulded control desk complete with controls and dials; separate windscreen wipers are fitted to the cab windows and an illuminated destination panel is also present which shows (London) Euston as the destination for our train. Between the DMOSs we find the Trailer Open Composite Lavatory (TOCL) and the Pantograph Trailer Open Second Lavatory Wheelchair (PTOSLW). The real units collect their power from electrified overhead lines via a roof mounted pantograph, and the miniature version fitted to the Branchline model is constructed from metal and is sprung, allowing it to be posed in the raised or lowered position. The roof well is completed by the addition of further individual components, representing the cabling, insulators and other details.
Common throughout the four vehicles we find tables and chairs within the passenger saloon areas, and these are lit by the internal lighting, which extends to the driving cabs too. Tinted glazing is employed to replicate that found on the prototype, whilst the underside of each vehicle sports an appropriate complement of electrical boxes, brake equipment and auxiliary gear along with sandboxes where relevant – complete with separate metal sandpipes.  In addition to the pantograph, further roof components adorn each vehicle, including the air conditioning units which are fitted separately along with the corridor gangways between each vehicle and at the cab ends, on the real trains these allow multiple units to work together with through access between trains. NEM coupling pockets are fitted to the cab-end bogies so you too can run two or more trains together, or the standard couplings can be unplugged and replaced with the cosmetic air dams and replica Dellners instead.
The drive mechanism uses a powerful 5 pole motor with flywheel connected to two axles, each running in separate metal bearings, and incorporates a significant weight to create a smooth and responsive drivetrain that easily powers this one-metre long unit – all of which is fitted as discreetly as possible into the PTOSLW vehicle. Beneath the PTOSLW a removable panel gives easy access to the 21 pin DCC decoder socket and here the speaker space can also be found. Power is collected from every wheelset, with every axle running in metal bearings, and conductive couplings with integral close-coupling mechanisms are employed between the four cars to allow a single DCC decoder to be used to control the whole unit. As well as the interior lighting, which is supported by built-in capacitors to prevent light flicker, directional lighting is also present, with white lights displayed at the leading end and reds when trailing.
Turning our attention to the decoration and the livery artwork for this model has been prepared using original livery diagrams – to stunning effect! The metallic colours of London Northwestern Railway have been replicated in miniature, with the blocks of green contrasting beautifully against the silver base paint. In our safety-conscious world it is no surprise that there are myriad warning stickers and other detailed graphics adorning the prototypes, and these too are recreated on the Branchline model, and most are legible too, bar the very smallest. The result is a metre-long masterpiece in miniature that will fit seamlessly into any modern scene.