Accurascale Stands To Attention With First Ever Train Pack; Our LMR Set

[Warbonnet]

As we grow as a company we have been slowly ticking off our "firsts" as we go on year by year. First wagon, first loco, first coach, and so on.

One "first" we have yet to achieve is a train pack. 

However, we're delighted to announce that we are about to change that with the announcement of our first ever train pack, based on the Longmoor Military Railway (LMR) sphere of operations. It will feature on of our rather lovely Hunslet Austerity locomotives and a pair of our delicious Mark 1 Suburban coaches. 

History of the LMR

Starting life as the Woolmer Instructional Railway in 1909, for sixty years the British Army operated a railway dedicated to training soldiers how to operate a complete strategic rail supply system. A self-contained system, the Longmoor Military Railway became ever more popular with rail enthusiasts, culminating in the hugely popular open days and special trains to the site during the 1960s that influenced the appearance and allocation of internal rolling stock.

Post-war, as training commitments reduced, worn out rolling stock was replaced, rather than repaired, with British Railways’ rolling stock being purchased by 1 Rly Gp Royal Engineers and in the mid-1960s, mindful that higher capacity passenger trains were required for Open Days and Special Events, this included surplus Mk.1 Non-Gangway compartment stock; these ex-BR vehicles even being painted into the LMR Oxford Blue livery to maintain appearances.

The Locomotive

Hunslet Engine 3796 was completed in 1953 to the wartime Austerity design. Deemed surplus almost immediately, the locomotive was placed in store at Longmoor and then at Bicester. The locomotive entered traffic in 1955 and spent time working at Honeybourne, Bicester and Longmoor variously until it was called upon for its first filming role.

In 1965, the Longmoor military railway was chosen as the set for the filming of the “Great St Trinians train robbery”, and 3796 was painted black and numbered as 68011 to represent a BR J94. After filming, the number 196 was reinstated as was the typical Longmoor Military railway lined blue livery (although 68011 was still visible, painted on the smokebox door!) The second starring role for 196 happened in 167 when once again the Longmoor railway was used as a set. This time for the movie “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”, 196 appeared in blue this time but had GWR lettering on the tank to cover the LMR, it also had its dome cover painted brass and a farcically tall chimney extension. Of interest here is that the real car that the story was based upon, was owned and raced by Count Louis Zborowski, a railway enthusiast who had a passion for 15 inch gauge railways and partnered with Captain J E P Howey to build the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway (sadly Zborowski never saw the railway completed). In January of 1968, 196 was chosen to carry the name of Major General Errol Lonsdale who was the then chief of Army transport. 196 became the last locomotive to be named at Longmoor and was given the full white wheel treatment ahead of gaining its nameplates.

When Longmoor closed in 1970 the 196 was purchased by the Kent and East Sussex railway before moving to the Mid Hants railway in 1976 and was rededicated with its Errol Lonsdale nameplates in 1978. Latterly it spent time running in BR black at the South Devon railway, numbered as its film star role, 68011. By 2009 the locomotive was again out of traffic and was sold to the Stoomcentrum in Maldegem, Belgium where it has been restored to full working condition and painted in its original WD Green livery

The Coaches

Records from the LMR show that 13 ex-BR Midland Region Mk.1s were transferred to Longmoor in either 1965, or 1968, comprising 11 x Brake Seconds and 2 x Seconds, although cross-referencing this list against Hugh Longworth’s book tells another story. According to the LMR, the Brake Seconds were M43231, M43233, M43234, M43235, M43239, M43245, M43258, M43269, M43275, M43286 and M43296, while the Seconds were M46069 and M46070. However, according to Longworth, 18 ex-BR Midland Region Mk.1s were transferred, these being Brake Seconds M43231, M43233, M43234, M43235, M43239, M43245, M43249, M43254, M43258, M43259, M43289, M43291, M43296 and M43309, along with Seconds M46069, M46070, M46075 and M46079.

Of these, M43233, M43234 and 43235 were never renumbered into the LMR’s numbering scheme, while the remaining coaches received either the AD prefix (1965 transfers), or the later ARMY prefix (1968 transfers). The AD prefixed coaches later assumed the ARMY prefix from 1968.

On arrival at the LMR, the coaches were all in BR lined Maroon, most still carrying their ‘condemned’ cross within a circle. M43233, M43234 and 43235 were never repainted, and although M43245 received AD and ARMY prefixes, there is no record of any livery changes. The 1965 arrivals remained in their BR Maroon until being repainted into LMR Oxford Blue in 1967/68. Of the 1968 arrivals, only M46070 wore LMR Blue, the others going straight into Olive Drab after arrival.

Upon closure in 1969, the surviving Mk.1 stock was either transferred to other MoD outposts, such as Radway Green or Marshwood, or listed for auction. Those not sold were scrapped on site at Longmoor, while others sold into preservation have since mostly been scrapped, although there have been some notable exceptions, such as M43289 (ARMY 5310) which is preserved on the Great Central Railway.

Our two LMR Mk.1 models represent Brake Second ARMY 5301 (ex-M43231) and Second ARMY 3302 (Ex-M46070) in 1968, when both were wearing the LMR Oxford Blue livery. ARMY 5301 was built at Doncaster under Lot 30093 in 1954, originally being numbered as M53231 until a conflict with DMU numbering led to British Railways renumbering the 53xxx vehicles into the 43xxx range to avoid confusion. Taken out of service in October 1964, the vehicle was transferred to the LMR on 22 February 1965, being numbered as AD 03031 in 1966, before renumbering as AD 3031 in 1967 and ARMY 5301 in 1968. Initially painted Olive Drab in 1966, it was repainted into LMR Oxford Blue in 1967. At closure of the LMR, the coach was preserved first at the East Somerset Railway, and then at the Keighley & Worth Valley, before finally being scrapped in June 1982.

Second ARMY 3302 (ex-M46070) was built at Derby under Lot 30051 in 1954 and was also taken out of service in October 1964, the vehicle transferring to the LMR in early 1968 and being numbered ARMY 3302 from the start. Repainted into LMR Oxford Blue at the same time, the vehicle was sold to the East Somerset Railway upon closure of the LMR, but was scrapped in February 1971 at Liss.

The Set

Based upon two of our latest model ranges, the LMR train pack consists of two of our fabulous Mark 1 suburban coaches, widely lauded as some of the finest coaches ever produced in 00/4mm scale and one of our very cute forthcoming Hunslet Austerity tank locomotives. 

An Accurascale Exclusives release, and therefore only available direct via our website, this special limited edition set will of course come in our much loved and coveted special presentation packaging and features etched nameplates and additional features such as distressed coach roof printing and running numbers that will never be available outside of this set. 

Both DC/DCC ready and DCC Sound Fitted sets will be offered, priced at £299.95 and £399.95 respectively. Delivery is Q2 2026.

Pre-order yours only direct via our website below!

Pre-order Your LMR Train Pack Here!

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[Flying Snail]

Interesting development - maybe one day we'll see some Irish train packs ...  a Loughrea train anyone?

[DJ Dangerous]

A Hunslet loco and two coaches in limited edition packaging...

Now there's an idea for the maroon NIR Mk2's!

[Mol_PMB]

11 minutes ago, Flying Snail said:

Interesting development - maybe one day we'll see some Irish train packs ...  a Loughrea train anyone?

Now that could be their first complete trainset! C class loco, brake standard coach, H van, corrugated open and brake van. Circle of track and a siding. 

[DJ Dangerous]

2 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

Now that could be their first complete trainset! C class loco, brake standard coach, H van, corrugated open and brake van. Circle of track and a siding. 

Sure why not go all in and make the track 21mm, while we're fantasizing?

[Mol_PMB]

Just now, DJ Dangerous said:

Sure why not go all in and make the track 21mm, while we're fantasizing?

Yes please! 

[Flying Snail]

7 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Sure why not go all in and make the track 21mm, while we're fantasizing?

Then there'd be noting to modify for people like MoI to impress us with ... well apart from the buffer spacing 

[Horsetan]

1 hour ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Sure why not go all in and make the track 21mm, while we're fantasizing?

That would actually be an excellent idea

[spudfan]

Said it before. A small CIE shunter and two or three cattle wagons in a set. Hours of fun...

[Flying Snail]

1 hour ago, spudfan said:

Said it before. A small CIE shunter and two or three cattle wagons in a set. Hours of fun...

that would do nicely - especially if it was with "realistic chuffing and mooing sound" for all the sound aficionados

[DJ Dangerous]

6 hours ago, Flying Snail said:

Then there'd be noting to modify for people like MoI to impress us with ... well apart from the buffer spacing 

 

Well I'm sure that the lads could be persuaded to dropkick his a few times before posting, to give him something to reassemble.

[Mol_PMB]

13 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

 

Well I'm sure that the lads could be persuaded to dropkick his a few times before posting, to give him something to reassemble.

They don't need to - the courier will see to that!

But please don't give them ideas - I'm looking forward to these H vans turning up. At this rate I'll have my E class ready to haul them...