The Mountains Move Closer To Modellers - Class 60 Delivery Update

Warbonnet · Wednesday at 10:00

It’s almost like our locos have become buses, given how regularly they’ve been arriving in recent weeks! After kicking off the year with batches of Class 31s, we then saw the arrival of our all-new Class 50, and now our Buckjumpers and Class 89s aren’t far behind.

Also not far behind is our all-new Class 60, which will mark the fifth all-new tooled locomotive to arrive in stock from us in less than 12 months! We don’t think anyone has managed that rate of delivery in a long, long time.

Launched just one year ago, the "Tugs" signified a change in our approach to releasing models—waiting until much later in development so customers have less time to wait for delivery. It’s a trend we’ve continued with our Hunslet Austerities and will maintain for non-collaborative projects (such as the Electrostar).

So, where are we with our 60s?

Well… they’re done!

The production samples have been reviewed and approved by our team and are now en route to our warehouse from the factory.

Our CAD developer and Project Manager, who is somewhat of an expert in Class 60s, having worked on the real locomotives, has faithfully captured the shape of these Brush brutes to a tee, using our now-standard laser scan as a base to ensure accurate shape and profile from every angle, as you can see from our CAD overlay on original 3D scan below!

The Class 60's cab roof area is particularly tricky—it’s easy to make the shape appear too squat, which throws off the whole roof profile. Thankfully, we’ve avoided that pitfall. We've also nailed the crucial roof details such as the fine plates at the cab ends are there for all to see.

Again, our CAD overlay on our 3D scan shows how we have correctly captured the shape of these beasts!

Another challenge lies in the bogie area, with its plethora of pipework on the side frames. Our pre-production samples featured the twin tubing of the parking brake hydraulic lines, but they were incorrectly painted, making them look overscale. In the finished models, the lines are now correctly painted, consistent in diameter, and contribute to the 3D relief seen on the real locomotives’ bogies. We made a conscious effort to avoid flattened detailing or an inconsistent mix of moulded and separate parts when it came to representing a single piperun.

When it comes to performance, our 60s match the rest of our diesel and electric range: they’re weighty! In fact, they’re our heaviest locomotive to date, weighing in at an incredible 820g. They give an O-gauge presence in a 00 model and will haul any prototype-length train you care to couple up. With the heft and presence of a kit-built model, few models will have the sheer on-track presence of an Accurascale Class 60!

Naturally, this is paired with our usual spec: all-wheel drive and pickup for maximum pulling power, helical gearing for smooth operation and control, and our advanced electronics package including stay-alive capacitors, a full lighting suite, desk lights, radiator room lighting, and of course, full cab lighting—including the driver’s entrance corridor.

Sound is another area where we aim to take our models to the next level, and the Tugs are no exception. Recorded on the mainline with a trailing load of over 2,000 tons, our sound set includes two distinct sound files depending on the era represented.

One replicates the original startup sequence using the Woodward governor and ABB turbos. The second captures the later "Super 60" era, featuring Napier turbos and the Heinzmann governor. The Woodward system relied on building oil pressure from the crank sequence—requiring 100 psi—so it cranked longer. The Heinzmann, being electric, opens the fuel rack as soon as 100 rpm is reached, leading to a quicker reaction time and a cleaner-sounding startup. All of this comes through brilliantly with our Accurathrash sound setup. We’ll have a preview video for you very soon—stay tuned!

Does the detail stop there? Absolutely not!

Following in the footsteps of our recent Class 50, the Class 60 features under-bogie detailing, including representations of the traction motors. We’re also adding era-specific cab interior decoration and providing etched nameplates, arrows, and plaques (where appropriate) in the detail parts pack to give your loco that extra edge.

Building on feedback from our Class 66, our Tugs come with fully detailed, replacement buffer beams included in the box. These feature a full plough representation—without cut-outs for NEM couplings—and are screw-in for added strength and peace of mind when using scale link couplings. We’ve also given attention to the “clean air room,” where our etched “Donaldson filters” really pop!

A signature characteristic of the Class 60s is their large bodyside grilles, which gave rise to the nickname “doughnuts” as you could see right through them. True to life, you can also see through our models in this area. The grilles are made as a one-piece etch including the frame, ensuring the join is correctly positioned—on the frame, not inside it.

Our production samples also reflect improvements over the first decorated versions. This includes scale-sized rivets around the windscreens, accurately replicating the M6 and M8 countersunk bolts (which scale down to 0.15–0.2mm diameter).

We’ve also corrected the front lamp irons to their proper colour, and our tail light lenses are now suitably red!

Our definitive Class 60 now nears the end of its journey from our factory and will begin landing with modellers and retailers from mid-late July. Excited? We certainly are! Keep an eye out for our sound preview and further delivery information in the coming weeks. Pre-order yours, from just £169.99 via the link below!