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Class 50 Run 2 Main Range Revealed!

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Following the massive demand and numerous requests, it's time we dropped our second run of Class 50s!

In addition to the Accurascale Exclusives release featuring the celebrity pair 50007 (which carried 034 on one side) and 50049 in GBRf livery, which we revealed last Thursday, there are four main range locomotives covering the British Rail era of operations. This includes the often-requested Revised Network SouthEast livery and the much-loved “Laira Blue” livery, worn by some members of the class towards the end of their careers on the network.

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Such is the demand from modellers for their favourite Class 50s in OO gauge that we felt it best to announce this second run of these English Electric classics without delay.

Decorated samples of each locomotive are already available, along with a list of enhancements based on feedback from the warmly received first production run.

So, let's see what forms our main range!

50019 Ramillies – Laira Blue

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Named in April 1978 after the Revenge-class battleship that served from 1917–48, 50019 was one of the first six Class 50s to be refurbished in 1980, all being released in standard Rail Blue. It wasn’t until April 1984 that it returned to Doncaster for a large logo repaint, though this was quickly superseded by the colourful Network SouthEast scheme, applied at Laira just over two years later.

In February 1989, it was transferred to the departmental DWCA pool. With its NSE livery now obsolete and looking tired, the Plymouth depot repainted it back to BR blue—albeit with a Rail Grey roof and black window surrounds. NSE-sized numbers were applied to the driver's cabside, with double arrows at the other end. The nameplates were retained in their high position and not returned to the centre of the bodyside. This scheme later became known as “Laira Blue” or “Departmental Blue”, and was also briefly applied to 50037 in 1990 and 50008 in 1991. Notably, Ramillies was the only one of the three to gain the DCE flash under the secondman’s window.

50019 was withdrawn with main generator damage in September 1990 while still wearing this paint job. Happily, it was sold to the Class 50 Locomotive Association in May the following year—becoming the second of its type to be preserved. After several years at Eridge on the Spa Valley Railway, it moved to its current home in Dereham on the Mid-Norfolk Railway in May 1998, where it became a key member of the operational fleet, even hauling freight on the 11-mile line. Since 2013, it has been undergoing an extensive overhaul and will return in its classic Laira Blue livery once completed.

50029 Renown – Revised NSE (Dark Blue with West of England Branding)

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Following the first-run release of 50017—one of the first pair of Class 50s to appear in the original Network SouthEast livery—calls for the later version of the scheme have grown increasingly loud. 50029 Renown was the last of 14 examples to gain the original NSE paint job (in June 1987), which it swapped for the revised darker blue variant in December 1989 at Laira Depot.

Named in October 1978 and refurbished in May 1982, 50029 had no idea what colourful future awaited it after being released from Doncaster in the brash large logo livery. It was one of nine members of the class to receive two versions of the “toothpaste” scheme, while 50017 and 50048 received all three! By its final repaint, the look of the revised NSE scheme had become more consistent, with the BR double arrow replaced by the West of England route branding, in line with the new sector identity.

Withdrawn in March 1992 with a seized power unit, 50029 was one of the last active members of the class, alongside 50046 Ajax and shortly before 50030 Repulse. Both 50029 and 50030 were later sold to Operation Collingwood—a charity aiming to return locomotives to the main line using modern components while training apprentices. Though the charity collapsed in 2002, the newly formed Renown Repulse Restoration Group secured both locomotives and moved them to Peak Rail at Rowsley. While they were quickly cosmetically restored, neither has yet operated in preservation. Once 50030’s rebuild is complete, 50029 will undergo another cosmetic overhaul while the society considers its future.

50035 Ark Royal – BR Blue

50025.jpg?v=1751963978Demonstrating the versatility of Accurascale’s Class 50 tooling suite is 50035 Ark Royal, one of just three Class 50s to gain plated headcode panels with sealed beam marker lights in the late 1970s. In January 1978, the 10-year-old locomotive became the first of the newly named “Warship” class to be honoured with nameplates, following the lifting of the embargo on new namings. Ark Royal was named at Plymouth Station by the captain of the Royal Navy flagship, with the BR double arrows relocated to accommodate the large ship’s crests above the nameplates.

After several years in this condition and a stint at Old Oak Common, it was repainted in large logo blue at Doncaster in March 1981. A black-roofed variant followed, and in July 1986 it received the original NSE scheme—though not before running several turns in undercoat grey!

50035’s BR career ended in August 1990, and it became the first preserved Class 50 the following April, with the handover performed by NSE Director Chris Green. After restarting in 1992, Ark Royal entered preservation service at the Severn Valley Railway in 1996 and continues to operate there today in classic BR Blue.

50046 Ajax – Large Logo with Grey Roof

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Ajax, named after the Greek warrior and Leander-class frigate, is perhaps the most famous Class 50 to be scrapped, meeting its end at MC Metals in Glasgow in June 1992. It had donated its low-hour power unit to 50007 in December 1991, after Sir Edward Elgar was sidelined with a generator flashover.

Laira-based 50046 had been repainted in large logo livery following refurbishment at Doncaster in 1983, later receiving a black roof at the depot due to the tendency of EE exhausts to quickly stain standard grey. A full repaint followed in May 1987, though red buffer beams were notably omitted.

Though allocated to multiple sectors in its later years, 50046 was withdrawn in March 1992. Its legacy lives on—both cabs survive today, the No.1 end with owner Gary Hardings in Cornwall, and the No.2 end at the Plym Valley Railway in Devon.

The Model

Following the success of the first production run, we're proud to present the second run of its OO gauge Class 50s, driven by sustained customer demand.

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Improvements have been made based on modeller feedback, including revised packaging and resolution of issues with self-coloured plastic parts—spare parts from the first run remain available free of charge via our website.

Specification highlights include:

  • Highly detailed OO scale model, 1:76.2 scale
  • Minimum radius: 438mm (2nd radius set-track)
  • Die-cast metal chassis
  • RP25-110 profile wheels, with options for P4/EM re-gauging
  • Separate etched/plastic details (grabs, steps, wipers, etc.)
  • Etched nameplates and crests (where applicable)
  • Interchangeable printed headcodes, including preservation variants
  • Detailed underframe with pipework and fittings
  • Fully sprung buffers, fine pipework, and screw couplings
  • Kinematic NEM couplers and mini-tension-locks
  • Working radiator fan with speed control
  • DCC Ready (21-pin MTX) or DCC Sound options
  • Performance and Electronics:
  • Five-pole motor with twin flywheels
  • All-wheel drive and pick-up
  • PowerPack capacitor for uninterrupted power
  • Directional lighting,
  • cab lights,
  • driver’s desk lights
  • Custom dual-speaker setup with Accurathrash bass (DCC Sound)
  • Hall sensor for flange squeal (DCC Sound)

Availability & Pricing

All models are expected in stock by Q4 2026. To support modellers amid rising living costs, we have frozen pricing at the first-run rates:

  • £189.99 (DC/DCC Ready)
  • £299.99 (DCC Sound-fitted)

Order exclusives and main range models at www.accurascale.com, or main range locomotives via Accurascale’s network of local stockists.

Pre-order yours today for no money down, or spread the cost over up to 12 months at no extra cost using our partially plans direct! Browse the range and make your pre-orders below.

Pre-Order Your Class 50 Here!

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