Description
Bachmann 35-782SF Class 69 69013 Andy’s Man Club GBRf Black - OO Gauge
DCC SOUND
Expected Release date from Bachmann - LATE 2026 - Subject to Change
Bachmann Europe Plc has teamed up with GB Railfreight (GBRf) to produce a OO Scale model of Class 69 Diesel Locomotive No. 69013, which will be sold to help raise funds for Andy’s Man Club, the mental health charity that encourages men to talk and aims to prevent male suicide.
The real loco debuted in its striking black livery at the end of April 2025, complete with Andy’s Man Club branding and contact details along with the hashtag #itsoktotalk. Bachmann will be donating proceeds from every sale of this model and with it being the 13th member of the Class 69 fleet, we aim to raise £13,000 to help Andy’s Man Club get men talking all over the UK.
The much-awaited Branchline Class 69 boasts an immense level of detail throughout, matched with an impressive technical specification that includes a full suite of lighting, operating roof fans driven by an independent motor and Bachmann’s ground-breaking Auto-Release couplings which provide hands-free DCC uncoupling.
With the first Branchline Class 69s due to arrive at the end of 2025, No. 69013 becomes the first model to be unveiled for the second batch which will be released in 2026. As the real locomotive is unique amongst Class 69s in featuring cut cab sheeting, the model will utilise the existing tooling suite as the cost of new tooling to produce this unique feature would prevent us from making any meaningful donation to Andy’s Man Club.
BACHMANN BRANCHLINE CLASS 69 SPECIFICATION
MECHANISM:
- Five pole, twin shaft motor with two flywheels providing drive to both bogies
- All axle drive
- Electrical pickup from all wheels
- Separate metal bearings fitted to each axle
- Diecast metal chassis block and bogie towers
- Diecast metal gearboxes, with gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities
- 5mm (OO gauge) wheels to NEM310 & NEM311 standards with authentic profile and detailing
- Close coupling mechanism fitted at each end, each of which is fitted with coupling pockets to NEM362 standards
- Auto-Release Couplings fitted at both ends – DCC operated, hands-free uncoupling with the press of a function button (SOUND FITTED DELUXE models only)
- Designed to operate on curves of second radius (438mm) or greater
DETAILING:
- Bogies constructed from multiple components featuring full relief detail
- Rotating radiator fans, driven by an independent motor and gearbox, operated as part of the sound project on DCC and Analogue control (SOUND FITTED DELUXE models only)
- Separately applied metal detail parts, including lifting eyes, windscreen wipers and etched bodyside and fan grilles
- Sprung metal buffers
- Each model supplied with a full set of decorated, model-specific bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts
LIGHTING:
- Directional lighting, switchable on/off at either end on DCC or Analogue control
- Cab lighting*, assigned to two DCC functions for separate switching of each
- Separately switched Machine Room lighting* (*when used on DCC)
- Authentic light colours and temperatures selected for each model based on era and application
DCC:
- Plux22 DCC decoder interface
- Bach-Up Stay Alive System providing uninterrupted power to prevent stalling, light flicker and sound cut-outs (operates on DCC only)
SOUND:
- Speaker Fitted – a pre-fitted speaker is included with every model as standard
- Dual Fitted XL Speaker System – SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE models feature two speakers, including our new speaker with enhanced bass reproduction – a patented component which incorporates a passive radiator design for optimum sound performance
- ESU Loksound V5DCC Sound Decoder fitted to SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE versions
- Sound files produced specifically for the Bachmann Branchline Class 69 using recordings from real locomotives
- SOUND FITTED and SOUND FITTED DELUXE models operate on DCC and Analogue control as supplied. On Analogue, an authentic engine start up sequence and running sounds are produced when power is applied
LIVERY APPLICATION:
- Authentic liveries applied to all models
- Multiple paint applications employed on each model using BR & GBRf specification colours
- Logos, numerals and text added as appropriate using multi-stage tampo printing using authentic typefaces, logos and colours
CLASS 69 HISTORY
The Class 69 Diesel Locomotive was conceived by rail freight operator GB Railfreight (GBRf) to meet their growing locomotive needs. With a requirement for locomotives similar in performance to their fleet of Class 66s, but being unable to purchase new Class 66s, GBRf turned to redundant Class 56s which could be converted into new locos with similar capabilities. As part of the conversion new equipment and systems were installed, including EMD 710 diesel engines, the same as those used in Class 66s. The pool of Class 56s to be converted included examples built at BREL Crewe, BREL Doncaster and Electroputere in Romania, with the conversion work undertaken in Stoke-On-Trent by the American company Progress Rail.
GBRf formally announced the project in Spring 2019 and the first locomotive, No. 69001, commenced running trials at the Severn Valley Railway in February 2021. The type received approval by the Office of Rail and Road in May 2021, allowing the new locomotives to be pressed into service.
The initial order was for ten locomotives with an option for a further six, and by the start of 2024, the first ten locos – Nos. 69001-69010 – had entered service. Each locomotive has been painted by Arlington Fleet Services in Eastleigh and the liveries applied to the Class 69s range from GBRf’s ‘standard’ orange and blue scheme, and variations on it, to retro-BR liveries including BR Blue, BR Large Logo Blue, BR Green and RTC Red & Blue. Several of the Class are named including the first locomotive, No. 69001, which entered traffic in GBRf orange and blue adorned with UK and US flags and named ‘Mayflower’, symbolising the American input into the rebuilding of this British-designed locomotive.
By mid-2025 the full fleet of 16 locomotives had entered traffic, including No. 69013 which emerged from Arlington Fleet Service in April 2025 in a bold black livery in support of Andy’s Man Club.
