A brand-new model of the final batch of GWR AEC railcars has been produced for ‘OO’ gauge for the first time since the Lima version of the 1980s. MIKE WILD inspects Heljan’s new release.
It's hard to believe that the last time an all-new model of the Great Western Railway AEC railcar was attempted for ‘OO’ gauge from scratch was 41 years ago. It was 1980 and the manufacturer of the era was Lima. That model has stood the test of time and even went on to become part of the Hornby range in 2004, but while it has been upgraded with a new mechanism, it was showing its age alongside contemporary products, not least for its lack of lighting.
Heljan saw fit to change that with its 2018 announcement of all-new ready-torun models of the 1940-1941 Swindon built railcars covering ‘O’ and ‘OO’ gauges. First to arrive was the ‘O’ gauge version which touched down in March (HM166), but now we have the ‘OO’ gauge model to savour too.
The railcar includes a factory fitted plug and flying leads for connection of a speaker to the main PCB – the first time for a Heljan model.
The GWR was a pioneer of self-propelled trains in the 1930s. The first railcar for the forward thinking railway company was built in 1934 by Park Royal and had a single AEC 13…
