The Brush built Class 31s are popular and long-lived locomotives which have carried a huge number of colour schemes. MIKE WILD inspects the all-new model of the A1A-A1A design in refurbished form for 7mm scale from Heljan.
THE CLASS 31 diesel-electrics are a popular subject for ready-to-run models with modern day versions available for ‘OO’ and ‘N’ gauge. Heljan has previously made the class available in original condition (in two batches), but now it has expanded its portfolio to model the class in refurbished format covering both the Class 31/1 and 31/4 sub classes.
The first of the Brush Type 2s was completed in 1957 with 262 more being built over the next five years. The first entered service with BR’s Eastern Region, but during their extensive career – which lasted on the main line until 2017 – the class travelled to virtually all corners of the system. The last main line registered examples operated with Network Rail on test trains while an impressive 26 have been preserved.
To read the full class history in Reality Check here.
