Graham Farish Class 44 reaches new ‘Peak’
Date: 30 March 2006
Source: Graham Farish
The latest locomotive to emerge from Graham Farish is the Class 44 ‘Peak’ diesel.
Following the publication of the modernisation plan in 1955, 10 locomotives were ordered from British Railways workshops in Derby in December of that year. With design work taking two and half years it was not until April 1959 that the first locomotive was handed over. The tenth and final member of the class emerged in February 1960. The first ten were named after mountain peaks in England and Wales and were known as ‘Peaks’.
The name was used generically to describe the later Class 45 and 46 locomotives. Initially all 10 locomotives were allocated to Camden Depot in North London for working express trains in and out of Euston. With electrification progressing on the West Coast Main Line the class was transferred to Toton, near Nottingham, by August 1962. Initially all had connecting doors in the cab ends for multiple working but these were subsequently blanked out of use. They remained on Midland Main Line services but were early candidates for withdrawal, the first being withdrawn in 1976 and the last in 1980.
Two of the Class have been preserved and work on heritage railways. Graham Farish have released two versions of the locomotive. They are No. 44008 ‘Penyghent’ in BR blue livery (Catalogue Number 371-200) and D1 ‘Scaffel Pike’ in the earlier BR green livery (Catalogue Number 371-201). Both models have a Recommended Retail Price of £76.95.
The locomotives have a super-detailed body, 5 pole motor with twin flywheels, 6 wheel drive and are fitted with standard N gauge couplings.
The models will be available from Bachmann dealers during April.
GF 2006-11
