Bachmann Class 25/3 32-407
The Class 25s were introduced to Britain's railways in 1961 as mixed traffic locomotives for the secondary routes. They were a product of the 1955 Modernisation Plan and a development of the Class 24, which they replaced on the production lines. Between 1961 and 1967, 323 were built at Derby, Darlington and by private sector contractor Beyer Peacock of Manchester
There were four subclasses at the time the TOPS classification took place, the main differences being in the electrical equipment incorporated in their construction. There were also five slight body differences which affected the appearance of the cab fronts and the ventilation louvers on the sides. A fifth subclass was formed in 1986 by modification of some existing locos. Withdrawals started in the late 1970s, with the last member of the class going in 1987. At least 20 of the class survived into preservation.
The early members of the class had ventilation louvres dotted all over the locomotives' sides. The body was restyled around 1963, approximately when work started on the subclass 25/2. The new style body had the side vents transferred to the roof-line. The model, which was introduced in 2001, has been produced with a see-through roof grill and visible fan beneath. It is fitted with a 21-pin DCC socket and so could be converted to give sound effects. It is in weathered BR blue and numbered 25279.