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There are plenty of interesting rolling stocks, war wagons, and other rolling pieces of history in the Bachmann Branchline collection, but one of their recent releases is a little bit different. Contrary to Bachmann’s usual English war theme, the Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 locomotive is a rather interesting engine that serves as a colorful addition away from the usual branchline offerings. Let’s check it out!
Summary
- The History of the Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 Locomotive
- What is Inside Bachmann: Branchline Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 Locomotive
- Bachmann Branchline Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 Locomotive Collection
- Watch the Unboxing
The History of the Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 Locomotive
The Railway Operating Division was an important department under the British Ministry of War, managed by the Royal Engineers. They created the ROD 2-8-0, a steam locomotive that operated in Europe during the First World War. It served as the standard heavy freight locomotive of that time period, where it commonly operated in the French countryside. In France, the ROD 2-8-0 was tasked with moving massive amounts of military supplies and freighting the troops in the countryside, at times it was even used to service civilians. After the war, the majority of these wagons were shipped to Great Britain to serve as heavy freight trains. These locos could be seen all throughout the London, Midland, and Scottish Railway after the post-war period.
The ROD 2-8-0 had a very colorful life, after serving in different parts of the UK, some of these locos were shipped to different parts of the world. Some were sent to the Middle East as heavy freight trains, and some even reached the land down under where it served in a coal mining company. These locomotives saw different parts of the world up until 1973, when the last of the class was withdrawn from service.
What is Inside Bachmann: Branchline Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 Locomotive
Bachmann’s Branchline Railway Operating Division (ROD 2-8-0) Locomotive is an analog train set in the brand’s signature OO scale. The model comes in secure ice cube packaging with a bag of detailing goodies for model enhancements. The instructions have a simple format you can easily follow, which will definitely come in handy for those who want to fit a DCC decoder into their model. The set is DCC-ready and is compatible with a 21-pin decoder if you ever want to incorporate sounds and other effects. This works on a five-pole motor that gives it a really smooth crawl, so for those who are not interested in attaching a DCC and want to stick with the simple DC setup, this gives an enjoyable experience even without the special effects.
The ROD 2-8-0 is a rather handsome-looking engine. It is permanently coupled, so it will need a bit more care and maintenance. If you want to haul additional stock, the kit comes with NEM couplings that will allow you to do so. The exterior can use a little bit of weathering since it’s a little too pristine, but it's not that difficult to alter. The builder plates are marked, and there is a fair bit of fine detailing. The train’s design is also very forgiving if you ever want to incorporate additional parts.
Here are a few of the features that you can look forward to if you ever choose to purchase the model: it has both an adjustable tender draw-bar length and a hinged tender fall plate. The cab is really nicely done and has a fully detailed and decorated interior, and you can add a driver figure from the period to make the model much more up-to-scale and realistic if you want to. It even has a modeled Westinghouse pump! So, if you know someone who would go nuts over this, give them a heads up since this model would surely fly off the shelves in no time.
Model Features (Summary)
- Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
- DCC-Ready (Works with a 21 Pin Decoder)
- Accessory Pack
- NEM Coupling Pockets
- Powerful 5 Pole Motor
- Pickups in Tender
Bachmann Branchline Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 Locomotive Collection
Bachmann Branchline ROD 2-8-0 1918 War Department Black
Bachmann’s Branchline Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 locomotive from 1918 comes in War Department black. As its appearance suggests, this train set depicts the earlier version of the ROD 2-8-0 that was operational during the war. These trains were primarily used to freight soldiers and military supplies. The model is hauling coal, and coupled with the standard black, it depicts the quintessential war locomotive of the time.
Get the Bachmann Branchline ROD 2-8-0 1918 War Department Black here
Bachmann Branchline ROD 2-8-0 2394 London and North Western Railway Livery
The Bachmann Branchline Railway Operating Division 2-8-0 2394 locomotive is a London and North Western Railway model. This train set is modeled after the ROD 2-8-0 models that LNWR acquired in 1920. For this particular rolling stock, the railway company made minimal changes to the design and still retained the black color scheme, though instead of being war wagons like the earlier versions were, this was mostly used for freighting jobs.
Final Thoughts
The Bachmann Branchline ROD 2-8-0 collection is something different from Bachmann’s usual theme; this could be the start of a whole new collection we can look forward to in the near future! The train set is very well done, and incorporating additional details will surely elevate the model to new heights! It is an analog train set that comes DCC-ready, so adding sounds and other effects would not be too much of a hassle, although the train can already pull its own weight even without it. It is a whole new experience, especially from the Bachmann line, so definitely get yours while you still can.
Watch the Unboxing
Watch as Dave unboxes and reviews this unique piece of rolling stock in Bachmann’s line-up. Is it worth it? Check out the video below to see for yourself!
What do you want us to unbox next? Feel free to message us with your ideas!
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