Kernow 4TC by Bachmann

(above) Three cars worth of 32-642Z unit 8022, the Network South East over-branded version

(below) 32-641Z BR Blue version

(above) One driving car of the Premier Charter Unit's 410, 32-644Z, prior to the supplied etched BR arrows being fitted

At the time of revising this review (early October 2017) only the Network SouthEast version has yet to be delivered.

These are extremely good and well detailed models.  I do not have a trustworthy set of drawings for a TC and only outline dimensions, however I have yet to find any major dimensional errors and these models overall and in fine detail compare very well to photographs.  Of note the liveries and lettering seem accurate enough and colours believable, though the inter-car corridor connection shrouds ("bellows") should be blue on at least the blue & grey versions and not black as modelled.  In reality they were coated in dirt. Also, if comparing to photographs extremely closely perhaps the full yellow ends wrap fractionally too much over the cab roofs. My first reaction was that the large BR arrows on the sides of the blue & grey versions were too large, but when comparing to photographs I suspect if there is an error at all then they are only minutely oversize.  I have, however, found a glaring error - the windscreen washer filler caps (which I have always thought looked as if they came of an Austin Mini) are body colour and not picked out in silver vice the chrome plated which they were!  An observation at this level neatly typifies this model – one has to look very closely indeed to find fault.  The quality of moulding is extremely good.  The bogies and underframe detail are approaching to Rapido’s obsessive approach, the lifting rigs (which Hornby bottled out of for their 4Vep model) are fine, as are the footsteps. Grab rails and handles, including those wrapping the cab front, are moulded on, but are so well done and picked out with paint that this is not noticeable.  The windows are about as flush as it is possible to get and I have yet to find any appearance of the white glue problem experienced on other models, both by Bachmann and by Hornby.

One of the major flaws with Hornby’s Vep model was that the dimensions and relative proportions of the cab front are incorrect and it instantly looked wrong.  Upon seeing the cab fronts on these models I did not have the same reaction.  So is the cab front correct?  I subjected this model to the same test, sizing a head-on photograph of the model’s cab front to the same size as a head on image of a real GRP cab front, comparing visually and measuring.

Please note that this is not quite as good a comparison as in our Hornby 4Vep review as the photograph of the 4TC model was taken from a slightly higher elevation, however the model photograph has been sized so that body width and height at the same locations match, so comparative measurements can be made

Much to my surprise, the cab front is not totally accurate.  The corridor connection is about 1mm too narrow and the pillars between the cab windows and body sides are fractionally too wide (this, as it happened with Hornby’s Vep too, I suspect may be due to issues to do with injection moulding), plus the width of the driver’s window is slightly too wide.  However, the sizes of the jumper cable recesses, thickness of the corridor connection rubbing plate, width of the door in the connection, sizes of the headcode window, off-side cab window and high intensity headlight are spot-on.  Whilst dealing with criticisms of the cab front, the windscreen wiper mouldings are rather chunky, no doubt as a concession to mass production and strength, and the font used for the headcode numerals is a tad thin, except on the Premier Charter Unit headcode where pictures support use of a slimmer font. However, none of these factors worry me at all - it looks far more accurate than Hornby's Vep.

(above) The TBSK the Premier Charter Unit's 410, 32-644Z. Terrific fine detail - note the security cage at the brake end

(below) The other side of a TBSK, this time on a blue & grey liveried version. Correctly coloured curtains and fine underframe detail
and (bottom) 32-643Z the Network SouthEast late livery version