TMC unveils brightest exclusives for ‘OO’!

Pretty in pink - the boldest livery you’ll see - exclusive to TMC! 

Cause a stir and brighten-up your model landscape with our exclusive miniatures of Class 31, 31601 The Mayor of Casterbridge and accompanying three Mk. 2F TSO and one Mk. 2F BSO coaches in the bright, ‘hot’ pink colours of the Wessex Trains franchise. Models are available exclusively from TMC, with delivery anticipated in Q1, 2026.

Undoubtably the most daring and vibrant privatisation livery applied to a locomotive and rolling stock - here’s a memorable train for 4mm:1ft scale / OO gauge that’ll embolden your collection!

With ‘Pink Panther’ levels of suaveness, these all-new exclusives for ‘OO’ benefit from Bachmann Europe’s forthcoming, further revised, cutting-edge Class 31 tooling for ‘OO’ which now features a ‘Bach-up’ stay-alive system, all-wheel electrical pick-up and reinforced driver’s cab windscreen. Meanwhile, the precision-tooled Mk. 2F coaches are offered in a choice of standard or upgraded ‘DCC onboard’ with lights.

Prototype history in brief

Owing to a shortage of multiple units, from May 2004, Wessex Trains hired Fragonset Railways to provide ‘top-and-tail’ motive power to a set of Mk. 2 coaches for services under the Heart of Wessex Rail Partnership, between Bristol and Weymouth.

To coincide with the launch, Fragonset’s re-wired Class 31/6, 31601 and five Mk. 2 coaches were repainted into this stunning pink livery, whipping rail enthusiasts and the railway media into a photographic frenzy, while the covers of printed railway media and lineside photography instantly became more colourful.

In its dazzling new livery, 31601 also saw use on evening specials running to Glastonbury Festival, numerous spot-hire services, Network Rail Overhead Line Electrification (OLE) trains from Finsbury Park - even running light-engine as far north as Inverness to Carlisle on route learning for Serco!

Subsequently, the locomotive lost its ‘The heart of Wessex Line’ branding and from 2006 would carry the name Gauge O Guild 1956-2006 in honour of the 50th anniversary of its show, ‘Guildex’. As experts in customisation, TMC will customise models of 31601 to reflect these changes at additional cost, if customers so choose upon checkout.

Find the brightest model releases produced for ‘OO’ on the TMC website and pre-order your models today for ‘early-bird’ savings of up to 15% off RRP. Search for ‘Wessex Trains’ at TMC to explore our combination deals.

Be outlandish, be bold – go pink!

Colourful coaches

Make this boldest of locomotive liveries even more impressive by completing your formation, pairing 31601 The Mayor of Casterbridge with our meticulously researched and equally bright rolling stock commissions from Bachmann!

   Liveries have precision logos, colours, fonts and emblems, all carefully researched and miniaturised.

We’re offering all three Mk. 2F Tourist Second Opens (TSOs) and Mk. 2F Brake Second Open (BSO) individually with (or without) interior lights.    

   For greater savings, all four Mk. 2F coaches can be purchased together with (or without) lights to build a truly bright and impressive formation that’s eye-catching and prototypical!

• Four-coach bundle (standard): £305.00* (save 15% off RRP)
• Four-coach bundle (DCC onboard with lights): £372.00* (save 15% off RRP)
• Single coaches (standard): £80.95* (save 10% off RRP)
• Single coaches (DCC onboard with lights): £98.95* (save 10% off RRP)

* Early-bird pre-order prices shown are valid until summer 2025 - save 10% off RRPs for single coaches, and 15% off RRPs on coach bundles.

SKUs are as follows: 

Mk. 2F Tourist Second Open (TSO) 6117

(39-684X) standard

(39-684XDC) DCC onboard with lights

Mk. 2F Brake Second Open (BSO) 9525

(39-706Z) standard

(39-706ZDC) DCC onboard with lights

Mk. 2F Tourist Second Open (TSO) 6122

(39-684Y) standard

(39-684YDC) DCC onboard with lights

Mk. 2F Tourist Second Open (TSO) 6173

(39-684Z) standard

(39-684ZDC) DCC onboard with lights