To coincide with Railway 200, Bachmann Europe is launching models in its Graham Farish N scale range of North Eastern Railway (NER) P7 and London North Eastern Railway (LNER) D12 coal hoppers.

2025 marks the bicentenary of the opening of the Stockton & Darlington Railway, and when it was taken over by the North Eastern Railway in 1863, large, 20-ton wooden hopper wagons were introduced to replace small wooden trucks known as Chaldron Wagons that had previously been used.

The new models depict both NER-built P7 wagons with wooden end pillars and LNER-built Diagram 12 wagons with steel uprights. Variations in the P7 fleet are also available, including double or single axle guards, wooden end pillars that extend either to buffer beam level or below, and with or without safety chains. There is also a cutout for incline ropes, and single or double handrails at either end of the hopper.

The chassis is injection moulded and highly detailed, and includes distinctive footsteps mounted on opposite corners of the underframe. Separate brakes and brake levers are fitted, as well as metal brake links, turned metal buffer heads, and the monkey tails that operated the hopper door latches.

The hopper body is also precision moulded, and includes full rivet and strapping detail, plank engraving, and a fully detailed interior. Representations of the planking, bottom discharge doors, and internal transverse support feathers are provided, and the sides and ends of the body have metal wire handrails, with each model having up to ten separate handrails.

A metal weight between the chassis and body ensures a low centre of gravity to provide a smooth, free-running wagon, which has metal wheelsets with spoked or three-hole disc wheels and NEM coupling pockets for easy removal or replacement.

The initial production run includes both P7s and D12 wagons depicting their working lives through North Eastern Railway, London North Eastern Railway, and British Railways operation, as well as examples in National Coal Board (NCB) black and British Sugar Corporation (BSC Ltd.) liveries.

The models are already in production and will cost £29.95 and be available at the beginning of 2026. Two examples from the first production have been selected for Bachmann’s Railway Celebrations range, highlighting their connection to the birthplace of the railways.

Recent additions to the N Scale Graham Farish range are four Class 47s with two in original British Railways green and two in the later BR blue, and a London North Eastern Railway V2 Class steam locomotive.