Bachmann Baguley-Drewry 70hp Diesel Lined Crimson 009

Review of the 009 Bachmann Baguley-Drewry 70hp Diesel in Lined Crimson

Published on Apr 29, 2025.

Scale: 1:76 | Gauge: 9mm | 009 | Ready To Run

The Baguley-Drewry 70hp Diesel is a compact and robust industrial locomotive that served across the UK and globally from the mid-20th century. Known for their reliability, these locomotives were crucial in factories, mines, ports, plantations, and military depots. Their legacy continues through preservation efforts on heritage railways today.

Manufacturer Overview

Formation of Baguley-Drewry Ltd.

• Established: 1962
• Location: Burton upon Trent, England
• Background:
  • Baguley Cars Ltd. (est. 1911)
  • Drewry Car Co. (design and sales firm)
• Merged to form Baguley-Drewry Ltd., specializing in light industrial and narrow-gauge locomotives.

Technical Specifications (Typical)

Where They Were Used

United Kingdom (Domestic Use)

Industrial Sites

• Steelworks, power stations, and mines
• Breweries and manufacturing plants (e.g., Bass Brewery)

Docks and Ports

• Used at Immingham and Southampton for shunting freight

Ministry of Defence (MOD)

• Operated at military depots and airfields

Heritage Railways (Preserved Today)

• Statfold Barn Railway
• Apedale Valley Light Railway
• Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway

Overseas Use

Africa

• Countries: Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana, South Africa
• Uses: Sugar plantations, mines, railway workshops

Asia

• Countries: India, Indonesia, Malaysia
• Uses: Plantation and factory railways

Caribbean & Central America

• Countries: Trinidad, Guyana, Belize
• Uses: Sugar cane railways, banana plantations

South America

• Countries: Chile, Argentina
• Uses: Industrial mining operations

Middle East

• Countries: Iraq, Jordan, Saudi Arabia
• Uses: Oilfield transport, government projects

Australasia

• Countries: Australia, New Zealand
• Uses: Contractor and industrial use (smaller numbers)

Preservation and Legacy

• Many retired in the 1970s–1990s as rail use declined.
• Dozens preserved by museums and heritage lines.
• Celebrated for:
  • Mechanical simplicity
  • Compact design
  • Historical importance in industrial dieselization

Several examples now operate or are stored at preserved railways such as:

• Statfold Barn Railway
• Apedale Valley Light Railway
• Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway

Significance

The Baguley-Drewry 70hp Diesel represents a key era in the transition from steam to diesel in industrial rail transport. Its wide use and adaptability made it a global workhorse, and its preservation ensures its legacy continues.

The Bachmann model

The first diesel in the Bachmann 009 narrow gauge range and is available in three finishes, this review is for the Lined Crimson version.

The locomotive is resplendent in a dark Crimson with Ivory coloured roof and signal red Bufferbeam weights. It comes fitted with couplings but also with full depth Bufferbeam weights as a supplied accessory should you wish to have a more realistic look.

The lining is incredibly thin and would be difficult to replicate by hand. The Builders plate on the back is unreadable as it is only 3mm wide and 1.5mm high but looks exactly right! On the right hand side of the bosy work is also a decal of the air pressure gauge.

It is possible to remove the body and add a cut down driver figure into the seat.

The model can be fitted with a DCC encoder, Bachmann part 36-567A Next18 DCC Loco-Decoder (with Brake Button function), which considering the tiny amount of space available is an excellent model engineering feat.

As with all Bachmann 009 locomotives this model needs 30 mins running-in in each direction. Once this has been achieved then the locomotive is an excellent runner. For such a diminutive locomotive it has a reasonable weight of 45g. That is enough weight to give it good traction, allowing it to pull a good amount of stock without putting to much strain on the motor.

Back to list of locomotive reviews