History - About Bassett Lowke
Corgi purchased the Bassett Lowke brand name in 1996 and re-launched the railway locomotive products from 1999 at which time the original company would have been 100 years old.
Bassett Lowke produce a range of gauge O locomotives that are individually made from sheet metal using soldered constrution and reflect those made in a bygone era. Our intentions are to produce a limited number of each livery style and move onto the next item in our plan. Those involved in the production of Bassett Lowke have a passion and knowledge of trains and our aim is to produce a good value and quality product. These products are made with wheel standards that will allow reliable running on most comercially available O gauge track systems. The recommended smallest radius being 36".
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the locos live steam?
No, all current locos are electric and fitted with a smoke generator which means that with a few drops of smoke oil down the chimney the loco will produce steam.
How much smoke oil do I need?
Only 2-3 drops will last for several minutes. Too much will flood the element and it won’t steam.
Why is there a smoke generator switch?
We recommend that when the loco runs without smoke oil that you switch the smoke generator off to preserve the smoke element.
Do Bassett Loco locos run on 2 or 3 rail track?
Both. All locos are simply switchable between 2 and 3 rail operation. There is a switch fitted to all locos to enable you to do this.
What’s the advantage of 3 rail?
Collectors of vintage trains use the old 3 rail system because that’s how their locos were designed to work and Bassett Lowke will work on this track. The more modern day locos were able to isolate the current between wheels and therefore use just 2 rails.
What is the minimum track radius that your locos can operate on?
We recommend a 36 inch radius track minimum.
What is the back to back measurement on your wheel sets?
27mm is the specified back to back although we do allow a little tolerance up to the maximum of 27.5mm.
What voltage does Bassett Lowke run on?
12 Volts DC.
Is Bassett Lowke a fine or coarse scale?
Coarse. Bassett Lowke manufactures coarse scale models in the vintage tradition.
What happens if I have a problem?
We offer a spares and repairs service which is subject to charge. The costs will be quoted on a case by case basis. Tel: +44 (0)1843 233525.
Do the spares and repairs service include my pre-war Bassett Lowke?
No, unfortunately we can only provide spares and repairs for models that were released after the year 2000.
Do you have or are there plans to produce carriages?
There are no plans at present to produce carriages but please put forward product suggestions via the product suggestion form.
Is Bassett Lowke still based in Northampton?
It was bought by Corgi in 1996 and is now based in Leicester.
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