Evening all!

I'm not sure how many of you might have looked into Spanish H0 models in the past, but if you did, you might have noticed two things.

Firstly, that – at least in my interpretation – there is a solid range of more or less contemporary stock by various producers such as Electrotren (now part of the Hornby universe), Roco, Ibertren and Mabar. However, further discrimination is required between motive power and freight stock on one hand, and really contemporary passenger stock on the other. In other words, there's little of the latter, and what is available are mainly the various iterations of the unique Talgo articulated coach formations with independent wheel running gears. Regular coaches of what would be called InterCity stock in German terms, for example, are dearly missing, at least if you're looking at the post-2010 era.

Secondly, my impression is that many of the available models are produced in relatively small batches, and that re-runs may take a while to happen…so that one should be mentally prepared for quick purchases when that model you've been hunting high and low for happens to appear somewhere.

All that being said, the loco which will be at the heart of my next workbench project is quite illustrative of that quandary!

For passenger work – be it with Talgo stock or standard coaches – , I definitely needed at least one Series 252 electric. While I will save deeper technical information for a corresponding loco profile as per my usual format, there's some information which I feel you might like to have for context.

To renew their electric locomotive inventory for the 1990s and the 21st century, Renfe procured a total of 75 Series 252 Bo'Bo' electrics between 1991 and 1996. In a parallel pr

ocurement, the Portuguese railways, now called Comboios de Portugal, obtained thirty similar Series 5600 electrics from 1993 till 1995.

In the early 1990s, Spain was beginning to enter the "High Speed Era" with the opening of the Madrid-Seville HSL in 1992. The Spanish high speed network – called "AVE" for "Alta Velocidad Española" – was intended to be built in standard gauge from the outset to enable connecting services to France and its TGV system in the future. However, it was understood that while studies to that end were conducted around the same time, the existing broad gauge network was unlikely to be converted to standard gauge in any foreseeable timeframe, there would also be through-running services from broad gauge lines to the AVE lines and back.

As such, the Series 252 locomotives were specified to be prepared for changing bogies as needed for the traffic requirements on AVE and broad gauge lines. As delivered, 252-001 through 005 were outfitted with standard gauge bogies and the rest with 1,668 mm broad gauge bogies. 252-001 through 004 were excepted from the bogie change option. Since delivery, that distribution but has changed somewhat, however.

In addition, 252-031 through 075 were configured for 3 kV DC power supply only, while the rest of the fleet are also outfitted for 25 kV AC. Furthermore, four of the standard gauge 252s have had a 1.5 kV DC capability added, and are now commonly found working cross-border freight services to and from France on the dual gauge corridor from Barcelona to the French border where one track was equipped with three running rails to accommodate 1,435 mm and 1,668 mm stock.

As for modelling the Series 252, there is something important to keep in mind, too.

While the 252s and their Portuguese Series 5600 sisters – outfitted only for 25 kV AC – are very similar to 127 001 externally – the prototype which started the "Eurosprinter" locomotive family – , they are, in fact, slightly longer. The 252s and 5600s are 20.38 m (66.9 ft) long, while 127 001 is 19.28 m (63.3 ft) long. This is relevant for the following reason...

The Mehano model, which I obtained, represents, according to my information, the proper length for the Iberian locos but not for 127 001, but was, oddly, also sold in the appearance of 127 001.

In addition, the Hornby group has put back the ex-Lima model of 127 001 in production under the Rivarossi brand. That model is, according to my information, properly dimensioned for 127 001 but not for the 252 and 5600, yet – you guessed it – marketed as the Series 252 under the Electrotren brand.

Still with me? Phew!

From my experience with the Mehano and Hornby Group models, both have their pros and cons, aside from the obvious length issue. As I did not want an "underscale" 252, I had to pick the Mehano model, which looks like this out of the box:

I would not rate the Mehano model to be as finely detailed and painted as, for example, their very nice Class 66, Vossloh G2000 and ADtranz Blue Tiger, but it does offer potential for tweaking. Which is precisely what I intend to do!

This model was marketed with reference #1968, representing 252-048 in the "Grandes Líneas" livery. Now superseded by the livery alternately known as "Operadora" or "Pantone", a couple of 252s did retain this livery until now, which makes the model a fair-enough choice and offer visual diversity!

Various 252s in GL livery carried broadside billboard lettering for the "Altaria" and "Arco" long distance services marketed by Renfe.

And these are the most important items I'd have to address...

I also thought of equipping the model with coupler extension mechanisms if any of the available conversion sets offered by Fleischmann and Symoba should turn out to fit.

So, all that's left for me to say right now is, stay tuned!