Bachmann DRS Mk2F Coaches

As well as the two Class 20s from the Bachmann Collectors Club, I also splashed out on these three Mk2F coaches in the DRS Compass livery and which are all DCC-fitted.

This means that they all have internal lighting while the brake coach also has a tail lamp that can be set to steady or flashing.

Here we have the first of the three coaches, standing in the middle road at Sueston station.

This is a Tourist Second Open (TSO) with the Running Nº 6045 and the Catalogue Nº 39-675KDC.

The next coach is another TSO with the Running 5919 and the Catalogue Nº 39-676KDC.

Finally we have this Brake Second Class Open (BSO) with Running Nº 9525 and Catalogue Nº 39-700KDC.

With the coaches now standing at Platform 3 we can see that, being DCC-fitted, means they can also have operating passenger door lights, which is a really cool feature.

I believe only 400 of the two TSO.s were produced while just 350 of the BSO's were made.

I just need to acquire a matching Direct Services liveried locomotive to haul these very special coaches.

Bachmann's London Transport Class 20s

I was recently fortunate enough to acquire this pair of handsome Bachmann London Transport liveried Class 20s via their Collectors Club.

This first one is 20172 'Sir John Betjeman', Catalogue Nº: 35-359KSF.

While the second one is 20227 'Sherlock Holmes', Catalogue Nº: 35-358KSF.

Both locos have been factory fitted with sound decoders and they both look and sound absolutely amazing.

Here we see the locos coupled together during a test run at Petersfield station.

They are now glimpsed passing the entrance to the service depot.

And, finally, from above, with the course of the recently dismantled railway.running alongside.

Inspection Saloon

Here we see a recently acquired Bachmann Inspection Saloon being pushed along the branch line by one of our Class 33's - 33025  'Sultan'..

I have long wanted one of the coaches and, fortunately, Bachmann recently released two new models in both Blue and Grey livery and Maroon and, as you can see here, I went for the blue and grey version although the maroon is equally as good.. 

The Catalogue Nº for this one is 39-777A while for the maroon version, it is 39-775.

In the photo above, we see the train pausing at the smallest station on the railway, Folly View Farm Halt. Clearly it is waiting to pick up the person hurrying up the steps towards the platform. Is he the Inspector, I wonder?

The train is now making its way towards the next station on the branch, High Bridge, with the main line seen running, in parallel, below.

Against a spectacular backdrop, she is now seen pulling into High Bridge.

Finally we glimpse the train as she makes her way to Anchwood, the final station on the branch line. 

Now, one has to wonder why it was decided to run the Inspection Saloon along the branch line..

They couldn't possibly be thinking of closing it - could they?

More Locos - Old & New

Here are five more locos that have recently been added to the fleet, beginning with a second Ivatt Class 2MT 2-6-2T.

Her Running Nº is 41243 and the Catalogue Nº is 31-440 and she is seen, above, double-heading a train on the branch line with sister loco 41272.

I wanted to have a pair of these locos on the railway as they were the usual motive power on the Somerset & Dorset branch line, between Highbridge and Evercreech Junction and, quite often, on to Templecombe, in the latter years of the line's existence. 

A pair of them also operated one of the last specials to run along the branch during the final weekend before closure.

Turning to diesel power, now, and here we have a Heljan W&M Railbus in early light green livery, with those all-important speed whiskers.

She is pictured at Niggly Bottom Halt where she will operate the branch, along with a couple of Class 121 bubble cars. This model has the Running Nº E79960 and the Catalogue Nº: 8700.

These railcars were built by the German manufacturer Waggon and Maschinenbau (W&M) but only five of them were in service between 1958 and 1967.

The next diesel is one of the early prototypes, namely Class D16/2, which were designed by Oliver Bulleid for the Southern Railway.

ANother diesel class that was few in number with just three of them being built and introduced between 1951 and 1954. This model is the third and final member of the class, with the Running Nº 10203, and it was made by Dapol for Kernow Model Rail Centre. 

She has the Catalogue Nº K2703 and is seen above at Sueston, waiting to depart with an express.

Now, just a little bit more up to date is this Hornby Class 31, 31452 'Minotaur' in Fragonset livery.

I do like this livery although our model is already beginning to look a bit grubby. 

Her Catalogue Nº is R2573 and she has a sound decoder fitted by DC Kits. 

Here we see her collecting some wagons from Davemoor's factory siding.

Finally we have the most modern of our quintet in the guise of this Hornby Class 67 - 67026 'Diamond Jubilee'.

She is seen at Gunnmere at the head of the Royal Train and joins our other Royal liveried Class 67, 67006 'Royal Sovereign'.

This model has a sound decoder fitted, by Digitrains, and she really does sound as awesome as she looks. 

The Catalogue Nº is R3216 and just 500 models were produced, which were only available through the Hornby Collectors Club.

Yes, she really is something quite special.

A Delightful Duo

Following on from the new diesels, featured last time, here two new steam locomotives that I have recently acquired..

In ascending order of power, we have this Bachmann Ivatt Class 2MT, Nº: 41272, Catalogue Nº: 31-441DC.

She is seen here at Anchwood, waiting to depart with a branch line service to Gunnmere.

As her catalogue number indicates, she comes with DCC already fitted and will have sound added one day.

She is a great little performer and is perfect for local services and for operating trains on the branch.

The next loco is this Hornby BR Standard Class 5MT, Nº 45116, catalogue Nº: R3385TTS.

She looks magnificent in her BR black livery with early crest and is a superb runner, capable of pulling eight coaches without much trouble.

Her catalogue number would suggest that she was, originally, fitted with a TTS sound decoder but this was removed before I acquired her. 

However, she does have a standard decoder and will be fitted with sound in due course.

 

A Quirky Quartet

During the past few weeks I have added a few more locomotives to the fleet, with four more diesels and a couple of steam locos joining the growing ranks of motive power.

In this blog I will feature the diesels and will begin with this Heljan Class 14.

She is seen here shunting wagons in the coal depot and this will probably be her main task since she is in NCB livery. 

I have long wanted to add a model of these cute but, sadly, short-lived Teddy Bears to the fleet but they are not very easy to come by and, when you do find one, it is often quite expensive, even second-hand. 

So I was very pleased to acquire this one, especially as she is a Hattons Special Edition of only 400 models produced.

Her Running Nº is 31 and the Catalogue Nº is 1402.

The second new diesel locomotive is this Class 17, also by Heljan.

This is now the third Clayton Type 1 in our fleet and, considering I was only ever going to have the one member of this doomed class, i.e. Ribble Cement, I don't know why I now find myself with three of them.

They are quite a quirky design, though, and I do find them rather endearing. 

Ribble Cement was actually one of my earliest acquisitions and, unlike her bigger sisters, has proved extremely reliable through the years.

This is the second blue liveried version and is the only loco, amongst this quartet, to have sound already fitted.

This is by Olivias, which is not the best Class 17 sound file but it is okay for now.

The Running Nº is D8507 and the Catalogue Nº is 17081.

The next locomotive is this Class 27, which is yet another excellent model by Heljan.

She is pictured here in the Service Depot and, hopefully, on her way to being cleaned as she is looking quite dirty.

This now makes four BRCW locomotives in the fleet as there is already a Class 26 plus two Class 33's, all by Heljan.

This model's Running Nº is 27030 and the Catalogue Nº is 2716.

The fourth diesel to enter service is this green-liveried Class 43 by Bachmann.

She is D841 'Roebuck' (Catalogue Nº 32-069) and she is the third diesel hydraulic Warship to enter service on the railway.

We see her, above, pulling out of the ballast yard with a rake of Yeoman hoppers in tow.

I love these Bachmann Warships and have had their BR blue-liveried Class 42 '812 Royal Naval Reserve' for a long time and she has given sterling service.

The maroon-liveried Class 43 'D865 Zealous' is a more recent addition but is already another popular loco. 

So, I am sure Roebuck will follow in her predecessors' footsteps. and see regular service on a mix of passenger and freight duties.

Sealink Coaches

I recently managed to acquire these five Sealink coaches, with three being by Bachmann and two by Lima.

This is the first time that I have owned any of these attractively liveried coaches and I daresay they won't be used all that often but, when they are, I believe normal motive power should be a Class 47.

These first two coaches are by Bachmann and were sold as a pair through the Bachmann Collectors Club in, I believe, 2015.

The Catalogue Nº is 39-001K

The coach in the top photograph is a BSK, Running Nº SC35070 while the coach in the lower photograph is an SK with the Running Nº: SC24884.

This is the third coach by Bachmann and it another SK that was sold singly, probably around the same time as the Twin Coach Pack.

The Catalogue Nº is 39-032 and the Running Nº is 24859.

Now for the first of the two Lima coaches. This is a CK with the Running Nº SC7997.

The Catalogue Nº is L305318 and it dates from 1987.

Bringing up the rear is this Lima BSK with the Running Nº SC35070 which, unfortunately, is the same as the Bachmann BSK although I guess it could be changed quite easily.

The Catalogue Nº is: L305316 and it dates from 1987.

Lima did actually produce a third coach in Sealink livery, namely an SK with the Running Nº: SC24850, so I am now on the lookout for this one to complete the set.

Day of the Deltics

Here we have two more additions to the loco fleet in the shape of a Class 55 Deltic and her smaller sister, a Class 23 'Baby Deltic'.

So, let me begin with the smaller of the two locos, namely this Heljan Class 23 in Early BR Green Livery, Running Nº D5909, Catalogue Nº 2323.

I picked this loco up at auction for a very reasonable price, especially considering she came with a DCC sound decoder already fitted.

The only down side is that we already have D5909 in the fleet, and in blue livery. So we will have to see about renumbering this one. 

She is nicely weathered, though, and sounds very good too although I am not sure whose sound files have been installed.

In the photos above we see her at pulling away from Petersfield, with a brewery train,

While, in the photo above, we see her passing the entrance to the Service Depot as she heads south with her train of brewery wagons.

Next we have Bachmann's Class 55, 55002 'Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry', Catalogue Nº 32-525NRM.

This model was produced in 2015 and was exclusive to the National Railway Museum at Shildon as part of their National Collection in Miniature.

In the photo above she is seen at Sueston, waiting to depart with an express for Davemoor.

She currently does not have a sound decoder fitted but will do so very soon and, if she sounds anything like 55001 'St Paddy', a loco that has been in our fleet since 2009, she will sound amazing!

Finally we glimpse both Deltics, looking absolutely magnificent, at Gunnmere, as they await their next turn of duty.

More Royal Coaches

We recently acquire four more coaches for the Royal Train while, at the same time, losing one such that there has been a net gain of three making the complete train a rake of nine coaches.

The new coaches are as follows:

Royal Household Sleeper

This is the only Bachmann vehicle that we have in the Royal Train.

It is a Royal Household Sleeping Car, Running Nº: 2908 and Bachmann Catalogue Nº: 39-500K. 

It was only available via the Bachmann Collectors Club with just 504 being produced in 2013.

The real coach was converted in 1977 and was originally Nº 2013. Sadly, though, she is no more as she was scrapped in 2012.

 Royal Household Car

This is the first of two Royal Household Cars and is Nº 2918. 

It was issued by Hornby as a Royal Coach Pack, consisting of this and the next two coaches, below. 

The Catalogue Nº is R4197 and the pack was issued in 2003.

The real coach was converted in 1986, was originally Nº 40515 and is currently stored out of use.

Royal Household Car

This is the second of the two Royal Household Cars, issued by Hornby as part of R4197 and this has the Running Nº 2919.

She was converted at the same time as 2918 and, like her sister, is currently stored out of use.

Royal Household Couchette, Diesel Generator & Brake Van

The final addition to our Royal Train is this Royal Household Couchette, Nº 2920, which replaces one of the two Couchettes we had that were both numbered 2921.

This couchette acts as a diesel generator and brake van while 2921 is a kitchen come brake van.

Both cars were converted in 1986 and 2920's previous numbers were 14109 and 17109 while 2921 was previously numbered 14107 and 17107. 

Both cars are happily still in use.

So our Royal Train now consists of the following cars:

2920: Royal Household Couchette, Diesel Generator and Brake Van
2903: The Queen's Lounge, Bedroom and Bathroom
2904: The Duke of Edinburgh's Lounge, Bedroom and Bathroom
2908: Royal Household Sleeping Car
2915: Royal Household Sleeping Car
2917: Royal Household Dining Car with Kitchen
2918: Royal Household Car
2919: Royal Household Car
2921: Royal Household Couchette, Kitchen and Brake Van

Two Duffs and a Tractor

Three more diesel locomotives have recently joined the stable of motive power working on the railway in the guise of two Class 47s and another Class 37.

The first of the new trio is this Heljan Class 47, D1916 (47812) in BR green livery, Catalogue Nº: 4792

She is seen here held at signals on the up fast line at Manxton, with a south-bound express.

Behind her a Class 23 at the head of a down stopper is standing at Platform 2 while, in the background, an S&DJR Prussian Blue liveried Class 3F 0-6-0 is ambling along the branch line towards High Bridge.

There are now six Class 47s in our fleet with this one being the only one by Heljan. 

Four of the others are by Bachmann and we now have one by ViTrains, see below.

So, the second new Class 47 is this one by ViTrains, seen here in our Service Depot.

I actually acquired this loco some time ago but it had a broken chassis which, sadly, proved impossible to repair.

Indeed, she has long been in the condemned pool awaiting disposal but, for some reason, she was spared this ignominy and I am mightily pleased that she was because I managed to pick-up a chassis the other day that was in need of a new body.

Yay - happy days!

She currently only works on DC but she runs extremely smoothly so will definitely be converted to DCC quite quickly I would imagine.

The Running Nº is 47844, she is named 'Derby & Derbyshire Chamber of Commerce & Industry', which is quite a mouthful, I will admit, and her Catalogue Nº is V2059.

She now becomes our second 'Duff' with this striking Inter-City livery although the other one, by Bachmann, is much grubbier.

Still, maybe in time this loco, too, might acquire a layer of dirt and grime.

Finally we have this Bachmann Class 37, 37427 'Highland Enterprise' looking rather splendid in her ScotRail livery as she waits to depart Davemoor.

This is now the fifth Tractor to join the railway and all are by Bachmann.

As with the ViTrains Class 47, she is only DC at present but will have a sound decoder fitted before very long.

Test & Support Coaches

Some unusual coaches have recently been spotted tucked away in sidings on the railway.

The first of these was this Laboratory 14 coach, also named 'Wren'.

She is seen here in the middle road at Sueston station in the company of some other RTC liveried coaches.

This particular model is by Bachmann and it was commissioned by Modelzone in 2009.

Bachmann describe it as a BR Mk1 FK ex-Pullman Kitchen Laboratory coach and it has the Running Nº RDB 975427. The Catalogue Nº is 39-280Z.

The real Laboratory 14 was an acoustics test vehicle that was converted from a Metro Camel Pullman Car, Nº M323E, in 1975.

It was used to monitor noise levels and, for this, microphones and pressure measuring devices were attached to both the inside and outside of the coach. 

Therefore, in order that the noise from the locomotive would not affect these measurements, it was often attached to the rear of service trains.

Sadly this coach was scrapped in 1989.

The next two coaches were captured in one of the bay platforms at Gunnmere Junction behind a Class 24.

They are a pair of Mobile Track Assessment Engineers' Support Coaches and were, again, commissioned by Modelzone, this time in 2008.

The Running Nºs are DB977337 (top photo) and 977338 (bottom photo) and they have the Catalogue Nº 39-000S.

These coaches, I believe, formed part of the Network Rail/Serco High Speed Track Recording Train and each included a dormitory

As with Laboratory 14, these two coaches, I believe, were also scrapped, in 2008.

A Greyhound and a Tornado

The railway played host to a couple of rare visitors recently, in the form of an old BR 4-4-0 Class T9, Nº 30310 in BR Black Livery and the much more recent Peppercorn Class A1 Pacific 'Tornado' Nº. 60163 in BR Express Blue Livery.

In the photos, above, we see the T9 at Carswater on a local passenger service.

These handsome locomotives were introduced by the LSWR in 1899 and were designed for express passenger work by Dugald Drummond. There were 66 in total and they were given the nickname 'Greyhounds' due to their speed (up to 85 mph) and their reliability.

Happily one example of this fine class of locos has been preserved, namely 30120, and she is currently undergoing an overhaul to bring her up to main line condition.

This model is by Hornby, has the Catalogue Nº: R2713 and probably dates from around 2009.

In these photos we see a much newer locomotive in the shape of the Peppercorn Class A1 'Tornado' in charge of an express at Gunnmere Junction and she is looking rather splendid in her BR Express Blue livery..

This model is also by Hornby, has the Catalogue Nº R3206 and she dates from 2011.

The real loco was only completed in 2008 and is the 50th member of the class to be built.

Sadly all 49 of the original Peppercorn A1s were scrapped.