Tri-ang Class EM2

Following my recent entry on the Tri-ang TC Electrics, we have here three of their other electric locomotives, namely their ever-popular Class EM2 Co-Cos, aka Class 77.

In the photograph, above, we see the first two of them at Davemoor behind Class 53 Nº 1200 'Falcon' as they are about to be led away for storage.

Immediately behind 'Falcon' is 27000 'Electra' in BR Green livery and she has clearly been fitted with replacement pantographs since, doubtless, the original ones had been damaged,; something that is not uncommon with these locos, given their age.

The Catalogue Nº is R351 and she dates from between 1961 and 1965.

Behind 'Electra', we see the other two EM2's, both in BR Blue livery, with the first of these being 26006 'Pandora'.

The Catalogue Nº is R388 and she dates from between 1969 and 1970. Actually this loco came with a choice of three names & numbers: 27000 'Electra', 27002 'Aurora' and 27006 'Pandora.

Bringing up the rear is, indeed, 'Aurora' albeit she is incorrectly numbered as 27006 rather than 27002. Presumably this will be corrected in due course.

These 1.5kV DC electric locomotives, like the Class 28, were built by Metropolitan Vickers between 1953 and 1954 specifically for use on the Woodhead Route between Manchester and Sheffield.

Originally the plan was to build 27 of these locomotives, however, once the benefits of using the 25kV AC system was realized, the order was reduced to just seven with all seven being given names from Greek Mythology.

The entire class was withdrawn in September 1968 with Class 76 electrics continuing to operate passenger services until this ended in January 1970 with the Woodhead route itself closing as a through route in July 1981.

Happily three members of the class have survived into preservation:

27000 'Electra' at the Midland Railway in Butterley.
27001 'Ariadne' at the Manchester Museum of Science and Industry.
27003 'Diana' at the Utrecht Railway Museum in the Netherleands..

Heljan Class 28

A recent addition to Lakeland Railway's locomotive fleet is this Heljan Metro-Vick Co-Bo Type 2 diesel locomotive, aka Class 28, Nº: D5711.

These locos were built as part of BR's 1955 Modernisation Plan and were, for BR, uniquely fitted with a Crossley eight cylinder, two-stroke, HST V8 diesel engine.

They were also the only BR diesel locomotives to have a Co-Bo wheel arrangement, meaning they had three axles at one end and two at the other end.. 

With all axles being driven it meant that, at 50,000 lbf, the maximum tractive effort for these Type 2 locomotives was very good. 

As their name suggests they were built by Metropolitan-Vickers at their Bowesfield Works between 1958 and 1959.

Only 20 of these quirky locomotives were built and they were all initially allocated to the London Midland Region where they regularly operated the overnight Condor Express freight services between London and Glasgow where they would often operate in pairs.

Following refurbishment in 1961 they were sent to the Barrow-in-Furness depot before, in 1967, being transferred to Carlisle.

Unfortunately, the Crossley engine proved to be problematic and replacement engines were considered, however, given the uniqueness and small number of the class, it was eventually decided to scrap them with all being withdrawn between 1967 and 1968.

Happily a sole member of the class did manage to avoid the cutter's torch, namely D5705, and is currently being restored on the East Lancashire Railway.

Below is a short video of our model, fitted with an excellent Digitrains DCC sound decoder, at the head of a short rake of ventilated vans, the type of work that it will no doubt be called upon to do quite regularly on the railway.

Weedkiller Train

With spring, hopefully, just around the corner, it was decided to make sure that the weedkiller train was in good order and in a state of readiness to deal with any unwanted weeds that we might find growing on the railway.

The train is topped and tailed by a couple of our Class 20 locomotives and consists of the following items of rolling stock:

Immediately behind the first loco are these two Bachmann Mk1 coaches in the Nomix-Chipman Weedkiller Grey livery.

These were produced as a coach pack by Bachmann for Kernow Models and have the Catalogue Nº 39-000P. 

Their Running Nºs are: CC99016 and CC99017.

Next come two TTA Water Tanks, again by Bachmann with Running Nºs 56963 and 56964. I believe there should also be a third tank, numbered 56365, but it is missing from our rake, for the moment.

The three tanks were issued as a set with the Catalogue Nº 37-576T.

The final items in the train are these three green Chipman Weed Control Tanks and black Water Tank, all by Heljan and issued as a set with the Catalogue Nº 1170.

The Running Nºs are: 115, 117, 120 and 48116, respectively.

Tri-ang TC Electrics and a Budd Railcar

We had a couple of rare and unusual visitors to the railway recently in the shape of two Tri-ang TC Electric Locos with a rake of Transcontinental Coaches plus a Budd, Canadian National, silver & black railcar.

With there being no overhead catenary on Lakeland Railway the two TC Electrics had to be diesel hauled but they did make for a fine sight.

The first loco is this green and orange liveried version, Nº 7503, although the number does not appear anywhere on the actual loco.

The Catalogue Nº for this is R257 and I think she dates from between 1959 and 1960.

Next is this two-tome green liveried version, also numbered 7503 and with the same Catalogue Nº R257.

This model was slightly later than the first one, dating from between 1962 and 1964.

Tri-ang also produced a rake of four matching, two-tone green, Transcontinental coaches, the first of which we see here being a Passenger Car, Nº 70831. 

The Catalogue Nº is R335 and she, like the ones that follow, was only available between 1962 and 1963.

The Baggage / Kitchen Car is next and is unnumbered. 

The Catalogue Nº is R337.

Now we come to the Diner which, again, is unnumbered.

The Catalogue Nº is R338.

Bringing up the rear is the Observation Car, Nº 91119.

The Catalogue Nº is R336.

Finally we see the entire train, posing for the camera before continuing its journey behind the Class 47.

A handsome train, indeed, that maintains its appeal some 60 years after it was produced.

 

Also handsome, in its own way, is this Tri-ang Budd RDC-2 Railcar in Canadian National silver and black livery.

This is Nº 101 and it was produced between 1965 and 1971 with the Catalogue Nº: R352CN.

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?