Silver Sidelines

As the year end approaches a new Blog Post is well overdue. After a brief foray into the world of digital sound on analogue DC with two or three Bachmann Diesels (fitted with LokSound chips) I thought it time to investigate the possibilities of digital steam sound. I like the look and feel of Bachmann’s unrebuilt Patriots and I had been watching Giggleswick with a mind to making a purchase when I deemed the price to be right. However I was also keeping an eye on the Junction Box, run by Ian Hunter in Haltwhistle. Bachmann’s Giggleswick has an Early Emblem which is not ideal for the 1960s. How much better to buy Bachmann’s 45504 Royal Signals complete with LokSound chip and with Late Crest. Thank you Ian in Haltwhistle. Bachmann 45504 Royal Signals digital sound locomotive (in service) Straight out of the box I was not impressed. On my layout the engine struggled with five coaches on and the sounds were disjointed and spasmodic. The first task was to add some extra lea...

Continuing the north east theme I have invested in a Bachmann Deltic of the two tone green variety. I had to cancel an order on eBay when a quick check revealed that the  Deltic Preservation Society  still had ‘The Green Howards’ in stock (and many more Bachmann models) at very competitive prices, frequently below the cost of second hand items on that well known auction site. Bachmann D9008 The Green Howards – Limited Edition for the Deltic Preservation Society After recent successes with running Bachmann sound locomotives on DC Analogue I thought that a sound fitted Deltic would complement my existing Class 40 and Class 45 models. I would add digital sound to my model,‘The Green Howards’.   Speaker cavity in Deltic ‘The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment’ – Note factory hard soldered connections for cab lighting Bachmann have produced a factory fitted digital sound Deltic and the metal chassis has a shallow cavity machined in the top for a speaker. Recent B...

Not so long ago Hornby released their new Q6 models. Having been brought up in Middlesbrough there was no question about it, there would have to be a Q6 or even two on my layout. First a picture from the past, the location is just to the south of Thornaby Station which provided visibility of all the lines from Middlesbrough and Thornaby before they diverged to Stockton (for the north), Redmashall (west) and Eaglescliffe (to the south). Q6 63445 – Thornaby 1960 or 61 63443 was the first Q6 to arrive on the layout. It had an Early Emblem and shed code 51G for Haverton Hill. It is pictured below on a train of ICI tank wagons, the sort that originated from Cassell Works, ICI Billingham. Haverton Hill shed along with a number of other small Teesside sheds closed around 1960 with locomotives concentrated at the newly constructed Thornaby depot. 63443 appears not to have gone to Thornaby and instead was reallocated to West Auckland for coal and coke traffic. Hornby Q6 E...

It was not so very long ago that I discovered that I could get digital sound on analogue DC . A chance purchase at a bargain price had given me the opportunity to run a Bachmann Digital Sound Class 40 on my analogue DC layout. You don’t get all the ‘bells and whistles’ but you do get great sound. Full Digital Control seems to me to be a step far too far, for what I ask myself? Well I was perhaps a tiny bit envious of ‘sound’ on Digital Control. However my recent excursions successfully running Bachmann Digital Sound locomotives on analogue DC confirm my long held view that I can keep my simple analogue DC system and that I do not need Digital Control for my kind of sound. First a little bit of history! D12 at Carlisle August Bank Holiday 1961or 62 I have childhood memories of train spotting at Carlisle Citadel and being mightily impressed by D12 in near ex-works condition. It would be 1982 before Palitoy / Mainline made available their Class 46 model of D52. Mainline D100 Sher...

This Post is well over due, but then so is the repainting of our outside paintwork - the white house walls. Hawksworth County Class engines were designed during wartime conditions for handling difficult work in Devon and Cornwall. The locomotive Power Classification was 6MTwhich fits neatly between 7P for a Castle and 5MT for a Hall. The engine’s main purpose was ‘fast mixed traffic’, hence the Counties’ 6’- 3” driving wheels, smaller than the 6’- 8 1/2” of a Castle and larger than the 6’- 0” of a Hall. Altogether a very useful engine that no ex GWR layout should be without. County of Dorset – ex Dapol D4 from 1984 with added detail and tender drive Over the years my model railway layout has hosted a number of County Class engines of the Dapol / Hornby variety. My original model, County of Stafford - Dapol D4, dates from May 1984. It was purchased from the Oxford Publishing Company for the then not inconsiderable sum of £34.50. I think it was the first ready to run engine...