Silver Sidelines

Two Bachmann Class 37s produced around 2004 According to Mick Parker’s splendid new Class 37 web site  https://www.class37.co.uk/fleet.aspx?strnumber=37676 my D6707 was outshopped in 1961 and spent its early life allocated to March.   D6826 was a later design without gangway end doors and was outshopped in 1963.   It was first allocated to Cardiff Canton.   Although outside of my layout period it was reported as being based in the north east of England between 1966 and 1969. Two Bachmann Class 37s, note the blue BR WR route availability symbol on D6826 These Bachmann models date from 2004.   They were unused and would have been ‘resting’ in their packing for around 15 years.   Not surprisingly when placed on the track they were rather reluctant to move. In one case the motor was dead.   There was an oily residue in the packaging and I surmised that the brushes might be gummed to the commutator.   I dropped one of the bo...

The English Electric Deltic has long been popular with railway enthusiasts. It was a hugely powerful locomotive with a particularly evocative exhaust note, characteristic of its 18 cylinder two – stroke diesel engines. Production units began to appear in 1961 and ran initially in two tone green livery without names or yellow warning panels. D9002 – without name and warning panels 1961 It was about this time that I was ceasing to collect engine numbers. Notes inside the rear cover of my Ian Allan ABC book shows that I ‘spotted’ D9003 and D9004. From memory, I saw these locomotives speeding past the outside of Darlington Station on the ‘non-stop’. Train Spotting in 1961 The availability of some good quality old Bachmann models has prompted me to add to and reorganise my fleet of Deltics. There is a view below of my models of D9003 and D9004 with names and small yellow warning panels as running perhaps as early as 1962. Early model Bachmann...