Hi
I would like to add a DMU to my layout of the type I used to travel to school on every day from Radyr to Llandaff in the 1960s - see photo. As I am not familiar with DUMs can anyone ID the type in the photo and tell me if this type is/was available in N Gauge please? The only types in N Gauge I've found so far have Yellow Panels on the front and look a little different?
(http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll102/avro626/1962LlandaffDMU_zps7ddf86da.jpg)
From the front it looks remarkably similar to this Class 108 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_108):
(http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3f/56208_and_51935_at_Bewdley.JPG/320px-56208_and_51935_at_Bewdley.JPG)
but the one in your photo looks like "high density" stock (the kind with lots of slam doors) which would very probably make it a Class 116 (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Rail_Class_116). Also, from the linked Wikipedia page: "These units were originally ordered for use on suburban and local services in the Birmingham area, but many found their way to other areas such as South Wales."
I have no idea about availability in N.
I agree with railsquid, it is probably a class 116. No-one currently makes one of these ready-to-run in N, although I suspect if one was made it would sell very well given how widespread and long-lived the class was.
The Graham Farish class 108 has a similar "face" but the door layout is wrong, however I'm running a class 108 on my layout as a substitute for the 116. From memory, there are 2 and 3 car sets and units with speed whiskers like the example in your photo and the later yellow warning panels. It looks like a run of 2 car 108 units with small yellow panels is in the pipeline but other types aren't showing on the Bachmann website, so you'll have to find a second hand one.
The other thing that is similar to the 116 is the Dapol class 121 "bubblecar". I believe the 121 was essentially a single car version of the 116 with a driving cab at each end. Again, green ones sell out quickly and while I believe Dapol has promised that more are on the way I wouldn't want to put money on when they will arrive.
I'd go for the 108. I have one - great runner and extremely reliable.
Quote from: port perran on September 06, 2014, 08:53:36 PM
I'd go for the 108. I have one - great runner and extremely reliable.
Thanks for that, do you have a part no. for the 108 you have please?
I have 2 of them. Part numbers are
371-875
371-875A
Hi Dapol 122/121 are nice models as well.. I am told Dapol have info for making a 3 car set , I have started at massive cut and shut project to do a blue 117 so hopefully Dapol will announce one when mine nearly finshed !
Robert