Hi all,

I'm so so new to all this, and actually know almost nothing about trains :S

I'm constructing my first layout, which is modern day, and essentially West Country-ish.

I suppose I'm initially after 3 locos - a passenger train, a freight train, and some perhaps something little and shunt-y

My main requirements are that (a) they're modern day, (b) they're either DCC-ready or very easy to convert!, and (c) if possible, West Country-ish.

Can anyone make any suggestions?  The only idea I have so far is the Graham Farish Class 57/3 57605 'Totnes Castle' First Great Western, but I don't even know too much about that!

Sorry to be so useless...

Well for modern as in fairly currentish some of that is easy

Class 66 (current Dapol one I would suggest - better mechanism, DCC socket, better detail). Just about all freight all over the UK is handled by these so that's easy enough - mostly by EWS and Freightliner ones. There are a few other locos handling some freight but the 66 is basically the universal "oh look yet another one" locomotive today.

Passemger is mostly going to be units. Depending upon the location and traffic volume that might be

Class 150 - two car unit. One of the first of the modern units. Nice recent Farish model.

Class 153 - single car unit used on small branches and the like. Current Dapol model.

Class 158 - two car units for the most part, turn up everywhere in the south part of the country for cross country and lighter services. Livery would depend on the lines - I'd guess First Great Western for the most part in the West Country, or perhaps South West Trains on the ex Southern Railway route from Waterloo to Exeter. Sometimes run in pairs. Farish have released this for years in different liveries, and a 3 car SWT version that is hard to find. Older model, no lights, no DCC socket.

Class 220/221 - Voyager (nowdays in Arriva livery) - mainstay of cross country services. Farish 220 is nice but has a rather low top speed, Dapol 221 is nice but you'll probably only find it second hand now. Original Dapol 220 is to be avoided IMHO.

HST - mainline express services. Farish do an older version, Dapol have a recent release but it's very hard to get the Dapol coaches and some still haven't been released.

Shunters are trickier. Current practice is to use whatever locomotive is to hand, even renting a loco from another company via the various "power by the hour" agreements between operators. So the class 66 is quite likely to be doing your shunting as well.

The 57/6s are pretty much only used for the Penzance-Paddington sleeper service.

So some of it depends upon the kind of line you are modelling and the space you have. The HST in full formation is quite long.

I'm so grateful - thank you so much. That's perfect, and was just what I needed!

Amazing the knowledge here.

Bit of a star turn is EP!



Dave G

I was about to post a request for details of the layout and maximum train length, but the window closed and there is no link to show New Posts (only Unread Posts)

Equally, it depends on your definition of modern image (as this covers seems to cover everything from BR to present day)
However, as you mentioned a FGW Class 57/6 I assume present day

Quote from: EtchedPixels on February 16, 2013, 08:57:40 PM
Well for modern as in fairly currentish some of that is easy

Class 66 (current Dapol one I would suggest - better mechanism, DCC socket, better detail). Just about all freight all over the UK is handled by these so that's easy enough - mostly by EWS and Freightliner ones. There are a few other locos handling some freight but the 66 is basically the universal "oh look yet another one" locomotive today.

Passemger is mostly going to be units. Depending upon the location and traffic volume that might be

Class 150 - two car unit. One of the first of the modern units. Nice recent Farish model.

Class 153 - single car unit used on small branches and the like. Current Dapol model.

Class 158 - two car units for the most part, turn up everywhere in the south part of the country for cross country and lighter services. Livery would depend on the lines - I'd guess First Great Western for the most part in the West Country, or perhaps South West Trains on the ex Southern Railway route from Waterloo to Exeter. Sometimes run in pairs. Farish have released this for years in different liveries, and a 3 car SWT version that is hard to find. Older model, no lights, no DCC socket.

Class 220/221 - Voyager (nowdays in Arriva livery) - mainstay of cross country services. Farish 220 is nice but has a rather low top speed, Dapol 221 is nice but you'll probably only find it second hand now. Original Dapol 220 is to be avoided IMHO.

HST - mainline express services. Farish do an older version, Dapol have a recent release but it's very hard to get the Dapol coaches and some still haven't been released.

Shunters are trickier. Current practice is to use whatever locomotive is to hand, even renting a loco from another company via the various "power by the hour" agreements between operators. So the class 66 is quite likely to be doing your shunting as well.

The 57/6s are pretty much only used for the Penzance-Paddington sleeper service.

So some of it depends upon the kind of line you are modelling and the space you have. The HST in full formation is quite long.

The Farish Voyagers (Virgin and Cross Country) are four car and very nice models. As EP says, top speed is slow (85 mph)

In addition there are the 170/171 Turbostars. Farish SWT 170 does appear on eBay from time to time, a Southern 171 less so. Need to watch for split gears and there are no lights. A SWT Turbostar used to appear on the Exeter route now it is 158/9s as EP says. It is almost impossible to connect two Farish Turbostars together though. Farish currently produce a Turbostar in Cross Country livery

There is a Dapol HST in Cross Country but you may need to ensure that the lights work before purchasing as there have been some with a duff batch of lights

Then there is the Blue Pullman!

If you are going sparky, then the options are fewer for current day UK multiple units. Farish Desiro in London Midland and Kato Eurostar (1:160 scale)

Yes, modern day is what I'm aiming for.  West Country-ish.  With cows.  Very important.  There must be cows.

Part of the track is a loop on a 4 x 2 board so inevitably (though I'm trying to minimise it) will involve some curves on the tighter side, and some gradients.  Frankly, I'm pushing my luck...

So, to get me started, I think the recent Farish 150 looks good (though, if I've got this right, it isn't available separately - I need to get one 2nd hand or find a friendly retailer who will split it?  But there seem a few around...)

On the freight side, a Dapol Class 66 will do nicely.  I suppose there might be thread to look forwards to regarding modern day freight trucks, but that'll wait til manana.

I think the nature of the curves might make the cross country/long carriages and models a bit untenable?  But I don't know, and it would be good.

I think if I come across one, I'd like to chuck a Class 08 on there.  Wikipedia suggests there are perhaps 100 still working in various contexts, and I just love them, even if it's not perfect for the layout (though not absolutely and clearly wrong..?).  They must be a bit fiddly to convert to DCC, though?

Then the next will be the class 153.

Perfect.  Thanks to you all.  I love it when a plan comes together... 

don't forget a class 37, still hammering up and down the main line at the back of my work, yesterday saw two ews class running light back towards Exeter

Hello fellow Bristolian ! 

Just to help you with the 08 plan... St Phillips marsh have an 08 in FGW colours and there was a EWS 08 in Avonmouth yard (saw it last year).

67's do appear quite often around here, a few years ago they had them top and tailing 4x mk2 coaches in blue &grey livery due to a DMU shortage - nice short modern train for you !

I am not sure if its still there but First GW had an 08 at Penzance, certainly until at least 2006.

Dodger

Quote from: Reptile Smile on February 17, 2013, 09:45:30 AM
Yes, modern day is what I'm aiming for.  West Country-ish.  With cows.  Very important.  There must be cows.

Ah yes - many cows are train spotters too if you watch them - the sheep run and hide but the cows often hang over the fence train watching.

Quote
So, to get me started, I think the recent Farish 150 looks good (though, if I've got this right, it isn't available separately - I need to get one 2nd hand or find a friendly retailer who will split it?  But there seem a few around...)

One version in regional railways livery (1980s) was only in a set, the others come as just the two vehicles in train packs.

Quote
I think the nature of the curves might make the cross country/long carriages and models a bit untenable?  But I don't know, and it would be good.

The voyager does 9" curves. At four coaches it may be about the limit for a 4x2 layout. Probably worth measuring one and seeing how it would look.

Quote
I think if I come across one, I'd like to chuck a Class 08 on there.  Wikipedia suggests there are perhaps 100 still working in various contexts, and I just love them, even if it's not perfect for the layout (though not absolutely and clearly wrong..?).  They must be a bit fiddly to convert to DCC, though?

Surprisingly not hard. You need a very thin decoder but providing you use a thin decoder the connections are easy to make and it just sits in the space above the chassis.

Alan

Hey Reptile Smile from another Bristolian!

I agree with all the advice given on here so far, and my layout (Filton TMD) has examples of all of the locos mentioned here (except the HST, which I own but would not fit!).

Just a word on the EWS 67s. I wanted to re-create something I used to see a lot at Temple Meads, namely two 67s running around together either not doing much or double heading parcels stock (RES GUVs). So I have a powered 67 and a Dummy one to do this. Trouble is the Dummy really hates 1st radius curves, so it comes off all the time :-(.

I am told the Dummy 66 are the same, so I would bare that in mind if you wanted to pursue that model opportunity.

My favorite of the multiple units is the regional rail 150. As EP says, you can get one outside a train set, but only the 150/2 version with end corridor connections. I prefer that one, so it runs on my layout, but if you prefer the 150/1 then that will need to be split from a set (or just a set picked up cheap).

I wish you good luck with your layout and do ask questions, very clever chaps on here :-)

Skyline2uk

there is a fgw 08 based at Laira still although its not the best paint job I have ever seen, will try and get a picture