Class 20 314 HNRC Orange (DCC-Sound)

Class 20 314 HNRC Orange (DCC-Sound)

Details:

The Graham Farish Class 20/3 20314 in pristine Harry Needle Railroad Company (HNRC) Orange livery is a highly detailed N Scale model of one of the distinctive Class 20/3 locomotives created for Direct Rail Services. This SOUND FITTED model uses all-new tooling for the Class 20/3 bodyshell and solebars, accurately capturing the changes made to the prototype during its refurbishment. It features a Zimo MS590N18 DCC Sound Decoder, with sound files produced specifically for the Graham Farish Class 20 using recordings from real locomotives. A coreless twin-shaft motor with two flywheels, all-axle drive, electrical pickup from all wheels and a diecast metal chassis provide the detailed mechanism, complemented by working lighting and extensive separately applied detail.

The Graham Farish Class 20/3 features a coreless twin-shaft motor with two flywheels driving both bogies, all-axle drive, electrical pickup from all wheels and a diecast metal chassis block. The gearing is arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capabilities, while the 9mm N Gauge wheels conform to NEM310 standards and the bogie-mounted coupling pockets conform to NEM355 standards. Detailed features include precision-moulded rivets, panels and bodyside louvres, fully detailed bogies with suspension and brake components, separately fitted cab steps, sandboxes with metal sand pipes, buffers, solebar steps, front grab irons, battery boxes, tanks and chassis pipework. An etched roof fan grille, metal wire handrails and cab interior detailing add further realism. The model is also supplied with model-specific bufferbeam pipework and accessory parts.

The SOUND FITTED version has a pre-installed Zimo MS590N18 DCC Sound Decoder and speaker, with sound files produced specifically for the Graham Farish Class 20 using recordings from real locomotives. It operates on both DCC and analogue control as supplied. Working lighting includes the main headlight and tail lights at the cab end, plus working top marker lights at the cab and nose ends where fitted. The lighting can be switched on or off at either end using DCC or analogue control.

Features:

• Graham Farish N Scale Class 20/3
• Running number 20314 in pristine HNRC Orange livery
• SOUND FITTED with Zimo MS590N18 DCC Sound Decoder
• All-new Class 20/3 bodyshell and solebar tooling
• Multiple Working Jumper Sockets at Both Ends
• BMAC Light Clusters with High Level Marker Lights
• Drilled Bogie Equalising Beams
• Cab End Aerial

Measurements & Specs:

• Length: 104mm over couplings
• Minimum radius: 263.5mm (second radius)

Historical Background

The Class 20 was conceived as part of the British Railways Board's 1955 Modernisation Plan. Introduced as a pilot scheme design, the English Electric Type 1 proved highly successful and became BR's standard Type 1 diesel locomotive, with 228 examples built between 1957 and 1968. Primarily designed for freight work, the Class 20s also operated summer passenger services where train heating was not required. Their single-cab arrangement meant they were regularly operated in pairs, nose to nose, providing a combined 2,000hp for heavier freight trains.

Following the gradual withdrawal of the Class 20 fleet, Direct Rail Services was created in 1994 as part of British Nuclear Fuels Limited and acquired 15 locomotives from RFS, which had been using them for track-laying trains associated with the Channel Tunnel project. A refurbishment programme created the Class 20/3 sub-class. The first five locomotives, numbered 20301 to 20305, were refurbished by Brush at Loughborough and had entered traffic by 1996. In 1998, a further ten Class 20/3s were created by Wabtec at Doncaster, numbered 20306 to 20315. Unlike the first batch, these locomotives had multiple working jumper sockets at both ends and top marker lights at either end. A cab-end aerial was subsequently fitted to the second batch in the early 2000s, with the exception of 20302.

DRS used its Class 20/3 fleet on nuclear traffic, while the locomotives also worked freight, infrastructure and intermodal services, including the Milkliner trial in 1997. They were also employed on diverted passenger trains, charter services, route learning and Railhead Treatment Trains. By 2013, the first examples had been set aside as work reduced or replacements arrived. Two of the fleet were subsequently sold to Harry Needle Railroad Company and received a striking orange paint scheme before being hired to GBRf for the delivery of new London Underground trains from Derby to London. 20311 is represented by this Graham Farish model in its HNRC Orange livery.