Following a day trip to Ipswich docks as a thirteen year old trainspotter, it was inevitable that if I took up modelling a layout it was bound to include at least one Class 20 Diesel loco. The subsequent model layout evolved to its' present form and, although not noted on the Clacton line in earlier times, a "previously owned" Lima in 1950s livery joined my layout - D8041. It ran reasonably well on DC, but when fitted with a Lenz Silver decoder improved significantly. The fly in the ointment was my layout point arrangement which included up to four consecutive turnouts on one leg - the Lima Class 20 stuttered and stopped routinely. The answer, it seemed to me, would be to run two Class 20 Locos together, nose to nose. Then Hornby announced their Class 20 TTS and, despite the chassis number and livery, I ordered one. By this time my original ZTC 505 controller had expired in a big way, and I had acquired an ECoS controller - "consist" had become a keyword.

When the Hornby arrived the body was changed for D8041 and the decoder address changed to suit. Meanwhile, I had obtained a second "pre-owned" Lima Class 20 D8024, to which I fitted a Lenz decoder, and ran it on test. Not good, but it ran. The D8024 body was then switched to the old D8041 chassis, giving a good running Class 20 in the livery I wanted. Feeling that I was well on the way to achieving my "consist", I then fitted a stand-alone TTS Sound Decoder to D8024. Bingo, two Class 20 Diesels wth sound. The problem came with trying to speed match; there is a 30% speed difference for the same throttle setting - and no CV5 or CV6 on TTS. Re-fitting a Lenz decoder to the motor enabled speed control as required but, with the TTS wired for sound only, it was (to coin a phrase) mute. At the moment, the TTS decoder has been re-installed, and 4ohm 4watt resistors are on order in the hope that in-line connection with the motor will have the desired effect.