OK now here's a thing. Not a big thing, but a thing non the less (I'll Kill bloody Uma Thurman).

One of my particular pet hates are model Loco motors that in operation sound like they are just slowly grinding themselves to death, or at best could be described as sounding like a manic "Kenwood Chef" hell bent on self destruction. Audible noise seems to be directly proportional to lack of motive power in those models whose noise level exceeds a calm murmur it would seem. I can cope with a slight variation from the true, in visual terms or even the odd omission of certain body details. But no matter how worthy a model may look, if it sounds in any way agricultural then it won't stay long with me.

Now my particular era of modelling interest falls between 1987 and 1997, though to be fair it's spilt over the edges quite a bit and has now crept towards 2000 (those darned pesky manufacturers making so much enticing stuff).

One of my preferred formations, is a Virgin, Class 90 hauling a combination of Mk3 and Mk2 passenger stock and I would almost be content to a greater degree (once I get around to improving couplings and some body details on the coaches). If it where not for the fact that the Hornby class 90 Locomotive is, in all fairness..... pretty appalling. Well i managed to sort out the body issues to my own reasonable satisfaction, but even after replacing the three pole motor armature with a five pole one and the installation of Lenz Silver de-coder (which makes a big difference). My delicate aural sensibilities where still mightily offended.

What was needed was a new motor, preferably with twin bogie drive. The obvious first visit was to that body of work created by the venerable Jim Smith (is that a choir of Angles I can hear in unison at the mention of his name). Now I recalled Jim had done some sterling work in the area of open heart surgery cross breeding a Bachmann Western with a Lima 87. 87? three more clicks and I'd have a 90!!!!!!

Well Looking at the task in hand etc etc etc. It seemed quite an uphill task to find the right bogies etc etc etc. There had to be another way.

Now I had heard mutterings of a potential modelling fix in the past and a little investigation proved fruitful....... Yes a plan was forming..... and it might just work.

It would seem that back in the late 80's British Rail had looked deep into the future and realised that some day hence a poor lowly modeller like me, would need to come up with something to power his rake of Mk3's and Mk2's coupled to a sickly Class 90. So the development of the class 158 was born. Now the more learned may tell you that the 158 was born out of a need to replace ageing DMU commuter stock and at the same time improve scheduling and passenger comfort. But I like to think that somewhere back there. Someone realised that a manufacturer would make a model of the 158, so that in turn I could turn it into........... A MK3 SHUNTER!!!!!

Well the real 158 is based around the MK3 coach. So it seemed a simple thought to take a Bach'y 158 motor chassis with all the qualities I am looking for and slip it into a MK3 body. Put it behind the loco so that it pushes but pulls the rest of the rake!!!.... Where's Ebay and me tube of superglue!!