Last year I started going into sound fitted locos in a big way, starting with buying a Bachmann 47 using some of my Xmas money.

This has been a rapidly developing theme and I decided from the outset to only equip a small number of my fleet due to its cost.

I see the most expensive part, the hardware, as buying the chips and speakers, because the ESU chips can be reblown as often, now as little as a tenner plus postage, as needed, bearing how fragile some of the wires and challenges with installation.

I'm not afraid, within reason, to switch chips between locos, to meet changing wishes and requirements. Tonight I transplanted an Olivia's Trains DMU chip and speaker from my Hornby blue/grey 101 unit to my Bachmann green 108 3-car unit in order to provide company with my Hornby Black 5 (45377)

The night before I transplanted one of my class 37 chips and speaker into my 4CEP unit so I could arrange to reblow it with EMU sounds as I remember them from my youth down south. Once my Hampshire unit arrives from Kernow next year, I'll redeploy and reblow another sound chip from my existing fleet, don't know which one yet until nearer the time, again to relive childhood memories.

You could argue that this is all just a novelty but for me it gives a fourth dimension to my hobby.