25th July 2020

I saw this video a few days ago and had wanted to do a quick first observation blog about this but matters of employment have waylaid me :-( . Sooooo, the long awaited victor in the model railway marketplace when it comes to a high spec detailed Class 92, in the form of the Accurascales Class 92. This looks like it is going to be one impressive model. The growth of the electric model market is building a nice head of steam at present, following on from the Bachmann Class 90 and Hornby Class 87, this and also Heljan's forthcoming Class 86. I havent yet placed a pre-order on an Accurascales Class 92, largely, as i havent made up my mind on my first livery, i'm pretty much leaning towards the transitionary was EWS now DB triple grey Three Beasties livery, being a lover of liveries and often talking about this aspect of modelling as I do, i find it amusing that DB havent simply replaced the Beasties with a large DB logo, i would have done so, had i been in charge of liveries at DB, maybe, thats my calling, if it was, i would have the next non Grand Central liveried Class 90 into Malcolm Logistics and swoon with them to get a new contract to see our 90s floating back and forth up the West Coast Mainline as they have done in recent years. Anyway, rambling over, EWS three Beasties livery, now, in the hands of DB Cargo, and reflecting the wide variety, what i have come to call ''United colours of DB''

Now, following the above, I have learnt that GBRf have loaned DB several GBRf Class 92s to cover their workings, mainly on HS1 - added to the fact I was planning to have a contract for GBRf to maintain their Caledonian Sleeper electric fleet at Johnson Street IEMD, which would give greater credence for a GBRf Europorte Class 92 to be seen at Johnson Street, alongside an EWS and/or DB 92.  I am definitely envisaging the sound of the Dyson drowning out the sheds and the almost anomyously sounding Class 90s, which are the electric flagship of DB.

In addition to this and the above, one of DB's top men has advised Rail magazine that 90024 and 90030 were due to be returned to traffic, before the pandemic, this is brilliant news for the DB Class 90, which follows on nicely from them being used on the Blackpool-Euston Grand Central services due to now be starting in 2021, using 90026, 90029 and 90020 and we should soon be seeing 90039 and 90021 finding themselves on their way over to Toton for their turn into their new colours, what i have come to term ''Bumblebee'' livery. It will be great to see my favourite liveried Class 90, the DB Malcolm lieveried 90024 passing the Grand Central 90s on the West Coast mainline in the not so distant future, and another EWS, possibly ex-EWS liveried Class 90 returning to traffic as well, in the form of 90030, which hasnt been working since 2006. Reading this makes me feel inspired to do something creative with 90030, watch this space!!!