Class 59 in 00

[mevaman1]

I want to model 59001.  Does anyone produce a bell and housing?  I see that TMC do one for 66779 but it’s pretty pricey.

[Roddy Angus]

How about these?

 

https://www.track3drailwayparts.store/products/class-59-66-bell

 

Roddy

[mevaman1]

On 09/04/2023 at 07:52, Roddy Angus said:

How about these?

 

https://www.track3drailwayparts.store/products/class-59-66-bell

 

Roddy

Hi Roddy

 

Thanks so much for this link.  Duly ordered.

 

Best regards,

 

Andrew

[16csvt]

Yo, on DC my 59s work well, low speed is satisfactory. But on DCC with the Imperium 1 installed they just zoom off! Light speed!

 

I was using the Bachmann EZ system (which I love for its simplicity) but I was unable to write the CVs so I’ve purchased a Dynamis (which I don’t like at all!) and I’ve reset the chip and manually inserted the CVs to the values on the locomotives instructions.

 

I’ve also had a play with the speed steps ect. If I put CV3 (acceleration) to 15 or greater it starts off nice and slow but within a few feet it progressively reaches quite a speed, all while on power notch one! So that’s really quite unsatisfactory.

 

I have Imperium 1 chips in other locos and they function quite well at low speed (but if they derail on points and short the system they take hours to cool off, during which time the loco remains disabled, which I find a bit frustrating!)

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[70000 Britannia]

From a system perspective, you might wish to install a circuit breaker.

[16csvt]

3 hours ago, 70000 Britannia said:

From a system perspective, you might wish to install a circuit breaker.

I think that’s already included in the system as it automatically suspends operation whenever there’s a short, even the EZ did that.

[70000 Britannia]

Hi folks, I appreciate this is at a tangent to the model.

 

I am planning to travel from Lancashire down to Westbury to watch the real McCoy.  Can anyone give me an idea of which are the busiest week day(s) to see movements going through Westbury?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

[Revolution Mike B]

1 hour ago, 70000 Britannia said:

Hi folks, I appreciate this is at a tangent to the model.

 

I am planning to travel from Lancashire down to Westbury to watch the real McCoy.  Can anyone give me an idea of which are the busiest week day(s) to see movements going through Westbury?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

It’s all a bit hit and miss now that Freightliner own the 59s and they don’t have a depot at Westbury. Quite a few of the stone trains are now using the avoiding line. 

[Steadfast]

Just now, Revolution Mike B said:

1 hour ago, 70000 Britannia said:

Hi folks, I appreciate this is at a tangent to the model.

 

I am planning to travel from Lancashire down to Westbury to watch the real McCoy.  Can anyone give me an idea of which are the busiest week day(s) to see movements going through Westbury?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

Expand  

It’s all a bit hit and miss now that Freightliner own the 59s and they don’t have a depot at Westbury. Quite a few of the stone trains are now using the avoiding line.

Theres no particular week day that's best, every week day has a number of trains but as Mike said quite a few go round the avoider. Also you never know what FL might drop a 66 on vice 59. Best bet to see them is to head to either Fairwood Jn or Berkley (both between Westbury and Clink Road Jn). Most 59s will head up the B&H so locations such as Crofton and Bedwyn can be good, however the odd few will go via Swindon to places like Bassett and Appleford.

 

Jo

[Roy Langridge]

I see 59s working around Acton every time I am there if Westbury isn’t a must. 
 

Roy

[70000 Britannia]

Many thanks for your responses Mike, Jo, and Roy.  That's all useful to know.

 

I assume the avoider is the track south/south-east of Westbury station, that passes Amazon Way.

 

Dave

[Steadfast]

1 hour ago, 70000 Britannia said:

Many thanks for your responses Mike, Jo, and Roy.  That's all useful to know.

 

I assume the avoider is the track south/south-east of Westbury station, that passes Amazon Way.

 

Dave

Correct. I had no idea the new estate was Amazon Way. The avoider splits at Fairwood Jn, and rejoins at Heywood Road Jn (and vice versa in the Down direction).

 

Here's the bridge at  Fairwood, decent views of all directions, and opentraintimes.com map for Westbury helps you see what line stuff is coming from.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3RXmAF6VnpyMrJY88

Pics all taken from the bridge linked on Google (all pics linked from Flickr.)

Avoider, heading back to the quarries:

Heading into Westbury 

 

Coming out of Westbury 

 

Hope that gives a flavour

 

Jo

[70000 Britannia]

9 hours ago, Steadfast said:

Correct. I had no idea the new estate was Amazon Way. The avoider splits at Fairwood Jn, and rejoins at Heywood Road Jn (and vice versa in the Down direction).

 

Here's the bridge at  Fairwood, decent views of all directions, and opentraintimes.com map for Westbury helps you see what line stuff is coming from.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3RXmAF6VnpyMrJY88

Pics all taken from the bridge linked on Google (all pics linked from Flickr.)

Avoider, heading back to the quarries:

Heading into Westbury 

 

Coming out of Westbury 

 

Hope that gives a flavour

 

Jo

 

Absolutely Excellent!

 

Dave

[adb968008]

On 20/04/2023 at 16:35, 70000 Britannia said:

Hi folks, I appreciate this is at a tangent to the model.

 

I am planning to travel from Lancashire down to Westbury to watch the real McCoy.  Can anyone give me an idea of which are the busiest week day(s) to see movements going through Westbury?

 

Thanks,

 

Dave

 

this ones your man, often double headed on a mondays, ive seen it with a 3rd 59 in the middle before now.

 

7A09 45mph, 4800 tons, I think is pathed as the heaviest UK train.
 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H36114/2023-04-24/detailed
 

Splits into 2 or 3 at Acton, usually one of them takes a 59 to Purley, Ardingley or Crawley.

 

the GWML beyond Reading towards Acton usually isnt a bad shout for viewing 59’s in a morning, returning evening… with the current works on the Oxford line theres quite a bit more diverted GWML freight currently, I like Langley or West Drayton myself.

Edited April 21, 2023 by adb968008

[97403_Ixion]

Worth a look on Google Maps at the moment - around Fairwood junction the 'main road' passes over the two branches from Fairwood Junction... one bridge has a Yeoman train passing underneath it and from the other bridge (or nearby field) you can see another Yeoman (with AI 59) on the other branch!

 

Cheers,

Ixion.

[Peter Kazmierczak]

Probably just subjective, but it feels like there are fewer 59s around Westbury at the moment. 
It's also worth heading out to Whatley, to see what's "on shed" at the depot there.

[70000 Britannia]

23 hours ago, adb968008 said:

 

this ones your man, often double headed on a mondays, ive seen it with a 3rd 59 in the middle before now.

 

7A09 45mph, 4800 tons, I think is pathed as the heaviest UK train.
 

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:H36114/2023-04-24/detailed
 

Splits into 2 or 3 at Acton, usually one of them takes a 59 to Purley, Ardingley or Crawley.

 

the GWML beyond Reading towards Acton usually isnt a bad shout for viewing 59’s in a morning, returning evening… with the current works on the Oxford line theres quite a bit more diverted GWML freight currently, I like Langley or West Drayton myself.

 

Thanks for that info. The 4800 ton load would be a cracker, and would be worth the trip down there, in its own right.

 

Thanks again also, to everyone who has given me some pointers.

 

Dave

Edited April 22, 2023 by 70000 Britannia
Addendum

[adb968008]

As an fyi, on GWML freight, this is what Slough looks like tomorrow

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/detailed/gb-nr:SLO/2023-04-24/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt&toc=ZZ

 

theres usually a heavy concentration of freight between 0930 and Noon, usually a mix of Stone, HS2 construction and Containers,  6N01 will give a DCR 60, diet of 59,66,70 mostly.

 

Edited April 23, 2023 by adb968008

[70000 Britannia]

Thanks for all the comments guys.  I managed to spend 5 hours at Westbury last week.  Plenty of 66s and 70s during that time.  I hadn't realised there would be such activity in the Westbury yards itself.  Anyway, after 4+ hours, it looked like my hope for a 59 was going to be thwarted. There was not a lot of activity on the avoider tracks. Then .. the 14:06, 6L21 Fhh Whatley Quarry to Dagenham Dock A.R.C with 42 wagons @ 4400 tonnes arrived hauled by 59201 + 59103.

 

Absolutely made my day. Thanks.

Dave

 

Edited May 25, 2023 by 70000 Britannia

[7013]

I have just bought a 59, and fitted it with a sound decoder ( LegomanBiffo), all went well. My only problem with the loco is, when I open the throttle it takes about 30 seconds to move away. Is there a way of tweaking the CVS to make it move off a bit quicker? Any help would be appreciated.

[Oulton TMD]

It's the way biff does his sound files it will only do that the first time it moves after starting the engine.  Something like releasing the hand brake-willing to be corrected !   Biff can advise if it can be altered  by cv  but i  think its part of the sound file. His 37 do it as well.  Can be annoying  if you have a lot of shorts and the engine has to restart. 

[Pmorgancym]

In case no one had seen, DC 59s are currently in the Hattons for the same ballpark price as the Horny Railroad version 

[Hroth]

Hattons also had the DCC/Smoke version for just over the ton, but they've all gone now..

 

[Pmorgancym]

Missed  that,  but I couldn't resist a DC one for under 80quid.  Have no need for one but....

[No Decorum]

I think it’s significant that the smoke versions hung around to be discounted whilst the sound versions sold out rapidly. For my part, I wish Dapol would produce the pioneer of the class. “Wish” – oops!