Bachmann Derby Lightweight

[Guest Max Stafford]

Thanks to 60162 from these parts too. I've run out of 'like' clicks for the day!

 

Dave.

[Pannier Tank]

I do hope the two single cars come out .I travelled on them regularly between Oxford and Bletchley in my train spotting days --When they worked

 

M79900 /01 mainly worked the Bletchley to Buckingham / Banbury Services, fairly rare working into Oxford. We did have some Derby Lightweight Twins that worked the Oxford to Cambridge Services prior to withdrawal of the Oxford to Bletchley and Bedford to Cambridge Services.

[stewartingram]

 

M79900 /01 mainly worked the Bletchley to Buckingham / Banbury Services, fairly rare working into Oxford. We did have some Derby Lightweight Twins that worked the Oxford to Cambridge Services prior to withdrawal of the Oxford to Bletchley and Bedford to Cambridge Services.

 

M79900/1 certainly worked to Cambridge, saw them there a number of times. Towards the end of the latter period of the line, a small number of DLW units were used that were "de-motored" into trailers too.

 

Stewart

[Pennine MC]

 

. We did have some Derby Lightweight Twins that worked the Oxford to Cambridge Services prior to withdrawal of the Oxford to Bletchley and Bedford to Cambridge Services.

 

At the mo I'm making a pretty half hearted attempt to assess which DLW units it was that were transferred to this use to replace the 108s; I think it is recorded in the appropriate Railway Observer, but obviously I'm trying to work out if the later Bachy release is suitable

['CHARD]

Thanks to 60162 from these parts too. I've run out of 'like' clicks for the day!

 

Dave.

I can only respond to that with a 'Me too' post.

 

LOL

[Brian Kirby]

So, if there is a different brake van arrangement, is the GSYP version on the way appropriate for a mid-'60s Carlisle unit?

 

Dave.

 

Not as originally delivered, but about a dozen of the later sets first allocated to Birmingham Monument Lane, were re-allocated to Carlisle in the early 60s and retrospectively fitted with door window safety bars ( for Whitehaven Tunnel ). So yes, the forthcoming Bachmann GSYP would be suitable for the 1960s Lake District scene, the mix was roughly 50/50 with the original West Cumberland sets and some were inter-mixed at various times.

 

Cheers, Brian.

[Pixie]

An odd but I hope a very helpful request from me!

 

Could some with one of these and a set of calipers please give me the diameter of the two MU cable sockets on the front please?

 

It'll be very much appreciated!

 

Thanks,

 

Pix

[Saint Johnstoun]

Of course the sad thing was that the Waverley route closed in January 1969 and I wonder which units did actually run up it?

['CHARD]

I'll do the maths and stats over on the blog at some point, St J. Based on the diagrams and number of events that drives, I'd say a pretty healthy proportion passed through Riccarton Jct.

 

I stupidly forgot that I had already checked the allox history of the whole DLW family, and the Monument Lane exiles did work out of 12B, thus ensuring that the imminent later body style GSYP and BFYE releases from Barwell are WR-compatible.

 

I could maybe justify a third, early type with speedwhiskers with SYP applied over.

[Poggy1165]

Heck I must be ill as I am feeling quite tempted. I recall these things in the Manchester area and North Wales and they are about the one DMU I really like/liked. These would fit very nicely on a Manchester area layout with a nice mix of BR/LMS/LNER/Midland/GC steam. Something like Rose Hill as it was about 1958 or so would be a lovely prototype.

 

Resist - resist - resist.

[Pannier Tank]

 

At the mo I'm making a pretty half hearted attempt to assess which DLW units it was that were transferred to this use to replace the 108s; I think it is recorded in the appropriate Railway Observer, but obviously I'm trying to work out if the later Bachy release is suitable

 

I have at least 79133,135,136,184 & 79633,634,635,663,672 shown in my Spotting Days as been seen at Bletchley. No doubt there may be more? If 79134 was also at 1E/BY then that makes 5 sets which is probably about right?

[Pannier Tank]

 

M79900/1 certainly worked to Cambridge, saw them there a number of times. Towards the end of the latter period of the line, a small number of DLW units were used that were "de-motored" into trailers too.

 

Stewart

I'm sure they would have made it to Oxford & Cambridge after the Buckingham Branch closed in 1964. I have a picture somewhere of a single unit 79900 or 79901 coupled with a Derby Lightweight Trailer on the Bedford Branch.

[richard hines]

If anyone is interested,they also worked the Nottingham Victoria to Grantham Service from pretty well their introduction.

[BrushVeteran]

I'm sure they would have made it to Oxford & Cambridge after the Buckingham Branch closed in 1964. I have a picture somewhere of a single unit 79900 or 79901 coupled with a Derby Lightweight Trailer on the Bedford Branch.

They were fairly regular in Oxford either on their own or towing a trailer car. I wish now that I had photographed them! I do have two DC kits to build when I retire!

[Brian Kirby]

I know these units are very confusing, but this may help explain the main types and differences more clearly:-

 

1/ 1954 Leeds-Bradford Hydraulic with large window towards guard's van (DMBS E79000-79007, DMC E79500-79507)All withdrawn in 1964.

 

2/ 1954/55 West Cumberland Mechanical - 61 seat DMBS with large window towards guard's van M79008-20 + DTC M79600-12 ( as depicted by all-green Bachmann 32-516 ). Later DMBS 79018 + DTC 79612 became the "Ultrasonic Test Train".

 

3/ 1955 ER Mechanical - 56 seat DMBS with two small windows towards guard's van ( one window is in guard's section ) E79021-46 + DTC E79613-25 and then E79250-62.

 

4/ 1955/56 ER and LMR -52 seat DMBS with two small windows towards guard's van ( both windows are now within the guard's section ) 79118-149 + 79169-79181, plus DTC 79639-79669 + 79670-79684 ( The next two Bachmann issue should match either type 3 or 4. )

 

5/ 1955 NER 4-car units, five in total.

 

6/ 1956 LMR Power Twins - DMBS M79184-88 + DMC M79189-93.

 

7/ 1956 LMR Single Unit - with large window towards guard's van - M79900. Later became Test Car "Iris".

 

8/ 1956 LMR Single Unit - with one small window towards guard's van - M79901.

 

9/ 1956-8? ScR 2-car Battery Unit - with two small windows towards guard's van - ScR 79998 + 79999.

 

Hope this is of help.

 

Cheers, Brian.

[AJ427]

I know these units are very confusing, but this may help explain the main types and differences more clearly:-

 

1/ 1954 Leeds-Bradford Hydraulic with large window towards guard's van (DMBS E79000-79007, DTC E79500-79507)All withdrawn in 1964.

 

2/ 1954/55 West Cumberland Mechanical - 61 seat DMBS with large window towards guard's van M79008-20 + DTC M79600-12 ( as depicted by all-green Bachmann 32-516 ). Later DMBS 79018 + DTC 79612 became the "Ultrasonic Test Train".

 

Hope this is of help.

 

Cheers, Brian.

 

They are very confusing (a mine field to the unwary) but that does help. So what exactly is the cosmetic difference between 1 and 2?

[Brian Kirby]

Hi Andrew,

The bodies of the West Riding ( Leeds-Bradford ) and the West Cumberland sets were very similar, the cab end detail and possibly the roof detail differed though. The biggest difference is on the engines and transmissions, the Leeds-Bradford were hydraulic with Leyland engines and torque converters, whereas the Cumberland and the rest of the fleet, adopted the GWR arrangement of AEC engines and mechanical transmission. It should be possible to create a hydraulic set from a Bachmann Cumberland set ( 32-516 ).

 

Cheers, Brian.

[Pennine MC]

3/ 1955 ER Mechanical - 56 seat DMBS with two small windows towards guard's van ( one window is in guard's section )...

 

4/ 1955/56 ER and LMR -52 seat DMBS with two small windows towards guard's van ( both windows are now within the guard's section )

 

 

...( The next two Bachmann issue should match either type 3 or 4. )

 

So if I'm reading this right in connection with StJ's drawing, the windows are in the same place on these two batches, but what's behind them is different, yep? (i.e. the type 4 has a bigger van section)?

[Brian Kirby]

Behind the large window, towards the guard's van on a Cumberland set, would be an extra 9 seats. This would give a total of 61 seats in the DMBS, which i believe was the same on the West Riding sets. The guard's van section was quite small. The first ER types ( my type 3 ) had 56 seats ( one row less ), hence the change to two small windows, one window now occupied the slightly larger guard's van. Next came the 52-seat DMBS versions ( my type 4 ), which had an even larger guard's van, now using both small windows.

 

With the Bachmann DLW, the various seating patterns are rather academic, since their large motor block casting occupies the space where the rearmost seats should be. It even impinges on the rear row of the 52-seat versions.

 

Cheers, Brian.

[Pennine MC]

 

With the Bachmann DLW, the various seating patterns are rather academic, since their large motor block casting occupies the space where the rearmost seats should be. It even impinges on the rear row of the 52-seat versions.

 

Well, that kinda makes an advantage out of a disadvantage, if you know what I mean Cheers Brian.

[Pennine MC]

 

I have at least 79133,135,136,184 & 79633,634,635,663,672 shown in my Spotting Days as been seen at Bletchley. No doubt there may be more? If 79134 was also at 1E/BY then that makes 5 sets which is probably about right?

 

Thanks David, I shall note those in case the RO doesnt go into detail

[Pannier Tank]

 

Thanks David, I shall note those in case the RO doesnt go into detail

 

I'd be interested to know if you find any allocation dates for the 1E / BY examples. They were certainly here before the Oxford Branch shut, so maybe 1965/6.

[John M Upton]

Definitely getting a BFYE version for conversion into the Ultrasonic Test Train then!!

[Brian Kirby]

Definitely getting a BFYE version for conversion into the Ultrasonic Test Train then!!

 

No, don't do that John, the BlueFullYellowEnd version has the later guard's van windows, so it would be wrong. If you want to create the "Ultrasonic Test Train", you'll need to base it on the current Cumberland set ( 32-516 ) in green WITH THE LARGE EXTRA WINDOW ( my type 2 ), blanking off a couple of windows and repainting it blue.

 

Cheers, Brian.

[resin001]

Ref DCC conversion and a 6 pin decoder socket in the trailer - what decoders are recommended - will a TCS EUN651 direct decoder fit or will I need a decoder with harness - can you get 6 pin function only decoders ?

 

Note : Bachmann web site now confirms the Derby Lightweight requires an 8 and 6 pin decoder combination

 

Thanks

Bob