Johnson Street IEMD

8th February 2020 Today saw the second Bachmann 90 (90034) sound fitted and also the first run out of DB 90 number three, 90024 on a flying lap of the Topp Trains test track, trust my phone to die in the recording of this it's going to be sooooo much better with DCC sound, which it will have in about two or three weeks time. 90034 had been having some teething issues a few times back whilst on a run out at Rose Heath but I understand these to have been cured and with her now sound fitted also, my man in the know is going to help me to configure a consist set up for operations out of Johnson Street, DB 90's will still work in singular form also, on ECML, GEML and GWML supporting works and will be back and forth from Johnson Street. In addition to the 90s, there will also be operations of 60s, 66s and 67s.

Hi Scott, Check my latest blog Kat @johnsonstreetIEMD

Bachmann DB 90024 in Malcolm Rail This evening, I had to pinch myself a further time. The Bachmann Class 90, reliveried by some bright spark, yes, a ha, no pun intended (sparky wires... ) ... connected to Olivia's Trains. Ever since the Bachmann Class 90 was announced, and with modelling modern electric as I am, this livery was something i was looking forward to seeing. I had sometime ago chosen to focus my efforts around EWS and the transition into DBS/DBC. Class 90s have been operating on the West Coast since the early 1990s and in my time being back in the hobby, wearing their DB and EWS colours and also regularly rolling past my house, so why DB, well, they took over EWS and EWS had been operating 86, 90 and 92 electrics, so one could say a varied electrics fleet. Plus, the 90s regularly roll past my house and ever since seeing the Class 90, this was the locomotive that I followed, there is something about it, that floats my boat, in the same way, the flying Scotsman does for others, including my partner. The Malcolm Rail 90, unlike the other DB class 90 liveries of EWS and DBS/DBC with its Scottish Highlands landscape projected onto the flank of the locomotive, similar to some of the lorries that Corgi do, with different highlands scenes is truly inspirational '' Greener Cleaner Logistics Services'' ... not only getting lorries off the road and onto the railways, but utilising the ever growing electric network with the various electric traction. So, onto the model, with what can only be described as a various distinctive livery, similar in that respect to the Freightliner Powerhaul Class 90. The application of the livery has been done to a high standard and is probably one of the best pro-reliveries I have handled, and I have handled one or two (more like a dozen from different reliveriers), in the short period of time I have been back in the hobby. If one is to be critical of the work done, it may be a fair observation that there is a blemish or two on the yellow nose sections, which make it less than perfect, and the work of such is at a premium over the standard price of a locomotive, but this is only natural, no one is going to undertake such works for free, are they? ...

I'm glad all you naysayers said nay lol... as this means I've got to snap up my favourite class member. I have just updated my space on here.... ''Newsflash ''90024 joins the pool of 90s at Johnson Street IEMD " and i have a sound chip waiting for it once it lands too..

31st January 2020 It's the Stafford railway exhibition this weekend and so far my Bachmann 90 reveals seem to have happened on weekends where others are having happy times modelling too, which is nice, for everyone. The first of these being on the days leading up to Warley last year. Recently I had been coming to terms with not seeing anything new from Bachmann this year in the form of any EWS or DB Schenker/DB Cargo era (Era 10 and 11) liveried locos, we saw them debut in RfD, Inter City Swallow and Freightliner Powerhaul and a few weeks back, it was revealed that the fourth Bachmann 90 would be the Belgian promotional livery from the 1990's when there were three continental liveries back in the BR days. Not being content with waiting for Bachmann to do a relevant liveried 90, I had pressed on with sourcing such a loco through an expert reliverier, it was my intention initially for one, which after some deliberation, was going to be 90034 in ex-DRS DB, this livery is one of my four main favourites in the DB Cargo era, those being 90024, 90028, 90034 and 90037. 90034 is very simple, in what was the DRS blue from when 90034 was loaned in the days before DRS acquired the Class 88's, and with 90034 returning to DB, and the DRS branding removed and DB logos on the nose and at opposite cab ends. My one number favourite is 90024 in Malcolm Logistics, but it initially seemed like an impossibility to do this one, so i thought I would source the more simplistic liveries first and then maybe Bachmann would catch up with 90024 etc. Soo... with 90034 coming along nicely in the paint shop, this then, by chance became two with the second most recent 90 re-liverying with 90028, one which I went to see officially unveiled at York Railway Museum last January as it was named Sir William McAlpine and had operated a charter from York, immediately after being named, to London Kings Cross - with the service from London having been taken by Flying Scotsman, most of the public out on that day at York were there for the Scotsman, but I had travelled up to see the 90 unveil. So, when 90 number two was in the offing, having had 90019, which was the first in the new DB livery, 90028 was the one I was going to go with, and not that long before writing this, 90028 has just come through a rather wet and gloomy Staffordshire, paired up with Driver Jack Mills, 90036 in what I have come to call DB minus Schenker livery. This brings me onto 90 number three, and having recently seen Hornby's 2020 launch video on youtube with ''New Junction'' and the Malcolm Logistics Class 90, having let my Hornby 90's go, it was a bit of a surprise to see their offering but never did I expect to see a Bachmann equivalent come along quite so soon, until a few days ago, when out of the blue, a fellow RM-web-user messaged me advising that he had seen one such model in Olivia's Trains, initially, i didn't believe it, bearing in mind that for the last year or so, i had been researching ways in which my Bachmann Class 90 could be reliveried into Malcolm Logistics without any success and several people had advised me to be patient and it will come along, i had looked at where the Malcolm livery had been conceived and seen similar liveries on on a range of lorries made by Corgi, and had even spoken to a professional reliverier who had managed to get a vinyl of the 90 produced, but this ended up being for the whole loco so it didn't really work as it covered up the windows and the doors and there were some small detail issues with it, so it was a good attempt, but it wasn't what i wanted for 90 number three, so there is the back story to the pursuit of 90024. Sooooo, having pinched myself as I was looking at the website at Olivia's trains, and having seen this late in the day, i managed to speak to Erica at Olivia's Trains, just before 5pm, where it was established that this was indeed a reliveried loco and very much a one off, not like the forthcoming Hornby equivalent, well, i had to do it, i didn't want to miss out on what was an incredible opportunity, and whilst having missed the postman this morning, instead of queueing up at the model exhibition tomorrow, i will be queuing up at the sorting office for 90 number three - if as you read this, you think you want a Bachmann Class 90 in Malcolm Logistics livery, speak to the team at Olivia's Trains. I want to say a big thank you to them for doing this and also to Barry for letting me use their pictures here also, thank you Olivia's... I can't wait to get a consist of 90024 and either 90028 or 90034 configured, as a model representation of 4M25, the Malcolm Freight service Kat @johnsonstreetIEMD

Hi Dave, Thank you for the tip, I am really a novice both here and in modelling terms, but despite that, i have a very clear idea of what i'm trying to achieve and where i wish to take my modelling for Johnson Street. I will certainly look at this when it comes to my next modelling blogs. Take care and happy modelling. Kat@johnsonstreetIEMD

Seeing the new Freightliner Orange 90 is making me excited ahead of the clutch of 90s for Grand Central, starting with 90026. DB... please don't change 90037 though....

Hi Dave, Thank you for your message, I was beginning to think did anyone actually see the ramblings of an electric traction enthusiast? but fortunately it would appear that they do... yes, its a bit strange, Bachmann have launched four new Class 90s yet none are suitable for my genre, Hornby launch my dream class 90 after i had only just got rid of all of my Hornby Class 90s. Am i a bit miffed? you bet i am... bear in mind that at one point, i had: 90017 EWS 90019 DB Cargo 90020 EWS 90021 First Scotrail 90023 EWS 90026 EWS 90028 EWS 90029 DB Schenker 90034 DB ex DRS 90035 EWS 90036 DB Schenker 90037 DB ex EWS 90040 DB Schenker All of the above, in Hornby form, one or two DCC fitted, but several pro repaints. one with working lights, one with DCC sound - ultimately, not consistent in their appearance livery application or functionality, something the Bachmann Class 90 has changed, all have working lights, detail features, sound ready, 21 pin DCC, digitally operational, livery detail far greater and more accurate. Here and now, i'm really looking forward to an EWS/DB era 90, it doesn't matter whether it's EWS maroon or DB red, either form can work for a renumbering, EWS livery would suit 90020, 90023, 90030, 90037 (ex EWS DB) or 90039 in their to-date guise - on the other hand DB red would work for 90018 DB Schenker, 90019, 90028 or 90035 in the newest DB Cargo livery or 90029, 90036 or 90040 in what I have come to term ''DB minus Schenker'' - this livery is the first of the red liveries, different to 90018 only by not having Schenker branding on the sides, the DB logos are small and roughly central on the sides. I hadn't really entertained ever seeing a Malcolm Rail liveried Hornby Class 90 but it would have fitted in perfectly with the above locos.

Great clip 298 ... this is more of the same group of tired DB EWS 90s which have been in service but has included 90020 and 90039 but at last they will have new liveries as part of Grand Central.

It's a bit of a race which Freightliner 90044 is leading. Its rumoured to be in the paint shop at the moment. The DB 90 was in testing at Crewe yesterday in its tired EWS colours yesterday but is scheduled to be in Toton by 9am tomorrow for its paint into Grand Central but may not be immediately revealed until it's impending launch, we'll have to see, you can find more information both at class90locomotivegroup.co.uk or wnxx.com pet. I think I'm going to have my third Bachmann DB90 in either grand central or as 90037 in ex EWS DB.

Wow ... well I guess with the size of your layout and the depth of your fleet and rolling stock any missing liveries could be acquired and pro-repaints done. I have been trying for months to source decals to do a Malcolm logistics class 90 and then out of the blue Hornby are doing it but that's no help, I dont want a Hornby 90 now that the Bachmann Class 90 has landed. The trials and tribulations of a model railway builder !!! Anyway I have managed to acquire two sound decoders for my second and third Bachmann 90s but I am having to sacrifice at least one of my fleet so the Heljan 86 is probably going, which is fine, I never seem to hold on to my Heljan 86s, they all end up going, a week or so after buying this one, someone only went and put up one in Caledonian sleeper livery, I was so miffed ... I will get a Caledonian sleeper livery 86 in the future but the here and now it's all about DB Cargo and the Bachmann 90 here and now.

You have made my day Chris37422 !!! So 90037 is stating as it is ... brilliant I love that livery... and it's my joint third favourite livery alongside 90024 and 90034. I quite fancy the DB YIWU 92 but with Johnson Street IEMD being a satellite servicing depot for the Cally sleeper operator, an Accurascales 92 is really more of a priority to be seen alongside 87002 and eventually the Heljan 86s 101 and 401.

I quite fancy the DB YIWU 92 but with Johnson Street IEMD being a satellite servicing depot for the Cally sleeper operator, an Accurascales 92 in real is more of a priority to be seen alongside 87002 and eventually the Heljan 86s 101 and 401.

Hi James, Yes I have been trying to source Malcolm Rail decals for the 90 for the last few months, I gave accidentally instigated a vinyl production which is now on Ebay, I want someone to do a pro-relivery the cab ends with the central section a vinyl. I now have the central vinyl section semi sorted but the cab ends from the Ebay vinyl arent accurate enough and I'm not covering up my side windows with a vinyl. Trouble is, it's a big of a tricky repaint and the decals side hard to find so far, I'm tempted to get in touch with Malcolm logistics as I know they do something very similar with corgi on a series of lorries. Trouble is, I have just blown £200 on a pair of sound decoders for the second 90, 034 and also the third 90, 0XX so this may have to wait a while. Regards Kat@johnsonstreetIEMD

Johnson Street IEMD: Loco fleet Update - 11th January 2020 As the recent surprise news from Hornby that they are doing the Malcolm Rail Class 90, I have managed to snap up a couple of sound decoders meaning that 90034 and the third as yet to be decided DB 90, currently code name 900XX will be Sound fitted. This is great news and certainly wasn't something i thought remotely possible way back in June when i got my first Bachmann 90. I hope to post some running shots of them all soon.

Sorry...

''Here here TomScrut'' No.... they haven't .... I'd settle for any EWS/DB livery being done sometime soon... and bear in mind there are some unusual liveries included there, so, for example, First Scotrail, no longer a current livery, rather defunct, but i love it, there is still a Class 90 now at Crewe sitting in FSR, 90021, which as I understand is likely to be repainted this year into Grand Central as it is one one four DB 90s likely to be working on these trains from Blackpool North, via Preston to Euston, but going back to the Barbie 90s, after going up and down the WCML for many years on the Caledonian Sleeper, and with its team mates, 90019, going into DB Cargo and 90024 into Malcolm Rail ... the sole survivor of the Barbie First Scotrail colours, 90021, ended up regularly working in pairings with other DB/EWS 90's on 4M25 ... (the Malcolm Logistics freight runs from Mossend to Daventry) daily and had even been seen as far south as the GEML covering for their 90 stock (90001-90015) in the same way 90034 is currently doing now, at Ilford. As for other workings, well, EWS/DB 90's have been used all over the country on a range of operations, from Engineer's yard movements up and down both sides of the country under the wires, they are regularly used by heritage tours operators topping and tailing with diesels (regularly with Class 67s) and more recently, 90035, fresh out of the paint shop at Toton, has been assisting Network Rail on the testing of the electrification of the GWML. Sooooo... Bachmann... if you are thinking about Bachmann 90 livery number five, any EWS, DB Schenker, DB Cargo era livery will do ... for me ... ok ?

I am looking forward to seeing how these pan out Ben (( no pun intended on the ''pan'' )) ... especially 90044 ... not because i want one in that livery, just more so as it's an interesting new livery for the 90s nicely adding to fifty shades of Freightliner - i hope to have 90 number three into the paint shop at some point in the year - and the Malcolm project, i am just not sure what i'm going to do on that one, i do want a Bachmann Malcolm Rail 90024 and if it isn't imminent, i will explore other avenues, but 90 number three at Johnson Street IEMD is probably not going to be a Malcolm one.

Yes... ah ... ha....''here here''... I couldn't envisage my old ex EWS DB 90037, as good a repaint as it was, sitting alongside the latest repaint in DB red 90028 - even though the liveries are both in the same era - and are both sat at Crewe IEMD regularly (( 90028 was out on duty this week - 90037 wasn't lol - could be getting ready for its new work-promotion )) no, as the 90 good as it had served the model rail community as a virtual ''Hornby Railroad'' offering but advancement in the form of the Bachmann Class 90 was needed and well done Bachmann for seeing this opportunity - i don't think any Bachmann or Hornby 90s are ever going to compete on price or technical quality (on the basis of their current offerings) and having traded in nearly a dozen Hornby DB 90s , some of which were repaints or digitally enhanced - as I dare say most Hornby modellers would like to have some of the features of the premium offerings from the likes of Bachmann in their 66's , 90's or other more ''railroady'' models - such as cab lights or directional lighting In order for me to get back to having a nice group of DB 90's in Bachmann form, its going to take some time to get back there, due to the cost of one, even considering the three I have now, none of which came in the desired livery, two have been professionally reliveried, one has been post purchase sound fitted and the other two are about to be sound fitted ... the one remaining one, in Powerhaul will in time be reliveried into DB/EWS. I find it interesting how Hattons Originals have been released straight away in lots of livery combinations and options (DCCR/DCCF/DCCS) compared to Bachmann's 90 with three combinations at launch (all DCCR) and then the fourth several months later in DCCR or DCCS.

Interesting, so,to counter such theory as i'm in danger of taking this all too seriously, why did Bachmann's go and do 90037 in RfD which was the same as Hornby's RfD 90037, why didn't Bachmann make any of the other running numbers in RfD like 90033 or 90038 (neither previously done by Hornby) As for the Hattons Originals 66, for which I know virtually nothing about, I've had a quick look at their running numbers and as far as I can see, if you look at the core liveries and running numbers, YES, they are all different SO i would say well done Hattons ... BUT ... (in support of my take on a possible Bachmann Malcolm Rail 90) they have done both the large logo British Railway livery and the Biffa Flying Dustman livery, BOTH of which I'm sure Bachmann have done those liveries too (running numbers the same too) Going one step further, how many people think Hornby are going to have significant surplus' of their Class 92 models in the DB Romania livery? I have absolutely no idea why they would have made this livery when other UK liveries of the 92 have yet to be done by them (ie YIWU DB) Are we about to see them release Bulgarian liveried Class 86s and 87's also ?

Thats nonsense... on the basis of this, Bachmann will produce only the models Hornby haven't, so why did they produce an IC Swallow and an RfD, both which Hornby have produced

So, you don't think they will produce 90024 in Malcolm Rail when Hornby have just released it ... Bachmann released the Malcolm Rail Class 66 (412 ? and 434 ? ) several years ago ... and Hornby have just released those as well as in their 2020 model range, even though they are no longer in active service (as was part of DRS contract with Malcolm) ... clearly, they aren't worried about duplication ? Besides, Hornby and Bachmann aren't really in direct competition anyway. Bachmann are competing more with Hattons exclusives, Accurascales and a few other specialist manufacturers.

I was thinking about this the other day as I know that 90006 has been de-branded from Abellio Greater Anglia and although that is on its way to Leeds Midland Road to join the Freightliner camp in the loco transfer of 90003-90015. I understand that LSL have some 47's in the British Railways two gone green, i'd quite like to see the 90's (90001 and 90002) in that livery, or possibly the light blue BR Blue that the ''Les Ross'' one wears. They aren't going to be wearing DB Malcolm, they wont be wearing EWS, so, i'd be open to any livery as such. With the forthcoming Freightliner Orange 90044 and that of the Grand Central 90s, 021, 026, 037 and 039 due in Q2 2020 , we are already due some new liveries on the network and then the LSL 90s as well. Mmmmm . . . . .

oh, how lovely to see folk come out and update this , i'm going to do an updated list of 90 liveries in the next few days ... i loved seeing all the slightly different rfd liveries, i wished DB Cargo had sorted themselves out with their post EWS liveries, I think 90037 looks great in the tired DB livery but the others look naff and all a bit inconsistent , the class members left in EWS should have been given temporary DB treatment like 90037, with the DB nose logo central under the cab windows, the side logo instead of the EWS logo and on the central sides, the EWS wording totally removed and the numbers either maroon (like the 66's ... i.e. 66002) or the faded look (either/or but not a mish mash - come on guys at DB !! ) ... if i was a graffiti artist, i'd sneak in and give 90020, 90026 and 90039 what they are missing, instead though, i'll settle for having the 90's based at Johnson Street IEMD looking their best instead.

Ahhhh drat, yes of course, 90001 and 90002... in the forthcoming no one really knows what these are going to look like, how did i miss them, oh well, never mind... thank you adb968008