Jump to content
 

Johnson Street IEMD

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    817

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Johnson Street IEMD

  1. Johnson Street IEMD
    6th August
     
    Its turned out to be a pretty good week in the life of all things DB AC, Johnson Street IEMD and my nicely developing DB stable. Firstly, in the real world, DB Cargo are putting the final touches to returning Malcolm Rail 90024 to traffic, I am buzzing (pardon the pun) at the news of this, it's my favourite 90, well, its not hard to see why!!! i love the great outdoors and wildlife and all that comes with it, the WCML interacts with our great outdoors in a big way and the northern sections of the WCML probably more so. 90024 has a Scottish Highlands scene wrap on its flanks and looks incredible and has been fused with a crisp turqoisey sea blue mixed with the standard yellow nose and red buffer beam detail depicting DB corporate red. The daily Malcolm logistics run from Mossend to Daventry on the West Coast Mainline (WCML) has really missed its presence ever since it was introduced in its new form, 90024 was previously in first Scotrail Caledonian Sleeper livery before so was no stranger to funky liveries. It's also expected that long term stored 90030 is also going to be reintroduced to traffic, having earmarked before Covid-19 struck, 90030 currently wears EWS Maroon and gold and used to carry the nameplate Crewe Locomotive Works.
     
    Johnson Street IEMD
     
    Last night i had another chance to see my gradually taking shape layout and do a fit of train moving on it - there is some footage of this on my fledling youtube channel Johnson Street IEMD
     
     
    where 90028 and 66065 made their first appearances here. Unfortunately, i had the feeling i'd sound fitted 66065 but this was not the case, oh well, i need to find a DCC sound chip for this shed. 90028 performed nicely, I'm looking forward to seeing 90024 and 90034 performing here too, along with my forthcoming  fourth DB90, which after a long deliberation is going to be 90030 - but more about that in a bit. The Catenary used here was just for show and to get an idea of how the layout will look when that aspect comes together, i wont be using any of it for the completed end result, i have a plan to use a mixture of PECO and Nbrass, PECO for the single track parts and Nbrass specially adapted multitrack gantries similar to those seen around Crewe. The main regional office building also appears to have grown legs and walked forwards, sorry about that, it had been moved just before the shots/video clips were made. 
     
    My DB stable
     
    My electric pool of locos will be growing in the form of 90030 with a twist, watch this space for more on this !!! I have always wanted my layout to maintain a considerable level of realism but i am also open to a little bit of creative licence in the form of a ficticious loco of one form or another, but dont expect too much along those lines, there are enough desirable real life examples to have. The fourth DB90 will be coming about in this fashion with DB announcing their 2nd half year announcements and the only thing of interest was their DB large logo 66, which, i already have two of, in 66009 and 66065. If i stumble across a cheap example of 66119 on ebay, i may induldge, but the two DB66s are more than enough for the time being. The focus will soon be on Accurascales' new arrival in the form of the 92. plus any unusual DB90s I come across, you just never know whats around the next corner.
     



  2. Johnson Street IEMD
    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!!!
     
     
     
     

  3. Johnson Street IEMD
    I have recently stumbled across the opportunity to get one of my locos, DB 67028 sound fitted,
     
    The Class 67 is really just on my layout, to blend in, it's a DB mainstay, like it or not, and okay, so i don't, being a 90 fan and electrics in general and i hate the idea of the 67 getting work ahead of a 90 but there will be jobs outside the electric network that a 90 cant do, that a 67 can when the other 60s and 66s dont get tasked with, so thats why god made 67s. 
     
    My stable of DB locos are all nicely sound fitted, i just need to get Johnson Street IEMD sorted and ready for maintaining a largely electric fleet. It's my intention to acquire at least one Accurascales Class 92 in a DB livery of one kind or another and whilst i like large logo DB livery, there is only one 92 in this livery, 92015 and it's YIWU branded so I think mine is more likely to be the more popular EWS beastie logo'd example, which will be pretty popular on alot of modern era layouts and is still in use on HS1 today. 
     
    I do also like the idea of having a little creative expression, that will in all likelyhood come in the form of a yard shunter in the form of an 86 or 90 in DB ? I'd love to see DB acquire a couple from Freightliner when they start introducing their ex-GA 90s to the FL90 pool. They may still have the expertise at Crewe to maintain them and the Freightliner people just around the corner at Basford Hall could assist if need be. 
     
    This means only one of my locos is still to be sound fitted, 




  4. Johnson Street IEMD
    13th April 2020
     
    I hope all who read this are well and staying safe in doors as much as is possible.
     
    So, a while back, Bachmann released the Ex-EWS DB Class 66, 66065, which I thought i'd get, when the right opportunity presented it, for those who read my posts, I love liveries in the here and now, not all liveries, its a very subjective and personal topic. I always loved EWS and never really got up close with the railways as it was being phased out and a result of the change over to DB some examples, mainly Class 66s got the transitional livery, whats been termed Ex-EWS DB. the main examples of this, are 60065, 90037 and a number of 66s, most notably 66065. Having got 66065 a few months later, but not long afterwards, it got the DB treatment at Toton, it's now my intention to get another example of this next year, and have it numbered into one of the remaining ex-EWS 66s, i quite like the number 111, getting back to 66065 and having designated a second DB Cargo Class 66 to add to 66009, currently sound fitted and having had 66136 in YIWU for a while back, but wanting a non fancy version of this, i decided to get my second DB Cargo Class 66 numbered into 66065. Well, after an age to get it sorted it's now in DB red and when the whole thing going on in the world settles down, it has a sound unit waiting for it.
     
    I now have several DB large logo locos in my fleet @johnsonstreetIEMD
     
    60100 - Hornby DCC Sound
    66009 - Bachmann DCC Sound
    66065 - soon to be Bachmann DCC Sound
    67028 - Hornby DCC ready (to get Hornby TTS treatment in 2021)
    90028 - Bachmann DCC sound
     
     




  5. Johnson Street IEMD
    5th March 2020
     
    It was my intention to get to see layout progression with the layout builder and local model shop owner, but with Johnson Street having some running issues, he offered me the chance to have a running session nearby at Stacton Tressell. It was a chance to give my three DB 90s some running opportunity, something they havent had for a while and at the time of writing this several weeks later (22nd March) I'm so glad I did. 90024, 90028 and 90034 all got some running time here. You will have to imagine all the OHLE for the purpose of this
     
    I have some short running clips from this session on my fledgling youtube channel, Johnson Street IEMD, weblink - tbc
     



     
    22nd March 2020
     
    The world is quickly frighteningly changing from what was normal thirty seconds ago to organised shut down on a scale one can only compare to ''I am legend''. We're all getting used to being largely housebound, for me, this means in the short term, I am not going to get to see the layout in its current state but that I am going to get to see it completed hopefully by the end of the year. My 90 pool remains at three in DB and one in Freightliner,  at least until i can get reliveried into DB Cargo of one form or another.
     
    In the world as we know it, Grand Central are still getting ready for services from Blackpool to London from May and this being delivered with five DB90s dragging six Mark Fours and a DVT. The first DB 90s into Grand Central were initially 90026 and in the last few days, 90029 has been released from Toton and is now at Crewe IEMD. Its exoected that 90020, 90021 and 90039 will follow 026 and 029 into Grand Central colours. Its a gorgeous take that they have done for the Grand Central Class 90, I'm calling it ''Bumblee livery'' and its definitely on my radar to see it at Johnson Street IEMD, athough not immediately, its behind other DB90S on my radar in the form of ex-EWS DB90037 and also DB minus-Schenker90036 and also DB Cargo 90019 Multimodal. I also fancy having one DB90 in a stored state, so, possibly either RfD-EWS or EWS Maroon in total out-of-service appearance, like what 90017 or 90030 look like at the moment, with the cab doors securely shut, possibly de-pantograph'd. I want the 90s I have based at Johnson Street to be reflective of the active pool, yes, there are some different liveried DB90s, but the mainstay of the fleet are now in DB Corporate colours, only 90018 remains Schenkered and 90029 is now the first DB90 to have been reliveried out of DB red.
     
    (below - Grand Central DB90026 back at Crewe, from Toton (where DB paint their locos), at the time of writing, 90029 has just become GCDB 90 number two)
     

     
    Of the active 90s in the DB Cargo fleet (including those that are to be Grand Central'd), they look like this:
     
    90018 - DB Schenker red
    90019 - DB Cargo red, named ''Multimodal''
    90020 - DB EWS (due to be reliveried into Grand Central - for Blackpool North-London Euston passenger services from May 2020)
    90021 - DB EWS First Scotrail (due to be reliveried into Grand Central - for Blackpool North-London Euston passenger services from May 2020)
    90024 - DB Malcolm (stored due to technical problems not yet cured)
    90026 - DB Grand Central (first of five to be reliveried)
    90028 - DB Cargo red, named ''Sir William McAlpine''
    90029 - DB Grand Central (second of five to be reliveried)
    90034 - DB ex-DRS blue
    90035 - DB cargo red
    90036 - DB minus-Schenker, named ''Driver Jack Mills''
    90037 - DB ex-EWS maroon, named ''Spirit of Dagenham''
    90039 - DB EWS (due to be reliveried into Grand Central - for Blackpool North-London Euston passenger services from May 2020)
    90040 - DB minus-Schenker
     
    (below, DB 90028 in DB Cargo just before it was named at York Museum in January of 2019, the second of three DB90s in this form, joining 90019 and 90035 - 90019 and 90028 are named, 90035 is not.)

  6. Johnson Street IEMD
    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? ...




  7. Johnson Street IEMD
    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
     




  8. Johnson Street IEMD
    In the words of the great Richard Wilson
     
     
    I doooooo not beeeeliieeeeeeeeevvveee it...
     
     
     
    For the last few months, I have been trying to explore ways to have my third Bachmann Class 90 re-liveried into my favourite class member, 90024 in its current colours of Malcolm Rail, (for those of you who dont know) the rail Division of Malcolm Logistics, who operate daily freight routes from Mossend to Daventry on the West Coast Mainline - (and a train which runs past my place every day - for anyone who loves the railways as well as models them, one may consider themselves quite fortunate.) Anyway, I had managed to find a way of getting the very colourful side section done in a vinyl form and the result of this vinyl has made its way onto Ebay to which I have acquired one of these, could this be the answer to my problems? possibly... but before I get to explore this any further what should happen... Hornby's 2020 range happens ... and this comes along...
     
    https://www.hattons.co.uk/stockdetail.aspx?SID=513762...
     
    Quite unbelievable (not in a bad way as such - having just seen the Collectors Club Bachmann 90 that has been released in the last week or so) that this should happen, having got rid of my half dozen or so Hornby DB/EWS 90's, most of which had been retro DCC'd, several of which were professionally re-liveried, and would have looked really good with Hornby's latest offering in DB Cargo form, do i regret changing from Hornby to Bachmann? no... of course not, its just a shame that the Hornby 90 hasn't moved with the times in the same way that, for example, the 87 has, a good effort by Hornby, and also the Class 60, which Hornby has done a pretty good job with.
     
    From initial glances, reasonable effort Hornby, I'm looking forward to seeing this in the flesh. albeit, its not perfect, the real example has the red stripe running down the side from the front sides to the back sides and I dare say that there may be other cosmetic imperfections, hopefully, Bachmann can follow suit and soon with a sharper version with the correct detailing etc.
     
    Kat@johnsonstreetIEMD


  9. Johnson Street IEMD
    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.
  10. Johnson Street IEMD
    18th December 2019
     
    After getting my two DB 90s back to leafy Staffordshire, an opportunity to visit an up and working DCC operated layout was too good to be missed, and that of a good friend and fellow modeller. 
     
    So, getting to see my first two Bachmann Class 90s in action, one of which now sound fitted and the pair of them both just back from the paintshop, joined by a Bachmann Class 66, in the guise of DB Cargo 66009, also nicely sound fitted as well.
     
    A collection of pictures on here are below - as well as an video update on youtube as well - is to be found - just search ''Johnson Street IEMD'' on youtube - please bear with me as this is is just the start of me on youtube.



  11. Johnson Street IEMD
    With investigations ongoing re choice of livery for Bachmann Class 90 number three and the catenary plans now moving forward now that not only one but two soldering experts at my disposal, a plan has been instigated to see three gantries tailormade for Johnson Street IEMD. The access on to the depot comes from a tunnel whereby an electrified line comes into a three way point, the first multi-track gantry sits across this - diverting the wires into, left to right, left - firstly into the main electric depot, secondly the first of two holding sidings which sit next to the depot and thirdly a head shunt track, allowing for access on to holding siding number two (electrified) and the head shunt, backwards, into the diesel refuelling point and long term maintenance shed (this area isnt electrified)...
     
    Gantry one - across the three way point
     
    Gantry two - the main gantry - proposed to cover four tracks - and over the fifth as an extended arm
     
    Gantry three - the holding pen sidings gantry
     
    The second gantry is, obviously the widest of the three, sitting across the three tracks which go into the electric shed (to the right) and the two on the left head on into the holding sidings. The third gantry is the last gantry in the holding pen before the terminating gantry.
     
    There will still be a gantry outside the electric shed and to the rear of this also... as well as single mast gantries over the single track holding pen outside Lane three.
     
    The multi-track masts are being built using the NBrass forms but the droppers are scratch built as illustrated..
     



  12. Johnson Street IEMD
    So, a few days after the long awaited DB90s landed, forthcoming DB90 number three followed, once more a Freightliner Powerhaul, but not for long I imagine, well, the DB90 pool of X locos comes in a variety of liveries, and most of the below liveries will feature at Johnson Street IEMD. These being:

    DB Cargo (90028 - also seen as 90019 and now 90035 as well)
    DB Cargo ex DRS (90034)
     
    DB Schenker (90018)
    DB EWS faded (90020 and 90039)
    DB was First Scotrail (90021)
    DB Malcolm (90024)
    DB minus Schenker (90029, 90036 and 90040)
    DB Cargo ex EWS (90037)
     
    The top two are the first two, the following group are the ones which may follow 90028 and 90034. My favourites, in no particular order, are 90037, 90024, 90034, 90028, 90018, 90036, 90039 and 90021 - but also like any of the others featured above - and wouldnt ever say no to them at Johnson Street IEMD. So, this begs the question as to 90 No 3 - which is it to be - well a dicky bird has told me that 90036 is dooable - as is 90037 - but well, i really like the seemingly impossible 90024. 
     
    If we apply the process of elimination into the mix, having a DB Cargo 90 means that this box is now ticked, so it doesnt need to be 90019 or 90035, we have 90034 too in ex DRS DB also, so that too is sorted, we could also say that by having one DB red one, the red DBs are temporarily covered so an EWS/ex EWS or the Malcolm one makes the most sense here and now.
     

  13. Johnson Street IEMD
    Today is the second day of Warley and most model railway peeps will be raving about what they found, who or what they saw, what they bought from the nations most prestigious event, so it seems fitting that today would be the day of the big reveal, the Bachmann Class 90 in the liveries that I have been craving, DB Cargo.
     
    I have been waiting for this one for a little while, so the time it's taken Bachmann to get it to production plus the planning and repaint time to get into the liver(ies) that matter to me. Freightliner Powerhaul, RfD and InterCity Swallow are nice liveries, but they would all look out of place on my layout, Johnson Street IEMD. I have been lucky with the timing of this in so much that I have managed to get not one but two DB 90s, well, they do have a colourful group of class members and long term I hope to showcase many of them at Johnson Street.
     
    The two I have gone for here and now are two which I had identical or virtually identical Hornby equivalents of, so, 90034 which I love, DB simply took off the DRS stickers and put nose and cabside stickers on it, perfect - and unusual. I like unusual liveries, not all, i like some level of uniformity with them, some DB have got right, and some less so I feel, but 90034 is nice. My model relivery expert had already done this in Hornby form back in 2017 (pictured) and he hasnt disappointed with 90034 in Bachmann form now also.
     
    The second one, is 90028, now in DB Cargo red. 90028 now looks identical to 90019 and at the time of writing this blog, has just been joined by 90035 in the DB Cargo red pool, having been painted at Toton in the last few weeks, so, 90028, well, I had 90019 in Hornby (pictured) and at the turn of the year I was fortunate enough to go up to York to see this locomotive named at the York Railway Museum and it seemed like the right choice, on which one to go with, who knows, maybe in the coming months, i may come across 90019 or 90035 on ebay.
     
    I fully expect Bachmann will release a DB version of the 90 soon enough and when they do, it will be a donor for 90018, 90019, 90029, 90035, 90036 or 90040, equally, should the EWS one come before the DB one, then 90017, 90020, 90037 or 90039 will soon enough follow from there. It is my goal to have the Malcolm Logistics Class 90 in my 90 pool also sometime next year and I'm also fond of the First Scotrail livery as well - and I'm aware that 90021 still wears these colours.
     
    Equally, I'm aware that following the changeover from Greater Anglia's push-pull 90 and DVT operations to Class 755 EMUs that those 90s, 001 to 015 are being redistributed to other operators, Locomotive Services are taking 90001 and 90002, Freightliner are taking 90003 to 90015 so no more for DB, but they still have twenty four examples, numbered from 90017 to 90040 - and are about to start operations with Grand Central on the Blackpool to Euston route from next spring, so they will be kept busy enough for the time being.
     

     





  14. Johnson Street IEMD
    So, well, there couldnt be a worse time for thinking about, hang about, not thinking about, actually... doing the deed ... buying another damn loco, yes, ok, so im between jobs at the moment ... not good i know... but well, it was there for the taking... it had to be done... early Christmas present and in the wider sense, well, the Heljan Class 86 is a loco for which I have had two already, a freightliner one and also an Anglia blue one also, now, the one which makes the most sense, comes purring along... well, Johnson Street IEMD is a DB yard, but DB do look after other TOC locos under seperate maintenance contracts when such work comes along, soooo... the Alstom Heritage Class 86, Running number Class 86233 and its pre-TOPS number E3172 - well, it will need to be maintained somewhere if not at Crewe or Carlisle.
     
    This one is DCC fitted also, so she will be good to go... question is, if DB are taking it under their wing, are they just maintaining it, or have they secured the long term wet lease of it, hence should it gain a DB logo or three? answers on a postcard, im thinking nose and cab like 90034, 90037, 60065, or any of the Ex-EWS 66s, or maybe just a white DB logo on the body sides which on the dark blue will look quite nice  - think about how GBRf have taken the 50s under their colourful wing, this is more subtle. Soooo... a Heljan Class 86 and two Bachmann Class 90s to start the electric age off at Johnson Street... wooohooo....
     
    It was always my intention to have several Heljan Class 86s being based at Johnson Street - i was toying with the idea of a pair being operated by DB, one in EWS (which may have been found amongst the stored locos at Long Marston) and one from freightliner reliveried into DB red - the freightliner ones live in pairs these days, then it turned out that Serco were actually operating 86101 and 86401 as part of the sleeper ops, its a shame this is coming to an end, but not in the modelling world... 86101, 86401, 87002 and 92018 are set to be maintained at Johnson Street so the 86 will live on.
  15. Johnson Street IEMD
    Having just started my first attempt at uploading videos on youtube for the beginnings of Johnson Street IEMD, i thought it would be a good idea to upload the latest pictures from the world of Johnson Street IEMD. The layout is really coming coming together as one can see in the videos. A depot needs locos and given theat there have been one or three changes from the list back in July, I thought I'd do a blog update, so as of 5th November, the locos at Johnson Street are:
     
    ''United Colours of DB'' 
     
    (1) Hornby DB Cargo Class 08923 TTS fitted
    (2) Hornby DB Schenker Class 60007 Switch on to Safety livery - DCC TTS fitted
    (3) Hornby DB Cargo 60100 DCC sound (pre TTS)  - rebranded and numbered professionally
    (4) Bachmann Ex-EWS-DB Class 66002 DCC ready - rebranded and numbered professionally
    (5) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66009 DCC sound fitted - rebranded and numbered professionally 
    (6) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66065 DCC sound fitted - (not completed yet)
    (7) Hornby DB Cargo Class 67025 DCC Sound TTS
    (8) Bachmann ** ***** Class 90XXX DCC Sound - rebranded and reliveried professionally (not completed yet)
    (9) Bachmann ** ***** Class 90XXX DCC fitted - rebranded and reliveried professionally (not completed yet)
     
    Future loco plans
    (10) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 90024 Malcolm Logistics DCC fitted
    (11) Bachmann DB Cargo ex-Schenker Class 90036 - DCC Sound
    (12) Bachmann DB Cargo ex-EWS Class 90037 DCC fitted
    (13) Bachmann DB Cargo EWS Class 90039 DCC fitted
    (14) Accurascales DB Cargo Class 92009 DCC Sound
    (15) Accurascales Serco Caledonian Sleeper Class 92018 DCC Sound
    (16) Hornby Serco Caledonian Sleeper Class 87002 DCC Sound
    (17) Heljan Serco Caledonian Sleeper Class 86401 DCC Sound fitted
     
    Also...
     
    Having also managed to upload pictures again, thank you Andy @RMweb for that, I think maybe it was just me, anyway, enjoy... and also the pack of signs from Allan @ Sankey, I'm looking forward to getting to grips with these.
     
    Following the whole keeping it in the family with the final of the Great Model Railway Challenge, I have also discovered that my other half is handy with a soldering iron, ok, so Nbrass catenary is back on the agenda - watch this space - its my intention to use a mixture of Nbrass, scratchbuilt and PECO single masts to complete the knitting @johnsonstreetIEMD.
     
    Bachmann Class 90 - With the first two DB Cargo 90s literally around the corner down the tracks approaching Johnson Street, having deposited their Malcolm logistics load and in wondering what the likely wait will be for the first Bachmann EWS/DB offerings will be, having read an article on here about Bachmann in 2020 - where it is suggested there wont be any NEW NEW (unannounced) Bachmann launches - so probably no new Bachmann 90s for next year, I am totally at ease at the possibilities, as long as we get at least one of the above in 2021, and should Bachmann try to cater for as wide an audience as possible with the second wave, my guess is we will see a Virgin Trains, a Freightliner green or possibly one of the different BR railfreight liveries, maybe one of the three foreign RfD liveries and hopefully either EWS or DB red. From a selfish point of view, I would really like to see the Malcolm Logistics DB 90024 and have written to both Bachmann and DB Cargo in relation to this - should this be the case that the more likely EWS/DB red 90 is the first to arrive in such colours this will be fine also.
     
    EWS colours will mean i will get to rebrand and renumber it into:
     
    90020 EWS ''Collingwood''
    90037 ex EWS DB '' Spirit of Dagenham''
    90039 EWS white decals
     
    DB red colours will mean, well, this will see any of the following 
     
    90018 DB Schenker ''Pride of Bellshill'',
    90019 DB Cargo - latest corporate style larger DB logo ''Multimodal'',
    90028 DB Cargo - latest corporate style larger DB logo ''Sir William McAlpine'',
    90029 DB ex-Schenker,
    90035 DB Cargo - latest corporate style larger DB logo
    90036 DB ex-Schenker ''Driver Jack Mills''
    90040 DB ex-Schenker
     
    The other more unusual DB 90s in recent service and would be good to have are:
     
    90021 EWS First Scotrail (Used on the Caledonian Sleeper and then on 4M25)
    90024 DB Malcolm Logistics
    90034 ex-DRS DB blue
     
    Should the 2021 preface be correct, 2020 with no new Bachmann 90s should mean I get chance to focus on completing the layout build, the catenary plan (So, NBrass multi-track sections - PECO multi-track (if and when) Multi-track scratch build masts and single masts from PECO) and possibly acquiring one of more of the Serco Caledonian locos which are going to be having repairs and maintenance works at Johnson Street IEMD, so 86401, 87002 and probably 92018.
     














  18. Johnson Street IEMD
    18th September
     
    Its been a while since there was any update from me on Johnson Street IEMD, so I thought I'd write a blog update about the plans and whats happening in general with this.
     
    Layout
     
    Tomorrow (Thursday), I am hoping to have a snagging session where I will actually get to see the layout with my own eyes as I am having a viewing with the builders. This is going to give me a chance to iron out any small cosmetic issues - sometimes things can get lost in translation which means you get lkess than what you had been hoping for and when you are spending a decent amount of money, you want it perfect. There have already been some aspects of the layout which when the scenic work was done, i indicated i was than happy with how they had approached certain scenic aspects and this is a chance for me to get it back on track - in general the team have done a really good job with most of this. Here and now, most of the trackwork scenics are done, the recent snagging issues I have highlighted are:
     
    1 the holding siding just opposite the electric shed is being extended to go as far as the bridge to accomodate more than just an 08, it should be big enough for a 60/66 or a 90 and will be electrified.
    2 the diesel/long term maintenance shed hard standing needs to have a section of this fully concreted over for vechicular movements - i like the oily/diesel spillage look about it but it needs to be practical also.
    3 bays for parking around the main office building on site
     
    Locos
     
    Deep in a loco repainting booth in the heart of England lies two Bachmann DB 90s awaiting final touches and a 66 to drag them back to Johnson Street IEMD, 90's xxx and yyy will be accompanied back to leafy staffordshire by a DB Class 66 zzz. One of the 90s will be DCC sound fitted and the 66 also will be mated to DCC Sound, the second 90 will be DCC fitted for the time being.
     
    Catenary
     
    I have agreed with an expert catenary maker to create some great OHLE gantries for the layout but here and now they are on hold till other financial commitments are taken care of - and one or two locos are sold on ebay.
     
    Signage/Branding
     
    I have got all the signage needed for the layout from Sankey Signs most recently, Allan is well worth getting in touch with if you need a comprehensive depot pack doing and he will tailor this to your needs.
     
    I will post some further pictures on here once I have seen the layout in its current state in the next few days
     
  19. Johnson Street IEMD
    Ok, so, a few months ago, I wrote a mini-blog entry on waiting for the Bachmann Class 90, well, yes, great, fab, super, its's now here and most of the modern image OO gauge readers out there, all getting used to their new acquisitions, spare a thought for the perfectionistas ... I have had through my hands not one, not two, but three, yes, three !! Bachmann 90s ... all in a bid to have one of the first Bachmann 90s to wear DB. Now, as fortune would have it, i should hopefully be taking delivery soon of two DB 90s, one unusual one and one fairly bog standard one - one which will have sound and one which wont. Well, it seems to stand to reason, most 90s, (aside from the GEML lot 90s 001-015) seem to spend their lives operating in pairs, you know, safety in numbers keeping them safe in case of predatory 66's... haha... ok, so, two DB 90s . . . . and I will also post a seperate blog regarding branding/signage - as there have been some developments along these lines also. But, yes, big news two 90s, not one... both in DB colours.. I cannot wait to see them.
  20. Johnson Street IEMD
    The latest update from Johnson Street IEMD
     
    16th August
     
    The emphasis of detailing work has moved from the area around the Electric Shed to where the long term maintenance shed, fuelling point and storage sidings sit. This area will be non electrified and will see a hive of activity from the weekly fuel tank arrival and departure plus the maintenance access and shunting of locos being worked on away from the main depot access and the Overhead Electrification. 
     
    Picture One
    A view of an empty pre-open Shed Two - to be termed the ''Long Term maintenance shed''  taken as if from an amature drone
     
    Picture Two
    Taken by one of the Site Appraisal teams from DB Cargo UK whilst the site is being readied for their use - the fuel delivery point will be accessed by a once weekly delivery of a single tanker brought by rail to the site by a DB 60 or 66.
     
    Picture Three
    The Site Appraisal team leaving the Long Term Maintenance Shed having done their visit caught on the soon to be fitted bridge CCTV
     
    Picture Four
    The amature drone captures the team leaving the Long Term shed.
     
     
    In time, I expect that several long term storage locos will sit just beyond the fuelling point, a Bachmann 90 in EWS or in RfD. I am currently mulling over the idea of a former RfD90 - maybe 90025 being DB logo'd still in RfD grey as a depot shunter for operations under ''the knitting''
     




  21. Johnson Street IEMD
    Latest pictures coming in from the team building the layout, this is the long term maintenance shed, this area wont be electrified but there may be electric locos sat here - both for maintenance and in long term storage.
     
    Pictures 1 & 3 show the concrete hard standing area in what will be the inside of shed 2
     
    Picture 2 shows the turn out for access for locos into shed 2 and to the left of this - the beginnings of the road access to shed 2
     
    Picture 4 one of the two relief warehouses which sit on the land outside the electric shed




  22. Johnson Street IEMD
    Friday 9th August
     
    Its been a steadily positive week on the layout front.
     
    1 My layout signage arrived from Sankey Signs - great job there
    2 I am hoping to see the start of the catenary coming together
    3 My rebranded DB 67 arrived back
    4 I found a nice little DB Class 60 for my model shop to play with (to get fixed up)
     
    5 and finally.... a DB EWS Class 90 (035) has been parked up in Stafford for the week with a Class 325 parcels EMU :-)
     
     
     
    Nice to get back my newly rebranded DB Class 67 in the latest DB colours with the slogan on the body
     
    Locomotive fleet
    As of 9th August 2019, my ''United Colours of DB'' locomotive fleet looks like this.
     
    (1) Hornby DB Cargo Class 08923 TTS fitted
    (2) Hornby DB Schenker Class 60007 Switch on to Safety livery - DCC TTS fitted
    (3) Hornby DB Schenker Class 60062 DCC Sound TTS fitted - rebranded and reliveried professionally
    (4) Hornby DB Cargo 60100 DCC sound (pre TTS)  - rebranded and numbered professionally
    (5) Bachmann Ex-EWS-DB Class 66002 DCC sound fitted - rebranded and numbered professionally
    (6) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66009 DCC sound fitted - rebranded and numbered professionally 
    (7) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66065 DCC ready (not completed yet)
    (8) Hornby DB Schenker Class 67018 DCC fitted - Maple Leaf 
    (9) Hornby DB Cargo Class 67028 DCC Sound TTS - just back from rebranding
    (10) Bachmann ex DRS DB Blue Class 90034 DCC Sound - rebranded and reliveried professionally (not completed yet)
     
    Future Loco Plans
     
    (11)  Bachmann DB Cargo Class 90018 DB Schenker Pride of Bellshill
    (12)  Bachmann DB Cargo Class 90024 Malcolm Logistics
    (13)  Bachmann DB Cargo Class 90028 Sir William McAlpine
    (14)  Bachmann ex-EWS DB Class 90037 Spirit of Dagenham
    (15)  Accurascales Scotrail Serco Class 92010 DCC Sound
    (16)  Hornby Scotrail Serco Class 87002 DCC Sound
    (17)  Heljan Scotrail Serco Class 86401 DCC Sound





  23. Johnson Street IEMD
    A weekend away for me, and nice to come home to find that Johnson Street IEMD is still moving in the right direction. 
     
    Attached are the latest pictures which show the beginnings of the entrance to the yard area, the continuation of the scenics work going on to bring the layout to life also... but pictures always go soo much further ... so do enjoy...
     
    Picture 1 - a great example of layout building snagging, the shunter siding is too short, and will be extended slightly so that a DB 60, 66 or 90 will sit comfortably here, rather than just exclusively an 08, after all this will be an electrified siding.
     
    Picture 2 - the undercoat stuff before the grey road surface goes down... and the road access area to the right hand side of the layout for the long term maintenance shed and storage siding
     
    Picture 3 - the long term maintenance section of the shell, pre scenic work
     
    Picture 4 - 60007 getting about on the layout, sat on the headshunt access to the Long Term maintenance shed
     
    Picture 5 - foliage at the end of the shunter siding
     
    Picture 6 - depot entrance beginning to take shape
     
     






  24. Johnson Street IEMD
    Ok, so full steam ahead... the latest pictures of Johnson Street IEMD have come through,
     
    Picture One shows the main access into the depot area from holding sidings area which will feature in the not so distant future, these will head off to the right of the depot scene under the town scene and enter that area on an electrified twin track configuration from the depot entrance... but more to come on that later in the year. The progress made today being the weathering and shrubbing of the southern end of the electric shed area by the raised road bridge area.
     
    Picture Two shows the new office building which is going to sit in front of the electric shed as a personnel access point. This being configured as two storey building with an upper deck access point for out-door break areas including smokers area which in time will feature safety fencing, table and chairs etc
     
    Picture Three shows Class 60007 parked up in the left hand holding side next to the electric shed, these two lines will be electrified also.
     
    Picture Four shows the electric shed from the rear with the proposed shutters in different positions, this is what we will likely be going forward with
     
     
     
    The depot wll in time be home to a clutch of Bachmann DB 90s, the first of which and one of the first to see the light of day, 90034 in ex DRS DB, one or two Accurascales Class 92s as well as a handful of Diesels, 60s, 66s and 67s.
     
    The catenary is currently being readied and will be designed to be compatible with PECO's single mast catenary and also the multi-track gantries in the future alongside the 3D print stuff sourced elsewhere.
     
     




  25. Johnson Street IEMD
    Locomotive fleet
    As of 3rd July 2019, my ''United Colours of DB'' locomotive fleet looks like this.
     
    (1) Hornby DB Cargo Class 08923 TTS fitted
    (2) Hornby DB Schenker Class 60007 Switch on to Safety livery - DCC TTS fitted
    (3) Hornby DB Cargo 60100 DCC sound (pre TTS)  - rebranded and numbered professionally
    (4) Bachmann Ex-EWS-DB Class 66002 DCC sound fitted - rebranded and numbered professionally
    (5) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66009 DCC sound fitted - rebranded and numbered professionally 
    (6) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66065 DCC ready (not completed yet)
    (7) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66101 DCC fitted
    (7) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 66136 DCC ready - TMC Exclusive model YIWU London
    (8) Hornby DB Schenker Class 67018 DCC fitted - Maple Leaf 
    (9) Hornby DB Cargo Class 67028 DCC Sound TTS - intention to correct this late 2019 (not completed yet)
    (10) Bachmann ex DRS DB Blue Class 90034 DCC Sound - rebranded and reliveried professionally (not completed yet)
     
    Future loco plans
    (11) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 90024 Malcolm Logistics DCC fitted
    (12) Bachmann DB Cargo Class 90028 - DCC Sound
    (13) Bachmann DB Cargo ex-EWS Class 90037 DCC fitted
    (14) Accurascales DB Cargo Class 92009 DCC Sound
     
     
     
×
×
  • Create New...