Ruston And Hornsby 88DS 432477/1959 British Railways No. 83 BR Green Diesel Shunter

Expected Delivery Q1 2025 (Subject to change at Manufacturer’s Discretion)

Ruston 432477 was built new for British Railways, being delivered to the North Eastern Region Civil Engineer’s Department at Etherley Tip in Witton, County Durham on 5 January 1959. Expired track ballast and materials were dumped at Etherley in the post-war years, with the ballast being removed from the wagons, then passed over a screen to separate the ‘fines’ and muck from the bigger bits of stone. The fines would be dumped in the nearest low spot, whilst the ballast would be sold off for use as foundation material. The North Eastern Region employed a number of 88DS in the Civil Engineering Department, mainly being used for Permanent Way work, and 432477 was utilised around the region. By late 1969, the locomotive was laid up at Heaton depot and was finally scrapped in 1970.

 

DESIGN SPECIFICATION and CONSIDERATIONS

• Die-cast metal chassis, body frame and footplate, with plastic cab and engine panels. Target weight of 475g.
• Scale length of 143.8mm over buffers, 54.85mm wide and height over cab of 70mm.
• Wheelbase of 40.54mm, for all vehicles, allowing operation over a minimum radius of 1020mm (2nd radius set-track).
• Choice of metal 3-link, or screw couplings for prototypical coupling.
• Brake blocks fitted and aligned with wheel centres for 0 Gauge, ensuring that they do not rub on wheel rims.
• Single style of 21mm solid wheel, correctly profiled both on the inside and outside and chemically blackened, set in blackened brass bearings or contact strips and conforming to Accurascale standards of 29.2mm back-to-back, on 4.763mm diameter axles.
• Fully detailed die-cast underframe with all cylinders, linkages and piping applied separately
• Eroded metal, plastic and wire detail parts, including (but not limited to) handrails, door handles, lamp brackets, brake gear, brake discs, draw gear, vents, louvres, radiator grilles and builders’ plates.
• Prism free flush glazing.
• Easily removable cab roof, to allow access to cab interior for customer detailing.
• Sprung metal buffers, and draw hooks.
• Authentic livery, markings and numbers, accurate to time period modelled, achieved by use of part painting and pad printing.

HIGH PERFORMANCE TRACTION and MECHANISM, TO INCLUDE:

• Centrally mounted, best quality 5-pole skew-wound motor, with flywheel, driving both axles.
• All-wheel pickup.
• Helical gear box for maximum performance and slow speed running.
• Gearing arranged so locomotive can achieve a scale maximum top speed of 15.4 mph (24.78 kmh), with a load of 1.1kg.
• DCC ready with PowerPack capacitor for uninterrupted power, or similar stay alive arrangement.

LIGHTING and DCC FEATURES, TO INCLUDE:

• Deigned around PluX22 ESU Decoders with easy access to decoder via removable bonnet.
• Switchable shunting lights.
• Full cab interior lighting, set at correct colour temperature.
• Permanently fitted speakers.