Accurascale OO Scale Class 31 – 31301

Accurascale OO Scale Class 31 / English Electric Type 2 – 31301 in Railfreight Red-Stripe

Developed from the large logo scheme, when the original Railfreight grey livery was launched on 58001 in December 1982 it was lifted by the addition of a red bufferbeam and solebars. However, when the paintjob was first rolled out on the Class 31s as they left Doncaster after Heavy General Overhaul from March 1985 only the red bufferbeams were carried over, the red lower body band not being introduced until January 1987 on 31188. Over the next 13 months, 36 other ‘refurbished’ machines were outshopped by the ‘Plant’ in the same ‘red stripe’ scheme with Bescot’s 31301 re-entering traffic after its makeover in June 1987. This had been new as D5834 to 41A Tinsley in March 1962 but spent most of the 1980s yo-yoing between the Eastern and London Midland Regions. When the locomotive fleets were divided into sectorised pools in the second half of that decade 31301 was initially allocated to departmental work, later joining Stratford FAGS aggregate pool, before returning to infrastructure work in the early 1990s. This became restricted to weekend work from 1992 along with several periods of store and around three years later it worked for the last time. A potential reprieve came in September 1999 when it was sold to Fragonset with the intention of re-instating it to traffic. Unfortunately this never took place and after hanging on for over a decade it met its fate at CF Booth, Rotherham, in February 2011.

Class 31 Common Features:

• Highly-detailed OO scale model, 1:76.2 scale on 16.5mm track
• Minimum radius 438mm (2nd radius set-track)
• Heavy die-cast metal chassis
• One truck (bogie) styles with separate footsteps, brake cylinders, speed recorder and end brake rigging
• RP25-110 profile OO gauge wheels
• Brake blocks on bogies in line with wheels
• Scale width wire handrails
• Etched metal/plastic detail parts, incl. grab handles, steps, wipers, etc.
• Etched metal roof grille
• Etched metal pre-painted nameplates, plaques and arrows (if applicable)
• Accurate high-fidelity miniature snowploughs, chassis fitted
• Full underbody battery box/air tank detail with pipework
• Extra cab front details for Network Rail locomotives
• Fully sprung buffers, multiple pipework variations and screw couplings
• Kinetic NEM coupler mounts at correct height with mini-tension-lock couplers

Deluxe Features:

• All models feature a fully working, scale speed roof fan, that will run on DC and DCC. On DCC control, the fan speed is fully programmed to simulate accurate motion
• All models feature a PowerPack supercapacitor Stay-Alive system for uninterrupted power and flicker free lighting and uninterruptible sound (works on DCC)

DCC Features:

• DCC ready [21-Pin MTX Socket]
• Factory-Installed DCC Sound available with ESU LokSound V5 fitted with large EM2 style speaker and sugarcube style speaker, with large sound capsules for best possible sound (DCC Sound models only)
• Wheel flange squeal sensor on DCC sound fitted locomotives for automatic flange squeal on sound programme

High Performance traction features:

• High quality 5-pole motor with two large flywheels
• Helical gearbox for maximum performance and slow speed running
• Gearing arranged so locomotive can achieve a scale top speed of 90 mph (145 km/h)
• Outer axles on bogies are driven (sprung dummy centre axle) and all wheel pickup

Fully detailed Lighting Pack features:

• Directional lighting, DC and DCC
• Lighting clusters with appropriate day and night-time settings
• Switchable red and white marker lights (red can be switched individual lights or both on)
• Separately switched cab lighting and illuminated, driver’s desk with auto/off on movement