Accurascale O Scale R&H 88DS 432477

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 5th 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.

Common Features:

• Die-cast metal chassis, body frame and footplate, with plastic cab and engine panels.
• A scale length of 143.8mm over buffers, 54.85mm wide and height over the 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.
• A 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 the time period modelled, achieved by the use of part painting and pad printing.

High-performance traction and mechanism, including:

• Centrally mounted, best quality 5-pole skew-wound motor, with flywheel, driving both axles.
• All-wheel pickup.
• Helical gearbox for maximum performance and slow-speed running.
• Gearing is arranged so the 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 a similar stay-alive arrangement.

Lighting and DCC features:

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