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Class 14

Class 15 BTH

Class 16

Class 17 Clayton

Class 20 EE Type 1

Class 21

Class 22

Class 23 'Baby Deltic'

Class 24 Derby Type 2

Class 25 Derby Type 2

Class 26

Class 27

Class 28

Class 29

Class 30 Brush Type 2

Class 31 Brush Type 2

Class 33 BRCW Type 3

Class 35 'Hymek'

Class 37 EE Type 3

Class 40 EE Type 4

Class 41 'Warship'

Class 42 'Warship'

Class 43 'Warship'

Class 44 'Peak'

Class 45

Class 46

Class 47 Brush Type 4

Class 48 Brush Type 4

Class 50 EE Type 5

Class 52 'Western'

Class 53 'Falcon'

Class 55 'Deltic'

Class 56

Class 57

Class 58

Class 59

Class 60

Class 66

Class 67

Class 68

Class 70

The Dapol Class 52

The Class 52 'Westerns' must rate as one of the best looking diesels to run on BR. Even now, over 50 years later the design hasn't dated much. Living on the WR main line they were a common site, so it is only natural that I should want a couple to run on the layout.

I have tried all the RTR versions, but have ended up with a green Heljan version and maroon Dapol version. I was going to change the Heljan green version to a Dapol one, but when I got the maroon one, I couldn't justify the cost based on a minor improvement.

D1014 Western Leviathan is the Dapol version and is fitted with a Howe's sound decoder. D1038 Western Sovereign is Heljan's version and is just equipped with an ordinary decoder at the moment.

The Heljan Class 52

Looking back, I think one of the 'Westerns' should have been called 'Western Saga', for that's what the attempts at modelling them seem to have been! I admit that I'm a little biased here as they are on of my favourite locomotives and I don't feel that any manufacturer has got it completely right yet.

The first model was by Trix, but was unfortunately too short and had unusual bogies. Hornby had a go and was almost the right length with a fair looking 'face', helped I think by printing the window frames onto the clear plastic. Lima jumped into the fray in 1979, but spoilt the model by a scale 18 inch lip below the front window. When Heljan announced that they were going to have a go, the result was pleasing, but the peak above the windscreen is not right. Dapol are the most recent contenders and it is probably the best to date, spoilt only by a dodgy headcode panel. You think they may have learnt from the Class 22!

MTK also produced a white metal kit.