Heljan 47243 Class 47 555 ‘The Commonwealth Spirit’ IC Exec.(DCC-Sound)

PROTOTYPE/HISTORY

In the early 1960s, the British Transport Commission (BTC) planned to remove steam locomotives from the British Rail network by 1968. This would require many new locomotives to replace existing steam engines, the first being the Class 46. During the building of these, it was realised that a larger number of locomotives would be required. The final 20 contracted Class 46 locomotives we cancelled and a new tender was put out.

The first twenty locomotives were fitted with Westinghouse brakes, with the remainder built with Metcalfe-Oerlikon brake systems. Based on the success of the prototype another order of 270 locomotives was made, revised upwards to the final total of 512. 310 of these were built at Brush in Loughborough, with the remainder built by the BR Crewe Works. The new tender was given to Brush with the requisite of the parts from the cancelled Class 46 to be used and the Class 47 was born.

The Class 47 were used across the whole British Rail network, in both passenger and freight roles. Most 47s were built with steam heating which was later replaced with electric. Eighty-one were built for freight-only duties with no heating and were fitted with slow speed control while twenty-two had dual or just electric heating and were used for passenger, parcels, and mail trains.

MODEL

1:76 Scale model of a Class 47 Diesel Locomotive decorated in Intercity Executive (‘The Commonwealth Spirit’) livery. This model features lots of era specific details and markings and lots of external body details as modelled on the prototype.

FEATURES

GENERAL

• 1:76 Scale Model
• DCC Sound Model
• NEM Couplings
• Highly Detailed Finish

DETAILING

• Sprung Buffers
• Exterior Detail
• Interior Detail
• Beautifully Painted Body
• Cast Profiled Wheels with Appropriate Colouring
• Directional Lighting

MECHANICAL

• Powerful 5-pole, twin shaft motor
• Two brass flywheels providing drive to both bogies
• Four axle drive with ‘floating’ middle axle for smooth riding qualities
• Diecast metal chassis block
• Precision gearboxes with gearing arranged for prototypical running speeds and haulage capability
• OO gauge finescale wheels with painted wheel faces

LIGHTING

• Directional headcode panel and tail lights
• Separately switchable Cab interior lights (DCC Mode Only)
• Separately switchable Engine Room lights
• Separately switchable tail lights (DCC Mode Only)
• Separately switchable HI Headlights (DCC Mode Only)
• Light Engine Mode
• Parking mode with tail lights at both ends
• Train mode with tail and/or marker lights off
• Push-pull mode for ScotRail Class 47/7s
• Authentic light colours for each model based on era and application
• Authentic Class 47 lighting arrangements in DCC mode, supplied by DCC sound specialist Legomanbiffo, featuring different lighting functions for locomotives with/without HI headlights and unique light functions for using ScotRail Class 47/7s in push-pull mode with Mk2 DBSO coaches.
• Cab light extinguishes automatically when locomotive starts moving (DCC Mode Only)

SOUND

• ESU Loksound V5 DCC Sound Decoder as standard
• Two high-quality speakers encased in bespoke sound enclosure for optimum sound reproduction
• Two super-realistic Class 47 sound projects supplied by DCC sound expert Legomanbiffo, featuring different sound recordings for Class 47/0 and ETH-fitted Class 47/4s
• 19 authentic sound functions including Spirax air dump valve, compressor, cooling fans, wipers, sanders, AWS bell and buzzer
• Playable two-tone horn function (F2/F3)
• Driver-Guard communication beep for ScotRail Class 47/7
• Speed dependent flange squeal
• Speed dependent detonator explosion
• Mk1/2/3 door slam options
• Mk3 air suspension sound (for ScotRail Class 47/7)

• 1 x Heljan Diesel Locomotive

PROTOTYPE SPECIFICATIONS

MODEL SPECIFICATIONS

MEASUREMENTS