Revolution reveals Class 18 deco samples

Depicting the locomotives in Clayton, Beacon Rail and Tata Steel colours, the new range is available exclusively at Rails. 

Expected to be on sale at the end of this year/beginning of 2025, the new models are priced at £179.95 DCC-Ready and £279.95 DCC-Sound.

Specification highlights

• Injection moulded plastic body and bogies with detailing parts
• Where appropriate, grilles to be photo-etched and handrails/piping/windscreen wipers are to be wire, photo-etched or very fine plastic
• Heavy cast metal chassis/footplate block.
• Power pick-up on all wheels.
• Designed to allow simple conversion to EM/P4 standards.
• Couplers mounted in NEM 362 sockets with kinematic close-coupling system. Models supplied with functional tension lock couplers at both ends using slot in removable end buffing plate. Painted full buffing plate with realistic cosmetic coupler hook and shackle to be supplied in an accessory pack for customers to fit
• Chassis incorporates smooth, 5-pole 12V DC motor and high quality with metal gear boxes and brass axles bearings. 
• High-quality PCB to incorporate 21-pin DCC interface with Stay-Alive and Anti-Flicker

The new models will also feature working forward cab and bufferbeam white headlights, red tail lights and, where appropriate, solid or flashing warning lights. Lighting is to be switchable, and capable of full prototypical configurations under DCC control and uses bright white or coloured LEDs as appropriate.

A DCC sound project has also been recorded by Legomanbiffo.

About the prototype

The range of CBD80/ CBD90 locomotives (also known as the Class 18s) are hybrid battery-diesel shunters produced by Clayton Equipment Limited in Burton upon Trent in Staffordshire. These innovative locos were envisaged as an environmentally friendly replacement for ageing shunting locomotives still in use on the network and at industrial sites including the perennial Class 08 shunters.

First revealed in Mid-2019, initial customers included steelworks and nuclear power plants - with a later order placed in 2020 for the rolling stock leasing company Beacon Rail.

The Class 18s are predominantly battery powered being recharged via a combination of track-side mains power supplies, regenerative braking, or by their on-board diesel generator. A three-month trial using the first example of the type was conducted by GB Railfreight in 2022.

The future is bright for these inventive new locomotives, with further orders expected following further trial runs. Operators such as GBRf expect these eye-catching vehicles to play an important role in the future of decarbonising the railways.

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