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Class 13

The three BR Class 13's were probably better known as the Master and Slave Units that worked at Tinsley's Hump Shunting Yard. Made from two Class 08's, one cab was removed and multiple unit operation incorporated. This gave 700hp to push the wagons over the hump. Until recently, no commercial model was available of a Class 13, until Olivia's Trains produced one in 2014.

My take on the Class 13 uses two Bachmann Class 08's (the Hornby wasn't produced at the time!). One Class 08 had the cab removed, which simply slides up and off.

A new 'open cab' section was constructed from plasticard. The prototype featured larger and heavier buffer beams to aid adhesion. These have been reproduced in plasticard. These new sections were airbrushed to match the main model to avoid a complete respray off both! The connections between 'Master and Slave' have also been reproduced, but also serve a practical purpose. The pickup from the Slave have been disconnected from the motor and are routed via the fine wires on the buffer beam to the Master unit and thence to the Masters motor. A feed is taken off the Masters motor and routed back to the Slave motor. Sounds complicated, but it gives you twelve wheel pick up and as the motors are now in series, smooth stutter free running.

Mine has been numbered D4502 and are coupled in the fashion I usually saw them in. At various times, the Master and Slave would 'swap' positions. Still running on DC, this model awaits conversion to DCC.