When I was a youngster, 00 gauge model railways ran on a 12 volts DC supply and the quality of the models was nothing to write home about. Since I retired, I've discovered that the quality of the modern models has improved by orders of magnitude and a digital control system, using pulsed AC is now available (Known as DCC).  However, a surprising number of model locomotives (mainly DMUs) are still sold without decoder sockets or/and with inaccurate running lights (some even using miniature bulbs). I've been having fun carrying out some DCC conversions and fitting new LED lighting, to remedy these shortcomings. Click on the illustrations of the train types below to see in some detail how the conversions were carried out.

Class 158 Twin car DMU

In Northern Rail livery, produced by Bachmann

Class 158 with new dual rear/marker lights

(Supplement to the standard Class 158 page above)

In Northern Rail livery, produced by Bachmann

Class 170 Three car DMU

In Cross Country Rail livery, produced by Bachmann

Class 153 Single car DU

In Northern Rail livery, produced by Hornby

Class 156 Twin car DMU

In Northern Rail "Settle-Carlisle" livery, produced by Hornby

(No lights, no power in trailer car, no deflector....all now fixed!)

Class 66/9 Heavy Freight Loco

In Freightliner & DRS/Stobart livery, produced by Bachmann

(Supplement to the Class 66/9 page above)

In EWS livery, produced by Bachmann

operating in a DCC environment

(Using a Dapol Intermodal Container Carrier)

Class 67 Multirole 125mph Loco

In EWS livery, produced by Hornby

Class 150/2 Twin car DMU

In Regional Railways colours, but to be fitted with Northern Rail vinyls when available, produced by Bachmann

(lights just need a night running headlight adding, but its a lot of work!)

Class 221 Voyager

(In Preparation)

(Awaiting availability of the model in Cross- Country colours, due in November)

produced by Bachmann