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COLCESTER TRAIN FLEET

Colcester has been building up its Train Fleet over the years - gone are the rolling stock from the 90s layouts with only the Flying Scotsman retained from those days as the oppotunity was taken to bring the fleet up to a more modern look. There had been several advances in product releases in the years between the last Mk2 layout and Colcester International`s Mk3 layout and it was fitting that the one of the first purchases for this new fleet would be a model of a Class 395 Javelin unit, the same type Colin had recently travelled on along Hi-Speed 1.

Since then the build-up has been gradual but has now given the future Mk4 layout quite a wide choice of rolling stock to showcase which will add to the variety of its running sessions when filmed for the Colcester YouTube Channel. But what do all these trains do? What will be their function in the fictional World of Colcester..? Well, below is a roster of all the Locomotives both Diesel and Electric, including the multiple units, which will explain how we see them performing on the layout and which capacity that will be in.

Diesel Fleet

CLASS 08 SHUNTER

This will primarily work in the TMD and in the coach sidings. Some light freight work as well

CLASS 37 Network Rail

Now based at Colcester Depot, a Class 37 with a rake of three coaches and one van performs maintenance work within the Colcester area and beyond.

CLASS 43 HST

Passenger service. Medium express services which involve more stops. Mainline working and will also use Garden Loop

CLASS 66

Both the EWS and the NHS Captain Tom units will take turns in hauling freight - this may often involve the Garden Loop too

CLASS 156 SPRINTER

Light commuter service. The idea is to run it as a shuttle from the storage yards via Furman Smithy to Colcester and then return. There is the option to run a similar service via the Garden Loop and back as well. This unit will have dedicated DMU platforms at Colcester.

Electric Fleet

CLASS 87

Medium stop passenger services on the mainline and Garden Loop. Run by Virgin Trains

CLASS 90

InterCity medium stop passenger services. There is also one loco in this class allocated to Freightliner for electric hauled freight services. All Class 90`s well use the mainline and Garden Loop

CLASS 91

Limited stop express service run by both InterCity and East Coast. Mainline and Garden Loop

CLASS 350

Commuter EMU service, all three units will form stopping services for both Furman Smithy and Colcester. Mainline and Garden Loop. They will also run Storage Yard to Furman Smithy, then Colcester and then back again

CLASS 373 EuroStar

These Hi-Speed EuroStar services will be limited stop using Mainline and Garden Loop only

CLASS 395 Javelin

Hi-Speed limited stop service on mainline and Garden Loop

CLASS 800 Azuma

Hi-Speed limited stop passenger services on both mainline and Garden Loop.

Diesel & Electric Fleet DCC Numbering

Colcester Mk4 will be entirely run using DCC control - each train has one or two decoder chips fitted to it and then the train receives commands from the controller through the track which is kept live along its entire length, there is technically no need for isolating areas of track and the potential to run approximately 99 trains at one time.

Although we have not fully completed fitting chips to all the fleet, well over half have now been done and we will continue with this until it is completed. Below is a list of all the fleet showing which have been DCC chipped and which have not (This will be updated) along with their purchase status. CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW FOR THE FULL LIST.