Gopher Models N Scale 422 Indian Red – Sound Fitted

Description

Gopher Models N Scale 422 diesel locomotive in Indian Red with factory fitted DCC sound, exclusive to Buckambool Model Trains.

Available to purchase when stock arrives, pre-order is not available.

This model of 422 class diesel locomotive represents them as delivered in 1969/70, stretching until at least 1979 once repainting into Indian Red Reverse began.

The Gopher 422 class is the culmination of many years of developing Australian N Scale ready to run products. This model represents a number of firsts in the Australian N scale industry!

• First diesel equipped with a coreless motor
• First model fitted with an E24 DCC socket
• First diesel equipped with stay alive in all models
• First diesel with all lighting separately controllable
• First diesel with a very large speaker enclosure for 15x11mm speaker fitted to all models
• all of this is still achieved with ease of servicing and maintenance in mind

Factory installed electronics:

• Installed with Zimo MS540E24 DCC sound decoder from factory
  • All 8 lighting outputs separately controllable thanks to E24 decoder socket
• Stay alive fitted as standard to all models
• 15 x 11mm sugar cube speaker with large enclosure
• EMD 16-645E prime mover and other EMD appropriate sounds recorded from X54 (thanks to East Coast Heritage Rail)

Model features:

• Die-cast metal chassis, injection moulded body
• Coreless motor for silky smooth operation with very minimal noise
• Electrical pickup on all driving wheels
• Operating headlights, white/red marker lights and number boards
• Fitted with Gopher Models precision couplers front and back (compatible with Micro-Trains couplers)

Sound functions:

• F0 – Directional lighting (headlight, white markers, number boards in direction of travel)
• F1 – No. 1 end lighting logic (cycles through
• F2 – RVB 5 chime horn (playable)
• F3 – RVB 5 chime horn (random variants)
• F4 – Dynamic brake
• F5 – Idle (prime mover locks into idle)
• F6 – Heavy load (prime mover notches up much faster)
• F7 – Headlight dimmer
• F8 – Prime mover startup (sound on)
• F9 – Speed lock (throttle controls prime mover sound only)
• F10 – No. 2 end lighting logic (cycles through
• F11 –  Guards Whistle
• F12 – Notch 8 (prime mover locks into Notch 8)
• F13 – Compressor
• F14 – Train Brake apply & release
• F15 – Flange squeal
• F16 – Manual Notching on/off
• F17 – Notch Down –
• F18 – Notch Down +
• F19 – Shunting Mode (momentum drastically reduced)
• F20 – Coupler Crash
• F21 – Vigilance Whistle
• F22 – Handbrake Chain
• F23 – Front White Markers
• F24 – Rear White Markers
• F25 – Front Red Markers
• F26 – Rear Red Markers
• F27 – Front Number Boards
• F28 – Rear Number Boards

Compressor and air hiss sounds all play at specific intervals based on driving conditions and whether the locomotive is stationary or in motion.

History:

The 422 class were delivered to the New South Wales Government Railways from 1969 into 1970 by Clyde Engineering, Granville NSW. They are the first Australian diesel locomotive to be built with a non-streamlined dual cab body and were the most powerful locomotive in the NSW railways at the time. In service they spent considerable time hauling passenger workings on the Illawarra and Main South such as the Canberra Express, Intercapital Daylight, South Coast Daylight Express, Southern Aurora, Spirit of Progress, Griffith Express and Sydney/Melbourne Express.

They feature an EMD 16 cylinder 645E roots blown prime mover, which is also shared by the Victorian Railways X Class diesel locomotive. The design of the locomotive would inspire not only the Commonwealth Railways NJ class locomotives, but ultimately the highly successful NSW 81 class diesel locomotive, with the testing of an upgraded alternator, electrical system and Super Series wheel slip technology on 42220.

From 1982 through working to Melbourne was permitted, although this ceased in 1990 with a ban in Victoria on non-air conditioned locomotives. In 1995 all 422s were allocated to National Rail whilst they awaited their sizeable order of NR locomotives, however returned shortly after in 1997 to FreightCorp. From this time on their usage was sporadic, a few saw service with Northern Rivers Railroad, two saw service keeping the Griffith and Broken Hill passenger service operational, whilst the rest were eventually sold to Australian Southern Railroad in 2000, later known as Australian Railroad Group and Genesee & Wyoming Australia; who oversaw the conversion of most into the ’22’ class. The 22 class spent the rest of their working lives in South Australia, the Northern Territory and West Australia almost exclusively ever since. In 2022 ownership of these locomotives transferred to Aurizon.

Currently around 9 of the fleet are still seeing service with Aurizon, one with Magnetic Rail Group, two with Watco and 1 with SSR awaiting reactivation.

Curious to learn more about the 422 class fleet and their history? Wikipedia is a great place to start: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_South_Wales_422_class_locomotive