Cavalex Models CM - 56023 - TGCS - SOUND

Class 56 023 Coal Sector Diesel Locomotive (DCC Sound)

Name: Cavalex Models CM - 56023 - TGCS - SOUND Class 56 023 Coal Sector Diesel Locomotive (DCC Sound)
Brand: Cavalex Models
SKU: CM - 56023 - TGCS - SOUND
Price: 289.95 GBP

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI/AI images rather than photographs

Prototype Era
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation

Manufacturer description

DCC Sound Version.

Number: 56023
Build: Romanian
Info: Carried coal sector livery from 1988 to withdrawal in 1993

56023 Features:

Distinctive Romanian shape
Full buffer beam cowling
Square mesh side grilles, cantrail grilles and roof grille
Rubber sealed cab and cab side windows

Please see the full DCC Sound specification of the model below:

Custom sound project recorded and programmed by ESU, which interacts with independently driven roof fans, each with its own quiet coreless motor, to authentically replicate the way that the real locomotive operates, under various loads and conditions.
Newly developed speaker by ESU (one passive radiator and sugar cube combination unit)
Full independently controlled lighting, allowing for parked, yard, light engine, and ‘on train’ modes, with realistic levels of brightness and colour representative of the prototype being modelled.
Realistically bright (or dim depending how you look at it) cab lighting.
Hall sensors for fully adjustable automated flange squeal on sound fitted models which was first demonstrated to customers at the Rails of Sheffield open day in August 2022. This feature
automatically provides the characteristic screech as the wheels enter sharp curves. Not having to activate the sound manually only adds to the immersive effect whilst driving the locomotive.
Power bank providing smooth uninterrupted running, which combined with floating centre axles, allows trouble free road holding and power.

Cavalex Models have announced a newly-tooled Class 56 in 4mm.

The model is already significantly advanced and currently at the tooling stage, having been in the works for the past few years. All variants of the 56 are being tooled, to accurately cover all 135 locomotives produced between 1976 and 1984.

The Cavalex 56 has been designed completely from scratch, based on original works drawings from both Electroputere and BREL. Having incorporated numerous innovations into the model which they plan to showcase in the future. Whilst the 56 has been released by other manufacturers in the past, it was an obvious choice for Cavalex given the prototype ran with all of the released and forthcoming wagons, and being 56 fans, Cavalex wanted to capture the distinct differences between the four main versions of the ‘Grid’. They have deliberately chosen prototypes that don’t conflict with existing models of the class, whilst also releasing liveries never seen in 4mm scale. This extends to liveries not seen on certain versions; for example Red Stripe Railfreight on a Romanian built Class 56.

The locomotive will incorporate the following features:

A wealth of separately fitted parts, including bogies which aren’t just one piece mouldings to allow for proper detail relief
Photo etched grilles throughout the model
All wheel pick up and innovative automatic flange squeal activated via magnetic hall sensors
Alloy chassis to allow the locomotive to pull prototypical wagon rakes
5 pole motor with twin flywheels, geared for prototypical running speeds with superb slow speed control
21 pin DCC interface, with easy DCC fitting provision via removable roof panel to the number 2 end
DCC sound with custom ESU project for our factory fitted sound version and stay alive fitted to all models
Sound model has an EM1 type Speaker with additional sugar cube speaker in the chassis as standard for a balanced combination of low and high frequency sounds to accurately reproduce the prototype via a custom recorded sound project
Drop in EM/P4 wheelset packs available to order separately to coincide with the release of the model ORDER HERE
Separately motor operated roof fans via a function output on DCC, or when moving on DC
Etched name plates as appropriate
Both standard and revised cantrail grill options depending on prototype.

The Cavalex 56 will be produced to the same high standard of finish as the highly regarded PGA and BBA/BLA wagons, incorporating similar levels of detail and innovation.

Catalogue listing

Brand

Cavalex Models

Product Code

CM - 56023 - TGCS - SOUND

GTIN

9782301402974

RRP

£289.95

Release date

TBA

Limited edition model for

Rails of Sheffield

Model details

DCC status

DCC Sound

DCC

DCC Sound Fitted

Livery

Coal Sector

Prototype information

Locomotive class^*

Class 56

^* Class names often change over the lifespan of a locomotive, so this is not necessarily the class name used by the operator in the period modelled.

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Related products

Cavalex Models Class 56 023 is a limited‑edition 4 mm scale representation of a British Rail diesel locomotive that operated in the coal sector between 1988 and its withdrawal in 1993. The model carries the livery used by the coal sector during that period and is built to the Romanian specification of the prototype, featuring a distinctive shape, full buffer‑beam cowling, square mesh side grilles, cantrail grilles, roof grille, rubber‑sealed cab and cab side windows.

The locomotive is equipped with DCC sound as standard. The sound project has been recorded and programmed by ESU and interacts with independently driven roof fans, each powered by a quiet coreless motor, to reproduce the acoustic behaviour of the real engine under various loads. A newly developed ESU speaker combines a passive radiator with a sugar‑cube unit to deliver balanced low and high frequencies. Lighting is fully controllable, offering realistic brightness levels for parked, yard, light‑engine and on‑train modes, while hall sensors provide automatic flange squeal when the wheels enter sharp curves.

Technical specifications include a 5‑pole motor with twin flywheels geared for prototypical running speeds, an alloy chassis designed to haul period‑correct wagon rakes, and a 21‑pin DCC interface with a removable roof panel for easy fitting. The model incorporates separately fitted bogies, photo‑etched grilles, and optional drop‑in EM/P4 wheelset packs. Both standard and revised cantrail grill options are available, together with etched nameplates appropriate to the chosen prototype.

Cavalex have developed the Class 56 from original Electroputere and BREL drawings, with all 135 locomotives produced between 1976 and 1984 being represented across the range. Tooling is at an advanced stage and the model is built to the same high standard of finish as the company’s PGA and BBA/BLA wagons, aiming to capture liveries not previously available in 4 mm scale. The model was first demonstrated to customers at the Rails of Sheffield open day in August 2022.