📢 Please take a minute to read this personal message from the creator of RailwayModels.uk

Dapol 4D-005-008SSM

Class 59 206 John F Yeoman Freightliner (DCC-Sound/Smoke)

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

Prototype Era
Era 11 (2016 to 2026) The Last Days of Privatisation

Manufacturer description

Based on the huge success of the first production run of OO Gauge Class 59’s Dapol have decided to announce the launch of the second production run of this fantastic model. Dapol will be releasing five liveries, with DCC Ready, DCC Fitted, DCC Sound Fitted, DCC Smoke Fitted and DCC Sound & Smoke Fitted options being available to pre-order.

The Class 59 is a Co-Co formation diesel locomotive and the first US produced, privately-owned locomotive to operate regularly in the UK. The ordering of the first Class 59 was a result of quarry company Foster Yeomans dissatisfaction with the performance of the BR Class 56. The first 4 locomotives built by GMs Electromotive Division were delivered to Foster Yeoman during 1986 and 59005 in 1989. Proving very successful; one locomotive setting a new UK haulage record for a single locomotive of 4639 tonnes. Foster Yeomans rivals, Amey Roadstone Corp. (ARC) also ordered four modified Class 59s (59/1) as did National Power, who ordered six (59/2). GM invested in this initial UK success by extensively modifying the class 59 internally to produce the Class 66, also hugely successful, within both the UK and Continental Europe. Other than 59003 (which after return from loan to HHPI in Germany, is operated by GBRf), the Class 59 fleet is operated today by DB Schenker and Mendip Rail (an ARC and FY joint venture).

Features of the Class 59 include:

• Finely moulded body with many applied fine details
• Printed name plates (Etched plates supplied separately)
• DCC ready, DCC and sound fitted models available
• Cast wheels with fine relief and appropriate colouring
• Heavy diecast chassis with all wheel pick up
• NEM pockets as standard
• Optional diesel exhaust effect (smoke) *
• All class 59 versions tooled
• Operating, independently controlled headlight and cab lights (all lighting variations tooled)

DC & DCC Lighting Capabilities

• DC lighting with independent control of #1 & #2 end lamps (push/pull/light engine) and cab
• lighting (controlled by switches)
• DCC controlled fully independent lighting:
• Push/Pull and light engine modes for head and tail lights
• Day/Night headlamp selection
• Marker lamp control (where applicable)
• Independent cab lighting (leading cab /trailing cab /off)
• (DCC Only) Optional clag smoke simulation on initial acceleration

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

^* 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.

Dapol Class 59 59206 is an OO gauge model of a Freightliner Orange John F Yeoman diesel locomotive. The model is fitted with DCC sound and smoke functions and is supplied with interior lighting.

The locomotive is a Co‑Co formation with power pickup on all wheels and a minimum curve radius of 2. It uses NEM / tension‑lock coupling and is DCC ready, with DCC sound already fitted. The model includes independent headlamp, tail lamp and cab lighting, and the chassis is a heavy die‑cast with cast wheels that have fine relief and appropriate colour‑coding. The vehicle is built to represent the current era; the original Class 59 was produced by General Motors Electro Motive Division between 1985 and 1995. The manufacturer part number is 4D‑005‑008SSM.

The real Class 59 was the first US‑produced, privately owned diesel locomotive to operate regularly on the UK network. The first four units were ordered by quarry operator Foster Yeoman in 1986 after dissatisfaction with the performance of the BR Class 56, and a further ten were later built for Amey Roadstone Corp and National Power. One locomotive set a UK haulage record of 4 639 tonnes for a single locomotive. Today the remaining fleet is operated by DB Schenker and Mendip Rail, with one example (59003) on loan to GBRf.

Model features include a finely moulded body with numerous applied details, printed name plates (etched plates supplied separately), cast wheels with accurate colour detail, NEM pockets as standard, and an optional diesel exhaust smoke effect. Lighting can be controlled in DC mode with independent head‑lamp and cab switches, while DCC mode offers push‑pull and light‑engine head‑lamp modes, day/night headlamp selection, marker lamp control, and independent cab lighting for leading or trailing cab. An optional clag smoke simulation can be activated on initial acceleration when running on DCC.

Following the success of the first production run, Dapol announced a second production run featuring five liveries. The model is available in DCC Ready, DCC Fitted, DCC Sound Fitted, DCC Smoke Fitted and DCC Sound & Smoke Fitted versions, all of which can be pre‑ordered.