One of the areas of work that I am involved with, is the movement of EMU passenger stock such as Class 465/466 'Networkers' & Class 375/376 & 377 'Electrostars', using specialist match coaches which are known as either 'Translators' or 'Barriers', depending on certain technical differences relating to the type of stock in transit.

Manor Lane is to have two of the 'Translator' type vehicles delivered soon and these are the feature of this article.

These vehicles enable a normal draw gear fitted Locomotive to haul a multiple unit with incompatible couplings by sandwiching the unit between the Translator coaches, thus a Class 465 'Networker' transit move would take this formation :

1    Loco ( Usually a Class 67 )

2    Leading Translator

3    EMU Coach

4    EMU Coach

5    EMU Coach

6    EMU Coach

7    Trailing Translator

It is not uncommon to have more than one EMU in the same transit movement.

Although mention is made of a 'normal' draw gear fitted Locomotive, nothing about this work is actually very 'normal' at all and many tweaks are made to the prototype Locomotives and stock involved. These tweaks and the various operating details relating to these moves do not concern us here in model form and so are not explained here, however if you are undertaking a similar modelling project of your own, I would be happy to try to answer any queries that you may have via the email link provided.

The above picture is of the first of the Manor Lane 'Translator's when in works, shown here with it's brass side overlays recently fitted.

Although a lot of detail was still yet to be added at this stage, some detail had been removed from the underframe as per the prototype and the correct bogies were also still to be fitted.

On the prototype vehicles, the inner end couplings are changed to suit the particular stock and this is the same for our model coaches, thanks to Bachmann fitting NEM coupler pockets, the original close coupling system has also been retained.

The 'outer' ends are fully draw gear fitted, although not fitted with sprung buffers.

The two Manor Lane Translator's are now released from the workshop and are fit for traffic, please see photo's above and compare them with the prototype's shown below.......

In a break from tradition, I have provided some 'prototype' pictures here, in an effort to show some of the details found on these coaches and the finished effect that we hope we have re-created in miniature.

Please note that these pictures were taken by myself and under conditions of absolute safety during the course of my work, and as such, are not the sort of shots that are generally available from public viewing points such as platforms & bridges etc.

You are therefore more than welcome to use these pictures for your own work without restriction, but a small credit to myself or my site would be appreciated......a small price to pay for my having to 'come out' at work as a 'railway enthusiast' and enduring the subsequent playful taunts from my colleagues !!!

EMU Translator's - The Prototype

The following pictures are not organised or labelled in any particular format, but simply provide a 'detail' library for the Translator coaches in use.

You will notice certain things on the Class 465 unit, such as the removal of bogie mounted conductor rail shoe gear and bodyside mounted passenger footsteps, these being operational requirements for passage over the non-electrified parts of the journey and also for gauge clearance issues.

The 'Electric Train Heating' jumpers are shown to be in use on this occasion, this is to do with the working of certain on board equipment which 'translates' the brake applications on the Locomotive into electrical braking signals on the unit, enabling the brakes to be fully operative throughout the train, hence the name of these non-passenger carrying coaching stock vehicles.......Translators.

It should be noted that 'Barrier' coaches work in a slightly different way but are not covered here........well.......not until one of the major model manufacturers releases a decent Class 375/376 or 377 Multiple Unit anytime soon and then we may just have to procure some of those too !!!

On the day I took these pictures, there should have been a unit going the other way, i.e back to Derby, but this didn't happen, making it possible to picture the Translators coupled together.

Enjoy....