Boy From The Black Stuff - Tarmac Ruston 88DS Latest Accurascale Exclusive

Warbonnet · February 9

With our main range of decorated O gauge Ruston and Hornsby 88DS locomotives unveiled earlier this week, we can now unveil our "Accurascale Exclusive" special edition model; 655/29/38 in Tarmac livery!

The Prototype

Ruston Works No. 518494 was the last 88DS to be built by the firm, leaving Boultham Works on November 29th 1967 bound for Tarmac Roadstone Holdings Ltd’s Southern Division Plant at Hayes, where it was allocated the number 655/29/38 and painted into Tarmac’s in-house livery of Olive, with the Tarmac legend and Seven Ts logo being added. There, it joined a 4wDM Hibberd ‘Planet’, FH3765, which had been at the site since 1956.

When the layout at Hayes was revised in June 1967 due to a need to handle increased stone traffic, the 88DS was purchased as FH3765 was not powerful enough for the increased loadings. During the late 1980's, stone began to be delivered in large block trains and the need to shunt wagons ceased. Laid up for a period, 655/29/38 went to the Swanage Railway for preservation on June 29th 1990.

The Tarmac numbering scheme is interesting, as the first three digits show the Depot Number, followed by a two digit ‘type’ number (29 for locomotive in this case) and then the final two digits are the Fleet number. Tarmac’s Olive livery remained unchanged between 1966 and 1996 and has been reproduced on the model with help from Tarmac Roadstone Ltd’s own Andy Howdle.

The Model

As outlined in our recent update on the Ruston 88DS range, we are delighted with how our first O gauge locomotive is progressing so far. Naturally, there are a few improvements to be made at this point, including Of course, there are areas we can further improve such as the yellow that has been applied across the Wasp Stripes and Warning panels is a bit ‘thin’ on these samples, so the density needs to be increased. The buffers, drawhooks and wheels have not received their chemical blackening, which is normal for this stage and will be done on the finished models.

Sound recording for our digital sound fitted models will commence in the coming weeks and we will look forward to bringing you some footage of the finished sound files once we have them prepared. Delivery is anticipated for Q1 2025, with this Tarmac model available direct only through the Accurascale website in both DC/DCC Ready and DCC Sound Fitted formats, each coming in the now famous special presentation packaging.

Click on the link below to pre-order yours for no money down today!