A Class Roar; Listen to our GM A Class Sound Chip!

Our A Class loco project continues to progress (as you can see here in our latest update) but one area we have been working hard on behind the scenes is the sound project with our friends at ESU.

We can now give you a first preview of our new ESU Loksound 5 A Class sound chip featuring the distinctive and unique sounds of these iconic Irish locomotives. Featuring real sounds recorded from the ITG's preserved A39r by professional sound engineers played through two high quality speakers, the roar of the rebuilt A Class can soon be enjoyed on your layout!

The sound is still being tweaked but this preview below will give you a taste of things to come!

Please note that this video was recorded on a mobile phone, and in person the sound is much more crisp and bassy. As you can see below, there is a comprehensive list of functions on this chip, giving modellers a whole host of operational possibilities. 

Of course, the A Class used two engines during its career, with this sound chip featuring he rebuilt EMD 645 rootes blown engine the locomotives were rebuilt with at Inchicore. This is suitable for the following locomotives in our A Class release programme:

• 007
• 017
• 018
• A23R
• 027
• 036
• A39R
• 048
• 054
• 056

The earlier Crossley engine is a rare beast, with very few lasting in service and no sound recordings good enough to use. However, there is a similar Metropolitan Vickers locomotive preserved in Australia which features the Crossley power unit. It is our intention to have ESU record this locomotive, but efforts so far has been hampered by wild bush fires and of course the COVID pandemic. Once the pandemic restrictions ease we will get this locomotive recorded and offer the Crossley sound chip at a later date. We will also be offering standard DCC non-sound chips soon, so keep an eye out for that!

In the meantime, you can pre-order your GM-EMD sound chip which will arrive in stock with the locomotives in May 2021. Each A Class model will come pre-fitted with a twin speaker set up, as well as an ESU power pack, so all you need to do is plug in the chip and you can enjoy that glorious A Class soundtrack. 

Pre-order your chips here for €124.94 and your A Class locomotives for €189.95 here.