We Recorded a REAL Class 37 for Hornby! | Behind the Scenes

What does it take to recreate the sound of a real locomotive in a model railway?

We head behind the scenes with Hornby Model Railways at Leicester MPD to record the sounds of a Mirrlees-powered Pioneer Class 37 — the only remaining prototype fitted with a Mirrlees engine.

Hornby’s Chris Riley, Electronics and Sound Engineer, and Callum, Trainee Sound Developer, take us through the recording process, from capturing the locomotive’s engine and individual components to editing, testing and refining the final sound profile.

Using a combination of wireless and handheld microphones, the team captures everything they need to recreate the locomotive's distinctive character — including the engine, horns, compressor and fan.

But the recording is only the beginning. Once the team returns to the studio, the raw recordings will be edited into a complete sound suite before weeks of testing and refinement take place ahead of release.

🎙️ Recorded at: Leicester MPD

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