Hornby's incredible 'Dublo Diecast' LNER Class A4 4-6-2 can now be yours at a considerably discounted price!
We have reduced a trio of these high-specification models by over £120 off the original RRP, only while stocks last. It's never been a better time to bring this icon of steam home to your collection!
All three of these models commemorate the 10th anniversary of the incredible 'Great Gathering' event in 2014, which saw all remaining Class A4s congregate again for the first time at the National Railway Museum.
Hornby Dublo A4 models feature a diecast body, just as their original Hornby Dublo counter parts would have been seen. This is coupled with enchanted decoration which when paired with the diecast of the boiler provides a realistic finish to the body. The models contain a 5 pole motor with flywheel and are DCC ready with an 8 pin socket. These models will also contain a detail bag containing etched nameplates and headboards, allowing the model to be displayed as it would have appeared at the Great Gathering.
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Product Features
Highly detailed model with many separate parts including handrails, whistle, pipework, lamp irons, metal buffers and much more
Fully diecast locomotive body and chassis (akin to classic Dublo models)
Fully detailed and painted cab interior
5-pole skew wound motor with flywheel, driving & tender wheel pickups
Digital & Sound capability - 8-pin socket (compatible with HM7000 DCC system)
Intricately applied livery and printing
NEM tension lock couplings
Special commemorative packaging for 'Great Gathering 10th Anniversary' models
Prototype Information
The LNER Gresley A4 is one of the most iconic express locomotives in Great Britain, with its streamlined casing a classic symbol of the attitude towards speed and design in the 1930s, which saw increased competition to the railways from road and air travel. The LNER Board knew that they had to make travel between the major cities faster, comfortable and more reliable.
Nigel Gresley, the LNER's Chief Mechanical Officer, travelled on the Fliegende Hamburger diesel locomotive in Germany and was impressed by its streamlining, although he realized it was only efficient at high speeds. Gresley was certain that a modified A3 Pacific, with streamlining, could haul greater loads than other locomotives at the same speed or faster and a series of trials were conducted to confirm the A3's suitability.
With the trials successfully completed, the LNER Board gave Gresley the go-ahead to create the "Silver Jubilee" streamlined trains, the first of the new streamlined A4s.The streamlining of the A4s' steam circuit, higher boiler pressure and extension of the firebox to create a combustion chamber made them more efficient than the A3 as they consumed less coal and water- especially later on when they were also fitted with a Kylchap double chimney. This improved their free steaming capabilities further.
Their streamlined design not only made them capable of high speeds, but created an up draught of smoke, obscuring the driver's vision, a major problem on the new Class A4 engines. The story goes that during wind tunnel testing, after several unsuccessful efforts to get the smoke to lift clear, a thumbprint was inadvertently left on the clay model just behind the chimney. This succeeded in clearing the smoke and was incorporated into the final design.