We have just received Hornby's latest BR Class 9F 2-10-0 steam locomotive into stock - replicating 'Black Prince' in the austere BR black livery.
This new model, replicating No. 92203, showcases a locomotive that would have been used on heavy iron ore trains between Bidston and Shotwick. 92203 was only inn service for 9 years before being withdrawn but thankfully remains in preservation to this day.
The new 9F includes a fully diecast boiler and chassis adding plenty of weight allowing the pulling power of the model in 4mm scale to mirror that of the prototype. The models are presented in their authentic service colours with fully detailed and painted cabs, painted and posed crew figures and the flickering firebox feature to illuminate the lot.
We've also got another Class 9F in stock, which replicates No. 92002 in BR black. Bring home one of these iconic heavy freight behemoths home to your layout today!
In Stock Now
Product Features
Highly detailed model with separately fitted parts including handrails, pipework, safety valve, whistle, lamp irons, number boards, release valves, ladders and much more
Heavy diecast chassis and boiler
Accurate tooling variations for era-specific differences and locos used on the Tyne Docks
Fully detailed and painted cab interior
Digital & Sound capability -21-pin socket
Powerful 5-pole motor with flywheel
Flickering firebox glow effect
Optional painted & posed crew figures included
Sprung metal buffers
NEM tension lock couplings
Prototype Information
The British Railways Standard 9F Class was a 2-10-0 steam locomotive, the last of the standardised BR designs. The Robert Riddles design was intended as a long distance heavy express freight locomotive. In total 251 of the class were produced between January 1954 and March 1960, with the final locomotive No. 92220 'Evening Star' being the last steam locomotive built by British Railways.
The huge length of the 10 coupled driving wheels proved problematic when faced with tight curves, a situation that freight haulage would make inevitable. A solution was found by removing the flanges from the centre driving wheel and reducing the size on the flanges on the second and fourth driving axle's wheels.
Riddles had chosen the 2-10-0 wheel configuration in-order to spread the load of the boiler over a greater area. This meant that the boiler had to be raised considerably compared to other designs to allow the firebox to sit above the trailing driving wheels. As a result, the 9F features a distinctive void between the suspended boiler and the footplate.
In operation the class proved extremely versatile. Not only did the 9F excel as a freight locomotive, but when required it also succeeded as a passenger locomotive. Reports even suggest that when 92220 'Evening Star' was used to pull the Red Dragon express service between Cardiff and London it was forced to delay its arrival to allow the restaurant services to be completed, having outperformed the normal Britannia Class locomotives used on the service.
This was not the only time 9Fs had been recorded outperforming dedicated express locomotives and on such services the locomotives were capable of running at over 90mph. This combination of high speed, fast acceleration and powerful hauling capabilities mean that many consider the class to be pinnacle of British steam locomotive design.
Locomotive numbers 92165-92167 were built with a mechanical stoker. This system used a helical screw to move coal from the tender straight into the firebox. This meant that coal could be burnt a faster rate than a fireman could maintain otherwise.
Systems like this proved extremely useful on long distance American railways however in Britain it was rare for a locomotive to require such as high rate of coal delivery over a long period of time meaning that a good fireman could prove just as effective.
ABOUT 92002
Locomotive 92002 was the third such locomotive to be constructed by BR, being built at Crewe in 1954. The locomotive was outshopped with the BR1G tender and in the usual BR black colour scheme. The locomotive would go on to be one of the 106 locomotives withdrawn in 1967, the locomotive would not be preserved.
ABOUT 92203
No.92203 was constructed at Swindon Works and delivered on 6th April 1959. 92203 soon hauled heavy iron ore trains from Bidston Dock to Shotwick Shotton steelworks. After being in service for less than nine years, the locomotive was withdrawn in November 1967. The artist David Shepherd purchased 92203 from BR for £3,000 and it was then used on the Longmoor Military Railway. Shepherd named the locomotive ‘Black Prince’. After visiting several heritage railways, the locomotive moved to the North Norfolk Railway, its current home.