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Heljan 1810

BR Gas Turbine 0 Class in BR Black with Silver Trim (As Built 1951) Locomotive

Manufacturer catalogue image - please note that pre-release images may be CAD renders or CGI images rather than photographs

Prototype Era
Era 4 (1948 to 1956) British Railways Early Crest

Manufacturer description

EXCLUSIVE TO RAILS!

British Rail 18100 Gas Turbine Prototype Locomotive
BR black with silver trim (1951 condition)

Sound Upgrade package now available to order. Read more details HERE

Proposed Model Specification:

• Five pole motor driving all four axles (two on each bogie) with flywheels
• Powered wheels on outer axles of each bogie
• 21-pin DCC socket with easy access
• Separately fitted wire handrails and sandpipes
• Spoked wheels
• Etched grilles
• Sprung OLEO buffers
• Flush glazing
• NEM coupler pockets
• Lighting: As per 18000. Two warm white headlights at front (lower left and lower right) in direction of travel and one red tail light at rear (lower centre). Including function (DC and DCC) to switch off tail light when hauling a train.
• Warm white Cab lights. Including function to switch on/off.
• Separate engine room lights

The model is based on a unique gas turbine prototype built for BR, but ordered by the GWR in the 1940s. British Rail 18100 was a prototype mainline gas turbine-electric locomotive delivered to British Railways in 1952 by Metropolitan-Vickers of Manchester. It spent the first phase of its working life on the Western Region of British Railways, operating express passenger services from London Paddington to the West of England.

Loco was delivered in BR black with silver trim and carried this throughout its life.
In December 1953, 18100 was withdrawn from service and returned to MV for storage and later rebuilding as Britain’s first 25kV AC overhead electric locomotive, E1000. In this form it acted as the testbed for a new generation of high-voltage electric locos for the West Coast Main Line. After these duties were completed in 1961, E1000 (by now renumbered E2001) was used for various test purposes or stored until it was withdrawn in 1968 and eventually scrapped in 1972.

In terms of size and specification, this loco is similar to gas turbine 18000.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

^* Class names often change over the lifespan of a locomotive, so this is not necessarily the class name used by the operator in the period modelled.

The Heljan BR Gas Turbine 0 Class in BR Black with Silver Trim is a limited edition model of the British Rail 18100 gas turbine locomotive, available exclusively from Rails of Sheffield. The model is based on the prototype locomotive built by Metropolitan-Vickers in 1952, which operated on the Western Region of British Railways, hauling express passenger services from London Paddington to the West of England.

The model features a five-pole motor driving all four axles, with powered wheels on the outer axles of each bogie. It has a 21-pin DCC socket with easy access and is equipped with separately fitted wire handrails and sandpipes. The wheels are spoked, and the model includes etched grilles, sprung OLEO buffers, and flush glazing. The NEM coupler pockets allow for easy coupling and uncoupling.

The model's lighting is accurate to the prototype, with two warm white headlights at the front and one red tail light at the rear. The tail light function can be switched off when hauling a train, and the cab lights can be turned on and off. The engine room lights are also separately controlled. The model is supplied with a sound upgrade package available for purchase separately.

The prototype locomotive, British Rail 18100, was a unique gas turbine-electric locomotive that was delivered to British Railways in 1952. It was later rebuilt as Britain's first 25kV AC overhead electric locomotive, E1000, and served as a testbed for high-voltage electric locos on the West Coast Main Line. The model is a faithful representation of the locomotive as it was delivered in 1951, in BR black with silver trim, and is a must-have for any enthusiast of British Railways' early years.