Hornby R30268

LNER, Class A4, 4-6-2, 4468 'Mallard', 85th Anniversary Edition - Era 3

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

Prototype Era
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)

Manufacturer description

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.


The most famous of the A4 locomotives is surely 4468 Mallard, the locomotive that broke and still holds the world record for the highest speed achieved by a steam locomotive. This record was achieved at the height of the streamlined battle between Gresley's A4 and the Streamline Coronation of Stanier's LMS. 

Mallard would go onto serve under BR as 60022 before being withdrawn in early 1963 having been earmarked for preservation as early as 1960, its historical significance recognised and understood. 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.


The most famous of the A4 locomotives is surely 4468 Mallard, the locomotive that broke and still holds the world record for the highest speed achieved by a steam locomotive. This record was achieved at the height of the streamlined battle between Gresley's A4 and the Streamline Coronation of Stanier's LMS. Mallard would go onto serve under BR as 60022 before being withdrawn in early 1963 having been earmarked for preservation as early as 1960, its historical significance recognised and understood.


The Hornby Class A4 is fitted with a five pole motor, as well as the new for the class flickering firebox feature and a new for 2023 locomotive to tender connection.

Catalogue listing

Brand
Hornby
Product Code
R30268
GTIN
5063129011857
RRP
£195.99
Catalogue
2023 Range
Release date
Q4 2023

Model details

DCC status
DCC Ready 21 pin socket
Finish
Painted
Gauge
OO
Motor
3 Pole
Colour
Blue
Minimum radius curve
2nd Radius (438mm)
Livery
LNER garter blue
Power pickup
Driving and leading wheels and tender only
Coupling
NEM / Tension lock
Name
Mallard
Buffers
Sprung Metal Buffers
Running number
4468

Prototype information

Locomotive class*
A4 Class
Operator
LNER
Motive power
Steam
Wheel arrangement
4-6-2
Max speed
90 mph
Designer
Sir Nigel Gresley
Built
1935 to 1938
Built by
LNER Doncaster Works
Total produced
35

* 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.

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