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Hornby R3977

BR, Thompson Class A2/2, 4-6-2, 60502 'Earl Marischal' - Era 5

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

Prototype Eras
Era 3 (1923 to 1947) The Big Four (LNER, LMS, GWR and SR)
Era 5 (1956 to 1966) British Railways Late Crest

Manufacturer description

Upon becoming Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNER, Thompson sought to create an unstreamlined, mixed traffic version of Gresley's A4 Pacific locomotives. Being unable to secure permission to construct new locomotives, Thompson decided to rebuild the 2-8-2 P2 Class locomotives as the new A2/2 Class.

Thompson advocated divided drive, a system in which the middle cylinder drove the forward two of the six driving wheels, whilst the outside cylinders drove the middle two. Due to his quest for standardisation, this arrangement necessitated the middle cylinder to be placed further forward than normal and the outside cylinders further back, behind the leading bogie, so that standard connecting rods could be used for all cylinders. Although the new designs retained much of the P2's power despite their lighter weight, wheel slip issues made them unsuitable for the routes the P2s had been designed for.

P2 No. 2002 'Earl Marischal' was rebuilt to become a A2/2 in June 1944, before being renumbered 502 in 1946 and 60502 upon the nationalisation of the railways. After becoming a A2/2, 'Earl Marischal' returned to Scotland before being moved south of the border to the York Shed at the end of 1949. The locomotive was withdrawn for service in 1961.

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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 Hornby model of the BR, Thompson Class A2/2 locomotive 60502 'Earl Marischal' is a OO gauge, 4-6-2 steam locomotive. It is part of the 2021 catalogue range and is DCC ready with an 8 pin socket.

The model features a 5 pole skew wound motor and is finished in a lined green livery with a late crest. It has a minimum radius curve requirement of 2nd radius, or 438mm, and measures 295mm in length. The model has a NEM/Tension lock coupling and all wheels are equipped for power pickup.

The locomotive is based on the real-life A2/2 Class, which was a rebuilt version of the P2 Class locomotives designed by Sir Nigel Gresley. However, Sir Nigel Gresley's successor, Edward Thompson, sought to create an unstreamlined, mixed traffic version of the A4 Pacific locomotives, which led to the development of the A2/2 Class.

The real-life locomotive, P2 No. 2002 'Earl Marischal', was rebuilt to become an A2/2 in June 1944 and renumbered 502 in 1946, before being renumbered again to 60502 upon nationalisation. It had a varied career, operating in Scotland before being transferred to the York Shed in 1949, and was eventually withdrawn from service in 1961.