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Hornby R40557

RailRoad: BR Intercity Mk4 Buffet coach 10321

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

Prototype Era
Era 8 (1983 to 1994) British Rail Sectorisation

Manufacturer description

Following on from the Mk3 coach, the Mk4s were built between 1989 and 1992 at Metro-Cammell’s Washwood Heath facility for the newly-electrified InterCity 225 services on the East Coast Main Line.

A total of 282 carriages were built, to maintain a fleet of 30 fixed formations. Each comprised of nine vehicles, operating with a Class 91 locomotive and a Driving Van Trailer on the other end to allow trains to operate in both directions without needing to turn the locomotive.

The Mk4 is an all-steel design which incorporates a number of improvements over the previous Mk3s. Most notably, the inclusion of automatic push-button operated plug-type doors in place of the manually operated slam doors. The body shells, which were built by BREL and Breda in Milan, also have fully sealed gangways and controlled emission toilets (CETs).

This OO gauge model coach represents a Buffet Car in BR InterCity livery.

Catalogue listing

Model details

Prototype information

Hornby RailRoad BR Intercity Mk4 Buffet coach 10321 is an OO gauge model of a British Rail InterCity Mk4 buffet carriage. The model carries the Hornby part number R40557 and is presented in the original BR Intercity livery.

The real Mk4 coaches were constructed between 1989 and 1992 at Metro‑Cammell’s Washwood Heath plant for the electrified InterCity 225 services on the East Coast Main Line. A total of 282 carriages were built to form nine‑vehicle fixed formations, each operating with a Class 91 locomotive at one end and a Driving Van Trailer at the opposite end. The Mk4 design is all‑steel and introduced automatic push‑button plug doors, fully sealed gangways and controlled emission toilets, with body shells supplied by BREL and Breda in Milan.

The Hornby model represents the buffet car version of the Mk4, featuring the external details of the original carriage in a scale suitable for UK model railway layouts.