Hornby Dublo R30266 A4 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley Great Gathering 10th Anniversa

Tech SpecsItem Scale 1:76 Scale 00 GaugeFinish PaintedColour BlueGauge OODCC Status DCC Ready 8 pin socket (This is NOT DCCfitted)Operator LNERDesigner Sir Nigel GresleyWheel Configuration 4-6-2Livery BR BlueMinimum Curve (mm) Radius 2Class A4 ClassBuffer Type Sprung Metal BuffersCoupling Type NEM Tension Lock  Product InfoThe LNER Gresley A4 is one of the most iconic expresslocomotives in Great Britain, with its streamlined casing a classic symbol ofthe attitude towards speed and design in the 1930s, which saw increasedcompetition to the railways from road and air travel. The LNER Board knew thatthey had to make travel between the major cities faster, comfortable and morereliable.Nigel Gresley, the LNER’s Chief Mechanical Officer,travelled on the Fliegende Hamburger diesel locomotive in Germany and wasimpressed by its streamlining, although he realized it was only efficient athigh speeds. Gresley was certain that a modified A3 Pacific, with streamlining,could haul greater loads than other locomotives at the same speed or faster anda series of trials were conducted to confirm the A3’s suitability.With the trials successfully completed, the LNER Board gaveGresley the go-ahead to create the "Silver Jubilee" streamlinedtrains, the first of the new streamlined A4s.The streamlining of the A4s’ steamcircuit, higher boiler pressure and extension of the firebox to create acombustion chamber made them more efficient than the A3 as they consumed lesscoal and water- especially later on when they were also fitted with a Kylchapdouble chimney. This improved their free steaming capabilities further. Their streamlined design not only made them capable of highspeeds, but created an up draught of smoke, obscuring the driver’s vision, amajor problem on the new Class A4 engines. The story goes that during windtunnel testing, after several unsuccessful efforts to get the smoke to liftclear, a thumbprint was inadvertently left on the clay model just behind thechimney. This succeeded in clearing the smoke and was incorporated into thefinal design.Sir Nigel Gresley was a unique example of the LNER A4 classof locomotive, the only locomotive of the class named after a person onintroduction. The locomotive is of course named after the designer of the classand the Chief Mechanical Engineer of the LNER, Sir Nigel Gresley. Thelocomotive first turned its wheels on the 30th October 1937 as locomotivenumber 4498. The locomotive would be withdrawn from BR service as 60007on the 1st February 1966. Sir Nigel Gresley was saved by the A4 PreservationSociety, and has spent much of its preservation career in service hauling toursand visiting preserved railways. In 2022, the locomotive finished an overhaul,and will run on the mainline for much of the next decade.Hornby Dublo A4 models feature a diecast body, just as theiroriginal Hornby Dublo counter parts would have been seen. This is coupled withenchanted decoration which when paired with the diecast of the boiler providesa realistic finish to the body. The models contain a 5 pole motor with flywheeland are DCC ready with an 8 pin socket. These models will also contain a detailbag containing etched nameplates and headboards, allowing the model to bedisplayed as it would have appeared at the Great Gathering.