HORNBY R30270 LNER, Class A1, 4-6-2, 4478 Hermit: Big Four Centenary Collection - Era 3 - Limited Edition Model Railway

Gresley's A1 Pacific class, a result of his idea nurtured since 1915, emerged during the twilight years of the Great Northern Railway. The First World War had put his plans for new express passenger locomotives on hold, but he applied his new three-cylinder, conjugated valve gear designs to the O2 and K3 freight locomotives before returning to his plans for an express passenger Pacific in 1920, producing his 4-6-2 A1 design.

The first A1, No.1470 'Great Northern', entered service on April 11, 1922, and Gresley confidently claimed that his A1 class could pull 600-ton trains, which No.1471 'Sir Frederick Banbury' accomplished in September 1922. Compared to the similar LNER design by Vincent Raven, Gresley's A1 consumed less coal and water and was considered the better design, leading the LNER to choose the A1 over the LNER A2.

The original eleven engines were built to the generous loading gauge of the GNR, but after the 1923 grouping, they had to be modified to fit the LNER's loading gauge, with the chimney and dome both being reduced in height, and shorter safety valves being fitted. The A1s quickly demonstrated their ability to haul heavy loads on the East Coast Main Line, but their coal and water consumption was inefficient, as highlighted during the 1925 Great Western Exchange Trains, where they compared unfavourably to the Castle class design.

Subsequent alterations to the steam lap settings and valve travel resulted in reduced coal consumption, which was adopted on all the A1s by 1931. The piston valve rings were also replaced by Knorr-type piston valves, reducing steam loss. Gresley experimented with a different superheater to improve the A1's performance further, but lacking significant results, he decided to increase the number of flues in the existing Robinson superheater. This, coupled with an increase in boiler pressure, led to improved performance, and five of these new boilers were ordered in 1927 and fitted to No.2544 'Lemberg' and No.4480 'Enterprise' later that year.

Trials on these two A1s proved successful, and between 1927 and 1947, all the A1s were rebuilt as Class A3, except for No.4470 'Great Northern', which was eventually rebuilt by Thompson in 1945 as Class A1/1. The wider header on the A3 boilers caused the ends to project slightly through the side of the smokebox, and cover plates were fitted to hide these projections, becoming the main external distinguishing feature between the A3 and A1 locomotives.

4478 Hermit was among the first 10 of the class to be built, rolling out of Doncaster works in July 1923 and entering revenue-earning service with the LNER. Just over halfway through its service life, the locomotive would be rebuilt into the improved A3 Class, with the conversion being undertaken in November 1943. Withdrawal for the locomotive would take place in 1962, with all members of the class bar one being scrapped. Hermit, then 40109, was not the preserved example, with Flying Scotsman being saved and passing into railway legend due to its post-service career.

This Hornby model of 'Hermit' boasts a five-pole skew-wound motor and a diecast running plate, which adds increased weight for improved traction. It also features a flickering firebox, which illuminates the fully detailed cab.

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