Impressive steam arrivals for 'OO' from Hornby
Hornby has delivered another impressive batch of new OO gauge releases, with something to tempt enthusiasts from every era of British railway history. From iconic preserved steam locomotives and express passenger engines to heavy freight power and modern East Coast coaching stock, these latest arrivals combine fascinating prototype stories with Hornby's ever-improving levels of detail.
Demand has been exceptionally strong, and while initial deliveries have been heavily allocated to pre-orders, further stock is already on its way from Hornby. If one of these models catches your eye, now is the ideal time to secure yours at TMC's market-leading prices.
46100 Royal Scot – The locomotive that conquered North America
Few preserved steam locomotives are as famous as LMS/BR 46100 Royal Scot. Today it is recognised as one of Britain's greatest ambassadors for railway engineering, but its history contains one of the railway world's most intriguing identity swaps.
Many enthusiasts are surprised to discover that the locomotive preserved as 46100 Royal Scot is not the original locomotive built with that name.
The original 6100 Royal Scot emerged from the North British Locomotive Company in 1927. When the LMS prepared to showcase British engineering at the 1933 Century of Progress Exhibition in Chicago, it selected the newer and better-performing 6152 The King's Dragoon Guardsman instead.
Rather than simply repainting the locomotive for the trip, the LMS permanently exchanged the identities of the two engines. The locomotive was dismantled, shipped across the Atlantic and became the centrepiece of one of Britain's most successful overseas railway publicity campaigns.
During its North American tour, Royal Scot travelled more than 11,000 miles across the United States and Canada and was viewed by more than three million people, representing Britain's reputation for locomotive engineering.
Following withdrawal in October 1962, the locomotive avoided the scrapyard entirely when Billy Butlin purchased it for display at his holiday camp in Skegness. For many people during the 1960s and 1970s, this was one of Britain's best-known static steam locomotives before eventually returning to operational preservation.
R30500 Hornby OO Gauge BR 'Royal Scot' Class 46100 Royal Scot – One:One Collection
Hornby price: £239.99
Our price: £215.99
45540 Sir Robert Turnbull – An express locomotive honouring a railway pioneer
The LMS 'Patriot' Class may not enjoy quite the same fame as the 'Royal Scots' or 'Jubilees' today, but they were once among Britain's principal express passenger locomotives.
45540 Sir Robert Turnbull represents one of the rebuilt 'Patriot' Class locomotives that spent around three decades hauling express passenger services throughout the former London, Midland & Scottish Railway network.
The locomotive commemorated Sir Robert Turnbull (1852–1925), one of Britain's most respected railway managers.
Beginning his railway career with the London & North Western Railway in 1868 as a teenager, Turnbull steadily rose through the ranks before becoming General Manager in 1914. Knighted in 1913, he also served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Engineer and Railway Staff Corps.
Before being applied to 'Patriot' No. 5901, his name had previously appeared on LNWR Large Claughton No. 1161, continuing a tradition of honouring influential railway figures.
R30415 Hornby OO Gauge BR Patriot Class 45540 Sir Robert Turnbull
Hornby price: £239.99
Our price: £215.99
BR Standard 9F 92031 – The ultimate British freight steam locomotive
Introduced during the final years of British steam, 92031 was one of the earlier members of the famous BR Standard Class 9F fleet.
Built at Crewe Works in 1954, it spent its relatively short twelve-year career hauling Britain's heaviest freight trains across eastern and central England.
The Standard Class 9F is widely regarded as the pinnacle of British freight steam locomotive development. Designed by R.A. Riddles, the class combined enormous tractive effort with excellent riding qualities and remarkable free-steaming performance.
Despite arriving just as dieselisation gathered pace, the 9Fs proved that steam locomotive development had reached an exceptionally high standard. Powerful, dependable and surprisingly capable at speed, they became favourites among crews and enthusiasts alike.
92031 itself worked heavy mineral, coal and freight traffic until withdrawal in 1967, representing one of the final chapters of Britain's main line steam era.
R30486 Hornby OO Gauge BR Class 9F Early BR 92031
Hornby price: £259.99
Our price: £233.99
BR Mk. 4 Coaches – East Coast icons still earning their keep
Hornby also welcomes a brand-new range of BR Mk. 4 coaches in LNER livery, offering modern image modellers the perfect accompaniment to Class 91 locomotives.
Introduced between 1988 and 1992, the Mk. 4 represented the culmination of decades of British Rail coaching development. Designed specifically for the East Coast Main Line, they formed the coaching stock for the prestigious InterCity 225 sets alongside the Class 91 and Driving Van Trailer (DVT).
Their fully air-conditioned interiors, smooth air suspension, plug doors and modern styling delivered a significant improvement in passenger comfort over previous generations.
More than 35 years after entering service, many Mk. 4 coaches continue carrying passengers on Britain's railway network, a testament to the quality of their original design.
Hornby OO Gauge BR Mk. 4 Coaches
Hornby price: £49.99 each
Our price: £44.99 each
