Hornby: BR 4–6–2 ‘603 Squadron’ ‘34077’ Battle of Britain Class

Known collectively as Light Pacifics, the Southern Railway West Country and Battle of Britain classes were originally designed as air-smoothed 4–6–2 Pacific locomotives by the Southern Railway’s Chief Mechanical Engineer, Oliver Bulleid. Designed to be lighter in weight than the similar Merchant Navy class, they could be used on a wider variety of routes, including the Kent coast and South West of England.

In 1941, the Southern Railway placed an order for twenty locomotives, of an unspecified design, to replace the ageing T9 Class in the West Country but with no spare capacity at Brighton Works, it was 1943 before Bulleid proposed a mixed traffic locomotive design, based on his existing Merchant Navy class, but shorter, lighter and with a smaller tender.

Specifics:

• Gauge: 00
• DCC Type: DCC Ready
• Designer:
• Class: Battle of Britain
• Livery: BR Lined Green
• Entered Service: 1950s
• Wheel Configuration: 4–6–2
• Features: NEM Couplings

Hornby is a household name and is famous as the UK brand leader in the model railway hobby