01 May 2024
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This is the fourth (and final) piece of Hornby’s ‘Big Four’ celebratory models marking the centenary of the Grouping of Britain’s railways in 1923.
The other three were the GWR Castle Class, LMS Fowler 2-6-4T and the LNER A1, all of which have already featured in BRM and on videos on WoR. The ‘poor’ LMS had to make do with a tank loco as its representative because no Hornby models have ever been available to represent the LMS’ principal express passenger loco (a Claughton) in 1923, whereas in the case of the other three these were their respective companies’ most-prestigious types, including this latest N15 King Arthur, Joyous Gard (the name of Lancelot’s Castle in Northern England). Introduced by Urie for the London & South Western Railway in 1918, the class proved to one of the most-able two-cylinder 4-6-0s in the country; so much so that Urie’s successor (on the Southern Railway) Richard Maunsell, had more batches built (with improvements) up to 1927. For the next near-30 years, the ‘Arthurs’ did all that could be asked of them. There were detail differences down the years – smoke deflectors, different tenders, styles of chimney, etc, but Joyous Gard is in the condition she would have been in 1925; that is as first painted in Southern Railway livery, number on the tender and no smoke deflectors. As such, it is a magnificent model!
Hornby first made a King Arthur in 1975 as Sir Dinadan, but it was a poor thing. In 2007, the present model was introduced, bearing no relationship to its predecessor; it’s this outstanding model which forms the basis of the latest Joyous Gard. Everything about it smacks of high-quality, from the dimensional accuracy, the standard of finish and the superlative running characteristics (which will be evident on the WoR video showing it running on my Little Bytham coming soon). It’s a splendid addition to the Arthur models, which have been produced by Hornby since 2007. Was there ever a happier choice of names for a class of locomotives in Britain? British Railways obviously thought so, too, because after the N15 Joyous Gard was withdrawn, its name was carried by a BR Standard Five 4-6-0, 73088.
As with the other three in the ‘Big Four’ Collection, this model is limited to 500 pieces and comes complete with a certificate of authenticity. Priced at £218.99, it is thoroughly recommended.
By Tony Wright
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