Hornby: Early BR 4–6–2 ‘Nederland Line’ Merchant Navy Class

Conceived in 1937 when Oliver Bulleid became Chief Mechanical Engineer of the Southern Railway, the Merchant Navy Class represented Bulleid’s vision for a quick accelerating, mixed traffic 4–6–2 locomotive, equally capable of hauling passenger services (such as the Golden Arrow and Atlantic Coast Expresses), or freight workings, to a speed of around 75mph. In 1934, Bulleid had been opposed the use of streamlining, but for the Merchant Navy’s ‘air-smoothed’ design it suited his purposes, being easy to clean mechanically and hiding the boiler’s external pipes, which in turn meant they could be run for function, rather than aesthetics.

Specifics:

• Gauge: 00
• Length: 290mm
• DCC Type: DCC Ready
• Designer: Oliver Bulleid
• Entered Service: 1950s
• Motor: 5 Pole Skew Wound. Loco Drive
• Features: NEM Couplings

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