OO Gauge
Hornby
R30216 LNER A3 Class 2573 Harvester Loco
(Diecast Footplate & Flickering Firebox)
Brand new item direct from our new Yorkshire Model Railway shop.
Tech Specs
Item Scale 1:76 Scale 00 Gauge
Gauge OO
DCC Status DCC Ready 21 pin socket (It is NOT DCC
fitted)
Operator LNER
Designer Sir Nigel Gresley
Wheel Configuration 4-6-2
Livery LNER Apple Green
Minimum Curve (mm) Radius 2
Buffer Type Sprung Metal Buffers
Coupling Type NEM Tension Lock
Product Info
Nigel Gresley’s A1 Pacific class emerged in the twilight
years of the Great Northern Railway, a result of an idea that Gresley had
nurtured since 1915. The First World War 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.
No.1470 ‘Great Northern’ was the first to enter service on
the 11 April 1922 and Gresley confidently claimed that his A1 class could pull
600 ton trains which in September 1922 no.1471 ‘Sir Frederick Banbury’ did.
Compared to the similar LNER design by Vincent Raven, Gresley’s A1 consumed
less coal and water and was considered the better design, consequently the LNER
chose the A1 design over the LNER A2.
The original eleven engines were built to the generous
loading gauge of the GNR and after grouping in 1923 had to be modified to fit
the loading gauge of the LNER with the chimney and dome both being reduced in
height, plus the fitting of shorter safety valves.
The A1s quickly showed their ability to haul heavy loads on
the East Coast Main Line but coal and water consumption was inefficient which
was highlighted during the 1925 Great Western Exchange Trains with the A1s
comparing unfavourably with the Castle class design. Consequent alterations to
the steam lap settings and valve travel showed a reduction in coal consumption
and this was adopted on all of the A1s by 1931. The piston valve rings were
also replaced by the Knorr type piston valves which reduced steam loss.
Gresley had experimented with a different superheater to
improve the A1s performance further but lacking significant results decided
that he would 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 were fitted
to No.2544 ‘Lemberg’ and No.4480 ‘Enterprise’ later that year. Trials on these
two A1s proved successful and so between 1927 and 1947 all of the A1s were
rebuilt as Class A3 with the exception of No.4470 ‘Great Northern’ which was
eventually rebuilt by Thompson in 1945 as Class A1/1.
Due to the wider header on the A3 boilers the ends projected
slightly through the side of the smokebox and so cover plates were fitted to
hide these projections becoming the main external distinguishing feature
between the A3 and A1 locomotives. Locomotive No.2573 'Harvester' was built
right in the middle of the classes construction timeline. A North British Loco
Company built version of the A1 Class, the locomotive would enter service in
October 1924.
The locomtoive would be rebuilt to the A3 Class with haste,
emerging as the upgraded version in April 1928. The locomotive would be
renumbered 74 under Edward Thompson before becoming BR engine number 60074 on
Nationalisation. Withdrawn on the 8th April 1963, the locomotive would sadly be
scrapped before the end of the year.