Hornby to release "City of Coventry" model...

Hornby Railways has announced as part of its 2010 release program a model of Stanier Pacific Coronation Class locomotive 46240 "City of Coventry".



"City of Coventry" was built in 1940 and named after victims of the November Blitz. Originally built as a streamlined locomotive finished in wartime black, the streamlining was removed after the war to give the locomotive a more conventional looking appearance. In 1957 "City of Coventry" was one of only 16 locomotives to be painted in London-Midland Region red. It also carried the city crest above the nameplate on the engines sides. The engine was scrapped in 1964 when a campaign by the Evening Telegraph failed to raise enough money to cover even its scrap metal value. It would today be worth something in the order of two and half million pounds!

The model comes with built in digital command and control (DCC) and also digital sound effects via a miniature loudspeaker. To access these features you need a separate DCC control box (not included) but due to the model's rarity value, it is unlikely many will ever be taken out of their box! As far as I can tell this is the first time any major company has released a model of this specific locomotive. As such it may have a collector's value far in excess of its asking price which is £235. Scheduled for release in first quarter of 2010, the model can be pre-ordered from any Hornby main dealer including Antics in Trinity Street.

There are very few pictures which show "City of Coventry" to good effect but these pictures of sister locomotives "City of London" and "Sir William Stanier" give some idea how she would have looked in her heyday:






The old girl herself making a rare visit to Coventry Station:


Return journey to London:

Great pics Dutchy.

I'm sure this would be a good investment for collectors and non-collectors.

The order goes in Monday morn for this beauty and cannot wait to add it to our train layout

Original painting by John Ketchell:



http://johnketchell-dailysketch.blogspot.com/

This one shown at a model engineering exhibition would probably set you back a few thousand if it was for sale, which I very much doubt it is:

This is the actual Hornby model which is still available from many places but none too reliable by all accounts:

This is the sister locomotive of City of Coventry which gives some idea of how she looked in service.

As originally built both engines were too big to actually run through Coventry Station and were used instead on the express line between Rugby and Nuneaton.