Hornby A4 Merlin R2798
Earlier in the year, we announced that Modelfair.com had commissioned Hornby to produce an A4 in BR Experimental blue (often referred to as 'purple') with a cream coloured 'BRITISH RAILWAYS' on the tender. The subject is 60027 Merlin (R2798), one of four members of the class to carry this livery. A total of 1000 models have been produced and have with them a numbered certificate in the box. The model looks splendid in this livery and has been finished complete with the special plaques which were presented by the Captain of HMS Merlin (a naval shore establishment) at a ceremony in 1946. In LNER days, the plaques were located on the cab-sides but when the locomotive was repainted into 'purple', on the 2nd June 1948, the plaques were moved to the boiler sides as seen on this model.
'4486 Merlin' was built at Doncaster in March 1937 and spent its life based in Scotland. The livery is an interesting one as it was part of an experiment to choose a range of standard liveries for locomotives of the newly combined British Railways fleet. It was only briefly carried by the four A4 locomotives and was accompanied by red and cream lining. Merlin carried it for two years before being painted in Express dark blue on 7th July 1950, which it carried for a further two years before receiving its Brunswick green livery. During its life it went through nine livery variations, a record equalled by only one other member of the class.
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