Hornby R3251-3256 The Great Goodbye Collection All Six Gresley A4 Models OO

£999.00
MRP £1,200.00

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(Product Ref 3590)
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It is the belief of many that the LNER Class A4 locomotives were Sir Nigel Gresley’s finest achievement. From the sleek aerodynamic lines to the evocative chine whistle, the Class A4 locomotives were thoroughbreds through and through!

Designed specifically by Sir Nigel Gresley for the LNER express services these magnificent locomotives were speed related monsters from the day they first appeared on the tracks. Built in Doncaster, with the first of the Class being out-shopped in 1935, these locomotives continued right through to the end of steam, however by then many were being used for freight service. Just six of this 35 strong A4 Class avoided the scrap man’s cutting torch. ‘Mallard’, the holder of the World Speed Record for Steam Traction, became part of the National Collection. ‘Dwight D. Eisenhower’ was donated to the National Railroad Museum in the United States, while ‘Dominion of Canada’ was shipped to Canada to become an exhibit at the Canadian Railway Museum. ‘Union of South Africa’, ‘Bittern’ and the designer’s namesake ‘Sir Nigel Gresley’ became privately owned. Over time all those locomotives based in Britain, except ‘Mallard’, were all restored to operating service and are now a major attraction wherever they are seen in steam.

For many the thought of ever seeing more than two A4 locomotives together at any one time was probably the best that they could ever wish for but to have all six together was just an impossible dream. Although that was until July and October of last year when, thanks to the organisational strengths of the National Railway Museum, all six remaining LNER Class A4 locomotives were brought together at the York Museum. However there will be just one last opportunity to see the complete six before ‘Dominion of Canada’ and ‘Dwight D. Eisenhower’ return to their adopted lands and that will be at the NRM Shildon in February of this year. To mark this final and historic occasion Hornby will be producing a six locomotive collection entitled ‘The Great Goodbye’ which will give those who were unable to obtain the previous collection, ‘The Great Gathering’, an opportunity to obtain for themselves a collection of the ‘Big 6’ as a reminder of such a remarkable occasion when the remaining six Class A4 locomotives came together for the last time.

This unique collection will feature a limited edition of only 510 of each of the six locomotives in their respective livery as seen at the National Railway Museum, Shildon. These locomotives, each with etched nameplates, will be scheduled for release this year. The distribution of the collection will be strictly controlled and allocated with only complete sets of the six locomotives being released to retailers and distributors alike.

For this collection to be totally unique each of the six locomotives will all receive the same numbered certificate. For those who collect all six locomotives there is a further bonus. Enclosed with each locomotive there is a token so that once all of the six locomotives in the Collection have been obtained these tokens can be sent to Hornby, together with a payment of £20.00 (to cover postage and packing) so that a British made specially  commissioned ‘The Great Goodbye’ display cabinet can be despatched, allowing for all six locomotives that make up the collection to be displayed as an everlasting memory of ‘The Great Goodbye’ – the last remaining LNER Gresley designed Class A4 locomotives on show and all in one place. This offer applies to UK Mainland only.
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