Sonic Models reveals GCR 'A5' 4-6-2T

Sonic Models reveals GCR 'A5'

Join Mike Wild and Richard Watson as they reveal a brand new 'OO' gauge locomotive from Sonic Models.

Sonic Models has launched its first ‘OO’ gauge ready-to-run locomotive model project to offer the Great Central Railway ‘A5’ 4-6-2T exclusively through Rails of Sheffield. The all-new model has already reached the decorated sample stage and is expected to arrive in late 2021 or early 2022.

The ‘A5’ 4-6-2Ts were introduced in 1911 to a Robinson design for passenger work on the Great Central Railway. They were originally classified as ‘9N’ by the GCR and became ‘A5’ following amalgamation of the Great Central fleet into the London North Eastern Railway (LNER) at the 1923 grouping.

In total 44 were built over 15 years with the last being constructed by the LNER. Withdrawals saw the entire class removed from service by 1960 with their career seeing them employed on suburban services from London Marylebone as well as from King’s Cross, around Bradford and the North East. Their final duties were in the Lincolnshire, Darlington and Hull areas.

Sonic Models debut ‘OO’ gauge model is set to feature a detail variations between GCR and LNER locomotives, a die-cast chassis and locomotive body, flywheel, five-pole motor, DCC decoder socket in the coal bunker, a pre-fitted sugar cube speaker, NEM coupling pockets and sprung buffers. All models will be supplied with an accessory pack containing a coal shovel, rake and dummy screw-link couplings.

The tooling will cater for detail differences including GCR or LNER pattern domes, whistle and smokebox, three-rail or five-rail coal bunkers, single or split cab front windows, open or window cabsides and smooth or riveted sandbox wrappers. Livery choices will span the lifetime of the class and cover GCR lined green, LNER lined green, LNER lined and unlined black and BR lined black with British Railways lettering, early or late crests (see table below).

Tooling is complete and the first engineering prototypes have been tested and reviews with decorated samples now received for assessment ahead of the model entering production. The price per model is £149.95. For more about the GCR ‘A5’ 4-6-2Ts watch our exclusive video preview of the engineering samples here.

Visit www.railsofsheffield.com for more information and pre-orders.