From Miniature to BIG

Hi Folks,

Well as some of you know I have recently been moving away from OO gauge British Outline trains and rolling stock to N gauge.  Partly due to the advantages of smaller models, but primarily due to cost.

So it may come as a bit of a surprise to some (hi Super!) that my latest purchase/addition has actually gone the other way as this is a model in O gauge (which is 1/43rd scale I believe).  Why, you may ask?  Well quite simply it was an offer I could not refuse.  Hattons in the UK have got a sale on and are selling their range of O gauge locomotives and rolling stock at around 60% off.  As they were already at full price quite keenly priced it was a temptation too far for me lol!

So what did I get?  Well I opted for a Gresley A3 (think Flying Scotsman if you're not familiar with British Outline), the specific locomotive I went for is called 'Sunstar' and is decked out in the British Rail express blue livery.  I know I could have gone for a more traditional LNER Apple Green, or a later British Rail Brunswick Green, but I think this particular colour scheme is very attractive and as it was only used for a couple of years is rarer.  Anyway I have put some pictures below, but this is a bit of a difficult model to take pictures of if you want a full train shot as it is around 20" in length including the tender!  Even the tender alone is longer than the average Plarail loco if that gives you a mental picture of the size of this model.  In fact if you were to stand a Plarail loco on end it probably wouldn't be as long as the height of this model, it is big!

Anyway, here's the pics, enjoy!

I can not discribe how beautiful it looks! A3 and A1 already look great but any loco in BR blue looks 100x times better, O guage really allows models to look much more realistic or rifined!

[Super]

MMMMMM! That is delicious! I love the matte black and blue color and with such a larger model the cab details are awesome 👍

What are these?

That's just foam blocks that form part of the packing materials. The wooden platform is part of the packing as well as the model is screwed to it from the underneath to keep it safe in transit.

But I agree, this livery gives it quite a grand look, its one of my favorite ones partly because not so many models are produced in that livery due to its being fairly short lived in history (only 2-3 years apparently) as it was phased out as in use the livery didn't survive too well apparently...

[Super]

Something like this large and beautiful engine would look fabulous displayed on a fireplace mantel.

Yes I think it would look nice on display, but I think it's also important to run it on a layout, otherwise it would turn into a VERY expensive display pice

To be honest I will probably be having it as the centrepiece in my display cabinet, I just need to get some track first to put it on and maybe make a wooden plinth for it. I realistically have no chance of ever running an O gauge layout unless I come into a fortune or move to a farm with a suitable barn to be converted as space in houses in the UK is at a premium. It's a shame in some ways, but it will look glorious on display

This A3 is magnificent!
That blue livery is probably one of my favourite BR liveries!

This A3 is magnificent!
That blue livery is probably one of my favourite BR liveries!

Nice to know I'm not alone in that

My, Nigels! What a complete and utter masterpiece you've found, and only for 60% off. That livery is special to me since it inspired the livery for 69420, my first fully scratch built cardboard engine (though I used a GWR like outline for it). This makes it look sloppy and cheap by comparison. I've had a look at the Hattons website, and they apparently do numerous other top notch O gauge models. Do you think they might work on three rail track like Lionel makes, or would they get stuck on the middle rail? I can only hope it performs well enough to justify its incredible looks. Too bad you don't have the room or money to set up a layout and run it. Another wonderful purchase, indeed.