GWR Saint Class 2945 'Hillingdon Court' Steam Locomotive

GWR Saint Class 2945 'Hillingdon Court' Steam Locomotive

1:76 scale model produced by Hornby. This model is ready-to-run straight out of the box and would make a excellent addition to any model railway collection.

Details

Expand your Great Western Railway locomotive fleet with the beautifully detailed Hornby GWR Saint Class No. 2945 'Hillingdon Court', finished in classic GWR Lined Green with authentic Great Western tender lettering. Utilising Hornby's highly acclaimed Saint Class tooling, this latest release combines outstanding detail, reliable performance and DCC-ready convenience, making it an excellent addition to any OO gauge steam-era layout.

Based on extensive research and original Swindon Works drawings, this finely detailed model faithfully recreates one of the final members of the famous Saint Class. Featuring etched metal nameplates, decorated crew figures, prototypically sized handrails and a highly detailed cab interior, Hillingdon Court captures the elegance and engineering excellence of one of the Great Western Railway's most influential locomotive designs.

Designed for both collectors and operators, the model includes an improved cab footplate for enhanced running characteristics and is fitted with a 21-pin DCC decoder socket, making it fully compatible with the Hornby HM7000 system for easy digital conversion.

This highly detailed model features a die-cast chassis and running plate, giving a substantial model weight of 341 grams for excellent traction and smooth operation. A powerful 5-pole skew-wound motor drives the locomotive, while electrical pick-ups on both locomotive and tender wheels ensure dependable performance. The locomotive also benefits from die-cast piston rods and valve gear, brass main drive bearings, sprung metal buffers, and front and rear NEM coupling pockets.

Additional detailing includes a fully decorated cab with instrument dials, separately fitted lamps with changeable lamp codes, a simulated coal load, prototypically sized metal handrails with brass stanchions, and a quick-release locomotive-to-tender connection. The model is also compatible with the HM7000 Power Bank system for enhanced digital operation.

Features:

• 1:76 Scale Model
• Analogue DC Model
• This model mainly operates in Britain
• Decorated in GWR company markings
• Best suited to 438mm radius curves
• GWR Lined Green livery with etched 'Hillingdon Court' nameplates
• DCC Ready with 21-pin decoder socket compatible with HM7000
• Die-cast chassis and running plate for improved weight and performance
• Illuminated flickering firebox and fully decorated crew figures
• Improved cab footplate design for enhanced running characteristics

Historical Background

The Great Western Railway Saint Class was one of the most important locomotive designs in British railway history, developed under the leadership of George Jackson Churchward. The class helped establish the 4-6-0 wheel arrangement as the standard for express passenger locomotives across Britain and influenced locomotive development for decades.

Built at Swindon Works in June 1912, No. 2945 'Hillingdon Court' was one of the final members of the Saint Class and formed part of the 'Court' series, a group of locomotives named after notable country houses and estates. The locomotive belonged to the last batch of 25 Saints constructed between 1911 and 1913.

Throughout its career, Hillingdon Court remained largely unchanged apart from routine maintenance and boiler exchanges. Its most notable modification came in January 1938 when it received outside steam pipes, a feature common to many later Great Western locomotives. The locomotive enjoyed a long service life of over 41 years, working across the Great Western network before eventual withdrawal from Cardiff Canton depot in June 1953 under British Railways ownership.