HR Jones Goods 4-6-0 #103 (Yellow - 1960s) - Pre Order


HR Jones Goods 4-6-0 #103 (Yellow - 1960s) - Pre Order

Pre Order: 10% off CAD RRP   Canadian RRP: $329.99 estimate   UK RRP: £219.95

Common Details

The 4-6-0 wheel arrangement was used for some of Britain's most iconic locomotives, the LMS Black Five & Jubilees, the SR Lord Nelsons & King Arthurs and the whole of the GWR's 20th Century passenger and mixed traffic fleet. But the first railway to introduce the 4-6-0 to Britain was the Highland Railway (HR) in Scotland.

Officially classed as the 'Big Goods' and later the I Class. Despite the nickname 'Jones Goods' that was commonly applied to the class, it was Chief Engineer David Jones' Chief Draughtsman, David Anderson Hendrie, who suggested that the 4-6-0 arrangement, common in other countries, could work for the HR.

The result was a handsome 4-6-0 with 20in by 26in cylinders, 5ft 3 1/2in diameter driving wheels and a tractive effort of 24,362lbs. The HR board authorised construction in January 1894 and Sharp Stewart of Glasgow delivered all 15 by the end of the year. Numbers 103-117 were put to work between Perth and Inverness and, aside from some minor tweaks to the draughting arrangement, were an instant success. As the Highland expanded and modified its network, the locomotives began to run north of Inverness and out to Kyle of Lochalsh as well as on the new Aviemore Direct line. Supplying the Royal Navy base in Scapa Flow during the First World War taxed the 'Big Goods' to the limit, but the locomotives continued to prove their worth well into the LMS era.

The Highland Railway and the LMS made numerous changes to the Big Goods over the years and the Rapido model will incorporate these detail differences. The LMS withdrew the first Jones Goods in 1929, by which time it had re-numbered the whole class 17916-17930. It took, however, until 1940 before the last, LMS No. 17925 (HR No.112), was condemned. Happily, the LMS saw fit to preserve one of this historic machines and cosmetically restored pioneer LMS No.17916 (HR No.103).

No.103 was tucked away inside St Rollox works along with Caledonian Railway 4-2-2 No.123 until 1958 when BR Scottish Region General Manager James Ness ordered it to be restored to service. Alongside other classic Scottish locomotives, No.103 ran numerous railtours around the Scottish Region as well as making its way as far south as Bedfordshire for the filming of "Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines". No.103 was retired again in 1965 and restored to close to original condition as possible. It is now one of Glasgow Riverside Museum's star exhibits.

The HR Jones Goods 4-6-0 model tooling suite enables Rapido to produce all possible versions including three types of smokeboxes, four different chimneys, tenders and myriad smaller details.