Hornby R30176TXS OO RailRoad Plus GB Railfreight, Class 73, Bo-Bo, 73109 'Battle of Britain' - Era 10

An oddity in the world of electro-diesel, the Class 73 was designed with the Southern Region in mind with the capability of picking up power via a third rail shoe as well as an ability to propel itself via an onboard diesel powerplant.

While the concept of a diesel-electric was not new at the introduction of the Class 73, the idea of one that can pick up via a third rail as opposed to a pantograph was. While diesel electrics are semi-common in the UK, the electro-diesel is less so with only three classes representing the type, the 74, the short-lived 74, and the recently introduced Class 88.

Examples were built in two batches, the first in 1962 and a subsequent run between 1965 and 1967, 49 of the class would be built in all. Confined almost entirely to the South, the locomotives would be introduced under BR before passing to a range of private operators following privatisation. 16 examples of the class have been withdrawn as of 2023, with 10 scrapped and 6 in storage. 6 locomotives have entered preservation and 27 are still in service.

Locomotive 73109 would be introduced as E6015 in January of 1966. After leaving BR service at the onset of privatisation the locomotive would be painted in the Network South East livery and named in honour of the memory of the Battle of Britain. The locomotive would keep this name, albeit in an updated format for the rest of its life. As of 2023, the locomotive is in service with GB Railfreight.

• What's Inside: 1x Railroad Locomotive
• Item Length - Without Packaging (cm): 21.5
• Item Height - Without Packaging (cm): 5
• Item Width - Without Packaging (cm): 3.5
• Item Weight - Without Packaging: 0.3
• Item Scale: 1:76 Scale 00 Gauge
• Finish: Painted
• Colour: Blue and Orange
• Gauge: OO
• DCC Status: Sound fitted
• Operator: GB Railfreight
• Designer: BR/EE
• Wheel Configuration: Bo-Bo
• Livery: GBRf Blue and Orange
• Minimum Curve (mm): Radius 2
• Motor: 3 Pole
• Number of Parts: 1
• Class: Class 73
• Buffer Type: Separate Plastic Buffers
• Coupling Type: Fixed Tension Lock
• Sound Fitted