Heljan OO 9002 Metropolitan Railway 1 Bo-Bo Metropolitan-Vickers Electric Locomotive Wartime Grey

Heljan 9002 OO Gauge London Transport 1 ex-Metropolitan Railway Bo-Bo Metropolitan Vickers Electric Locomotive London Transport Wartime Grey Livery

Another interesting locomotive model from Heljan in the form of the Metropolitan Railways' later Metropolitan-Vickers electric locomotives. Built for express services on the Amersham line where the Metropolitan competed with the Great Central Railways' outer suburban services these locomotives passed into the ownership of the LPTB (London Transport) in 1933. Following replacement by multiple-unit trains in the early 1960s LT retained several locomotives for shutning and engineering work. Two survive today, 5 John Hampden displayed in the LT museum at Covent Garden and 12 Sarah Siddons, retained initially as a test locomotive to assess the performance of composite brake blocks No12 has been overhauled for railtour use, including being made suitable for working on the Southern 'third rail' network.

Heljan locomotives are designed with a heavy diecast chassis powered by a central placed motor with drive to all axles, providing plenty of train-pulling capacity. The bodyshell is finely detailed, nicely depicting the bodyside panelling and ventilation grilles.
Finished in plain 'Service Grey' this model of London Transport locomotive 1, running without nameplates, represents the class as running during much of WW2 and into the 1950s.

£110.00

MRP £139.95

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(Product Ref 94579)

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During WW2 the former Metropolitan locomotives were repainted in a much simpler livery using 'Service Grey' paint and the original bronze nameplates were removed. Although the intended as a gesture of support for the 'war effort' removing the plates necessitated the replacement of the side panels. Not only did this add greatly to the work actually needed the last locomtoive wasn't completed until 1948! One wonders whose war effort gained from this paticular patriotic gesture!

Locomotive 1 was named John Lyon, the nameplates being removed in October 1944 when the grey livery was applied. New nameplates were fitted in November 1954 when No.1 was restored to the postwar red livery and the locomotive was retained after withdraw in Januray 1962 for shunting at Neasden depot, even being smartened up cosmetically for the Metropolitan Railway cenenary celebrations in 1963. However due to frane fractures No.1 was declared unservicable and eventually cut up in 1974.

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