Minerva Model Railways has revealed that its next finescale ‘O’ gauge locomotive project will be the GWR ‘56XX’ 0‐6‐2T. Introduced in 1924 by Collett, the ‘56XX’ was built to replace a diverse range of pre-Grouping designs and became a mainstay of GWR – and later BR – operations right up to the end of steam on the Western Region.
Minerva will be offering four livery options to begin with, split across the GWR and BR eras, while various detail differences will also be observed, including alternative safety valve covers. The model’s impressive specification will be similar to Minerva’s previous RTR ‘O’ gauge models, with the ‘56XX’ boasting a high‐torque, flywheel-equipped motor coupled to a precision gearbox optimised for smooth, slow-speed operation.