Hornby Class 91
◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL R3891 Class 91 91118 The Fusiliers, LNER red/grey ◆ PRICE (rrp) £217.95 ◆ AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com
Having been a regular traveller on the East Coast route for the past two decades, I’ve racked up many thousands of miles behind the Class 91s. The Crewe-built electrics have always impressed me, although it was only in the post-privatisation era that I became properly acquainted with them and have lamented their decline in recent years. I certainly miss the distinctive sound of a ‘91’ powering up under the roof of Newcastle station. In contrast, the stealthy Azumas lack any kind of personality. And don’t get me started on those awful seats…
Hornby has had a Class 91 in its range for over 30 years and, while the original tooling had its good points, an updated version was overdue. Hornby’s all-new model was warmly welcomed when first announced in 2020, in tandem with a new range of Mk 4 coaching stock.
The first raft of Hornby ‘91’s has now arrived, with a quartet of key livery options available to begin with, consisting of the original BR
Intercity ‘Swallow’ scheme, GNER blue/red and the striking LNER red/grey. The First World War memorial scheme applied to 91111 For the Fallen has also been recreated and, unsurprisingly, sales proved to be very brisk for this version.