◆GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆MODEL Hornby R30224 LMS Class 5MT ‘Black Five’ 4 ‐ 6‐0 No. 5200, LMS lined black ◆PRICE £229.99 ◆AVAILABILITY Hornby stockists Web www.hornby.com
The LMS ‘Black Five’ has been a staple of the Hornby range since the early 1970s, with various piecemeal tooling upgrades delivered over the years. In 2001, the Margate team took a huge step forward in terms of fidelity and performance with an all-new, super-detailed ‘Black Five’.
Various detail differences were catered for, especially a mix of vertical and sloping throatplate boilers (with different dome and top feed options), plus welded and riveted tenders. With half a dozen of these models in my collection, I’ve been satisfied with their looks and continued performance, although some extra detailing work has been carried out on each of them to satisfy my desire for greater authenticity.
Time marches on, and Hornby’s 2001 tooling now looks a little dated and, when the ‘Black Fives’ dropped out of Hornby’s catalogue, many modellers wondered if something was afoot. Sure enough, a fully re-tooled ‘Black Five’ was announced as part of Hornby’s 2022 range launch, promising a much greater level of overall detail and even a few alternative versions, including those fitted with Caprotti and Stephenson Link valve gear.
First to arrive, however, is LMS No. 5200 in as-built condition, wearing the handsome lined black LMS livery. One of a batch of locomotives built by Armstrong Whitworth in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, No. 5200 was delivered in October 1935, coupled to a Mk 2 welded 4,000 gallon tender (No. 9304) and delivered initially to Bank Hall shed (Liverpool). It remained based in the Lancashire area throughout its life, ending its days at Carnforth, before withdrawal in July 1968.
Hornby’s model includes some interesting detail and finish elements, especially the polished steel smokebox door hinges, cylinder covers and axle bosses, which were a distinct feature of Armstrong Whitworth locomotives.
Carrying the early pattern boiler, with vertical throatplate and combined dome and top feed, a vacuum pump is also present, mounted below the slidebars on the driver’s (left-hand) side of the locomotive. A fine metal rod moves in and out of the pump housing while the locomotive is in motion, mimicking this short-lived feature, which was intended to allow the steam ejectors to be closed while on the move, with the pump maintaining vacuum in the train brake system. Vacuum pumps were soon declared an unnecessary drain on maintenance resources (and were suspected of causing fatigue to the left-hand piston rod and crosshead) with No. 5200 losing its equipment around 1938.
Other interesting details to note are the depiction of hollow axles on the locomotive, plus strengthening webbing on the centre and leading driving wheel spokes, around the crankpin
