Modelling Options The Book of the LNER Pacifics

Modelling Options The Book of the LNER Pacifics by Tony Wright is a brilliant collection of photographs of the LNER 4-6-2 engines, mostly of models, but some of the real thing. Tony Wright is the former associate editor of British Railway Modelling and well known for modelling the East Coast Main Line and its locomotives. Tony gives a very good overview of all the different models that have been available of each class of LNER pacific locomotive, covering both kits and ready to run. He even includes the Basset Lowke models of the 1930s in a very thorough coverage of the subject.

A chapter is given over to each class of pacific, and all the variants introduced by Raven, Gresley, Thompson and Peppercorn are covered. The chapter on the Raven A2 is probably the shortest I’ve ever seen in a book, comprising a single photograph of an O gauge model of City of Ripon and a caption to describe it; models of these engines are rare. The chapter on Thompson’s A2/2 engines also gives substantial coverage to the P2 2-8-2 engines including Cock of the North (soon to be released by Hornby). A2/2 were all rebuilds of the earlier Gresley P2s.

A byproduct of the book is some superb photographs of LNER model railway layouts, including a couple of my favourites, Stoke Summit and the Gresley Beat.Tony Wright’s own Little Bytham also features, as does the massive O gauge Kings Cross to Leeds layout from the Gainsborough Model Railway. As an LNER East Coast Main Line fan, I love this aspect of the book

For those expecting a detailed how to guide to modelling these engines there will be disappointment. Author Tony Wright is well known for his articles on locomotive detailing and construction in British Railway Modelling, however there is only a very restricted coverage of this sort of information.

Modelling Options The Book of the LNER Pacifics will provide some great bedtime reading, but don’t expect a detailed guide of how to model these engines.