Hornby Railroad Plus R30191 Class 40 40012 BR Departmental Blue DCC Ready BNIB

This is a brand new Hornby Railroad Plus (Enhanced Livery) R30191 Class 40 40012 in British Railways departmental blue livery, carrying the duel numbers of 40012 and 97407, along with painted on Aureal nameplates. The loco also has white window surrounds and a white stripe at Cant Rail level, this being a representation of how the loco looked following the Crewe remodelling work when the loco was operated by the engineers deparment as 97407.

Introduced in May 1959 as D212, the loco was officially named'Aureol' in 1960. In 1974 the locomotive was re-numbered 40012 under TOPS, by which time the nameplates had been removed, yet despite this the locomotive's name was painted onto the bodyside before 1985 withdrawal. Reinstated in 1985 to assist with the remodeling of Crewe Station, she was restricted to a top speed of 35mph, and given the departmental number 97407. This short spell helped assure 40012 of a future in preservation.

The loco is excellently finished in this popular livery which is crisply printed. The loco is DCC Ready and able to negotiate curves with a radius of 438mm.

---