The LNER was well known for its Pacific steam locomotives and when Arthur Peppercorn became Chief Mechanical Engineer in 1946, he took the 4-6-2 designs of his forebears and amended them to produce express locomotives fit for the East Coast mainline and beyond. The A1 Class was arguably his most famous engine, but none survived after BR phased out steam traction in the 1960s so instead a 50th member of the Class was built, No. 60163 ‘Tornado’ which was completed in 2008, kick-starting a new era of standard gauge steam locomotive construction.
The Branchline model of Tornado is as elegant as its prototype and is built around a diecast metal running plate and chassis. The smokebox, boiler and cab are reproduced using precision injection moulding techniques with numerous details then added including the smoke deflectors for that characteristic front-end appearance. The model is adorned with metal handrails throughout, plus etched lamp irons in front of which mouldings depicting the LNER’s electric lamps have been added. Sandboxes and lubricators complete the running plate, meanwhile the chassis boasts suspension and brake detail and is finished with separate brake rigging. 
The cab interior boasts an authentic boiler backhead, complete with controls, dials, gauges and pipework each decorated individually and with a set of crew seats, glazed cab windows and a hinged cab fallplate. The locomotive to tender drawbar has two settings permitting close coupling where operating conditions allow. The tender itself displays the same level of detail as the locomotive and comes complete with a removable coal load, below which the coal space modelled. The design of Tornado’s tender deviates from the original locomotives slightly, with raise platework around the water filler and this has been replaced on the Branchline model too. 
Tornado’s distinctive Apple Green paintwork is replicated to full effect to complete the model, with a rich and accurate rendition of the base colour which is then enhanced by the white, black and red lining, and cream numerals on the cab sides and ‘British Railway’s lettering on the tender. The unique nameplates are printed onto the smoke deflectors and etched versions are supplied as accessories for those who like to add that finishing touch.
With a powerful 5 pole motor, 21 Pin DCC Decoder interface and the option of SOUND FITTED, the Branchline ‘Tornado’ is a Pacific worthy of any OO scale collection.
MODEL FEATURES:
•Bachmann Branchline OO Scale
•Era 9
•Pristine BR Apple Green (British Railways) livery
•Running No. 60163
•Named ‘Tornado’
•Etched Nameplates included
•Powerful 5 Pole Motor
•Adjustable Tender Drawbar
•NEM Coupling Pockets
•Sprung Buffers
•Accessory Pack
•Locomotive Ready to Accept a Speaker
•Equipped with a 21 Pin DCC Decoder Socket – Recommend Decoder item No. 36-557A
•Length 302mm (over couplings)