KR Models English Electric gas turbine GT3 4-6-0
◆ GAUGE ‘OO’ ◆ MODEL KR Models English Electric gas turbine GT3 4-6-0 ◆ PRICE DCC ready: £195 DCC sound: £295 ◆ AVAILABILITY www.krmodels.co.uk
I’ll admit, I was sceptical about the wisdom of a mass-produced ‘OO’ GT3 and I’m still sceptical about a whole range based on obscure and/or unsuccessful prototypes, but maybe there’s a market there and I’m happy to be convinced. Certainly, KRM’S GT3 impressed from the moment I opened the white and red box.
At a little over 1lb in weight,
GT3 is a beast. The smooth, seamless lines of J.O.P. Hughes’ design have been well captured in this model. Researching GT3 is not easy, but such dimensions as I can find are accurate. There wasn’t much requirement for separate details on the body but there’s a very fine handrail and cab door handrails, a non-slip surface to the running plates and legible English Electric
Vulcan Foundry builder’s plates.
Unlike the diesels of the day, GT3 was not disfigured by lots of unsightly grilles, just three small rectangular grilles on top and two substantial air intakes for the turbine, at the sides. On the model these side air intakes are a work of art and look spot-on from every angle. It is, however, the finish which really distinguishes this model. The smooth, slightly glossy, beech-leaf brown, set off by green and gold trim and lining, cannot fail to impress. There’s a minimum of lettering but the cast cabside numberplates are picked out in colour and there are EE logos mimicking the BR emblem of the day on the tender. Roller bearing axlebox ends are marked ‘SKF’.
GT3’S cab was more like
American practice, with the back enclosed as there was no need for frequent access to the tender. There’s a central glazed door and a route through from the cab by way of a Mk 1 gangway connection to the first coach of the train, similar to the LNER corridor tenders in concept. The sides and rear of the model cab are fitted with clear glazing which gives a particularly good view of the interior, which is lit when power is applied.
CHASSIS AND TENDER
As one would expect with a steam-style chassis, there is little need to be innovative and KRM has gone for a pretty standard format, with fully flanged wheelsets, driven on the centre-coupled axle. The outside-framed bogie is reminiscent of that on the GWR City of Truro and requires nothing more than a slot in the bolster and a substantial spring to enable it to pivot. Road-holding was 100%, on curves and through pointwork.
The green, spoked wheels have blackened metal tyres and the very substantial metal coupling rods are held in place with standard model railway hexagonal bolts. The curious semi-globular fittings used on the real thing are separate mouldings to be fitted by the customer. The bag of extras includes additional folding discs for the front headcode lights and a tension-lock coupler for the front NEM pocket.
Electrical pick-up is by wiper contacts on the rear four-coupled wheels and all six wheels of the tender, the latter through brass frames on a split chassis, split axle arrangement. Power is transmitted between tender and locomotive by an eight-pin plug and socket arrangement built in to the coupling. This is a simple press-fit. Place the model on straight track and press the two parts of the coupling together. Pull apart to uncouple. The coupling is mounted on a simple close-coupling arrangement,
The side air intakes are a work of art and look spot-on from every angle