Pre grouping RTR

[Killian keane]

When you look at the number of simply ancient locomotives still under BR ownership in the early fifties, you begin to see there were outside framed kirtley 0-6-0 and 2-4-0 engines, open cabbed great western 517 class engines, various Lnwr express passenger locos and the webb special tanks still at work, to name but a few, would one not think then that it would be reasonable for the rtr manufacturers to turn to such classes when the quickly thinning selection of more modern locos have been exhausted? This I feel, represents the area manufacturers have been leaning towards in recent times

If Hornby presents a 'one off' in the form of Duke of Gloucester, it seems reasonable that big bertha would not be out of the question