R30226 or R2449 – both in fact?

Hornby Glasgow Highlander R30226 top left R2449 bottom right

2024 and Hornby have released an updated version of Black Five Gordon Highlander.

Hornby Glasgow Highlander R30226

My first Hornby Gordon Highlander, product number R2449, arrived in 2020.  I was probably late in the day judging by the product number and I am guessing that the model had been released around 2012.

Hornby Glasgow Highlander R2449 with blue background to the crest

Spring 2024 and Hornby issued an updated model.  Perhaps they have a lot unsold and I was offered one at a price that I thought I couldn’t refuse.  (My wife might have had a different view!)


 

Hornby Glasgow Highlander R30226 with gold coloured crest, unlined cylinders, speedo cable and AWS trunking along the edge of the footplate.

The newly engineered Glasgow Highlander R30226 was issued slightly ahead of its stable mate R30227 the Caprotti fitted number 44755.  Both new Black Fives, R30226 and R30227 are fitted with Hornby’s illuminated oil lamps.  Both have the smoke box door attached with magnets and appear to be manufactured to accept Hornby’s smoke generator.
 

Hornby R30226 with illuminated lamps top left R2449 with Kenline lamp bottom right

I have reservations about Hornby’s illuminated lamps which I think are over bright and being also over scale are too intrusive.  The detail packs for both R30226 and R30227 contain spare lamp irons to replace the illuminated lamps.  The lamps are a push fit and are held in place with ‘Black Tack’.  There is more information on fitting the lamps and lamp irons in a previous Post https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/26381-no-174-is-it-a-toy-or-is-it-a-model-engine/

For my Glasgow Highlander I replaced the two illuminated lamps with lamp irons and then added a Kenline lamp held in place with double sided tape as detailed in another previous Post https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/26401-oil-lamps-a-little-light-on-the-subject/

Out of the box Hornby R30226 with illuminated lamps

Out of the box Hornby R2449 fitted with Kenline lamp

Hornby R30226 with replacement spare lamp irons and Kenline lamp

R30226 weighs around 260gm which is too light for hauling coaches up the inclines on my layout.  As said above I think the chassis is engineered for a smoke generator and there is ample room in the smoke box to fit the necessary extra 50gm inch long roll of lead.  The chassis of R30226 is similar to the chassis of R30227 (the Caprotti) but seems to have more metal.  The additional roll of lead can be posted through the smoke door opening or with the body shell removed it can be dropped into the firebox and pushed along inside the boiler.

I had to add lead ballast to my first Glasgow Highlander (R2449) to raise the total weight to 290gm.  It runs well and I like its looks.  R30226 also runs well.  For the Caprotti I had to massage the shape of the holding bracket for the front bogie to prevent the bogie lifting the driving wheels from the track (and loosing traction).  I didn’t have this issue with R30226.
The new model has matt black paint to the smokebox.  This seems to be the fashion these days that I feel has been borrowed from the appearance of engines in preservation rather than photographs from the 1950s and 60s.  R2449 has a blue background to the crest on the nameplate which looks more Scottish than the gold background on R30226.  I am not sure which is correct (and for what time period).  Blue is the colour that has been used on Ian Riley’s preserved Black Five 45407 which has been masquerading as 45157 for many years.  (It is sobering to note that 45407 had a life of perhaps 30 years in LMS/BR ownership and approaching now 55 years in preservation.)

I do wonder why Hornby chose to issue a second model of Glasgow Highlander and it had crossed my mind that they were confused by images of 45407 in preservation.
 

45157 at Stirling 23 April 1962 courtesy Ernies Railway Archives https://www.flickr.com/photos/irishswissernie/

Pictures of 45157 in British Railways service are rare but the image above from Ernies Railway Archive Flickr stream shows the engine in its last year.  Note the AWS conduit along the edge of the footplate and the boiler with its combined dome and top feed.  There is no sign of any speedo drive.

45407 masquerading as 45157 at Crewe open day in 2003 courtesy of Richard Hugo on Flickr https://www.flickr.com/photos/rhugo/

In contrast there are lots of pictures of 45157 (45407) in preservation.  Richard Hugo on Flickr has a super image of 45407 at Crewe open day in 2003.  You can see openings on the edge of the footplate where the AWS trunking was fitted and then removed.  Also 45407 is fitted with a speedo drive, something which more knowledgeable people confirm did not happen with 45157.  If Hornby had the intention of modelling 45407 it should have been given red cylinder lining, an Early Emblem and yellow overhead warning plates.  It then gets confused because 45407 has a separate dome and top feed compared to Glasgow Highlanders boiler with a combined dome and top feed. Both Hornby models are correct in this respect.  So which engine is Hornby R30226 based upon?

Either way I am well pleased with my models of 45157.  It remains to be seen whether in the future R30226 receives a number change.

Hornby Glasgow Highlander R30226 fitted with a Kenline lamp.

I have loaded a short compilation video of the two models fitted with their different lights.  R2449 is hauling red and cream coaches.  R30226 is hauling maroon coaches.  The clips at the end show R30226 with lamp irons and a single Kenline lamp.