How Hornby made a Forgotten Great Western Engine Famous - GWR Class 101

In today's video, we take a look at the almost forgotten GWR class 101 and how Hornby made it a model railway icon
Please subscribe for more
This video falls under the fair use act of 1976.
This video is available to use under the appropriate Creative Commons Licence.
Any images used that fall under any Creative Commons Licence belong to their respective owners.
Picture & Information References:
www.rmweb.co.u...
en.wikipedia.o...
John Thorn
www.hampshirem...
www.hattons.co...
www.hattons.co...
locomotive.fan...

[@thejohnler8358]

If you're wondering why Hornby choose the GWR 101 to make as a pocket rocket was that Hornby was looking for a new starter 0-4-0 and while Richard Lines was looking through drawings of possible subjects came across the 101 and choose the 101 as 'It seemed a nice subject, looking typically GWR and having a copper chimney cap'. Thus the 101 became a staple of the pocket rockets. Source Hornby The Official Illustrated History - Ian Harrison w. Pat Hammond

[@connormclernon26]

I kind of wish it’d be 1431 Trojan

[@dylpil9789]

@@connormclernon26 same but I'm glad that 101 got a model

[@toastrave7820]

pocket rocket where i live is a slang for a penis so this is some sort of childish humour

[@crazyguy32100]

Sound very similar to the E2s. Few of them built, rough riding, inadequete coal storage and only really good for shunting and short distances. Yet a fictional one of them became argueably the most famous train in the world. A blue engine that aspires to be really useful.

[@ukaszwalczak1154]

Holy fuck, you're right lmao

[@chazzywaz]

The GWR 101 reminds me of another Thomas character, Lady.

[@SteamingWestern-2009]

Not just that, there was a rumor that the 101 was the basis for Lady since her shape looks alike.

[@Bigbigpoopi]

Pity he keeps crashing, making Montague the true Really Useful Engine

[@PalmersPhotos]

Another potential reason 101 was chosen by Hornby, that a lot of "real" modellers don't like to acknowledge: they're cute. Yes, trains can be cute, and this is a potential selling factor for lots of consumers. And, they look good/plausible in most of the liveries Hornby has released them in. My first steamer was a Hornby 101, and as it was faster than my LifeLike diesels I had to learn about block isolation in order to run them both at the same time. That was a really good start into getting me interested in how the electronics of a layout works, rather than the plug+play sort of set I (we all) started with. Currently I'm in the planning stages of a detailing project involving these Hornby 101s, which will have much of the moulded detail removed and replaced with wire, etch and turned brass. I still need to learn how to do my own lining for the liveries (ruling pens look scary), and I'd love to find suitable parts to replicate the Joy valve gear the originals used, but I'm kinda looking forward to my little red #105 having some numbered companions.

[@ukaszwalczak1154]

Yeah. Like, just look at the Belgian 'Yvonne', the smallest conventional standard gauge loco [ignoring Gazelle] in the world, she's literally made to be adorable, you just wanna squish it!

[@0fficialdregs]

like the 2-6-6-6

[@toastrave7820]

@ukaszwalczak1154 indeed

[@codystrainsnjazz]

Lionel had a situation with the Pennsy S2 steam turbine. The Pennsy had 1 as an experiment but Lionel made a million toys of it

[@lukemendel8197]

I was going to comment this. Glad I was beaten to it.

[@russellgxy2905]

The polar opposite to this little pocket rocket. Same could be said with American Flyer, I recall they had a starter model based on the PRR K5. Not a clue why

[@asteroidrules]

Lionel also made the streamlined version of the Pennsy's K4 and the "Commodore" version of the NYC streamlined Hudsons in massive amounts, despite being one-offs in real life they're a staple of classic O gauge.

[@ComengProductions]

They sure are well known, all those Hornby 0-4-0s…

[@HungarianNomadNM4856]

Wdym?

[@GelatoTaco]

@@HungarianNomadNM4856 I think they mean that since Hornby started making the pocket rockets, the classes they're based on have gotten a ton of recognition. I don't pay too much attention to great western stuff (nothing against it, LNER is just much flashier IMO), but I instantly recognized this one.

[@HungarianNomadNM4856]

@@GelatoTaco oh ok.

[@TheStickCollector]

This is the same principle that makes things go viral. Nice to see the love spread around for something forgotten.

[@newobanproductions]

I did read up on why Hornby picked No. 101 and it's not a reason many think. Apparently, it was because the wheelbase just about matched that for their 0-4-0 outside cylinder chassis. Hornby however had muddled with 101's history as they claim the engine was built in 1901 and designed by James Holden. I could only guess this was an error made during the time the first run was designed and hadn't bothered to fix.

[@germantanker131johnny2]

There's also the "D Tanks" which are also based off of an obscure design. I have a few of those, as well as a 101.

[@bentullett6068]

Actually the D tanks existed and if you find the red Queen Mary or King George V models, they are the actual real world locomotives they based the models on.

[@germantanker131johnny2]

@@bentullett6068 I know, that's what I said. They also have a basis like the 101.

[@bentullett6068]

@germantanker131johnny2 my first loco was Queen Mary. I still have it and early this year I decided find the King George V version so I had both version's.

[@dragonblaster-vu8wz]

I wonder if Britt Alcroft found this locomotive when making Thomas and the Magic Railroad. The design seems similar to Lady's final design in that movie

[@totallytidmouth]

The designs are far too similar for that to not be the case.

[@NewController01]

it also replaced, model wise, the Triang "Nellie" which was a simplified LSWR C14 tank engine

[@Yanmotion]

Other than Hornby, not to forget that 101 also made a film appearance in Cosgrove Hall's adaption of The Wind in the Willows.

[@heaptoncollierymodelrailwa6011]

It was an odd choice- but now so iconic And some of the mods people have done are superb!

[@KDapple]

Omg I genuinely thought that hornby made up their 0-4-0 all this time since I had only seen this engine in their train sets and had never seen it outside of that. Given that the real 101 never went out on the mainline, it makes sense (fyi, I’m from the United States but have a basic knowledge of UK railways, though it is admittedly quite limited)

[@kisarabanuja3254]

I did not even know it was even based on a real loco, great vid as always!

[@ScarfNJam]

I’m making one of these out of Lego, this video is super helpful as I couldn’t find any picture of the real engine! Thanks!

[@TankEngine97]

When I was a kid I thought this loco was a fictional design by Hornby. But years later, turns out it was a real engine. I have a few models of this engine which I have customised over the years.

[@steam-powered-cyborg]

This little fella managed to slay any freelance livery in the afterlife. Good on you, you little bean.

[@lukechristmas3951]

This proves how influential model trains can be. Yes, everyone will know of the preserved engines. These will be operational or famous enough that there will be models made of them but at the same time, there are plenty of other engines both preserved and scrapped that are not recognized, that would benefit from some RTR models. I got a brass model of Great Northern N-3 Class 2-8-8-0 of off Hattons once and it made me wonder just who the original owner was and how many people both in the US and the UK know of the Mighty Mallets that the GN had that fought the Yellowstones for iron ore in Northern Minnesota.

[@alicehodges9964]

@@lukechristmas3951 it's An Good Tank Engine

[@freddieellis8449]

Good to hear a mention of the Wrington Vale Light railway. I have a model layout of the terminus of that line, Blagdon built by Dave Hackling many, many moons ago. A fine and accurate representation of the station as she would have appeared towards the end of the line’s existence.

[@WatchVidsMakeLists]

Makes sense to hear this engine was an obscure, one of a kind prototype. I had actually assumed Hornby made up the design, sort of like how Percy has no clear basis but resembles a lot of industrial tank engines.

[@vickielawless]

I had a GWR 101 as my first train set, with 4x 4 wheel coaches. 35 years on, I've still got it, plus the coaches! It no longer runs, but I keep it anyway. Those Hornby 0-4-0s couldn't half shift..

[@CraigLYoung]

Thanks for sharing and Merry Christmas to you and your family 😅

[@DoubleX8620]

Hell yeah the 101. I have the modern GWR version, the original 1980s Great Western lettering version and my favourite the fictional "Blue Diamond". They are lovely models. As someone who has the Dublo Scotsman and other modern, highly detailed locos, I still enjoy running these, the Caledonian Pug and the Dowlais Iron Works Class D. They are inexpensive, easy to service models which just work. Nothing flashy, but they are cute, colourful and inexpensive models which I love to collect. I'd say the D Class is even more obscure than this one. It is very interesting I think that Hornby would choose such a niche loco to make in model form, but I like it a lot.

[@Shunteration]

Another example of a an underwhelming design being preserved by a medium of entertainment would be the E2 tank engines, thanks to the Railway Series and William Middleton's decision to base Thomas the Tank Engine on one. And speaking of Thomas, the GWR 101's design served as one of the inspirations for Lady, a character from the somewhat ill-fated Thomas & the Magic Railroad movie.

[@TrentonLightninghammer]

Thanks you for this one!! :) i suggested it ages ago and have been keenly hoping

[@joesSONICBOOM]

I bought so many of those Hornby GWR 101 Class trains in various colours. My favorite is the 105 in a lovely red/black/gold colours

[@bentullett6068]

Another 0-4-0 Hornby picked for their entry locomotives was the D tank that they modelled on two existing locomotives Queen Mary and King George V. They also had these two locomotives feature in the early production of the D tank model production.

[@nyeti7759]

Not only did this unique engine become a mass-produced Hornby staple, but their inside cylinder starter engine is also based on a rare and obscure prototype (Dowlais Ironworks №s 76 and 79).

[@CZ350tuner]

I have a 1997 Smart Trains O guage model of the 101, powered by 3 x AA batteries. It came with a pair of Warflat bogie bolster wagons. I've had it for about 20 years now and it came with a large oval of plastic track, which I occasionally have laid out on the lawn, during the summer.

[@roadwarrior114]

I bought the blue 'Crewe & District Quarries' version of this as my first engine when I got into HO/OO trains. Doesn't even have a serviceable commutator, but it's still a good running engine. The first HO engine I ever got in my life was a Bachmann Santa Fe F-Unit. Still have it after 15 years. So both of my 'first' model trains are the most common American and British engines. Interesting.

[@GelatoTaco]

my first model was a Hornby Smokey Joe and I immediately moved to the pre-owned market for the majority of my stock, so for the longest time I never really considered getting one of these. Saw one pre-owned in a Hornby Centenary livery for cheap, and wound up getting another soon after. This thing has it's own kinda charm, and I'm considering getting a 3rd solely for a repaint into one of my custom liveries.

[@LilLew9]

an engine i feel had a similar story to 101 would be the G&SWR class "5" or "S", it wasn't too known, but was probably the inspiration for the LMS 2F class dock tank, but was mainly famous for being the 5 in gauge "butch" loco for live steam railways and was a great starting engine for it

[@upstart3782]

This was my first loco in my first Hornby train set at Christmas 1982

[@Aussie_TTTEFan_2008]

I remember in 2016, my first Hornby train set was this locomotive. However, numbered 107

[@cmc9775]

Oddly enough, out of all my model trains it's THAT one that is my favorite. The Hornby Rocket Pocket version of this Holden Class shunter. Only mine is in LMS livery

[@jackgrafik]

I definitely had one of these, done up in an Irish livery if I remember (and my brother had a D tank, similar kind of deal). Also, interestingly the 101 also starred in the 1983 stop-motion Wind in the Willows adaptation, presumably because the wide angle shots used Hornby models, and they scratch built partial models for the close ups

[@olhemi1]

Great job on the research very nice story 🙂☕👍

[@richardwalker2881]

Now I remember, this train, in story, was considered as something as a dream like entity

[@Trent_The_Trainiac]

1:45 well I'm glad I can finally have 101 carry out its dreams of pulling trains 🙂

[@CaptainForsyth]

The class 101 was always a favourite of mine as a kid, Still got my first one which I name Speedy.

[@piotrstanek1074]

Epic Video, Keep It Up Edit:btw i was first comment made 37 secends after video got uploaded

[@akirkirkman9127]

that kinda looks like Lady I wonder if her basses came from this tank engine

[@UltidariSemarang]

This is a unique yet weird type of stories :v

[@MemerBoy420-q9g]

For some reason I always thought that GWR 101 was a possible basis for Lady from TATMR, in fact following TATMR’s release Hornby could’ve most likely made a Lady. I mean they were planning on making Splodge before repainting them Arry & Bert, but the faces on Hornby’s Arry & Bert are obviously Splodge’s.

[@queenlia7063]

You should make a video about the trains in chitty chitty bang bang and make like a review on how realistic they are

[@gameoholic1994]

You'd be surprised how many people believe this was the engine that inspired Lady from "Thomas and the Magic Railroad," despite claims that her character was a freelance design.

[@lyokianhitchhiker]

Even if she is, it's a hell of a coincidence

[@danieltheblueschoolsclass927]

Ok now we waiting for GKN D class

[@clockwork3494]

I had always wondered if these were based on real eninges, you learn something new every day I got my green "Little Giant" version of this engine with my old Hornby starter set when I was around 13, one of the buffers is broken, the air brake pipes are long since lost and the couplings have been bent many times but I still love the model I wonder if it's possible to give it a more updated and accurate chassis alike the real engine as well as a refurbishment, I want to see it run again someday

[@Tombola1993]

For a stand alone experimental locomotive, there definitely has been an ironic outcome.

[@FunAngelo2005]

Holy crap, it's the hornby locomotive

[@romycarldelacruz1980]

Wait so you mean the cheap starter engines from hornby are actually real engine design. I always thought they were just random design Hornby made not a real engine design

[@DmayExpress]

You forgot to mention that GWR 101 was also in the 1983 film The Wind In The Willows, though it was two GWR 101 Engines with different numbers, No. 121, and No. 111.

[@comicfan1324]

Stoke up the magic in the mountain, and the Lady will smile

[@tearooms47]

Such a shame this engine was a failure as its one of my favourite locomotive designs of all time there's just something so charming about it that I love I hope one day we get a more accurate model of it made as the Hornby one, as nice as it is, is not 100% accurate

[@brenlc1412]

GWR 101: I’m just an experimental engine, Sir. I’m meant to be expendable. Hornby: Not to me.

[@bigbigarchive]

Actual W from Hornby

[@bussesandtrains1218]

Speak english

[@toyotaprius79]

Would be nice to see a rebuild

[@dustin_4501]

It is like an LBSCR A1X was given a GWR treat and then was thrown on a washing machine.

[@warrior3456_]

I imagine its small its cute and uncomplicated

[@Randomdude808-r7v]

Are you going to do the D class?

[@monicagende1651]

The 101 looks like lady the lost engine in Thomas the tank engine

[@tanfield02]

Someone may have already mentioned this, but thinking about the hornby ‘pocket rockets’ as there known, pretty much all of them are models of unusual and obscure prototypes, the 101 as featured in this video, but also the D class, the 0F ‘pug’ albeit these were more common and some have survived without hornby making them they would be largely unknown to most people, the class 06 diesel the same applies and latterly the bag all diesel to, the only exception is the side tank that started out as the short lived 0-4-0 Thomas hornby made which as far as I know is purely fictional in its design. With the exception of the last of these all hornbys starter 0-4-0’s are based on rather unusual designs almost all of which have no preserved examples, the same is true of triangs Nellie, Polly, connie locos which are based on a real loco which would otherwise have been largely forgotten by most, why hornbys Smokey joes didn’t end up being say, a Andrew Barclay saddle tank for example has always confused me, but I’m glad we have the locos they made as they are certainly interesting

[@CZ350tuner]

Welso-Brimtoy accurately modelled the body of an LNER Y4 class shunting loco for their 1960's to 1970's cheap kids clockwork plastic bagged trainset. Why they did this, is a mystery. The body shell can be made to fit onto a Lima American Porter 0-4-0T chassis, to make a pretty good model of a LNER Y4 0-4-0T. Only five Y4 shunting locos were built, in real life, with the last being withdrawn in 1968.

[@Lucius_Chiaraviglio]

Strange how in a couple of photos (including the first one, of the locomotive on the miniature turntable), the front driver is nearly invisible., making me think at first that it was some kind of weird 2-2-0.

[@spearmintpony7105]

I wish I could've had the Little Giant version of this loco.

[@joshuaW5621]

I have a model of this locomotive, though I must ask, is it meant to be bigger than an LBSCR A1?

[@Brokenwagonthinks]

Good video

[@mpowell4030]

In my AU of Thomas and Friends the 101 is the basis for Lady.

[@350enginestudios2]

Awebo!!!! Ya hay español

[@Combes_]

This kinda reminds me of what happened to Alexander Hamilton! Except of course Lin-Manuel Miranda didn't choose him because he'd look good in various liveries 🤣

[@peterrobinson4368]

The 101, D tank and Smokey joe. At least every UK railway modeller has at least 1 and is famous for being a pocket rocket, which could out pace an A4

[@harrisonallen651]

Although not accurate to her basis, I personally believe that Hornby should’ve a made a model of Lady with the GWR Class 101 tooling to coincide the release of Thomas And The Magic Railroad.

[@yeoldeseawitch]

4:20 minutes long N O I C E

[@obelic71]

So we can say as an oil burning prototype it was re gauged and ended up as an electric mass produced engine racking up more miles, serving more yards and destinations then the original did.

[@bogdanmihalescu6907]

I have my 101 pulling the Santa Express around my tree right now

[@theclickbaitmasster]

Lady from Thomas and the Magic railroad was a great western 101 I think

[@CliffordWoody-j6t]

You know, I have one of those hornby 0-4-0 In a brown livery with the initials of London and south western railway on, it’s tanks

[@Captain_Char]

the idea to have a saddle tank oil seems good on paper it seems like it would have gave the engine more steaming between fuelings is my guess is was the design idea shame the oil burner tech never worked out for this class cause it woulda been interesting to compare oil fueled tank engine to a coal burner

[@mayohoskotwrandttte]

whether Hornby thought its history was a nice subject its also an extremely simple and boxy engine which is appealing to a low budget train set

[@jameshardy4354]

Can hornby retool it to be come duper detail and the D tank aswell

[@rhettrobinson1361]

Lady from Thomas and the Magic Railroad!!

[@Rpeach29]

I have it but I don't know if it still works

[@jeaniradiante4536]

Uh train of thoughts i think you got worldwide audio thing on your video Just as you posted it

[@Londontransitduck]

D class next please

[@tred6292]

The Lost Engine

[@NJPurling]

The boiler has a firebox that looks rather like the corrugated furnace tube on a oil-fired Scotch marine boiler. Is the original firebox too small to have a sufficiently intense flame? Was oil-firing very common in industrial steam plant when 101 was built? It does look like a very odd design for a light railway when the company could have gone to private builders with their needs and specified it to be built in the style they wanted. Oil firing doesn't have much of a history except as an emergency conversion to conventional locomotives

[@RealJankBusesOfficial]

My character is a GWR 101 and his brothers

[@sebastianthomsen2225]

choo choo!🚂:) 👍

[@onetrackmind3558]

Isn't Lady a modified GWR 101?

[@gabriellecobban4606]

Under 1000 views, under 40 minutes

[@terencewilliammckenna6121]

Lady looks very similar to these class

[@stuartaaron613]

All due respect to the Great Western fans, but personally I've never been impressed with their steam locomotive designs. Two reasons. First was that their three rivals, Southern, LMS, and L&NER all developed multiple classes of very successful 4-6-2 locomotives, Great Western built one which was a dud, and so gave up on the wheel arrangement, continuing instead to build 4-6-0 locomotives. Second was their continued use of inside Stephenson valve gear while the LMS and L&NER went with outside Walchaerts, and Southern initially used Bullied's inside chain drive system (later most were rebuilt with Walchaerts as well).

[@Disgruntledcoach]

And there's the D class crying in the corner because it got no mention

[@10KPremium]

Lady from Thomas and friends

[@Jediah-s6p]

NO lady does NOT have a class

[@stevenmosco20]

@@Jediah-s6pyou can’t deny it looks like her though

[@Jediah-s6p]

@@stevenmosco20 true

[@railsofrobloxiaofficial]

yo wait i have 2 of those red and green

[@darrenbrashaw8409]

I got this from Santa the year it came out.

[@iamatrainfan]

i this may be the based on Lady

[@Matts_Creations]

Ik these were real but never found any photos of them. I usually thought they were freelance but ik it was somewhat.

[@Nowheres_Channel]

Wait... This was real??

[@simplybtw]

Looks like Lady from Thomas

[@Jediah-s6p]

Not really

[@simplybtw]

@Julia-i2m5u didn't ask