Stephenson's Rocket Train Pack, Centenary Year Limited Edition - 1963 Item code: R3809 ‘The ‘Rocket’, built by Mr. Robert Stephenson of Newcastle in 1825, drew a load equivalent to three times its own weight at a speed of 12.5 m.p.h. With a full passenger carriage it did 24 m.p.h. and the cost of fuel was approximately 1½d. per mile. In doing so the locomotive won a premium of £500, offered by the directors of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway, for the most improved locomotive of its time. Rocket’s success was one definitely that the steam locomotive was suitable as a means of general railway haulage and that speeds previously approached could be maintained’. So ran the copy of the advertising sheet that announced in 1963 Tri-ang Railways ‘Rocket’. The original model was sold without coaches but in 1964 a coach was added but later in 1968 a further two coaches were included with the locomotive, a format which remained until the following year. 1982 saw the reintroduction of Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ presented as a limited edition in a brown, gold and sepia 5th face pack which this time was branded Hornby Railways. This model like the previous one was manufactured at Hornby’s Margate factory but so difficult was the assembly that a special team of factory workers were put together who had been involved with the original build in 1963. This latest model from Hornby employs the very finest of design, tooling and assembly technology with the result that the model is as true a scale model of Stephenson’s masterpiece that is currently possible. This 1500 piece limited edition of Stephenson’s ‘Rocket’ and three 1st Class coaches, being ‘Times’, ‘Despatch’ and ‘Experience’ forms part of the Hornby Trains Centenary Year group of products and celebrates by using the 1960s packaging style of that decade. Coach Names Included Times Experience Dispatch Please note: This product requires a 6 pin decoder. Limited to only 1500 Units Worldwide.
