Uploaded May 2021 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Famous as being on the last steam hauled train operated by BR, Oliver Cromwell was built at Crewe Works, being completed on 30 May 1951. 70013 was initially allocated to Norwich depot on the Eastern Region of British Railways and employed on London Liverpool Street to Norwich expresses.
The introduction of the Britannia Pacifics revolutionised express services in East Anglia which were run to quite demanding schedules. Some of the Norwich diagrams required two return trips a day to London totalling 460 miles.
The stunning Hornby model featured here is appropriately in as-built condition and is resplendant with "The East Anglian" headboard and Eastern Region discs.
The soundtrack is taken from actual Britannia locomotives - some of which is archive footage taken by Peter Handford of one at work on an Eastern Region Express. The excellent archive audio is available on CD via Old Thundridge Records who currently have 8 different CD's of various locos hard at work all over the country back in the day. Do check them out!
The model was detailed and weathered for my customer to give a pleasing polished appearance of a well looked after but hard working locomotive. Many of the eastern region Britannia's had a regular driver and fireman who took pride in their steeds and famously kept them in tip top condition.
Working on this model was a privilege as its owner is an active member of 70013's support crew on the mainline and a fireman on the Great Central Railway where the loco is currently under overhaul. He also provided some of the sounds that feature in this video for neat authenticity. I cant wait to hear Olly roar again in person.
Thanks to Tim for expertly editing this video for me, a top job befitting this great locomotive.
Famous as being on the last steam hauled train operated by BR, Oliver Cromwell was built at Crewe Works, being completed on 30 May 1951. 70013 was initially allocated to Norwich depot on the Eastern Region of British Railways and employed on London Liverpool Street to Norwich expresses.
The introduction of the Britannia Pacifics revolutionised express services in East Anglia which were run to quite demanding schedules. Some of the Norwich diagrams required two return trips a day to London totalling 460 miles.
The stunning Hornby model featured here is appropriately in as-built condition and is resplendant with "The East Anglian" headboard and Eastern Region discs.
The soundtrack is taken from actual Britannia locomotives - some of which is archive footage taken by Peter Handford of one at work on an Eastern Region Express. The excellent archive audio is available on CD via Old Thundridge Records who currently have 8 different CD's of various locos hard at work all over the country back in the day. Do check them out!
The model was detailed and weathered for my customer to give a pleasing polished appearance of a well looked after but hard working locomotive. Many of the eastern region Britannia's had a regular driver and fireman who took pride in their steeds and famously kept them in tip top condition.
Working on this model was a privilege as its owner is an active member of 70013's support crew on the mainline and a fireman on the Great Central Railway where the loco is currently under overhaul. He also provided some of the sounds that feature in this video for neat authenticity. I cant wait to hear Olly roar again in person.
Thanks to Tim for expertly editing this video for me, a top job befitting this great locomotive.
