Hornby Colas Rail HST limited-edition with TXS sound

Key Publishing has commissioned a limited edition pair of HST power cars from Hornby for ‘OO’ gauge modelling the two Colas Rail Freight liveried Class 43s operating on the national network.

IN STOCK NOW! LIMITED AVAILABILITY - HORNBY TRIPLEX SOUND FITTED COLAS RAIL HST PACK

Colas Rail Freight’s only company liveried pair of HST power cars have been selected for this limited edition for ‘OO’ gauge available exclusively from Key Publishing. The new HST train pack has been commissioned from Hornby and it is in stock now.

Colas Rail Freight operates a fleet of 10 Class 43 HST power cars which are used for test trains across the British railway network including the New Measurement Train (NMT), Plain Line Pattern Recognition (PLPR) train and others.

Of the 10 power cars, only two have been repainted into Colas Rail Freight colours to date which are the subject of this exclusive limited edition. Included in the pack are 43277 Safety Task Force (powered) and 43257 (unpowered), both of which bare the striking orange, black and yellow colours of Colas Rail.

43277 was repainted in March 2023 by South Devon Railway Engineering and gained the name Safety Task Force during its repaint while 43257 received its corporate colours in summer 2024 at Laira TMD.

The ‘OO’ gauge limited edition will be available DCC ready (Cat No. R30462) and DCC sound fitted (R30462TXS) with the latter equipped with a pair of Hornby Triplex Sound Bluetooth decoders and an MTU engine sound profile.

Standard features across the pair include a five-pole motor, directional lighting, cab lights, independently powered roof fans, factory fitted twin 15mm x 11mm cube speaker, correct body details for the two power cars, NEM coupling pockets at the inner ends and turned metal wheels with all wheel drive in 43277.

Production will be limited to 400 models - 200 DCC ready and 200 with DCC sound. This is the DCC sound fitted version.

Model specification highlights include:

• Five-pole motor with twin flywheels
• All-wheel drive in 43277
• Turned metal wheels
• Factory fitted twin 15mm x 11mm cube speakers in both power cars
• Factory fitted pair of Hornby Triplex Sound 21-pin decoders
• MTU HST engine sound profile pre-loaded on sound fitted models
• Independently powered roof fans in both power cars
• Directional lights in both power cars
• Correct underframe and roof details for 43277 and 43257
• Separately fitted handrails
• Flush glazing
• NEM coupling pockets with small tension lock couplings
• Optional nameplates to apply over the printed 'plates on 43277
• Limited edition boxing restricted to 400 units